SPORTS

Six Borderites win soccer honors
Although knocked out 2-0 by South Whidbey in the North Cascades Conference playoffs on November 3 at Sultan, Blaine’s girls soccer team finished the season with a 12-6 record and won two major North Cascade Conference awards, two first team and two second team all league selections.
The Roll of Honor included Borderite head coach Dan Steelquist being named NCC Coach of the Year and keeper Shela Robertson, NCC Defensive Player of the Year, an award putting her above first-team all-league selection.
Steelquist turned a team of four seniors, two juniors, five sophomores and six freshmen into a defensive squad of awesome annoyance to rival goal-seekers. Robertson, the best keeper in the NCC, anchored Blaine’s goal-denying defense. “She’s a very quick, fearless keeper,” Steelquist noted, “She stopped one shot at point blank range (four yards) in the South Whidbey game.”
Other honorees were senior Anna Sticklin, the consummate competitor displaying incredible focus and outstanding athletic ability, named first team all league midfielder and sophomore Linsey Taylor, a bundle of energy and enthusiasm and throwback to a 1950s center half, named first team all league defender.
Borderites named to the all league second team were defenders Kate Lawrenson and Lori Robertson. Lawrenson, a steady senior and four-year varsity player who started as a forward, developed into a class defender. Robertson, a fearless freshman defender, reads game well.
The rundown on the other Borderites:
Forwards: Kimberly Harmening – sophomore, fearless, determined and competitive. Ainsley Nix – freshman, excellent ball skills, so intuitively good that she gathers defenders in double-teaming numbers. Krista Jones – sophomore, cool under pressure, very accurate left foot. Ashley Oldaker – sophomore, quick, gives 100% on field, possessor of great sliding tackle.
Midfielders: Ashley Olason: freshman JV forward, brought up to the varsity for playoffs to play defense, potentially a very solid player. Brenda Jones: solid senior, reads game and adjusts well, never gives up. Andrea Harmening: freshman, able to play different roles, tenacious, capable of playing forward. Kristina Tremblay: senior, filled a number of roles, plays at one speed (100%), great work rate, often disrupted other team. Rachelle Ramirez: sophomore, another all-out, all-round player, always driving to play better. Kristina Francis: very coachable sophomore with quick, hard accurate shot, reads game well. Nicole Riddle: very hard-working freshman. Lacey Taylor – very coachable freshman, able to play MF and F, team didn’t lose anything when brought in off bench.

Neil's Notes
Coulter, Walcon MVPs
Grace Coulter and Alden Walcon garnered 2001 Most Valuable Player awards at Blaine high school’s cross country awards night on November 14.
Both harriers were selected All North Cascades Conference runners earlier this month, Alden finishing second and Coulter, third at the NCC championship and both competing at state.
Dan Marchio was selected by his Borderite teammates for the Inspirational award and Dan Balmer was voted the team’s Most Improved runner. Coulter and Kenneth Cunningham were named Blaine cross country team captains for 2002.

Support Needed
Those fans wishing to help defray Alden Walcon’s expenses to the Foot Locker West Regional Championships at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, CA on December 1 should send their donation to Alden Walcon, 4390 Fleet Road, Blaine 98230. Runners qualifying for the championships, a privately-run event, must raise their own funding to compete.

From Borderite to Orca
Blaine grad and WCC sophomore Heidi Collier, all-NCC Conference basketball first team member in 1998-99, who led the Borderites to two NCC District titles, will play guard for the Whatcom Community College Orcas this coming b-ball season. Back to Top
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Barracudas: wrestling for all ages
Blaine Barracuda Wrestling Club matched mat skills with Lynden in a Whatcom County Kids’ Tournament on November 3 at Blaine.
The ’Cudas practice every Monday and Wednesday from 6 to 7 p.m. for grades K to 3 and from 7 to 8 p.m. for grades 4 and up. For info on joining the ’Cuda grappling group, contact Craig Foster at 371-7467.
Tourney Results by group were: 1 – Jess O’Bryan (L) d. Justin Dhillon (B), 2 – Cole Stremler (L) d. Thomas Brandley (B), 3 – Levi Schram (L) d. Rudy Mendoza (L), 4 – James Fakkema (B) d. David Gallegos (L), 5 – Johnathan Martinez (B) d. Coday Peura (B), 6 – Justin Woods (B) d. Brandon Johnson (B), 7 – James Jewell (B) d. Lucas Lockwood (B), 8 – Christian Stremler (L) d. Jacob Humphrey (B), 9 – Andrew Price (B) d. Todd Bird (B), 10 – Darrell Price (B) d. Bo Norris (B), 11 – Tyson Foster (B) d. Cliff Goff (B), 12 – Jesse Kilthau (B) d. Frankie Torres (L), 13 – Sooraj Sall (B) d. Jacob Kernells (B).

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