Sports - High Schools

POSTED: Saturday, Nov. 29, 2008

PREP FOOTBALL: Second trip to title game sweet for Lions

TACOMA - Two years ago, as a freshman member of the Lynden football team Ryan Seto and a handful of other current juniors and seniors watched from the sidelines as the Lions won the Class 2A state title.

Sure Seto was a member of that team, and yes he played a big role in helping the Lions' varsity starters prepare to play each week. But as exciting as it was to be a part of a championship program, he also looked forward to the days when he could contribute to a state title as something more than a reserve player.

After knocking off Archbishop Murphy 21-13 on Saturday, Nov. 29, in the state semifinals at the Tacoma Dome it looks like Seto could get his wish. With the win, the Lions (11-2) are headed back to the state championship for the second time in three seasons. They'll meet Prosser (13-0) at the Tacoma Dome at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6.

"I was on that team as a freshman and it was great, but I wasn't playing so it's not the same," Seto said. "Now that I'm playing, this is just awesome. I don't know how else to say it."

Seto isn't alone. Most of Lynden's starters this season learned what it takes to win a state title while watching from the sidelines during that 2006 season. Many of them came close to reaching their goal last season before Prosser tripped them up one game short of a return trip in the 2007 semifinals. Now that they are back in the title game, they don't want to let the opportunity pass them by.

"I was part of that championship family my sophomore year, but I really didn't play much," senior David Gaylord said, "so this feels pretty good. We're not the best team out here honestly, but we work hard together and do everything together. We play as a team."

Gaylord did his part against the Wildcats. After spending much of the season as the Lions' top running back, he started the semifinal contest at quarterback and tossed an 80-yard touchdown pass to Blair Bomber on the first play of the game. He's always been the team's backup quarterback and has even taken several snaps at the position this season, but Saturday's throw was his first pass attempt this season.

"We just thought there were some things in their secondary that we could take advantage of," Gaylord said. "And the deep ball is my specialty."

The recipient of the pass, Bomber, started on offense and defense on that championship team in 2006 as a freshman. But that experience hasn't made Lynden's run this season any less special.

"The experience of coming to the Dome, whether that's a semifinal game or a state championship game, you just love it," Bomber said. "The atmosphere here, there's nothing like it. I love it."

While Gaylord delivered the opening punch at quarterback, Seto delivered the knock out blow from his outside linebacker position. His sack on fourth down of Archbishop Murphy quarterback Austin VanderWel with less than a minute remaining in the game wrapped up the win for Lynden.

"Throughout the game, it seemed like when I blitzed he would throw the ball just before I could get there," Seto said. "That last time I was just thinking 'don't throw it, don't throw it.' Then I saw him pull it down and I got him."

Gaylord, who plays the other outside linebacker spot, saw the sack a different way.

"That was picture perfect," Gaylord said. "That was the perfect way to end the game."