In the Sept. 14, 2011 issue

Land chosen for new library

     About 30 residents turned out at the La Conner Regional Library Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday to give their views on the library’s plan to purchase the old hardware store on Morris Street. Writer Alexander Kramer has the details in today's paper.

– Photo by Stuart Welch

BIG ZUKE – Here are the top three growers in the annual giant zucchini contest held Sunday at Rexville Grocery. At left is Bryn Burroughs, whose entry weighed in at 10.08 pounds, which was bested by her brother Dawson’s 11.30-pounder, which was totally squashed by Adison Erlandson’s 13.34-pound champion. 

Election season again

This week's paper has the candidate profiles and issues stories on the candidates in contested races in both port districts -- The Port of Anacortes, which represents residents in Shelter Bay; and the Port of Skagit, which covers folks who live on the east side of the Swinomish Channel. Writer Nicole Jennings and editor Sandy Stokes teamed up on this package.

From the Police Blotter:

7:48 a.m.: Throwing Rotten Tomatoes – Deputies caught juveniles on Park Street in La Conner stealing a box of tomatoes and throwing them in the street.  The juveniles paid the fruit stand owner for the stolen goods and no criminal charges were filed.

Pick up the paper at all the usual places, both gas stations, liquor store, produce market, book store and drug store. Or go out and see the new Don Coyote art decorating the fronts of some of our quarter eating news racks. 

Weekly Braves sports capsule, Sept. 14, 2011

Check out this sequence captured by photographer Ryan Hiller during Friday's first home game

From Braves Raves......

By Amylynn Richards

FOOTBALL

The 1A league Nooksack Pioneers overpowered the Braves 44-0 at the first home game of the season. Senior Mat McCauley, who was one of the two team quarterbacks, had his collarbone broken during the very first play.

Coach Johnny Lee reports that McCauley is expected to be out of commission for around 6 weeks. “That loss is really going to hurt us, going forward,” he said.

“Nooksack is a really good football team that should be competitive in the 1A state playoffs,” Lee says, “overall, and despite the end score, I thought we were a very improved football team from week one.”

Compared to the 2010-2011 season, Lee says that the Brave were down 42-0 at half time, and the fact that the Braves held them to 44-0 overall “is a silver lining…. Nobody else in our league plays the caliber of teams that we do in our first three non-league games of the season.”

All told, the Braves had fewer turnovers than week one and Lee says they “established a run game as the game wore on…we’re getting better prepared for our league contests starting in two weeks.”

Dahlton Zavala was named player of the Nooksack-La Conner game. Zavala caused a Pioneer fumble, and Brave teammate Cameron Wischhusen recovered the ball for La Conner. Zavala “ran the ball very well,” Lee said, “I was proud of the improvement our offensive line showed. We are not quite where we need to be yet, but we're closing in on it.”

BOYS’ SOCCER

The boys travelled to play Crosspoint in Bremerton on Thursday, Sept. 8. “The heat was a major factor,” says Coach Steve DeLeon; but the Braves still managed to win the game 3-1 despite the heat and missing a few key players.

Coach DeLeon reports that Todd Hoagland and Tanner Cyr “showed their experience and leadership” during the match. 

Hoagland scored the first Brave goal at the ten minute mark, assisted by Tyler Baker. The second goal was also scored by Hoagland, unassisted. Freshman Hayden Schmidt scored during his debut match at 27 minutes, assisted by Hoagland.

DeLeon noted “solid defensive performances” by Cyr, Spenser Finley,  Jack Borusinski and from freshman goalie Eric Reinstra.

Crosspoint scored a “consolation goal” as DeLeon quipped, at the 57 minute mark.

VOLLEYBALL

The Braves volleyball team took on the 2A league Anacortes Seahawks Saturday, Sept. 6; the Seahawks won 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-19). Coach Suzanne Marble said, “Anacortes was a strong team; we couldn’t get anything going defensively, therefore our offense wasn’t working. It was a good test to see what we need to improve on and what we are doing well.” 

Marble is impressed with the new players, who “maintained their composure under pressure.” 

Team highlights: Kelley McClung had 14 assists; Priscilla Ponce-Venegas had 7 kills; and Katie McKnight had 9 kills.

Junior Taysha James, the team right side hitter, was taken out of the game with a knee injury. An MRI showed a torn ACL and James will be out the remainder of the season. “It was a huge loss to our team physically,” Coach Marble said, but “she will be a big factor for us this year mentally.”

The Thursday, Sept. 8 match against Squalicum went much better for the Braves. Braves won 3-0 (25-15, 25-23, 25-18). Marble said that she is “really impressed with my senior leadership tonight.  Priscilla Ponce-Venegas and Emily Anderson did a nice job of keeping things on track and flowing.”  Marble said the team played more “fluid” volleyball this game, and that the non-league matches are “really good for us going into league play.”

Team highlights: Kelley McClung had 22 assists; Emily Anderson had 5 aces, 10 kills and 5 blocks; and Priscilla Ponce-Venegas had 15 digs and 5 kills

GIRLS’ SOCCER

The girls played two games last week. The first home game of the season was on Tuesday, Sept. 6 against 1A League Meridian. Meridian won the game 3-0. The girls travelled to Cross Point Academy on Friday, Sept. 9, and earned their first win 5-4.

Photo by Amylynn Richards

Photo by Amylynn Richards

Photo by Amylynn Richards