CONNOR’S PICKS
Football: 2A state championship, Anacortes vs. Tumwater
3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, Husky Stadium in Seattle
Prior to this season, few prep sporting events rivaled the atmosphere present at state football championship games. Now take that same level of hype and insert it into Husky Stadium in Seattle.
No. 2-seeded Anacortes (12-0) is set to take on top-seeded Tumwater (13-0) in a 2A state title battle of undefeated teams — and the programs’ historical backgrounds could not be more different. Anacortes is in its first state championship game in program history, while Tumwater is in its 12th (6-5 all-time title game record).
The winner hoists the gold ball. That’s worth far more than any bragging rights. The game will be streamed live on the NFHS Network for those with a monthly subscription ($11.99). No free streams are available online.
Girls basketball: Lake Stevens at Lynden
7:15 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, Lynden High School
Early in the prep basketball season, I am always looking for intriguing non-league matchups that are going to show me how formidable our local teams may be late in the year. This is one of those games.
Lake Stevens, a Class 4A program, nearly reached the state tournament a season ago but was upset by Mount Si in the final round of the 4A District 1-2 tournament. Lynden reached the round of 12 at the 2A state tournament before losing to Othello by just two points.
The Lions, along with other highly successful Whatcom County programs, like to punch up a few classes in their early-season schedules to get prepared for the toughest challenges they will face during the season. Lynden lost just three seniors after last year and gained a touted prospect in freshman Finley Parcher.
This will be a good test for a quality Lions team.
WWU: Men’s basketball vs. Langara College
3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, Carver Gym
We are nearing a Western Washington University basketball desert, so get to the games while you can. The Vikings men’s and women’s teams will only play a combined seven games in the month of December.
After this game with Langara, the men’s team will have one game on Sunday, Dec. 17 (versus George Fox University) before being off until Thursday, Jan. 4 — the beginning of their Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule.
Western (6-3) has won each of the last three matchups with Langara (5-5), so it’s a likely victory for the Vikings, who are currently third in the GNAC standings behind undefeated Alaska Anchorage (8-0) and Saint Martin’s (7-0).
Recreation: Jingle Bell Run
9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, Bellingham High School
The Jingle Bell Run is the flagship holiday season fun run in Bellingham.
All proceeds from the run, which includes both a 5K and 1-mile route, benefit the Arthritis Foundation, with a fundraising goal of $138,000. As of Tuesday, Nov. 28, $82,651 has been raised by 63 teams and 1,256 participants.
Registration is required, and various pricing packages are available on the event’s website — including options that allow dogs.
FULL CALENDAR
Friday, Dec. 1
Boys basketball
Mount Baker at Orcas Island, 5 p.m.
Girls basketball
Mount Baker at Orcas Island, 3:30 p.m.
Nooksack Valley at Archbishop Murphy, 7:15 p.m.
Jackson at Ferndale, 7:15 p.m.
Girls bowling
Blaine at Burlington-Edison, 3:15 p.m., Riverside Lanes
Ferndale at Mount Vernon, 3:15 p.m., Riverside Lanes
Cascade (Everett) at Meridian, 3:15 p.m., Mt. Baker Lanes
Jackson at Squalicum, 3:30 p.m., 20th Century Bowl
WCC
Men’s basketball at Centralia College, 2 p.m.
Women’s basketball at Chemeketa Community College, 6 p.m.
Recreation
Open Roller Skate, 6 p.m., Depot Market Square
Saturday, Dec. 2
Boys basketball
Lynden Christian at King’s, 1 p.m.
Archbishop Murphy at Blaine, 5:30 p.m.
Ferndale at Marysville-Getchell, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Ferndale at Mountlake Terrace, 2 p.m.
Kingston at Squalicum, 6:15 p.m.
Lynden Christian at Meadowdale, 7:15 p.m.
Football
2A state tournament, championship: Anacortes vs. Tumwater, 3 p.m., Husky Stadium, Seattle
Boys wrestling
Blaine at Mariner, 9:30 a.m.
Lynden, Meridian, Nooksack Valley, Sehome at George Yonlick Tourney, 10 a.m., Bellingham High School
Girls wrestling
Mount Baker at Squalicum, 7 a.m.
WWU
Men’s basketball vs. Simon Fraser, 3 p.m., Carver Gym
Women’s basketball vs. Simon Fraser, 7 p.m., Carver Gym
WCC
Men’s basketball at Green River College, 4 p.m.
Women’s basketball at Lower Columbia College, 1 p.m.
NHL
Seattle Kraken at Ottowa Senators, 4 p.m.
Recreation
Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt, 11 a.m., downtown Lynden
Squalicum Creek salmon sighting, 12 p.m., Cornwall Park
Fairhaven Frosty 5K & 10K Race, 9:45 a.m., Fairhaven Park
Monday, Dec. 4
Boys basketball
Meridian at Anacortes, 7:15 p.m.
Lynden at Oak Harbor, 7:15 p.m.
Squalicum at Sehome, 7:30 p.m.
Girls basketball
Squalicum at Sehome, 6 p.m.
Oak Harbor at Lynden, 7:15 p.m.
La Conner at Mount Baker, 7:15 p.m.
Anacortes at Meridian, 7:15 p.m.
WCC
Men’s basketball vs. Seattle Mountaineers, 7 p.m., Whatcom Pavilion
NHL
Seattle Kraken at Montreal Canadiens, 4:30 p.m.
Recreation
Gangball, 4 p.m., Bloedel Donovan Multi-Purpose Room
Open Track, 5:30 p.m., Civic Field
Tuesday, Dec. 5
Boys basketball
Nooksack Valley at Cedar Park Christian, 7 p.m.
Blaine at Bellingham, 7:15 p.m.
Lakewood at Ferndale, 7:15 p.m.
Burlington-Edison at Lynden Christian, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Lynden Christian at Burlington-Edison, 7:15 p.m.
Ferndale at Lakewood, 7:15 p.m.
Bellingham at Blaine, 7:15 p.m.
Boys swim and dive
Mount Vernon vs. Lynden, 3:30 p.m., Forge Pool
Anacortes at Squalicum, 3:30 p.m., Arne Hanna Aquatic Center
Sehome at Oak Harbor, 4 p.m., Vanderzicht Memorial Pool
Ferndale at Sedro-Woolley, 7:30 p.m., Skagit Valley Family YMCA
Girls bowling
Ferndale at Jackson, 2:55 p.m., Bowlero Bowling Alley
Meridian at Burlington-Edison, 3:15 p.m., Riverside Lanes
Anacortes at Blaine, 3:15 p.m., Mt. Baker Lanes
Mount Vernon at Nooksack Valley, 3:15 p.m., Mt. Baker Lanes
Girls wrestling
Sehome, Squalicum at Mount Vernon, 6 p.m.
Bellingham at Lake Stevens, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 6
Boys basketball
Nooksack Valley at Sedro-Woolley, 7:15 p.m.
Mount Baker at Mount Vernon, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Lake Stevens at Lynden, 7:15 p.m.
Mount Vernon at Mount Baker, 7:15 p.m.
Sedro-Woolley at Nooksack Valley, 7:15 p.m.
Girls bowling
Seattle Prep at Ferndale, 3 p.m., Mt. Baker Lanes
Squalicum at Everett, 3:15 p.m., Evergreen Bowling Lanes
Boys wrestling
Lynden, Mount Baker, Sehome at Blaine, 6 p.m.
Girls wrestling
Blaine, Lynden, Nooksack Valley at Oak Harbor, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 7
Boys basketball
Lakewood at Lynden, 7:15 p.m.
Squalicum at Ferndale, 7:15 p.m.
Meridian at Sehome, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Ferndale at Squalicum, 7:15 p.m.
Lynden at Lakewood, 7:15 p.m.
Cascade (Everett) at Blaine, 7:15 p.m.
Sehome at Meridian, 7:15 p.m.
Boys swim and dive
Lynden at Anacortes, 2:55 p.m., Fidalgo Pool
Mount Vernon at Ferndale, 3:30 p.m.
Sedro-Woolley at Squalicum, 3:30 p.m., Arne Hanna Aquatic Center
Bellingham at Burlington-Edison, 7:30 p.m., Skagit Valley Family YMCA
Boys wrestling
Nooksack Valley, Meridian, Squalicum at Bellingham, 6 p.m.
Girls wrestling
Bellingham, Ferndale, Meridian at Mount Baker, 6 p.m.
NHL
New Jersey Devils at Seattle Kraken, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 8
Boys basketball
Lynden Christian at Sedro-Woolley, 7:15 p.m.
Anacortes at Mount Baker, 7:15 p.m.
Lynden at Jackson, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Sedro-Woolley at Lynden Christian, 7:15 p.m.
Mount Baker at Anacortes, 7:15 p.m.
Girls bowling
Squalicum at Cascade (Everett), 3 p.m., Evergreen Bowling Lanes
Everett at Ferndale, 3:15 p.m., Mt. Baker Lanes
Meridian at Anacortes, 3:15 p.m., Riverside Lanes
Mount Vernon at Blaine, 3:15 p.m., Mt. Baker Lanes
Jackson at Nooksack Valley, 3:15 p.m., Mt. Baker Lanes
Recreation
Yoga and Sound Therapy, 5:30 p.m., Bloedel Donovan Community Building
Saturday, Dec. 9
Boys basketball
Seattle Academy at Lynden Christian, 2:30 p.m.
Sehome at Mariner, 5 p.m.
Oak Harbor at Blaine, 7:15 p.m.
Bellingham at Nooksack Valley, 7:15 p.m.
Girls basketball
Nooksack Valley at Bellingham, 7:15 p.m.
Blaine at Oak Harbor, 7:15 p.m.
Boys wrestling
Bellingham at Arlington, 9 a.m.
Mount Baker at Rivals Invitational, 10 a.m., Port Townsend High School
Girls wrestling
Ferndale, Squalicum at Everett, 7 a.m.
Blaine, Lynden, Meridian, Mount Baker at Lake Stevens, 9 a.m.
Mount Baker at Rivals Invitational, 10 a.m., Port Townsend High School
WWU
Men’s basketball vs. Langara, 3 p.m., Carver Gym
NHL
Tampa Bay Lightning at Seattle Kraken, 7 p.m.
Recreation
Galbraith Community Race Series, 7:30 a.m., Galbraith Mountain
Jingle Bell Run, 9 a.m., Bellingham High School
Anacortes Santa Run, 9 a.m., Seafarers Memorial Park
Lighted Bike Parade, 4:30 p.m., Depot Market Square and Hillcrest Church
Sunday, Dec. 10
NFL
Seahawks at 49ers, 1:05 p.m., FOX
NHL
Minnesota Wild at Seattle Kraken, 6 p.m.
CDN’s sports calendar is published online Thursdays and in print Fridays. To submit an event for consideration, email connorbenintendi@cascadiadaily.com. News Producer Eric Trent compiled the featured listings.