BLAINE

BORDERITES

Coach: Sean Linville

Last year: Finished tied for 12th in the NWC (2-10). Did not advance to the postseason with a 4-15 record overall.

Players to watch: Brett Allen (sr. P/OF), Tony Goucher (sr. P/OF), Matt Vogee (sr. C/P), Zach Rector (sr. P/IF), Dwayne Ortega (sr. P/IF)

Outlook: After nine years of leading Ferndale and helping the program make its only three state appearances, Linville makes the move north. Actually, he'll be staying home, as he lives and works in Blaine and has been an assistant football coach at the school for seven years, so he certainly knows how hard it will be to take over for the legendary Gary Clausen. "I've known Coach Clausen for years," Linville said in a phone interview. "There are always expectations when you take over a program for a guy that has led the program for 31 years." Though he's still learning his new team, Linville feels confident about what the Borderites have to offer this year, as they move down to the 1A ranks. "Our strengths have to start with our battery," Linville said. "We have four senior pitchers who will do most of the work, and a senior catcher I've been really impressed with. We've got to lean on them while we put a lot of the other pieces together." Linville said he believes he has the athletes to get the offense going, but it may take a while to get going.

2013 ROSTER

Player Yr. Pos.

Brett Allen Sr. P/OF

Chris Doll Jr. C

Kaden Foster So. 3B

Cody Gobbato So. SS/P

Tony Goucher Sr. P/OF

Ben Hodgin So. 2B

Caleb Johnson Sr. 1B

Tyler Kelly Sr. OF/P

Rudy Nolasco So. OF/P

Dwayne Ortega Sr. P/IF

Myles Peltier Jr. OF/IF

Ryan Randall Jr. 2B

Zach Rector Sr. P/IF

Matt Vogee Sr. C/P

2013 SCHEDULE

March 11 Concrete 4 p.m.

March 15 at La Conner 3:30 p.m.

March 16 Darrington 4:30 p.m.

March 18 Ferndale 4:30 p.m.

March 20 at Mount Baker 4:30 p.m.

March 22 at Meridian 4 p.m.

March 25 Friday Harbor 3:30 p.m.

March 27 Burlington-Edison* 4:30 p.m.

March 29 at Lynden Christian* 4:30 p.m.

April 1 at Nooksack Valley* 4:30 p.m.

April 4 La Conner 1 p.m.

April 8 Anacortes* 4:30 p.m.

April 10 at Bellingham*+ 6:30 p.m.

April 12 at Ferndale* 4 p.m.

April 15 Meridian* 4:30 p.m.

April 17 at Sehome* 6:30 p.m.

April 19 Squalicum* 4:30 p.m.

April 22 Mount Baker* 4:30 p.m.

April 24 at Lynden* 4 p.m.

April 26 Sedro-Woolley* 4:30 p.m.

*NWC game; Game at Joe Martin Field

NOTE: Home games played at Pipeline Fields

Reach DAVID RASBACH at david.rasbach@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2271.