Ferndale heads to Lumen Field with Hatchett starting on the line for Week 3 football action

Landen Hatchett dreams of a day few college football players have experienced.

Of course, the much-honored senior lineman’s immediate goals are to lead Ferndale, off to a 1-1 start, to the Wesco 3A championship and to a state title game.

Come January, though, Hatchett plans to sacrifice baseball to graduate early and join his brother, former Ferndale all-state lineman Geirean Hatchett, at the University of Washington to get an early start with spring training.

“It’s our dream to start on the offensive line together at UW,” said the 6-foot-3, 305-pound Landen, who started when he was a Ferndale freshman in 2019 and Geirean was a senior in their only season together.

Geirean, now in his third year in the UW program, is part of the college group given six years of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so Landen hopes to spend a lot of time on the field with his brother.

“I definitely think we can give it a good run,” Landen said.

Ferndale coach Jamie Plenkovich considers himself to be blessed, since he’s in his seventh consecutive season with a hugely talented Hatchett starting on the line.

“Landen is the total package,” Plenkovich said. “He has great athleticism and a tremendous work ethic. He’s in his third season as one of our captains.”

Plenkovich points out that Landen, who was recruited by dozens of major colleges, has handled all the recognition with aplomb.

“To top it off, Landen has a great personality and he handles all the attention with class and maturity,” the veteran coach said. “We’ve been able to do things with Landen at the center spot that we’ve never been able to do before.”

Naturally, those “things” are closely guarded secrets. Defensively, Landen is quick enough to play a down lineman style at defensive end.

Hatchett and his fellow linemen face a major challenge against 4A Glacier Peak (2-0) in a high-caliber non-league game Saturday, Sept. 17, with a 2:20 p.m. kickoff at the Seattle Seahawks’ Lumen Field.

Hatchett is so mature that he realizes that seeing his sophomore season delayed — and ultimately shortened — by COVID in 2020 made him realize what a leader he could be and how much he hungered for football success.

“Those definitely were stressful times without sports (Landen also lost his sophomore baseball season to COVID in 2020). I tried to step up as a leader (in 2020),” he said. “I didn’t feel intimidated (by leadership) at all. I found out more about myself and it (being forced to work out with games) definitely taught me a lot about personal discipline.

“I tried to take it day-by-day. We found places to train and we worked out daily.”

Spurred by Landen and several other Ferndale leaders, the Golden Eagles were in good football shape when sports resumed in February 2021, with three abbreviated seasons so that athletes in all sports could take part in seven weeks of competition in their sports.

Without an official league title on the line, and without any state playoffs, the Golden Eagles went 5-1 in February and March, followed by a 7-3 record last fall. The postseason might well have lasted longer, but standout running back Isaiah Carlson missed all of the last three games with a knee injury, which he has rehabilitated.

“Isaiah has worked so hard to get back,” Hatchett said.

Hatchett is the second of three sons of Bill and Jana Hatchett. Bill played on the line at Western Washington University and played in a national title game when the Vikings were an NAIA school.

Hatchett said he will sign with UW at the first official opportunity in December. He says he was gratified to be recruited by veteran line coach Scott Huff, who also recruited Geirean.

“I was recruited as a pure center (meaning that is his natural position),” Landen said. “Coach Huff said he had never recruited a pure center … But I think I’m far from realizing my full potential.”

Landen was well aware of what UW had to offer — he may major in business management and hopes to earn a shot at the NFL. But he took recruiting seriously enough to take all five allowable official visits.

“I visited Oregon, Texas A&M, Michigan and USC (University of Southern California),” said Landen, who takes a grade-point average of 3.87 into his senior season.

He said he will do everything he can to attract NFL attention.

“I definitely want a crack at the NFL,” he said.

By the way, Landen stresses that he won’t be the last Hatchett at Ferndale.

“My younger brother, Chance, is a seventh-grader at Vista Middle School and he loves football,” Landen said.

He figures that three Hatchetts in 13 seasons at Ferndale would be another cool distinction.

WEEK 3

Thursday, Sept. 15

Bellingham vs. Granite Falls at Civic Stadium, 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 16

Lynden vs. Squalicum at Civic Field, 7 p.m.

Sehome at Sedro-Woolley, 7 p.m.

King’s at Nooksack Valley, 7 p.m.

Neah Bay at Lummi, 6 p.m.

Blaine at Vashon, 6 p.m.

Mount Baker at Toppenish, 6 p.m.

Meridian at King’s Way (Vancouver, Wash.), 6 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 17

Ferndale vs. Glacier Peak at Lumen Field, 2:20 p.m.

Lynden Christian vs. Bellevue Christian at Sammamish High School, 6 p.m.