Volleyball
The La Conner High School volleyball team has hit its mid-season form ahead of schedule, winning six straight matches to improve to 8-4-1 ahead of a Sept. 30 league test at Orcas Island.
The Braves opened Homecoming Week with victories over Friday Harbor and defending champion Coupeville, giving the Braves an unblemished 3-0 league record ahead of the season’s midway mark. They capped the week by downing 1A South Whidbey in four sets at Landy James Gym.
Against Coupeville, La Conner pulled out a five-set win behind Madi Larson (14 kills), Nora McCormick (12), and Maeve McCormick (11). Nora added 24 assists, while Maeve led the defense with 20 digs. Reese Bird contributed 15 assists and 16 digs, and Addie Keller chipped in 13 digs. The Braves also tallied 10 service aces, with three each from Keller and Nora.
La Conner swept Friday Harbor 25-17, 25-22, 25-18, with Larson and Nora combining for 18 kills. Capping the week, the Braves rallied past South Whidbey after dropping the opening set, Nora posted 15 kills, 16 assists, 12 digs, and two aces. Maeve topped the defense with 20 digs, supported by Reese Bird (16), Nora (12), Rory Bird (11), and Keller (10).
The Braves host Cedarcrest Oct. 3 and Mount Vernon Christian Oct. 7.
Football
The La Conner football team, coming off an impressive 34-6 home victory over Concrete, started strong but couldn’t keep pace in a 58-20 homecoming loss to Darrington on Friday.
Braves running back Yandel Rosales-Rojas got the Braves on the scoreboard first with a 39-yard touchdown run less than a minute in. He later added a 46-yard cutback score and a 20-yard TD jaunt. Benny Allen’s conversion blast sliced the edge, but Darrington quarterback Hunter Anderson directed a relentless option attack, reeling off several long gains on keepers around end. The Loggers led 28-20 at halftime, then pulled away with 24 unanswered second-half points.
La Conner, now 2-2, visits Waterville-Mansfield Oct. 11.
Boys soccer
The La Conner boys’ soccer team (1-3-1 overall) broke into the win column with a 4-2 win over NW2B/1B rival Coupeville at Whittaker Field on Sept. 24.
Kaleb Otis scored twice for the winners. Kyle Navarrete Higgins and Hadden Zimmerman also booted goals for La Conner.
The Braves followed up the Coupeville match with a strong first half performance at home against the Orcas Vikings Friday before falling 8-0 to the defending state champions. Orcas led just 1-0 at the break. But with a second half wind at the Vikings’ back, they used a crisp passing game to score seven goals over a 28-minute stretch.
The Braves visit Crosspoint Christian in Bremerton Oct. 2.
Girls soccer
The La Conner girls’ soccer team (2-2-1), whose lone match last week was a 1-0 loss at Lopez Island, travels to Orcas Oct. 2 and Sultan Oct. 7.
Bill Reynolds is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.
