Girls Golf
Blaine girls golf hosted its lone home meet of the season at Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club on March 25, with a trio of golfers shooting under 60 on the nine-hole course, all placing in the top 15.
In a field of 42 golfers, Ellie Tanjuaquio tied for 10th with a score of 50, Thora Engen shot a 55 and tied for 13th, and Kijah Van Rijswijck shot a 59 and tied for 15th.
The Borderites placed third out of eight teams, and were the highest-placing 1A team in the field, shooting a team score of 292. 3A Oak Harbor placed first with a score of 213, and 2A Lynden placed second with a team score of 286.
Blaine head coach Connie Pilon knows that playing on their home course – practicing all season and learning the particularities of the greens – gives them an edge on the competition, but the team still has to go out there and make the best of the opportunity.
“The girls know the layout of Semiahmoo, which is a bit of an advantage,” Pilon wrote in an email to The Northern Light. “They know how lucky they are to play on such a beautiful and well-kept course. Putting was a bit tough with the slight drizzle and they were slower than usual. Each girl probably has a favorite course and it’s usually one that they had a good round on.”
Girls golf now travels to Bellingham for the Whatcom County Championship at Sudden Valley Golf and Country Club on Thursday, March 28 at 3 p.m. Entering the midpoint of the season, Pilon knows her golfers are constantly improving their game.
“I appreciate the investment of their time to improve their game and encourage each other,” Pilon said. “It’s still early in the season, I’m happy with their performance [Monday] and so far this season.”
Baseball
After a blistering hot, 5-0, start to the season, Blaine baseball has cooled off in the past week, losing its past two matchups in close fashion.
The Borderites lost on March 21 on the road to Sehome, 4-3, and then at home to Anacortes 5-2 on March 26. Both games were achingly close, and could’ve had different outcomes with just a few more clutch hits, but the Borderites now stand at 5-2 overall with a 1-2 Northwest Conference record.
In the Borderite clubhouse at Pipeline Fields, the whiteboard reads five pillars of Blaine baseball culture that first-year head coach Hunter Anderson hopes to instill in his players. One of those pillars reads, “Process > Outcomes.”
The March 26 loss to Anacortes is a great example of that mantra. Blaine had its ace pitcher, Kieran Markusen, on the mound facing a high-powered Seahawks lineup, and didn’t get the right results, allowing five runs through seven innings.
It was the first loss for Markusen so far this season, but Anderson said he hopes the team’s process-oriented mentality will allow them to bounce back quickly before another tough test at Mount Vernon on Thursday, March 28.
“If you’re truly about the process, it didn’t matter if this game was a win or this game was a loss,” Anderson said. “Tomorrow is the most important practice of the year because it’s the next moment in front of us.”
After the Borderites face off against Mount Vernon on the road, Blaine returns to Pipeline Field on Monday, April 1 at 4:30 p.m., against Burlington-Edison, who it trounced 15-2 in the opening game of the season. The next day, Tuesday, April 2, the Borderites go back on the road to play Mount Baker for the first time this season.
Boys Soccer
In its first conference match of the season, the Blaine boys soccer team wasn’t able to mount a second half comeback, falling 2-1 to Meridian at Borderite Stadium on March 26.
Blaine’s young defensive backline was constantly pestered with through-balls, allowing two goals in the first 10 minutes of the game. That two-goal deficit was cut down with a second-half goal, but the Borderites were unable to fully mount a comeback, dropping its first game of the season.
The loss shouldn’t put a damper on Blaine’s young season – now sitting at a 4-1-1 overall record and 0-0-1 in Northwest Conference play – but it does interrupt its five-game undefeated streak to start the season.
The conference schedule continues on, with the Borderites set to face rival Lynden Christian at home on Thursday, March 28 at 7 p.m., before traveling to Arlington to play Lakewood on Saturday, March 30 at noon.
Softball
After a strong start to the season with a pair of wins against Cedar Park Christian and Oak Harbor, Blaine softball was forced to cancel and reschedule a pair of home games against Sedro-Woolley and Coupeville High School, set for last weekend.
To make up the cancellations, Borderite softball will play a marathon six games in seven days, playing a double-header against state powerhouses Hoquiam and Montesano on Saturday, April 13, Sedro-Woolley on Monday, April 15, Lynden on Tuesday, April 16, Ferndale on Thursday, April 18, and Coupeville on Friday, April 19.
Head coach Sean Miller knows that the softball season is long and a constant battle to stay mentally focused through the wins and losses. It’s something he says he reminds his team of constantly.
“That stretch in April will really test our fortitude,” Miller wrote in an email to The Northern Light. “This group is tough and gritty. I really like and trust this group of young women.”
Prior to the cancellation of those two games, the Borderites started the season off with a blistering start, boasting a 19-4 combined run differential over its first two games.
Miller said the team’s torrid hitting and solid fielding have impressed him the most so far, especially with just three players on the roster playing the same position as last year’s playoff-bound team.
“We have hit well and fielded above expectations so far. I’m very excited about all of our first year starters who have contributed so far this year,” Miller said. “Our kids seem very connected and committed to each other.”
Before the marathon mid-April, the Borderites were scheduled to face Bellingham away on March 27 (after press time), and will play at home against Sehome on Friday, March 29 at 4 p.m. at Pipeline Fields.
The softball program is also hosting the 53rd annual crab feed, a fundraiser dinner featuring multiple auctions benefitting the team, held at American Legion Post 86, 4580 Legion Drive, on Saturday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m. Attendants must be 21 or older. For tickets, call 360/661-5868.
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