ARCHIVES
SPORTS

by Neil MacDonald

Neil's Notes
Skywater Tennis
Saj Mathura and Joyce Vanderpol of Blaine combined to win the mixed B doubles in round robin competition at the 2001 Skywater Tennis Tournament held June 22-24 at Semiahmoo’s and Blaine high school courts.
Michael Eliason of Bellingham won the men’s A singles round robin and Jenny Ansdell of Seattle took the women’s A singles round robin. Eliason teamed with Sally Burton of Bellingham to win the mixed A doubles 6-0, 6-3.
The men’s B singles went to Rick Lee of South Carolina, who won 7-6 (7), 6-2. Bellingham’s Shirley McLouglin captured the women’s B singles in round robin play.
The men’s B doubles went to Bellingham’s Bill and Kawika Haglund, who won 6-0, 6-1. Bellingham’s Judy Foster and Denise Van Fleet took the women’s B doubles round robin.
Force Splits
Blaine Force deflated Meridian Tire 10-1 behind the two-hit pitching of Krista Walter, then dropped an 11-1 decision to ultra-elite Mt. Vernon in summer fastpitch doubleheader action on June 20 at Lynden’s Bender Fields. The Force’s next game goes 6 p.m. on June 28 at the Pipe.
Going Down Under
Blaine head baseball coach Gary Clausen, wife Kerry and six Borderite and Post 86 players – senior Ryan Sortor, junior Nick Miller and sophomores Bob Francis, Laird Dickie, Grant Sanders and Kyle Green – will leave July 3 for a 21-day excursion in Australia.
Clausen’s Borderite boys will combine with players from coach Don Freeman’s Battleground team to form a touring Washington team that will play 10 to 12 games down under. They will visit Melbourne, Sydney and Cairns, golf with kangaroos, tour an old gold mine, cruise the Great Barrier Reef and even learn to say G’day. The team plays a going-away doubleheader at the Pipe starting at 3:30 p.m. on July 2 against Granite Falls.
Canada Cup
The 8th Canada Cup International Women’s Fastpitch Tournament begins on June 30 at Surrey’s Softball City complex. World class teams from Australia, Canada, China, Japan and the United States are among the teams competing. For info, call 604/536-9287 or visit www.canadacup.com.
Blaine Post 86
After losing a 9-8 squeaker to Sehome on June 18 at the Pipe and dropping doubleheader road decisions 16-3 and 11-6 to Burlington on June 20, Blaine Post 86 topped Nooksack 11-3 on June 21 at the Pipe. Jordan Snow got the win. Topping the 86 hit parade were Steve Dember, three-run homer, Nick Miller, solo homer, and Laird Dickie, 3-for-3, with three runs scored.
Summer Hoops
Dan Rucker, North Cascades Conference Coach of the Year, isn’t resting on his laurels. His Borderite quintet played 14 games in a week, winning two-of-four contests at the Brewster tournament in Brewster on June 15-16, then taking five-of-10 tilts in the Gonzaga tourney in Spokane on June 17-21. The boys are now back to their summer basketball schedule with games on Mondays and Wednesdays at Squalicum high school until the end of July.
Metal Over Wood
Burnaby, using metal bats, defeated the Bellingham Bells of the Pacific International League, using wood bats, 7-3 in an exhibition tilt June 21 at the Pipe.
A misunderstanding led to the B.C. team arriving with metal rather than wooden batting implements. In the spirit of international cooperation and, as Tom Payne might say, common sense, the teams decided to play the game anyway.
Semiahmoo Charity Classic
The Semiahmoo Charity Classic Golf Tournament goes July 16 with a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. at Semiahmoo Golf & Country Club. The tourney follows a two person net best ball format. Entry fee is $100. Proceeds benefit the Blaine Boys & Girls Club.
To register or get additional info call the Blaine Boys and Girls Club at 332-3008 or the Semiahmoo Golf & Country Club at 332-7005.

Back to Top

Southwick appointed head pro
Brian Southwick, Director of Golf at Shuksan Golf Club for the past three years, was recently named head PGA pro at Birch Bay Golf Club.
Southwick said the Birch Bay course “will prove to be as challenging a course as any course around” and, extolling the course’s aesthetics, he added, “It offers ocean views, island views and a great view of Mt. Baker.”
The teaching part of Southwick’s work at Birch Bay will be divided between Birch Bay where lessons in chipping and putting and such short game activities will be held, and Rodarco Golf Range where Southwick will join with PGA pro golf instructor Roger Cook to instruct on the intricacies of the long game.
Southwick, who grew up in Walla Walla, worked as an assistant pro in Palm Springs and at Crescent Bar near Quincy before becoming an assistant pro at Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club in 1986. He worked 12 years at Semiahmoo, starting as an assistant pro and becoming Semiahmoo’s Director of Golf.