Braves Sports, Feb. 8, 2012

Photo by Melissa Reynolds

Braves drown Friday Harbor; tune up for playoffs

By Bill Reynolds

The La Conner Braves have spent much of the season in the fast lane.

But this past Friday they were able to slip into cruise control with a convincing 65-44 league win at home over a solid Friday Harbor club.

The win was a tune-up of sorts for the 19-1 Braves, scheduled to host a first round District playoff contest scheduled this Saturday at 7:30 p.m., after having posted a perfect 14-0 league mark.

With the loss, Friday Harbor, 15-5 overall, saw its league slate fall to 11-3.

Landy James led a balanced La Conner attack that for the most part hit on all cylinders, scoring 23 points while also dishing off three assists.

James was one of four Braves’ players to hit at least one perimeter trey, but the La Conner frontliner did most of his damage in the paint.

James was nine-of-12 inside the three-point arc, helping pick up the slack with Braves' post Tyler Howlett sidelined with an ankle injury.

La Conner guards Spencer Novak and Mike Wilbur also finished in double digits for the victors.

Novak and Wilbur each matched James with three assists as the Braves did a nice job making the extra pass and finding open shooters.

And, like James, Novak and Wilbur helped stretch the Friday Harbor defense with timely treys.

Swingman Bobby Poulton did his part, as well. He scored six points on two long three-pointers, and turned in a superb floor game.

Sean Hulbert and Wil James likewise were instrumental in La Conner overcoming the absence inside of Howlett.

Hulbert netted six points, while hitting half his shots, and grabbed a pair of rebounds. Wil James, the former wrestler, muscled inside for a bucket and a couple boards.

Three-point specialist Jared Fohn took on a new role and slipped inside for three rebounds as the Braves pounded the glass after carrying a slim 15-12 lead into the second frame.

La Conner began putting Friday Harbor in the rear view mirror with an 18-9 second quarter run.

The Braves extended their lead to 53-31 by doubling up the visitors (20-10) in the decisive third period, then coasted to the finish.

La Conner is now poised to gear up for what Braves' fans hope will be an extended playoff drive.

The Braves, whose only loss this year was on the road to State-ranked Adna, will likely open District play opposite Evergreen Lutheran, the projected fourth seed out of the Sea-Tac loop.

Saturday's outcome will determine La Conner's foe and game site in next week's second round of District action.

Photo by Melissa Reynolds

Lady Braves in playoff hunt despite shooting woes

By Bill Reynolds

La Conner High suffered through a rare cold shooting spell Friday, but the Lady Braves still have their sights set on making a deep playoff run.

La Conner hopes to be on target this Saturday at 6 p.m. when it hosts the SeaTac League's No. 3 seed – probably Cross Point Academy or Seattle Lutheran – in the Braves' District tourney opener.

La Conner’s girls had an unlikely off-night from the floor Friday when they fell 34-30 to league rival Friday Harbor.

La Conner shot just 10 of 36 from the field and was only one of eight from behind the three-point arc in the Friday Harbor loss.

The Braves managed just one point in the third quarter of a game marked by physical play and questionable calls.

With the win, the Wolverines salvaged a split in their season series with La Conner, as each won on the other's court.

Both teams are 14-6 overall, with La Conner dropping to 11-3 in league play. Friday Harbor improved its league mark to 12-2.

The defeat spoiled a tremendous effort by La Conner senior Priscilla Ponce-Venegas, who placed her team with 12 points and eight rebounds.

She also managed to draw fouls in the paint, converting six of eight free throw opportunities.

Anna Cook, recently returned from a midseason injury, added five points to the Braves' cause and showed nice mobility in the lane.

Katie McKnight (4), Kelley McClung (4), Nikki Finley (3), and Emily Anderson (2) also scored for La Conner.

Finley hit the Braves' lone perimeter trey.

McKnight was perfect from the charity stripe, hitting both her attempts. McClung, meanwhile, led the Braves with two steals.

Anderson added a pair of rebounds for La Conner, whose 12-7 rally in the final period fell just short.

The Braves led 17-16 at the break and made Friday Harbor misfire repeatedly in the first half.

The contest turned in the third frame, however, when the visitors went on a 10-1 tear.

La Conner head coach Scott Novak could take solace in the fact his team saved its best for last – scoring a dozen points in the fourth quarter – which should bode well for Saturday. 

Photo by Karla Reynolds

La Conner wrestlers grappling with success

By Bill Reynolds

For years, Concrete was literally in a league of its own when it came to area small school wrestling programs.

But now the Lions have company.

The La Conner Braves placed second to Concrete at last week's 2B League Tournament, and have advanced all their wrestlers to upcoming Regional trials at Chief Leschi.

Three La Conner grapplers placed first in their respective weight classes at the league finals, with Nathan Parker and William Zeimantz finishing one-two in the 285s and Jimmy Garcia and Kevin Aske doing the same at 138 pounds.

Dahlton Zavala, 160,  also earned top league honors for the Braves, whose head coach, Barry Harper, was elated at his team's results.

"I thought we wrestled very well," Harper said afterward. "We advanced all our wrestlers through to the Regional tournament, which I'm very pleased about."

Ben Harper, 132,  and Cameron Wischhusen, at 182, were strong runners-up in their weight divisions, while Todd Hoagland, 170, placed third and Robert Duckworth, 182, captured fourth slot at the league meet.

As well as La Conner fared, Harper says there remains room for improvement.

"There were a few matches that got away from us that I think we should have won," he said. "We just made little mistakes that cost us those matches."

Which makes workouts this week pretty much a no-holds-barred affair.

Harper believes with the proper approach and focus his charges can make great strides in the days ahead.

"If we want to move on to the State tournament," he says, "we're going to have to wrestle our best and have a good week of practice.

"I feel good about our team," he stresses. "I think we'll go down there and have a good tournament. We'll work on a few things this week, correct those little mistakes that cost us at league, and hopefully we can get most everyone through to State."

The top three wrestlers in each Regional weight class move on to State.

In a related note: La Conner High's Amber Drye placed second last week at Squalicum, earning a berth to the girls' Regionals this Saturday in Bellingham. She and girls’ wrestling teammate Frances Zeimantz competed in the 155s, with Zeimantz narrowly missing a spot at Bellingham despite splitting four matches. 

... and an up and coming Braves grappler

Photo by Adrian Sharpe

Tiny wrestler with a big medal

By Adrian Sharpe

Five-year-old Quentin Cobbs took home a second place medal in a state-wide wrestling tournament held Saturday Jan. 28.

The Washington State Folkstyle Championships held in Spokane included kids of all ages who are residents of Washington State. More than 1,000 brave boys and girls entered the ring to test their skills. 

Cobbs has been wrestling since he was just three years old, though until last year he primarily stuck to pinning his sister, said his mother Mandy Buck.

As the youngest traveling wrestler on “Team Scorpion,” Cobbs and his family make the gambit of wrestling events throughout the State.

“We go to tournaments every weekend,” said Buck.

Wrestling in the peewee division, Cobbs’ opponents were all older than him, said his mom. Each kid was at least a year his senior. But age proved not to be an advantage for most of his challengers.

“He only lost three times this year,” said his mom.

Cobbs is a student at the Swinomish pre-school.

in the Jan. 25, 2012 issue

Ballots in mail for school levy vote

La Conner School district is asking voters to approve replacement property tax levies to continue to support educational programs for children. The district’s property tax support expires in 2013 and voters will decide whether it can be extended through 2017. Ballots were mailed this week to the district 3,346 registered voters and votes will be tallied on Feb. 14.

The operating levy pays for instruction in foreign language, advanced math, music, drama and other courses that basic educational funding from the state does not cover. And the technology levy gives students have access to the latest developments in computers and other technology and provides a laptop computer for every student at the high school to use at school and home for the entire school year. 

School officials say they expect the amount the taxpayers pay for the schools to stay the same when the new levies take effect in 2014. Details in today's paper.

New state  boater fee would help local program

A proposal to enact a $1 surcharge on commercial and pleasure boat owners to fund the Washington Center for Marine Innovation at Skagit Valley College’s marine tech center in Anacortes.  

If the bill is passed, it would establish a marine innovation program through collaborative efforts of Bellingham Technical College, Skagit Valley College and Western Washington University and other public and private partners to promote new developments in design, manufacturing, and alternative fuel for watercraft and other aspects of the marine industry.

The bill would add a $1 surcharge on the current state vessel registration fee.

Presently, about a dozen La Conner High School students are bused to Anacortes each morning for marine technology instruction through the Northwest Career and Technical Academy.

The campus in Anacortes is owned by a consortium of kindergarten through 12^th grade school districts, including La Conner. The building also houses Skagit Valley College’s marine tech program, as well as the Northwest Center for Excellence in Marine Technology and Manufacturing, which is a program the college oversees. Full story in today's paper.

Photo by Kirsten Morse

This is what La Conner kids did all last week while the schools were shut down and Washington Street was closed to motorists because of the heavy snowstorms.

Photo by Mickey Bambrick

The old school house on Valentine Road.

Photo by Kirsten Morse

Photo by Don Coyote

And finally, it was gone.

From the Police Blotter:

7:30 a.m.: Dunked dunk – A woman was arrested for driving under the influence after she drove her pickup truck into the water at the Conway boat launch. With the truck in the water, there was difficulty opening the doors. People nearby helped the woman out of the truck, and deputies, then escorted her to jail.

The paper is around town in the usual places today. Subscribers will get it in the mail. Call 466-3315 to subscribe.

Braves Sports, Jan. 25, 2012

Braves eagerly await pregame warmups

By Bill Reynolds

La Conner High hoop teams were on a hot streak before last week's major winter storms.

But now they could face some tough sledding ahead in terms of schedule changes made necessary when the cold weather forced postponement of slated games at Shoreline Christian and Mount Vernon Christian.

La Conner must play five league games in nine days to make up for previously scheduled contests wiped out by snowy and icy road conditions.

The La Conner-Mount Vernon Christian games have been reset for this Saturday, Jan. 28, with boys' junior varsity action tipping off at 4:30 p.m.

The girls' varsity game is to start at or around 6 p.m., followed 90 minutes later by the boys' varsity clash.

The La Conner-Shoreline Christian games have been rescheduled for Feb. 1, a rare Wednesday date, with the same boys' JV  at 4:30 p.m.;  girls' varsity at 6 p.m., and boys' varsity 7:30 p.m. rotation.

Neither Mount Vernon Christian nor Shoreline Christian has a girls' junior varsity team, according to La Conner head coach Scott Novak.

La Conner players are eager to hit the hardwood again, he said, with both teams sitting atop league standings.

The Braves were 8-0 in league play and 13-1 overall going into Tuesday's late home action with Darrington.

The Lady Braves sported a 7-1 league mark and 10-4 overall ledger entering their Tuesday pairing with Darrington.

The La Conner girls' lone league loss was a December setback on the road to the Lady Loggers.

After being rendered idle by the region's extended snowstorms, the term “pregame warmups” now takes on added meaning for the La Conner squads.

But Novak is confident both teams will be fired up, despite the grueling schedule ahead.

In addition to the makeup games, La Conner is also scheduled this Friday, Jan. 27,  at Orcas and at home Jan. 31 opposite Concrete.

La Conner hoopsters haven't spent the entire month sidelined, however.

Before the snow fell, La Conner players had once again taken part in the annual Bo Alleckson Memorial Hoop Classic.

The January tourney honors the memory of one of Novak's former students, who passed away in the 1990s, after having moved to California.

The event has grown to a 32-team, three-gym format, featuring boys' and girls' teams from the fourth through eighth grades.

"Our high school students work the scorer's tables," Novak said Monday, "with community members, coaches, and former players serving as game officials."

Many current La Conner High students played in previous Alleckson tourneys, he said.

"When it was a fifth and sixth grade boys' tournament," he said, "La Conner won the championship in back-to-back years."

Those teams included present Braves' players Landy James, Bobby Poulton, Spencer Novak, Tyler Howlett, and Jamall James.

 Photo by Karla Reynolds

La Conner native raises bar on national stage

By Bill Reynolds

The past year was an uplifting one for a former La Conner resident.

Mark Reynolds, 22, a junior at Tarleton State University in Texas, was recognized Saturday night in Oklahoma City as the Natural Athlete Strength Association's  2011 male Power Sports Lifter of the Year.

He received a large trophy and two wall plaques during annual awards ceremonies held at the Wyndham Garden Hotel near Will Rogers International Airport.

Reynolds ranked first in the event, which combines the curl, bench press, and deadlift, among more than 2,000 Natural Athlete Strength Association members nationwide.

"Mark is going to be one of our future greats, and he's already great," said iconic association president and co-founder Rich Peters, who made the official presentation.

The 5-9, 200-pound Reynolds was nominated for the honor after a year in which he set personal competition bests in all lift categories.

He curled 171 pounds, benched 360, and deadlifted 623 before judges who also make sure lifters adhere to strict technique guidelines.

Reynolds also competed several times last year in the strength association’s Power Lifting division, where the squat is substituted for curls.

He set a personal best in the squat, with a 530-pound effort, at a meet this past summer.

Reynolds was attracted to the Natural Athlete Strength Association by its family atmosphere and Peters' long and tireless campaign to rid power sports of steroids and performance enhancing drugs.

"What I like about it," Reynolds explains, "is that I'm basically competing against myself. There's no place for steroids in that."

The lifters, he says, share a common bond. They travel from state to state to various meets, often using down time at the arena to encourage competitors.

Reynolds attends meets with his wife, Courtney, young daughters Callie and Kylie, and newborn son, Bryson.

He was introduced to powerlifting while a student at Mart High School, where Reynolds is the only athlete to have earned All-State honors in three sports in the same year.

He was the starting middle linebacker on Mart High’s 2006 State championship football team, then three months later set the school record for combined weight – 1,315 pounds – in the squat, bench, and deadlift at the State Power Lifting Meet in Houston, where he placed sixth.

He closed out his senior year by leading the Central Texas area in runs batted in as the Panthers' catcher, helping Mart High advance deep into the post-season.

But it was powerlifting that really grabbed Reynolds' attention after moving to Texas from La Conner, where his childhood friends included Braves' assistant basketball coach Carl Buher.

"I liked powerlifting a lot in high school," Reynolds says, "and decided it was something I wanted to keep doing."

Reynolds' sisters, Melissa and Lauren, have since returned home to La Conner. Melissa, who graduated from Mart High, is a first-year student at Skagit Valley College. Lauren is a sophomore at La Conner High School.

Reynolds, meanwhile, continues to train regularly at Mart High's Edd Burleson Weight Room, occasionally alongside fellow Panther alum Quan Cosby, now a member of the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts.

Another local product who turns up at Burleson is Jesse Plemons, a former Mart quarterback prospect and summer baseball teammate of Reynolds', who went into acting full-time and is best known for his role as Landry Clarke on the popular Friday Night Lights TV series.

And, if Reynolds continues to raise the bar as he did in 2011, Peters predicts he, too, will soon make a name for himself.

"I was glad when I saw that Mark had been nominated," Peters said last weekend, "and even more so when he won."

UPFRONT: The writer, who no longer lifts anything heavier than a camera, is Reynolds' father.

in the Jan. 18, 2012 issue ...

Photo by Karla Reynolds

We're seeing a lot of this as Public Works crews work overtime to keep the roads and sidewalks safe for travel.

Photo by Bill Stokes

And we're enjoying views like this...

Photo by Bill Stokes

And this ....

Photo by Karla Reynolds

While kids have to do stuff like sled down Washington Street since the schools are closed for the snowstorm.

Kory is getting better

Writer Adrian Sharpe has the latest on the La Conner High School senior who was critically injured Friday night in a traffic accident. He spent the weekend in a coma, but today, Wednesday, his grandma came by our office and reported that he is awake and talking. We're keeping Kory and his family in our prayers.

Low cost housing for artists

Read Adrian's piece on Artspace, a national non-profit firm that develops affordable housing and work space especially for artists. The organization, which usually devotes its efforts to large cities, is eyeing little La Conner as a place to establish artist housing. The first phase is a feasibility study that will start next week. A public meeting is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25 at Maple Hall.

Photo by Don Coyote

The Swinomish Smokehouse roof caught fire Friday evening. The blaze was extinguished quickly by Fire District 13 firefighters. Nobody was hurt. 

From the Police Blotter: 

10:39 a.m.: Public Drinking – A spectator of the accident at 6^th and Morris streets was arrested for drinking in public while he was watching deputies and firefighters who responded to the event.  

Meanwhile ...

11:25 a.m.: Cell for a Cell – A man was arrested for using a ladder to climb into someone’s apartment, 900 block of Maple Ave., La Conner. The man was violating a no contact order and claimed he was just trying to retrieve a friend’s cell phone. Deputies made sure he got a cell, but it happened to be a jail cell instead of a phone. 

  Despite lots of snow, we got the paper out on time today! (OK, there are a couple of embarrassing bonehead errors we didn't catch in our push to get'er done.) The paper is printed in south Everett and our driver, Chuck, deserves big kudos for bringing it to La Conner through this morning's major snowstorm. And Bill Stokes distributed the paper to the store shelves and filled the news boxes right on schedule this morning. In the snow. (Thank you, Honey.)

Braves Sports, Jan. 18, 2012

Photo by Melissa Reynolds

Braves follow script to reel in Cedar Park

By Bill Reynolds

There were class, glass, and brass acts on Friday when the La Conner Braves took center stage at the James Gym.

And what a show it was.

The Braves remained unbeaten in league play, 7-0, and improved to 12-1 overall with a highlight reel effort against Cedar Park Christian.

La Conner's convincing 82-56 victory coincided with a special appearance by the University of Washington pep band and halftime ceremonies honoring the Braves' 1992 Tri-District title team.

But the night's most dramatic moment may well have been La Conner frontliner Landy James' emphatic two-handed dunk off the glass, after having snared a perfectly placed backboard feed from Braves' point guard Mike Wilbur.

The rousing slam drew oohs and aahs from a standing room only crowd.

And that was just the Cedar Park side.

The La Conner stands went absolutely bonkers.

It was a fitting hookup for James and Wilbur, who combined to torment Cedar Park from the get-go.

James finished with a game-high 30 points, going 10 of 15 from the floor while knocking down four of six treys.

He also sank six of nine free throws in addition to grabbing seven rebounds, collecting six steals, and dishing off a pair of assists.

Wilbur likewise filled the stat sheet.

He scored 15 points on five-of-nine shooting, hitting two of five attempts from beyond the three-point arc.

Wilbur's evening included a team-best four assists – including the textbook carom lob to James – three steals, and two rebounds.

Wilbur's backcourt partner, Spencer Novak, enjoyed another strong outing, as well.

Novak delivered 16 points, four rebounds, three steals, and three assists.

He continued his hot outside shooting of late, burying four of seven trey attempts.

Jonah Cook (7), Sean Hulbert (5), Jared Fohn (3), Wil James (3), Skyler Krueger (2), and Bjorn Mejlaender (1) rounded out the potent La Conner attack.

Fohn helped stretch Cedar Park's defense with a three-pointer and three assists from the perimeter, then went inside for five rebounds. 

La Conner bolted to a 22-12 first period lead and never looked back, allowing Braves' head coach Scott Novak the luxury of tapping his deep and talented bench.

"The guys stepped it up defensively," he said afterward, "and played a great game. The neat thing is we were able to play many different combinations of players."

He noted that Jamall James and Cameron Sherman also logged quality minutes in reserve roles. James grabbed two rebounds and handed out an assist. Sherman pulled down three boards.

Cook was La Conner's most effective board man, finishing with a game-high 10 rebounds. He also assisted twice on nice feeds from the post.

All in all, it was a festive night against a potentially dangerous league foe.

"We had a bit of a sluggish start," coach Novak allowed, "but we got into a rhythm."

So did the Husky and La Conner High bands, which had the gym rocking from start to finish.

"It was a fun night with the Husky band and just a great atmosphere," Novak said.

The Braves were hoping to produce yet more positive notes in Tuesday's scheduled late action at Shoreline Christian.

La Conner is slated to resume its league slate this Friday, Jan. 20, at Mount Vernon Christian.

Photo by Karla Reynolds

Lady Braves force hoop foes into meltdowns

By Bill Reynolds

The weather outside was frightful, but indoor conditions of late have been just as tough on La Conner High girls' hoop opponents.

The Lady Braves last week stormed past Cedar Park Christian and Seattle Academy, two teams that couldn't weather La Conner's hot shooting.

La Conner routed Cedar Park 51-15 Friday at home, then downed Seattle Academy 57-20 Saturday on the road.

With the twin wins, La Conner improved to 10-4 overall and leapt atop league standings with a 7-1 mark going into this Tuesday's late scheduled action at Shoreline Christian.

The Lady Braves are slated this Friday, Jan. 20, at traditional local rival Mount Vernon Christian.

But given the fact La Conner's entire roster contributed to the Cedar Park and Seattle triumphs, the Lady Braves allowed themselves the luxury of briefly celebrating those wins before going forward.

"The girls played really well against Cedar Park," La Conner head coach Scott Novak said afterward. "And what was great about it was everyone got to play and make an impact."

Same was true a day later against Seattle Academy, a club not lacking in speed and athleticism.

"They're a fast and aggressive team," coach Novak acknowledged. "They put pressure on us, but we responded well."

Nikki Finley had 10 points to lead 11 La Conner scorers against Cedar Park. Her stat line included two perimeter treys in five attempts.

Katie Novak added seven tallies for the victors, including the Lady Braves' one other three-point bomb.

The issue was decided early as La Conner raced to a quick 18-2 lead. By halftime, the margin had swelled to 28-5.

Priscilla Ponce-Venegas (6), Siomi Bobb (6), Alyssa McCormick (5), Emily Anderson (4), Carly Anderson (4), Aubrey Stewart (4), Kelley McClung (2), Lauren Reynolds (2), and Emma Christianson (1) all joined the La Conner point parade.

But those numbers don't begin to tell the whole story.

McClung continued her extended stretch of fine all-around play, adding three steals, two assists, and two rebounds to the Lady Braves' cause.

Ponce-Venegas snared a team-best 11 rebounds despite playing limited minutes. McCormick and Stewart each grabbed seven boards.

Reynolds added six rebounds and three steals, and dished off an assist, as did Ponce-Venegas and both Carly and Emily Anderson.

The Lady Braves played unselfishly and again looked for open shooters at Seattle Academy.

Ponce-Venegas, who led all scorers Saturday with 16 points, also paced the Lady Braves with five assists.

McClung added three assists to go with four points, four rebounds, and two steals.

McCormick (7), Katie McKnight (5), Emily Anderson (5), Christianson (5), Finley (4), Stewart (4), Novak (3), Bobb (2), and Carly Anderson (2) likewise reached the scoring column for La Conner at Seattle Academy.

Novak meshed La Conner's lone trey, while Christianson was perfect both from the field, two-of-two, and charity stripe, one-of-one.

Carly Anderson hit her only shot of the night as La Conner was a torrid 52 per cent – 24 of 46 – from the floor.

In addition to McClung, four other Lady Braves – Ponce-Venegas, McKnight, McCormick, and Stewart – had at least four rebounds.

Reynolds chipped in two caroms and an assist, while Finley forced a pair of Seattle turnovers with steals.

La Conner led 27-15 at the break, then put the game on ice with a 15-0 third period run. The Lady Braves finished strong, closing with a 15-5 spurt in the final stanza.

Photo by Christy Hoagland

La Conner Braves wrestlers participated in the match held Friday at Chief Leschi.