SPORTS
By Neil Macdonald

Lady Bs close for three games
Blaine’s 3-1 loss to Nooksack Valley in NCC volleyball on October 8 at the Big Orange wasn’t as lop-sided as the final score suggested – more precisely, it wasn’t a bit lop-sided until the final game.
The Lady Pioneers slipped by Blaine 17-15 in the first game and won the second 15-11. The Lady B’s battled back to take game three 15-12 to trail NV 2-1 in games.
The point difference between the Bs and Ps was 44-41, which, of course, doesn’t mean a thing, V-ball being based on match, not medal play. Those three points of separation demonstrate how close the first three games were, however. Unfortunately for Blaine, the fourth and final wasn’t close, NV winning 15-0.
Jess Summers totaled 15 kills; Jen Kramer, 4; Amanda Stull, 4; and Alisa Burk, 3 for the Lady Bs and Jessica Freeman got 28 assists.
Blaine hosts Sultan on October 17 at 7 p.m., plays in the Mt. Baker Invitational on October 19 and meets the Lady Mountaineers on October 22 at MB. .

Le leads rushers as Baker tops Blaine
Mount Baker defeated Blaine 53-0 in NCC football action on October 11 in the Borderites homecoming game at Blaine Stadium.
As usual, the land-based Mountaineers covered 449 yards in 29 carries, getting four TDs on runs of 60 yards by Brendan Rasmussen, 70 yards by Alan Grimes, 75 yards by Mikel Rathjen.
Not so usual was this ground-gripping group gaining 213 aerial yards via QB Rasmussen’s 7-for-10 air show. Rasmussen hit for Rathjen for 30, Bryan Visser for 36, Wes Norstadt for 17 and 73 yards and four more TDs.
The Borderites played a credible first half. They went from the Blaine 24 to the MB 10 in 19 plays only to be stopped on the MB 12-yard line. Came back to halt a MB march on the Blaine 20. Went from the Blaine 32 to MB’s 42 only to have a pass tipped and intercepted. Then had MB come back to score a TD with one second left in the first half.
Blaine’s 5-foot-6, 120-pound package of pure courage, Danny Le led all ground-gainers with 193 yards in 32 carries. He also led Blaine’s air offensive, catching two passes for 24 yards. RB Steven Poitras grabbed two for 20 yards; TE Kevin Farmer, two-for-16; and Brian McCall, 1-for-13.
The Borderites (0-4) play Meridian (5-0), fourth-ranked in the state, at Laurel on October 18. . .
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Blaine edges Nooksack 1-0
Blaine came back from a 2-0 loss to Meridian at Laurel on October 8 to secure a firmer hold on fifth place in NCC girls soccer, edging Nooksack Valley 1-0 at the Pipe on October 10.
Blaine coach Dan Steelquist described the Lady B’s tilt with the Lady Trojans as “the best game of the year.” Others attending agreed.
The first half was even steven. Ephen stephen if you prefer the puffery the game deserved. Meridian’s Katie Johnson got the Lady T’s first goal. Their second came on a free kick.
The Lady B-Lady P production was scoreless until Blaine scored at the 60-minute mark. Kimberly Harmening sent a well-struck shot soaring on a right to left trajectory that took it 24 yards from place of contact to the upper left corner of the NV net. Ainsley Nix got the assist.
The Lady B’s Ashlee Oldaker came close to a second Blaine goal at 70 minutes, hitting the junction of cross bar and right post with the nearest of near misses.
NV came within an ooh or awe from tying matters on an indirect free kick from inside the penalty area – eight-yards out – with little time left. The Lady P’s “scored” on a white-hot shot into the upper regions of the Blaine net. But this was an indirect free kick, which has to touch another player en route to goal status. Ergo no goal!
Lady B keeper Shela Robertson, her goals-against average a magnificent 0.8, got her sixth shutout.
Blaine travels to Lakewood on October 17, hosts Lynden Christian at 12 noon on October 19 and goes to South Whidbey on October 22...

Neil's Notes
Wrestling Sign-up
Blaine Barracuda’s registration meeting is slated for 6 p.m., October 28 in the middle school cafeteria. Youths, ages 6-18 are welcome. Practice goes Tuesday and Thursday at 6 p.m., starting on November 5 in the Blaine high school wrestling room. Fee is $40.

Band Fund Raiser
Golfers can still register for the Japan Golf Tournament fund raiser slated for Birch Bay Golf Club’s par 3 course (formerly Sea Links) on October 19. For info, call Dolores Holleman at 332-6674.

Coston-Rader Win
Semiahmoo teaching pro Jeff Coston tied for ninth at the Western Regional Club Pro Qualifying Championship on October 9-12 at Thanksgiving Point Golf Course. Coston’s 288 score over 72 holes qualified him for the nationwide Club Pro Championship in New Mexico in June.
Coston and student Reid Rader of Lakeside combined for 67-63 – 130 to win the Northwest Pro-Am best-ball at Gold Mountain on October 3-4.

Maxon Aces
Jody Maxon used a 7 iron and a Pinnacle ball to get a hole-in-one on the third hole at Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club on October 3.

Palmason Wins
Blaine’s Diane Palmason ran a 22:52 to win the 60-69 female age division at the 11th annual Cross Country Run at Silver Lake Park on October 12.

Borderite Tennis
Blaine was defeated Ferndale 5-2 in boys tennis on October 10 at Blaine.

Blaine Striders
Borderite times for the 5K Lakewood Invitational on October 12 were: Kevin Teng, 19:52; Erik Kramer, 20:16; Kenneth Cunningham, 21:14; Robert Bleecker, 23:04; Ryan Goodwin, 23:07; Alex McLeod, 23:26; Richie Tewes, 24:35; and Jon Freeman, 24:45.
Blaine’s Jake Gilmore finished 87th with a time of 17:09.97 at the Mt. Baker Invitational on October 5..
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