Lynden High School inducted two new members into their Athletic Hall of Fame Tuesday, January 30th at halftime of the boys basketball game against Mt Baker.
Leif Erickson and Rick Holt are both part of Lynden’s 1981 class that won the Football and Basketball State Championships consecutively in 1980-81.
Leif Erickson
Leif Erickson, class of 1981, grew up following Lynden High School athletics and got the opportunity to be an integral part of the LHS legacy. His humble, team-first mentality as a football and basketball player helped make Lynden history.
Erickson moved from Ferndale to Lynden in the 6th grade. This was a seamless move for him as his dad was a teacher in the Lynden School District, and he had the ability to make friends easily upon his move to Lynden. One of his closest friends growing up was Mark Maberry, and this friendship included the perk of attending Lynden High School basketball games with the Maberry family. Erickson says, “What really sticks out in my mind is those days watching the older guys. That was fun, and I really have fond recollections of that.” Erickson and the Maberry family would follow the team everywhere, watching both the Lynden athletes and, of course, the legendary basketball coach, Jake Maberry.
Erickson was always a tall kid, and he ended up playing schoolyard basketball with a bunch of the Lynden guys. He says, “That’s what we lived for, and we just played it all that time.” He remembers enjoying the game, but also enjoying the camaraderie between the teammates.
That love for basketball continued on into high school as Erickson gained his first varsity letter in basketball during his sophomore year. He played center for the Lynden Lions, and he was finally able to play under Jake Maberry after he had been watching him coach for so many years. As a junior, he received the honor of first team during the basketball State Tournament. One of his greatest accomplishments on the court was taking home the 1981 basketball State Championship during his senior year of high school.
Throughout school, basketball was always Erickson’s favorite sport until his senior year when he really realized he had the ability to excel on the football field. At Lynden, Erickson played fullback and middle linebacker under Rollie DeKoster. He totaled 339 rushes for a total of 1,490 yards and 16 touchdowns. He finished his football career at Lynden with force. The 1980 football team brought home the first football State Championship in school history.
Domination is an appropriate word to describe Erickson’s senior year at Lynden High School. The class of 1981 made Lynden history as they brought home the football State Championship and then the basketball State Championship just three months later. This was Erickson’s proudest moment of his high school career because his team’s hard work paid off. In regard to those State Championships he says, “We worked since we were little kids to get that. Then it happened, and I don’t think we really expected it, but we were a pretty good little team.”
Erickson continued his football career at Washington State University. He played tight end, and he was part of the 1981 team that brought the Cougars to their first bowl game in 30 years. After his time at WSU, Erickson continued to play football for Wenatchee Junior College, where he was able to play alongside a few other LHS alums as well.
After college, Erickson returned to Washington State University, and he now works as a maintenance mechanic for the college. He still loves to follow football at the high school, college, and pro level, and he loves watching the WSU Cougars and the Seattle Seahawks.
Looking back at his time at Lynden High School, Erickson is grateful for the life lessons that he gained throughout his career in athletics. He says, “Being in Lynden sports prepares you for life in general because you learn that it’s not always about you. It’s not always an easy trip, but if you work hard, you can achieve goals.” Erickson is a prime example of the accomplishments and goals you can achieve through hard work, dedication, and being a team player.
Rick Holt
Rick Holt made his mark within the Lynden athletic tradition in a big way. As a 1981 graduate, he lettered in football, basketball, and baseball, and his dedication to athletics and his team led the Lions to do great things during his time in school.
Holt grew up in Lynden and had the opportunity to begin playing sports for the Lions at a young age. His involvement in Lynden sports throughout elementary and middle school helped him prepare for the day when he would be a part of the high school athletic legacy.
High school football started off the busy year of athletics for Holt, and it was his favorite of all the sports he played. Playing under Rollie DeKoster, he received his first varsity letter during his sophomore year. He played linebacker on defense and a wingback/wide receiver combo on offense. When it came to defense, he was a force to be reckoned with, leading him to be named Defensive Player of the Year for both his junior and senior years. However, Holt’s greatest accomplishment on the football field came during his senior year under the lights in the Kingdome. He was an essential part of the team that brought home the football State Championship for the first time in Lynden High School history.
After bringing home the gold ball in football, Holt got right back into the gym and began preparing for basketball season. He played forward for coach Jake Maberry during his time at Lynden, and his work ethic in basketball led him to receive honorable mention during his senior year. The 1981 Lynden basketball team showed impressive domination as they went undefeated and ended the season 27-0. Making Lynden history once again, the Lions brought home the State Championship during his senior year, making it the first time that Lynden had won both the football and basketball championships back to back.
Holt finished his high school athletic career playing baseball. He gained his first varsity letter as a sophomore, playing outfield for the Lions. Although the baseball team didn’t receive the amount of accolades that football and basketball had, Holt was All-League for his junior and senior year, and he enjoyed being on the baseball field and spending time with the coaches and teammates.
After high school, Holt followed his passion for football and played at Wenatchee Junior College alongside a few other Lynden graduates as well. He moved on to Eastern Washington University after that, and he finished his football career at Oregon Tech, where he also graduated with his degree in engineering.
Nowadays, Holt lives in Cheney and owns his own surveying business: Holt’s Surveying and Mapping. He continues to use his athletic ability to give back to his community as he often coaches youth sports in Eastern Washington. His family also enjoys remembering his high school days as he has the championships recorded on VHS, and he says, “My kids still like to watch the football and basketball games.”
Although Holt’s athletic performance was impressive, he is most grateful for the time he spent with his teammates. He recalls, “Being with the guys and coaches, that was a great experience. They were good people and good friends.” He still makes sure to keep in contact with his high school buddies.
Holt says he is grateful to have been a part of Lynden High School because of the “great people, great fan-base, and great tradition.” LHS was fortunate to have him as a vital part of this tradition.
KPUG Edit: You can hear the game tomorrow with coverage starting at 7pm and a 7:15pm tip-off on KPUG 1170AM, 97.9FM and KPUG1170.com.
Press Release courtesy of Lynden High School
