When making her decision about where to continue her softball pitching career on the collegiate level, Lynden senior Brooke Bonsen took the Goldilocks approach, and Bellevue College ended up being the school that was “Just right.”

“I wanted to stay in state and play, if possible,” Bonsen said. “Bellevue isn’t too far, and it isn’t too close. It was just about right for me.”

Bonsen said she expected to sign her National Letter of Intent to become a Bulldog next year by the end of last week, or at least as soon as the paperwork arrived from the school.

She went 19-5 in the circle for the Lions last year, posting a 1.88 ERA and 106 strikeouts while walking just 19, pitching Lynden to the Class 2A State Tournament in the process. She also hit .435 with 33 RBI, 11 doubles and two home runs and was selected the Northwest Conference’s Most Valuable Player by the league’s coaches.

At Bellevue, she plans to study to become an ultrasound technician but said she’s open to transferring to and playing for a four-year school if the opportunity presents itself after she’s done at Bellevue.

But for now she said she’s excited for her senior season at Lynden and to play at Bellevue.

“They have one of the best softball programs in the state,” she said. “It’s really nice down there. It’s not too big and not too small — it’s easy to find everything down there.”

REIMER NOMINATED FOR ALL-AMERICAN GAME

Lynden Christian senior post Isaac Reimer is one of 814 high school seniors nationally and 26 in the state of Washington nominated to play in the 2013 McDonald’s All-American Games. Reimer is the defending Class 1A Boys’ Basketball State Player of the Year.

The final roster of 24 boys’ and 24 girls’ basketball players selected to play in the games will be announced during a special selection show on ESPNU at 2 p.m. on Feb. 14.

The 36th annual boys’ game will be held on April 3 at Chicago’s United Center and will be broadcast on ESPN, with the girls’ game preceding it.

Other nominees from the state are: Franklin’s Patrick Ball and Arell Hennings, Ballard’s Sam Berger, Bothell’s Perrion Callandret and Zach Lavine, Foss’ Marcus Chambers and Dezmyn Trent, Rainier Beach’s Marquise Davis and Will Dorsey, Seattle Prep’s D.J. Fenner , Colfax’s Brandon Gfeller , Shorewood’s Josh Hawkinson, Garfield’s Tucker Haymond and TreVante Williams, Pullman’s Corey Langerveld, Lincoln’s Tre'Shaun Lexing, Bellarmine Prep’s Lucas Meikle, Nathan Hale’s Julius Pruzinskis, Central Valley’s Austin Rehkow, Stanwood’s Cannen Roberson, Mount Rainier ‘sCaden Rowland, Cascade Christian’s Shawn Spencer, Yakima West Valley’s Austin Strock, Kent-Meridian’s Martel Taylor Barone and Spanaway’s Braxton Tucker.

WSSCA ALL-STATE SOCCER

After helping the Sehome girls’ soccer team reach the Class 2A state championship game, midfielder Emily Webster and goalie Rachel Albert were selected first-team all-state by the Washington State Soccer Coaches Association in Class 2A, while Meridian’s Taylor Lunde was first-team all-state in Class 1A.

The all-state teams were released last week.

Webster, a junior, won the Northwest Conference scoring title with 21 goals and 11 assists and was selected All-NWC Offensive Player of the Year.

Albert, a senior headed to Western Washington University to play basketball, was selected All-NWC Defensive Player of the Year, after she helped the Mariners post more shutouts (14) than goals allowed (13) last season.

Lunde, a junior, ranked third in the NWC with 14 goals and added 10 assists, as she helped the Trojans reach the first round of the 1A State Tournament.

Sehome also placed midfielder Hanna Tarleton on the second-team, and defender Emily Russell was honorable mention. Squalicum, which reached the 2A state semifinals, placed three players on the second-team in midfielder Julia DeVere and defenders Andrea DeVere and Lauren Wallace, while Storm forward Kim Hazlett was honorable mention.

Tahoma’s Bri Hooks (4A), Columbia River’s Maddie Reynolds (3A), Sumner’s Kaylie Rozell (2A), University Prep’s Ayana O’Neal (1A) and Bear Creek’s Caroline Bridgewater (B) were selected the respective players of the year.

CLIFT MOVES TO LYNDEN

Though he hired her when he was the athletic director at Squalicum four years ago, Mike McKee never actually had Julie Clift coach a volleyball match for him, as McKee left to become the AD at Lynden shortly after making the hire.

But unless he decides to move again before the start of the next school year, the two will finally get to wear the same colors during a match next fall, as McKee announced that the Lions had named Clift their new coach.

“There were a lot of things I liked about her when I hired her four years ago at Squalicum,” McKee said in a phone interview. “I think the most telling thing now is what she’s done with Squalicum. She’s really turned that team around, which is tough to do, because of the lack of a volleyball club there. She’s done a great job making Squalicum competitive. Next year could be the best team that they’ve ever had. … You’ve got to be a good coach to do that.”

Clift takes over for Angie Dallas, who also spent four years with the Lions. Lynden went 55-22 under Dallas and made it to the Class 2A State Tournament in 2009 and 2010, placing fifth in 2010. The Lions went 12-6 last fall and, for the second straight year, fell just one win short of advancing to state.

“There is definitely a history of success in volleyball at Lynden,” Clift said in a phone interview. “There is definitely more confidence and expectations.”

That should be a change for Clift, who had to build the Storm from the ground up. After going 13-29 in her first three seasons at Squalicum, the Storm went 10-4 last year and just missed advancing to the postseason, ironically finishing one spot behind Lynden in the NWC 2A standings.

“In some ways this is a bittersweet move,” Clift said. “I enjoyed working with my athletes at Squalicum, and I’ve seen them come a long ways. It’s sad to leave them.”

But Clift decided to make the move because she lives in Lynden and is a part-time Physical Education teacher at the school. She was already the junior varsity softball coach at Lynden and an assistant on coach Rob Adams’ girls’ basketball team.

“In a way, it’s going to be like starting over,” Clift said. “That’s what happens when you change programs. But I know there are a lot of talented athletes at Lynden. It’s time for us to start a new era together.”

BORDERITES SEEK VOLLEYBALL COACH

Blaine is seeking a new varsity volleyball coach for the 2013 season. More information on the position is available at blainesd.org or by calling athletic director Wayne Vezzetti at 360-332-6045.

The new coach will take over for Sheli Moore, who has coached the program since 2009.

During Moore’s four seasons, the Borderites went 13-44 and advanced to the Class 2A Northwest District Tournament in 2009. The team went 0-14 last season and did not advance to the postseason.