It continues to be an all-star post-season for Whatcom County’s best players.
After already being named MVPs of their respective state tournaments and leading their teams to state championships, Anthony Canales of Lynden and Devin Coppinger of Nooksack Valley were selected to represent Washington state in a prestigious all-star event.
And Coppinger joined 14 other Whatcom girls in playing in the Northwest Conference All-Star Game on Wednesday, March 13, at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon.
Canales, Coppinger Named To Washington All-Star Team
Canales, who led the Lynden boys to their third straight Class 2A state title, and Coppinger, who guided the Nooksack Valley girls to back-to-back 1A state crowns, were chosen to participate in the prestigious Washington-Oregon all-star doubleheader on April 14 at Portland Community College.
The event, which used to be called the Northwest Shootout but is now called WAVOR (WAshington Versus ORegon), is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Tickets are $15 at the door and $10 in advance. The top 10 senior boys and 10 senior girls from Washington state will square off with the best from Oregon.
Last year, the Washington boys won, 110-97, and the Oregon girls won, 93-80, although over the last decade the Oregon boys and Washington girls have dominated.
The last Whatcom player to be selected was Lynden Christian’s Libby Stump, who had 13 points and 7 assists in helping Washington win, 126-91, in 2022. Before that, three Whatcom players were chosen to play in 2019 — Lynden’s Clay Whitman and Lynden Christian’s Cole Bajema and Isabela Hernandez.
Binning Leads Whatcom Girls In NWC All-Star Game
Squalicum guard Mari Binning had a game-high 15 points to help the Red Team defeat the White Team, 72-61, in the girls NWC All-Star Game.
The game included players from different classes and nine of the 11 Whatcom high schools.
Joining Binning in double figures for the Red Team was Coppinger with 12 points. Sehome’s Natalie Brewer added 8 points, and Sehome’s Emmy Hart and Ferndale’s Mallory Butenschoen had 6 points and a pair of 3-pointers each.
For the White Team, Lynden’s Payton Mills had 12 points and Nooksack Valley’s Lainey Kimball had 8 points.
Red Team 72, White Team 61
Red Team 17 21 13 21—72
White Team 20 16 14 11—61
Red Team: Suki Warden (Oak Harbor) 4, Emmy Hart (Sehome) 6, Kylie Selin (Concrete), Devin Coppinger (Nooksack Valley) 12, Natalie Brewer (Sehome) 8, Mallory Butenschoen (Ferndale) 6, Mari Binning (Squalicum) 15, Allie Heino (Mount Vernon Christian) 12, Malia Garcia (Mount Vernon) 6, Jenna Wineinger (Mount Baker) 3, Tabby DeJong (Lynden Christian).
White Team: Madi Cooper (Sehome) 4, Brooklyn Fuller (Meridian) 3, Ruthie Rozema (Mount Vernon Christian) 3, Lainey Kimball (Nooksack Valley) 8, Jordyn Vezzetti (Blaine) 2, Mikiah Dunham (Anacortes) 9, Deja Dube (Blaine) 2, Chesah Holmes (Burlington-Edison) 7, Ella Fritts (Lynden Christian) 3, Alaina Jones (Lakewood) 4, Tana Hoekema (Nooksack Valley) 4, Payton Mills (Lynden) 12.
