Sports - High Schools

POSTED: Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009

PREP NOTEBOOK: Blaine volleyball team to play with pink purpose

NFL players won't be the only ones wearing pink as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Blaine volleyball team plans to follow suit during its Oct. 20 Northwest Conference match against Nooksack Valley.

"The idea started out because it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month," Blaine coach Sheli Moore said in a phone interview. "I have men in my family recovering from prostate cancer. So it's more of a general cancer awareness."

Moore said the Borderites will wear pink warm-ups, and players will wear pink ribbons in their hair. Blaine also plans to use a pink and white volleyball, and Moore said the team will pass a pink hat around the stands between games to ask for donations to help support district curriculum director Deb Cummings, who is battling cancer.

"The girls were ecstatic about the idea," Moore said. "They have no problem wearing pink."

Moore said she plans to talk to other NWC coaches to see if she can help make it a league-wide activity.

"I spoke with the Lynden coach (Tuesday) night, and she (Angie Dallas) thought it would be pretty need if we could get all the teams on board for that night," Moore said.

NWB SEEKS GIRLS' REFEREES

The Northwest Board of Basketball Officials is seeking referees for high school and middle school girls' basketball games this winter. People interested in officiating games are invited to attend a 7 p.m. meeting Oct. 19 at Alfy's Pizza (1060 S. Burlington Blvd.) in Burlington.

"We're seeking teenagers, college students and adults who enjoy girls' basketball and want to contribute to its quality," NWB president Ron Van Soest said in a press release. "With so many schools in our coverage area, there are plenty of opportunities for beginning and experienced officials to be involved in the sport and supplement their income. We provide training and mentoring for all new officials."

The NWB provided officials for games in Whatcom, Skagit, Island and San Juan counties.

For more information, call (360) 739-1084 or visit www.NorthwestBoard.com.

FOOTBALL DOUBLEHEADER

Bellingham and Squalicum each have scheduled home games at Civic Stadium for the final week of the regular season on Thursday, Oct. 29. Bellingham is scheduled to host Blaine and Squalicum will entertain Mount Baker in a pair of games that likely will have playoff implications.

According to Bellingham athletic director Brian Smith earlier this week, the plan is to play a doubleheader on Thursday. Though Smith said the times have not yet been locked down, the current plan is to have the Borderites and Red Raiders play at 5 p.m., with the Mountaineers and Storm to follow at 7:30 p.m.

GETTING AN EARLY START

The Wednesday, Oct. 14, boys' tennis match between Sehome and host Bellingham is so big the teams want to make sure nothing - including darkness - gets in the way. In an effort to make sure every match gets played in its entirety, the start time of the match has been pushed forward 45 minutes to 3 p.m.

Red Raiders coach Steve Chronister said nearly 400 spectators showed up to a similar match a few years ago, and he is hoping to get a strong turnout this year with the earlier start.

There is plenty of intrigue on Wednesday, as the Red Raiders and Mariners could both enter the final day of the regular season with unblemished Northwest Conference records and a league title hanging in the balance.

The Red Raiders still have one big match to go, though, as they play Monday, Oct. 12, at Squalicum, which hopes to rebound from last week's loss at Sehome.

TAKING THE REINS

In only her first year with the girls' soccer program, Nooksack Valley junior Alicia deBont had the unenviable task of taking over in goal when the Pioneers' top two goalies became unavailable.

Though she got some experience playing goalkeeper in practice, she quickly had to face some quality Northwest Conference opponents. She's allowed some goals and the Pioneers are still seeking their first NWC win of the year, but coach David Ostlund said she's come up with some tremendous saves in the past few weeks.

"Alicia stepped into a role for which she was virtually untrained and clearly inexperienced with the guts and determination of a true champion," Ostlund said. "She battled for every ball and even made a number of great saves in her time between the posts for a team that is often tested defensively."

CUBS' GARCIA TO WRESTLE IN BIG TEN

Sedro-Woolley's three-time defending state wrestling champion Derek Garcia announced earlier this week that he plans to attend Ohio State on a wrestling scholarship next fall.

The Buckeyes finished runner up at the NCAA Division I tournament last spring and return seven NCAA qualifiers, including three all-America selections.

CROSS COUNTRY RANKINGS

Northwest Conference teams hold down the top three spots in the latest edition of the Class 2A Cross Country Coaches Association boys' state rankings released last week. Burlington-Edison is ranked No. 1 and is followed by Sehome and Squalicum.

Nooksack Valley and Lynden Christian also made the state poll on the boys' side, as the Pioneers were ranked No. 2 in Class 1A behind Charles Wright, with the Lyncs one spot back in third.

In the girls' polls, Sehome, Squalicum and Bellingham all made the top 10 behind top-ranked Cedarcrest. The Mariners were ranked second and were followed by the Storm in fifth and the Red Raiders in fifth. In 1A, Lynden Christian was ranked fifth and Meridian seventh behind top-ranked King's.

VOLLEYBALL RANKINGS

Lynden Christian was ranked second in the latest edition of the Class 1A Volleyball Coaches Association state rankings released last week. The Lyncs are behind only King's.

Burlington-Edison is the top-ranked team in 2A, and is the only other NWC team that is ranked.