Blaine girls bowling head coach Matt McAuley said the team’s attitude is all about fun and development.
With high school bowling starting in November for the first time since the pandemic, the team had 16 girls join, ranging from ninth to 11th grade. No seniors. All 16 bowlers were new to Blaine’s team, which formed in 2019. McAuley said one of the girls on the team has bowled in the local Saturday league.
“Everyone else either bowled at birthdays or hadn’t bowled before,” he said.
McAuley said he bowled with family on weekends growing up but recently received some advanced level coaching he hopes to apply. He said the team is currently learning basic bowling skills and will progress onto more advanced skills between this year and next year.
The team plays and practices at Mt. Baker Lanes in Ferndale. It recently lost to Ferndale High School 3-0 on December 12. According to its schedule, the team is 2-3 in head-to-head matches so far this season, having beaten Meridian and Anacortes.
But with so many new bowlers, McAuley said the team isn’t as focused on results as much as improving. “I’m all about having fun and learning the game,” he said.
Team bowling matches consist of five bowlers on each team, along with two alternates, bowling three games. Each bowler bowls ten frames and the team that knocks down the most pins wins that game, scoring a point. This decides the first two games. The third game is played as what’s called a Baker game, where the entire team shares one 10-frame game. So bowlers will rotate each frame. Again, whichever team knocks down the most pins earns a point. The alternates can be subbed in at any point during the match.
McAuley said he will have his best bowlers bowl in varsity games while the alternates sub in for the final Baker game. He said he will never sub a bowler out because they are having a bad game, only if they get injured or say they want to come out. For junior varsity, he said the alternates will rotate in each game.
“I want everyone to have a chance to play,” he said.
Most games will start with practice throws at 3 p.m. and the match starting officially at 3:15 p.m. McAuley said matches usually go until 5:30 or 5:45 p.m., depending on the team they’re playing.
The girls played Everett December 14 and will play Ferndale again after the holiday break on Tuesday, January 3.
“I hope we keep improving and having fun. We’re looking forward to districts,” McAuley said, which are at the end of January.
Boys wrestling
Blaine boys wrestling took fifth at Battle at the Border last weekend in Blaine.
Two Blaine wrestlers won their weight class after seven made it to the finals at the 12-school invite, accumulating a total of 129 points. Ferndale High School won the tournament with 227 points, and Camas was second with 218.5 points.
Cael Button and Victor Gervol won at their respective weight classes of 132 and 285 pounds. Rahul Chandran took second at 220; Cole Voigt, Blake Goltz and Kenton Jones took fourth at 113, 195 and 285; and Daniel Johner took sixth at 132 pounds.
Blaine was fifth at the tournament last year. The team goes on to compete at the Hammer Head Boys Tournament at Kitsap County Fairgrounds Friday, December 16.
Boys basketball
The Borderites beat Oak Harbor High School 64-56 on the road December 10.
Blaine was scheduled to host Lakewood December 14. The team will travel to Squalicum Friday, December 16 and host Lynden Christian Wednesday, December 21. Both games are at 7:15 p.m. The boys are 3-1 so far this season and 2-0 in conference.
Girls basketball
The Lady Borderites lost 69-20 to La Conner in their home-opener December 8. They also lost 47-18 to Oak Harbor at home December 10.
Blaine was scheduled to play at Lakewood December 14. The team will host Squalicum Friday, December 16 and travel to Lynden Christian Wednesday, December 21. Both games are at 7:15 p.m. They are 0-3.
Girls wrestling
The Lady Borderites took eighth at a multi-school wrestling tournament at Orting High School December 10. Five girls placed in the top five of their respective weight classes. Sophomore Makenna Lausier took third; juniors Mila Rodriguez, Cheyenne Rose-Jimenez and Lucy Dahl took fourth; and freshman Ana Ordonez took fifth.
The team was scheduled to wrestle next at Meridian High School December 14. From there, the girls will travel to Juanita High School for the Santa Slam tournament December 17.
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