Caleb Breakey
Tribune sports reporter

Lynden Christian's Kayleigh Ryan serves one up in Yakima.

YAKIMA — Forget the stigma that comes with being a young team. Lynden Christian’s knees simply don’t buckle under pressure.
  The Lyncs, loaded with young, inexperienced talent, survived five loser-out games and stood up under every pressure boring down on them en route to a fourth-place state finish on Saturday, extending Lynden Christian’s streak of consecutive state volleyball trophies won to 11 years in a row.

Caleb Breakey
Tribune sports reporter

Top: Lynden quarterback Jordan Hastings looks for his receivers against Interlake on Saturday evening at Civic Field.

BELLINGHAM — Hats off to the Lynden scout team.
  After watching the Interlake football team on Nov. 11 in a playoff game against North Mason, the Lions knew they’d be facing an athletic squad. Saints sophomore quarterback Matt Malos, in particular, displayed the speed, agility and arm that can wreak havoc on the open field.

Caleb Breakey
Tribune sports reporter

Nooksack Valley's Nick deGrasse picks up yards against Forks on Saturday afternoon in the 1A state playoffs.

BELLINGHAM — One of Forks’ big, burly football players led the rest of the Spartans off the field at halftime during the first round of the 1A state playoffs on Saturday at Civic Stadium. He tried to jog as the team walked. He tried to amp things up vocally as the team kept quiet.

From left, Lynden's 200 freestyle relay team: Grace Alspaugh, Jasmynne Umbaugh, Megan Niemela and Michelle Bruncks.

FEDERAL WAY — Even though none of its swimmers advanced to the finals, the Lynden girls swimming team came away from the state swim meet with a lot of experience and a lot of pride.

Caleb Breakey
Tribune sports reporter

BELLINGHAM — Down by a touchdown, irked by calls going against them, and flat-out frustrated with how the first half went against Squalicum at Civic Field on Saturday afternoon, some of Lynden’s football players hung their heads during halftime.

A host of runners fight for the head grass on Saturday in Pasco. Leading for the Lyncs is Jacob Hollander (312).

PASCO — For the first time in its history, the Lynden Christian boys’ cross country team will have a trophy to show off.
  Chris VandenBos and Jacob Hollander led the team, with both of them finishing in the top 30 of the 1A state meet. Zach Crenshaw and Josh Scholten, the Lyncs’ third and fifth runners, gave Lynden Christian the same great efforts they did at district, Lyncs coach Darren Postma said, and senior Niko Marttila was the team’s racer of the day by finishing fourth for the team — only five seconds behind Crenshaw.

Caleb Breakey
Tribune sports reporter

BELLINGHAM — Forget the kickoff of Thursday’s district playoff game between Meridian and Coupeville. The real plot, the real drama, the real hook — all of it started 24 hours before.
  Enter — drum roll, please — a Slesk.

  LYNDEN — Make it 12 in a row for the Lynden Christian volleyball team. That’s how many times the Lyncs have made the state volleyball tournament in a row, thanks to a pair of wins at the 1A Tri-District Tournament at King’s High School on Saturday.
  But another big challenge lies before Lynden Christian: Keeping alive the streak of 10 consecutive years of bringing home a state trophy.

Caleb Breakey
Tribune sports reporter

  LYNDEN — Lynden volleyball coach Chris Elsner could have seen this coming a decade ago. Then again, she really did see it coming a decade ago.
  When Elsner started coaching at Lynden High School 10 years ago, Julie Price, sister of Lions senior Jessi Roberts, was the stud of the volleyball court (and went on to play at Central Washington University).

Caleb Breakey
Tribune sports reporter

  ANACORTES — If there seemed to be a little bit more water in the pool at the Fidalgo Pool & Fitness Center on Saturday during the Girls Swimming & Diving Championship, don’t be alarmed.
  It was a result of nothing more than pure joy.
  The Lynden swimming team’s 200 free relay team of Jasmyne Umbaugh, Grace Alspaugh, Megan Niemela and Michelle Bruncks earned a trip to state with a second-place time of 1:53.97.