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A Season of Change
Chapter Five: Surprise, Surprise To do so, though, Lynden Christian would have to beat state-ranked Lakeside. And in that district semifinal, the Lyncs demonstrated the kind of will and fortitude they would need again before the end of their season. Dykstra was all-world -- 29 points, nine rebounds and eight assists -- until he fouled out with 3:13 remaining. With two minutes remaining and the Lyncs ahead by a basket, Timmer -- a spotty free-throw shooter at best -- calmly sank two critical free throws. Then, in the final 30 seconds with the Lyncs again ahead by just two points, Weg was double-teamed in the backcourt and seemed certain to be trapped for a turnover. Instead, he whipped the ball downcourt to Huizenga, who laid it in for the clinching basket. That game put the Lyncs into the state tournament, but more immediately into the district championship for a fourth shot at Lynden. They had the powerful Lions on the ropes this time, even with Dykstra having fouled out yet again, only to lose in double overtime on a wicked 1-2 punch. The first was Weg missing everything -- air-balling -- a free throw with four seconds remaining and the Lyncs in front, 55-54. The second was Lynden all-stater Scott Rutgers lofting a 30-foot shot that reached its apex as the buzzer went off and then dropped through the basket, dooming the Lyncs to yet another loss to Lynden. The finish was too much for Weg, who -- while fighting back tears -- bolted for the locker room. While the other stunned Lyncs stayed out on the floor for the two district trophy presentations, Kingma followed Weg and watched as his teammate vented his disappointment upon the lockers and stools. "Just to keep an eye on him," Kingma says of his presence at that moment. "Just making sure he knew I was there." Just being a great teammate. That defeat was a bitter pill, but it galvanized the Lyncs. Dykstra, not prone to audacious proclamations, declared afterward in the locker room, "We can beat them. I know that. If we meet again, we won't lose. There's no doubt in my mind about that." Such a meeting was unlikely at the state tournament in Tacoma, where the crosstown rivals found themselves in opposite brackets -- each in a bracket with one of the two teams who topped the two wire-service polls. Lynden could meet one No. 1, unbeaten South Bend, in the quarterfinals. Lynden Christian could conceivably face the other No. 1, once-beaten Lake Roosevelt, in the semifinals ... but only if the Lyncs made it through the first two rounds. Lynden, as expected, faced South Bend ... and lost. The Lyncs, as few expected ... didn't lose. They beat a Woodland team that had lost just twice all year. They beat an Orting team that had won 20 games. A year after a highly touted Lyncs team had reached the semifinals -- only to lose -- a scrapping bunch of underdog Lyncs were right back in the same place.
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