The Freshman Prodigy - by Jacob Rohrig

    Through the first part of the season, the Bomber basketball team has been dominating the Mid-Columbia Conference (MCC). There have been more than a few standout stars on the Richland team, including the up-and-coming freshman named Landen Northrop. Northrop has certainly made his mark on Bomber basketball through the first half of his freshman year. He has easily scored double digits in multiple games this season, earning himself a spot in the starting 5 for the game against Kennewick High on 1/13. In his first game as a starter, he was the leading scorer and a big reason why the bombers were able to maintain their undefeated record in Conference play. When asked how he felt after the game, Northrop responded “ I felt great because all of my teammates and the entirety of the student section was there to congratulate me.” The chant of “He’s a freshman” is one of the student section’s favorites to cheer him on after he does something spectacular. Northrop continues to be granted more in-game opportunities as the season progresses, and has seemingly made good use of them by leading the bombers in scoring in 2 of the last 3 games.” I always know I can make an impact whenever coach needs me to” says Northrop.  He has seemed to capitalize on every opportunity given to him by coach Streufert this season thus making him a valuable asset to the team at such a young age. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

    It is not a coincidence that the last name Northrop rings a bell in a lot of bomber fans’ ears. Landen is the brother of Cole Northrop, one of the most prolific scorers in Bomber basketball history. Cole is currently ranked 3rd for all-time scoring for Richland due to his significant impact on the game for all 4 years of his high school career at Richland. He scored a little over 1700 points as a bomber. This impact allowed the bombers to only lose 1 conference game in his time as a Bomber. As of right now, Landen is writing a narrative that can contend with the legendary career of his brother. Based on how he has played in these recent games, it may even be an improved one when his high school days come to an end. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

    Northrop has solidified himself among the top 20 scorers per game in the MCC. With 10 years of basketball under his belt, Northrop is an experienced shooter who can score from anywhere on the court whether it be a fadeaway off the post or a step-back three. This is an impressive achievement even before you consider all the other factors that make it hard for Landen to achieve such a thing. First off, you have to account for the fact that the Bomber basketball team is a very prestigious team with a lot of talent this year. There aren’t a lot of gaps to fit into as an incoming freshman, but Northrop has already worked his way up to a starting spot. He is the only freshman on the top 25 scorers list with nearly 10 points per game putting him just within the top 20. This stat does not even account for how he was doing so from the bench for the entire year up until a very recent game against Kennewick. Max Schuster, the lead broadcaster for Atomic TV, put it like this, “Northrop shows extreme confidence and maturity as just a freshman. He seems comfortable running that offense even with his lack of experience at the varsity level.” Although Bomber fans are new to seeing Landen on the court, Landen is certainly not new to the game of basketball. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).

    Landen is no stranger to big achievements as a result of his skill on the court. He and his 8th grade AAU team won the State Tournament just last year. This AAU team was filled with future players for the Richland basketball program. This means that Northrop had to beat out the skilled group of players his age that were able to win state, as well as the numerous other players older than him who also wanted a highly competitive spot on varsity. When asked if he expected to make varsity, Northrop responded, “ I was not expecting to make varsity as a freshman, but it has always been a goal of mine. I know what I am capable of and it feels awesome to be able to accomplish one of my many goals as a bomber basketball player.” As this season and his career progress, it will be interesting to see what this talented young star can accomplish with his remaining time as a Bomber. 

Photo courtesy of Megan DeGraaf (RHS Yearbook).