Valentine’s Day proved a perfect antidote for a La Conner Braves girls’ basketball team coming off a heartbreaking 52-49 loss to NW2B/1B rival Mount Vernon Christian in its regular season finale.
The Braves quickly turned heartache into happiness, however, posting a lopsided 53-20 Bi-District 2B Tournament win over league foe Orcas Island at Landy James Gym on Feb. 14.
That victory propels La Conner (15-6) into a much-anticipated rematch with Mount Vernon Christian in the Bi-District title round. Both teams had secured first-round Bi-District byes and are now assured berths in the state tournament’s Round of 16 bracket later this month.
The Thursday La Conner-Mount Vernon Christian tipoff is set for 5:15 p.m. at DeKok Court on the Mount Vernon Christian campus.
Prior to their most recent battle, on Feb. 3, Mount Vernon Christian bested La Conner 50-31 in mid-January. By virtue of a 64-25 Bi-District triumph against Friday Harbor on Saturday, Mount Vernon Christian boasts an 18-2 won-loss record.
While La Conner’s double-digit home triumph over Orcas on Valentine’s Day wasn’t achieved in heart-stopping fashion, there should be no lack of drama when the Braves and Mount Vernon Christian meet again.
After all, La Conner is seeded second and Mount Vernon Christian first in the six-team Bi-District format.
While Mount Vernon Christian was defeating Friday Harbor, La Conner was downing Orcas for a fourth time this year in their Valentine’s Day afternoon pairing.
The Braves had previously bested Orcas 64-36 on Dec. 16, 54-18 on Dec. 31, and 64-31 on Jan. 27.
In this most recent La Conner-Orcas meeting, Braves senior Maeve McCormick – who this season reached the lofty 1,000-point career scoring mark – led all players with 19 points. All but three of those came in the decisive first half when La Conner bolted to an insurmountable 32-10 lead.
Maeve McCormick, who earlier in the campaign garnered Skagit Valley Herald Athlete of the Week honors, drained a pair of long treys and had 14 points in the opening period alone. By that point, La Conner had fashioned a cozy 18-6 cushion.
Faith Jenkins and Nora McCormick also finished in double-figure scoring for the victors, tallying 14 and 10 points, respectively.
Jenkins scored 10 of her points in the second half. Nora McCormick, Maeve’s younger sister, scored all her points over the first three quarters.
Sophia Edwards (3), Helen Joe (2), Finley Hancock (2), Shaniquah Casey (2) and Mia Delage (1) rounded out the Braves scoring.
Sofia Mahan-Jáuregui paced Orcas with 14 points.
La Conner head coach Danny Crosby’s charges received the No. 2 Bi-District seed and opening round bye based on their entire body of work this season. The team’s 15 wins included victories over 1A foes Blaine, South Whidbey and Sultan, plus the season series sweep of Orcas.
In addition to La Conner and Mount Vernon Christian, the Bi-District tourney will send one other entry to the state Round of 16. That state bid, to be determined Thursday, will go to either Auburn Adventist, Friday Harbor, Coupeville or Orcas based on this week’s results.
Auburn Adventist was at Friday Harbor and Coupeville visited Orcas Island in loser-out games on Feb. 17. The winners of those games meet Thursday at 1:45 p.m. with the third Bi-District berth to state on the line.
Bill Reynolds is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.
