Junior standout Brant Heppner and his Lynden boys basketball teammates execute every drill during a mid-week practice early in the hoops season with championship-level intensity and energy.
The 6-foot-6 Heppner and Lynden coach Brian Roper slip seamlessly between drills to accomplish as much as possible in their two-hour practice. The Lions are coming off back-to-back 2A state championships, with Heppner integral to that equation both years.
Heppner isn’t just a leader for the Lions’ basketball team — he captained and quarterbacked the football team that made it to the state semifinals this fall. He was also a part of the football teams that won consecutive 2A state titles in 2021 and 2022.
As a junior, Heppner has already accomplished more than most high school athletes, but stays hungry to win even more.
“I mean, you’re always after the next one,” he said. “Fell short in football; that’s even more motivating.”
Heppner has been around Lynden basketball and football his entire life. He met football coach Blake VanDalen when he was in kindergarten and played on a first-grade basketball team with VanDalen’s son, Weston.
Heppner also developed a relationship with Roper early on, attending a Lions summer camp in third grade and acting as a ball boy for them for two years.
“It’s been fun to see him go from a shy kid to now a leader around our school and in our athletic department,” Roper said.
Blake VanDalen credited Heppner’s success to his work ethic and training schedule.
“Even though he has weightlifting class, he comes in at 6:30 [a.m.],” he said. “He’s got a stack of clothes, you know, under his arm, he gets a workout before school, then he has a workout during school, then we have practice after school.”
Heppner also has the benefit of being the latest in a long line of family athletes. His older brother, Brock, graduated in 2021 after also playing quarterback for the football team and winning a state title with the basketball team in 2019.
Heppner’s father, Brian, is an assistant coach with the basketball team and won a state title with Lynden in the 1990s, while his grandfather, Howard, is in Lynden High School’s athletics hall of fame. His mother, Sally, won three state titles with Lynden Christian from 1990–92.
During his sophomore year of football in 2022, Heppner split time under center with Kaedan Hermanutz. They would regularly rotate — depending on VanDalen’s approach to that offensive series. But in the state semifinal and championship game, Heppner finished both games and led two game-winning drives.
Heppner ended his sophomore campaign with 20 total touchdowns and no interceptions. VanDalen asked Heppner to take a bigger step forward this season, and he took full control of the offense.
“I actually got to the point where we will call multiple plays, and he gets to decide what we run and how we run it,” VanDalen said. “So, I’ve given over more [of the] offense to him than any quarterback I’ve ever had.”
Heppner delivered, throwing for 22 touchdowns and running for another 10 scores. Next year, he has the potential to break multiple passing and rushing records.
Heppner took another step forward as a leader when he was voted in as a captain on the football team. VanDalen said it’s incredibly rare for a Lynden football team to not have all senior captains.
Early in the basketball season, Heppner has already shown signs of improvement.
“Last year his role was mostly as a spot-up shooter, but because he’s probably gained 20 pounds of muscle, he can go inside and outside,” Roper said.
In an early-season win against Squalicum, Heppner made five 3-pointers in a 23-point performance.
He now has his eyes set on helping the Lions’ basketball team win a third straight state championship.
“Hopefully we can go win another gold ball,” Heppner said.
His selfless mentality helps create chemistry with his teammates, VanDalen said. And Heppner uses his teammates’ encouragement to become a better leader. He tries to give back in as many ways as possible.
“He’s been one of the guys that’s always driving around the county picking kids up and bringing them if they don’t have a ride, which means he has to get up a little extra early,” VanDalen said.
Heppner has two basketball seasons and one football season left in his already-impressive high school career — and he hopes to build upon his Lynden sports legacy.
