Weekly La Conner High Sports capsule, Feb. 9, 2011

Basketball boys undefeated!

We have it on good authority that the Braves "cleaned the floor" with Concrete Tuesday night.

Braves Raves

By Amylynn Richards

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

The Braves are league champions! The title was clinched during the Saturday, Feb. 5 away game at Friday Harbor, with a 61-41 win over the Wolverines. Spencer Novak scored a whopping 25 points for the team, and kept the Wolverines at bay, with the narrowest lead of only 3 points. DJ Carr sunk 7 points and made 8 rebounds.

The boys played Darrington on Tuesday, Feb. 1, beating the pine-tar out of the Loggers 67-32. Spencer Novak scored 14 points; Kyle McKnight scored 10 points, and Tyler Howlett also scored 10 points.

The Braves hosted the Orcas Vikings on Friday, Feb. 4, winning 70-33.  Coach Scott Novak reports that Garrett Wilbur paced the Braves with 15 points, DJ Carr contributed 14 points, and Sten Mejlaender brought home 11 points.

The Braves are 13-0 in league and have a season record of 17-2.

BOYS’ WRESTLING

The Braves wrestlers earned third place at the Sub-Regional championship, which took place on Saturday, Feb. 4 at Concrete high school, and will be sending nine qualifiers and one alternate to Regional competition at Chief Leschi on Saturday, Feb. 12.  

Congratulations to two Sub-Regional Champions, senior Brandon Drye (215 lbs.) and junior Cameron Wischhusen (285).

Placing second: senior Travis Silva (215 lbs.); Wil James (189); senior Dan Biladeau (160); and Hunter Johnson (125).

Third place went to Nathan Parker (285) and Dahlton Zavala (152).

Placing fourth was Sid Lease (171) and placing fifth was Robert Duckworth (189), which means he is an alternate for Regional competition.

Coach Mike Compton said that the boys made quite an impression on Darrington’s head coach, Andy West. When West’s heavyweight fell in the match for first place to Cameron Wischhusen, Coach Compton relays, “he had nothing but praise for the La Conner wrestlers, saying he was impressed with that the team had accomplished, and that the kids came prepared to wrestle.”

GIRLS’ WRESTLING

Coach Compton is proud of the girl’s team, and made a point to praise the girls’ coach, Laura Baker-Skelton. This is only the second year for the Braves girls’ wrestling team. The girls’ team has only two wrestlers and both girls qualified for Regionals competition on Saturday, Feb. 12 at Sedro-Woolley.

“The team is 2-for-2,” Compton joked.

The girls also came prepared to wrestle on Saturday, Feb. 4. at the girls Sub-Regional Tournament at Squalicum; both Ashley Norton and Amber Drye qualified to move on to Regional competition. Ashley Norton (152) placed third and Amber Drye (160) placed fourth.  

WRESTLER OF THE WEEK

Coach Compton announced, “for her efforts, senior Ashley Norton is this week's Wrestler of the Week.”

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

The girls went to Darrington to play the Loggers on Tuesday, Feb. 1. The Loggers won the game 69-36. “The girls fought to the bitter end,” said Coach Marla Quesnell, “it was a tough matchup.” Team highlights: Nikki Finley, 11 points; Samie Miller, 9 points and 6 rebounds; and Kelley McClung, 7 rebounds.

Friday, Feb. 4 was senior night. The lady Braves played a close game against Orcas Island high; the Vikings won 48-43. “The girls played well at times,” said Quesnell, “Orcas made key plays at the end to win, we struggled from the field.” Team highlights: Nikki Finley, 13 points; Kelley McClung 9 points and 11 rebounds; Samie Miller, 10 points; and Aubrey Stewart, 7 rebounds. . 

The girls took the ferry to Friday Harbor on Saturday, Feb. 5. The Wolverines won 55-41. “We got down early in this game but were 38-38 the final three quarters,” said Quesnell. Team highlights: Priscilla Ponce-Venegas, 14 points and 9 rebounds; and Samie Miller, 10 points. 

COACH OF THE YEAR

The middle and high school wrestling coaches took a vote during the tournament on Saturday, Feb. 4 in Concrete, and declared La Conner Middle School’s Vince Cicotte the Middle School 1A/2B Northwest District Coach of the Year. Barry Harper was named high school Assistant Coach of the year.