Blaine spring sports kicked off the season with two games for the boys soccer team, and a home match at Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club for boys golf, though softball and baseball have yet to start the season after scheduled openers against Sultan were cancelled.
In winter sports news, the Blaine wrestling program was awarded for another great season with five wrestlers named to the All-Northwest Conference team. Encompassing 1A, 2A and 3A programs, Blaine girls wrestling garnered four honors, with Analicea Ordonez earning First Team All-NWC, and Makenna Lausier, Abby Gonzalez and Jasmine Delos-Santos named Second Team All-NWC. Cole Voight earned First Team All-NWC honors for his great season on the boys team that ended in a state tournament placement.
Blaine boys soccer opened the season on the road against a tough Cedar Park Christian school that doesn’t seem to have lost a step from last season, with Blaine losing 2-6 on March 15.
At Borderite Stadium for the home opener on March 18, Blaine played close all game against Oak Harbor, losing 2-1 after a second-half goal from Oak Harbor.
Blaine’s lone goal came off a crisp set piece, with junior midfielder Dmitriy Yuryev curling a free kick into the box, and junior defender Wade Lottimer blasting it on the volley to tie the game at 1-1 late in the first half.
The Borderites saw moments of real promise on offense, bulldozing through Oak Harbor’s defense on a few counter attacks, but couldn’t ever capitalize with a second goal.
The Borderites couldn’t keep up with Oak Harbor’s speedy wings, giving up the first goal on a breakaway and late cross that beat junior goalkeeper Abel Carlson-Vega. After Oak Harbor scored again in the second half, a desperate Blaine offense just couldn’t muster a late equalizer.
The loss drops the Borderites to 0-2-0 to start the season, and the loss to Oak Habor puts Blaine in the bottom-half of the Northwest Conference (NWC) table at 0-1-0 in conference play.
The Borderites travel to face NWC rival Lakewood on Thursday, March 20 at 7 p.m., then host Squalicum on Tuesday, March 25 at 7 p.m. Blaine’s first 1A NWC matchup will come on the road against Lynden Christian on Thursday, March 27 at 4:30 p.m.
Blaine boys golf started off the season with a solid team performance at Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club on Tuesday, March 18, placing third among eight NWC teams.
Blaine shot for a combined team score of 477 on the 18-hole course, finishing behind second place Ferndale (455) and first place Oak Harbor (412).
Sophomore Peyton Bouma led the Borderites, shooting an 86 and placing 6th among the field. Ellis Griffen was close behind with a score of 91, placing 13th. Riyer Hamel placed 23rd with a score of 97, Ryan Kloes placed 26th with a score of 100, Steven Phelps-McDonald placed 28th with a score of 103, and Brady Thiessen placed 32nd with a score of 107.
The two golfers to lead the Borderites, Bouma and Griffen, were the same two that head coach Matt McAuley said he expected to have big seasons this spring. Through the first match of a long season, the head coach’s prediction seems to be right on, with the duo looking comfortable shooting at their home course.
Bouma hit a stellar chip shot on the front nine directly in front of his head coach, earning kudos from his NWC opponents and McAuley alike.
Blaine boys golf will continue its long season with a match at Swinomish Golf Links in Anacortes on Wednesday, April 2, first tee at 2 p.m. The Borderites will return to play in Whatcom County on Tuesday, April 15 at 3 p.m. when it tees off at North Bellingham Golf Course.
Borderite bat and ball sports have yet to start the season, with games against Sultan scheduled for early this week being cancelled due to inclement weather, according to Blaine Athletic Director Chas Kok. Rescheduling the games is unlikely, Kok said.
Softball and baseball are both scheduled to travel to play Orcas Island on Thursday, March 20 at 4 p.m. The first home baseball game of the season is scheduled for Saturday, March 22 against Mount Vernon Christian at Pipeline Fields, and softball will have its home opener on Thursday, March 27 against Oak Harbor.
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