With the first week of high school basketball playoffs over, it’s time to stop on the road to state and figure out where the Whatcom teams are.
Of our 22 teams, 13 are still alive and eligible for winning a state championship — or at least reaching state.
But before we take a look at the survivors, let’s take a moment to celebrate those teams who wrapped up their seasons last week — the Bellingham boys and girls, the Blaine boys and girls, the Ferndale girls, the Mount Baker boys and girls, and the Sehome boys and girls.
Thank you Bayhawks, Borderites, Golden Eagles, Mounties, and Mariners for the great moments you all have provided fans across Whatcom County during the exciting 2024-25 season.
And now, on to those who are continuing down the road that leads to the state tournaments in Spokane (Class 1B), Yakima (1A and 2A), and Tacoma (3A). None have qualified yet, but that could change starting Tuesday.
Here’s a look where each team stands and what they need to do to reach their state tournament.
CLASS 1B BOYS
Lummi Nation Blackhawks
Record: 19-3
RPI ranking: No. 7
Next game: District 1/2/3 quarterfinal against Providence Classical Christian (9-8), Tuesday, at Lummi Nation
What the Blackhawks need to do to qualify for state: Pretty much just show up Tuesday. Lummi Nation has already beaten the Highlanders by 43 and 39 points in Northwest 1B League play, and a quarterfinal victory would guarantee a top-six tri-district finish and a return trip to state.
CLASS 1A BOYS
Lynden Christian Lyncs
Record: 20-2
RPI ranking: No. 3
Next game: District 1/2 crossover game, Saturday, at King’s High against the District 2 fifth-place finisher, which won’t be decided until Thursday
What the Lyncs need to do to qualify for state: Make sure the team bus gets to King’s on Saturday. LC is one of the best teams in the state and will be a very heavy favorite against whichever District 2 team survives the consolation bracket. A win on Saturday and the Lyncs will be in.
Meridian Trojans
Record: 15-7
RPI ranking: No. 10
Next game: District 1 consolation final against Nooksack Valley (11-10), Tuesday, at Lynden High
What the Trojans need to do to qualify for state: Beat Nooksack Valley on Tuesday. True, whichever Whatcom team wins that heated battle still needs to beat the District 2 fourth-place finisher on Saturday in the crossover game to earn a state spot. But let’s be honest — both Meridian and Nooksack deserve to be at state and whichever one prevails Tuesday won’t be losing on Saturday.
Nooksack Valley Pioneers
Record: 11-10
RPI ranking: No. 23
Next game: District 1 consolation final against Meridian (15-7), Tuesday, at Lynden High
What the Pioneers need to do to qualify for state: Play like the Nooksack team that almost upset undefeated Lynden and not the Nooksack team that almost lost to Mount Baker last Saturday. Again, winning Tuesday against Meridian is only the first hurdle but the Trojans are a much bigger obstacle than whichever District 2 team the Pioneers might face in the crossover game.
CLASS 2A BOYS
Lynden Lions
Record: 23-0
RPI ranking: No. 1
Next game: District 1 championship game against Lakewood (17-6), Wednesday, at Mount Vernon High
What the Lions need to do to qualify for state: Not be complacent. Lynden hasn’t lost and rarely even been tested, but it definitely will be tested against the scrappy Cougars. The Lions won the first matchup between the two by 11 but that was a month ago. If Lynden is at the top of its game, no one will beat the Lions. But if they aren’t, Lakewood is one team that could and the Lions don’t want to go through the consolation back-door.
Squalicum Storm
Record: 12-10
RPI ranking: No. 23
Next game: District 1 consolation game against Burlington-Edison (15-7), Tuesday, at Mount Vernon High
What the Storm needs to do to qualify for state: Pull off three upsets in five days. The Storm are much better than their record and have been playing well of late, but they’ll probably be asked to knock off Burlington, Anacortes and Lakewood — teams that Squalicum is 0-4 against this season although all four losses were very close. With Burlington’s best player injured and possibly missing Tuesday’s game, things are a little more favorable, but Squalicum has its work cut out for it.
CLASS 3A BOYS
Ferndale Golden Eagles
Record: 11-10
RPI ranking: No. 37
Next game: District 1 consolation game at Marysville-Getchell (15-8), Wednesday
What the Golden Eagles need to do to qualify for state: Just win two games, that’s all. The task is simple, but it won’t be easy. The Chargers will be a tough test especially on the road. And even if Ferndale would win Wednesday, the Golden Eagles will have to beat the loser of the Monroe-Shorecrest semifinal, and both the Bearcats and the Highlanders are ranked in the top 10 in the state. With an RPI ranking of 37, Ferndale is definitely a long shot.
CLASS 1B GIRLS
Lummi Nation Lady Blackhawks
Record: 20-3
RPI ranking: No. 6
Next game: District 1/2/3 quarterfinal against Summit Classical Christian (11-7), Tuesday, at Lummi Nation
What the Lady Blackhawks need to do to qualify for state: Stay the course. All the Blackhawks need to do is win Tuesday to be guaranteed a top-six tri-district finish and a spot in the state regionals. And the Archers lost by 11 to Concrete, a team Lummi Nation beat by 29 and 35. So barring serious injuries or having their starting lineup foul out, the Blackhawks can pretty much punch their ticket to Spokane on Tuesday.
CLASS 1A GIRLS
Lynden Christian Lyncs
Record: 19-3
RPI ranking: No. 2
Next game: District 1/2 crossover, Saturday, at King’s High against District 2 fifth-place finisher, which won’t be decided until Thursday
What the Lyncs need to do to qualify for state: Win Saturday, which will happen — barring an earthquake or Mount Rainier erupting. The Lyncs have already played and beaten some of the best teams in the state several classifications bigger, which means the fifth-place finisher from the weak Emerald Sound League doesn’t stand a chance.
Nooksack Valley Pioneers
Record: 14-8
RPI ranking: No. 10
Next game: District 1 consolation final against Meridian (15-7), Tuesday, at Lynden High
What the Pioneers need to do to qualify for state: Flush away last Saturday’s loss to Lynden Christian. Again, the Pioneers would have to not only win Tuesday against Meridian but Saturday against the District 2 fourth-place finisher in the crossover game. But the key will be bouncing back from the disappointing defeat knowing that the scrappy Trojans are ready to finally break the Nooksack-LC stranglehold and make it to state.
Meridian Trojans
Record: (15-7)
RPI ranking: No. 12
Next game: District 1 consolation final against Nooksack Valley (14-8), Tuesday, at Lynden High
What the Trojans need to do to qualify for state: Get past the mental hurdle. Like Nooksack, the Trojans would need to not only win Tuesday but Saturday against the District 2 opponent in the crossover game. But the young Trojans will have to first overcome the psychological barrier that has prevented Meridian from reaching state since 2020. They’ve beaten Nooksack once this season, but can they do it when everything is at stake?
CLASS 2A GIRLS
Lynden Lions
Record: 23-0
RPI ranking: No. 1
Next game: District 1 championship game against Archbishop Murphy (21-1), Wednesday, at Mount Vernon High
What the Lions need to do to qualify for state: Come out in playoff mode. Lynden is undefeated and nobody has been close, but the Wildcats are one team that has the talent to pull off the upset. However, if the Lions come out hungry and ready to prove their are indeed the class of the state — as they’ve done for 23 straight games — they should be celebrating Wednesday night a return to Yakima to defend their state title.
Squalicum Storm
Record: 12-9
RPI ranking: No. 18
Next game: District 1 consolation game against Lakewood (10-13), Monday, at Mount Vernon High
What the Storm needs to do to qualify for state: Win Monday and then pull off two major upsets. The 2A District 1 tournament is one of the most competitive in the state with three teams ranked in the top five. Unfortunately, the sophomore-dominated Storm will need to defeat two of them — and that’s after beating Lakewood on Monday. It won’t be easy, but that’s why you play the games, right?
