By Bill Reynolds
La Conner Community News
In the long history of La Conner High football, few if any games across the decades compare for drama with the Braves’ improbable 42-40 last second win over Lummi Nation at Marietta on Friday.
Trailing 40-34 with just seven seconds to play, La Conner quarterback Keaton Bailey scrambled 58 yards for a stunning game-tying touchdown as time expired. The Braves’ subsequent two-point conversion clinched an entertaining eight-man grid contest that had appeared lost mere moments earlier.
La Conner, which improved to 5-2 on the season, played catch-up much of the night.
The Braves were down double-digits (28-12) at halftime, briefly led 34-28 midway through the fourth period, then fell behind again when Lummi’s Anthony Solomon reeled in a 10-yard scoring toss for a 40-34 Blackhawk lead in the waning moments.
The Solomon TD reception had the makings of a game-winner. Yet it wasn’t.
After the ensuing kickoff, La Conner took possession at its 42 with time for only one play. But that’s all Bailey needed.
The junior signal caller took the snap, wheeled to his left and turned upfield. After getting into the second level of Lummi’s defense, Bailey veered to the sideline and sprinted into the end zone.
Stunned silence fell over Lummi’s Homecoming crowd when the Braves followed with their successful two-point conversion.
The Braves, conversely, were elated by the turn of events — especially since La Conner had to play most of the game without injured rushing leader Yandel Rosales-Rojas, who has been nursing a pulled hamstring.
Rosales-Rojas re-aggravated the injury in the second period.
“I’m super proud of the kids,” Braves head coach Kirk Melton said afterward. “To be down 28-12 at the half and having lost a top player and then to come back from all that says a lot about them.”
The Braves were further hampered when Maxwell Page, another key running back, was also sidelined by injury.
“Max was out quite a bit of the game as well,” Melton noted, “but we had some guys really step up.”
Starting with Bailey, who Melton said “played the game of his life.”
Bailey ran for 298 yards and five scores while recording nine tackles in a superb two-way performance. Teammate Duron Clark added another 77 yards and a touchdown on the ground plus five stops on defense.
Rosales-Rojas (2), Page (6), Benny Allen (1), Landon Stevens (3), Vireo Angell (3), Evan Magill (2), Josiah Herring (1), and Drew Loranger (1) combined for 19 tackles for the victors.
Next up for La Conner is the Braves Homecoming clash with Muckleshoot on Friday at 6 p.m. at Whittaker Field. Muckleshoot (0-6) fell 64-0 to Tulalip Heritage last weekend.
Other sports
In the week’s other La Conner High sports highlights, the Braves boys soccer team dropped a 9-1 decision at NW2B/1B power Mount Vernon Christian on Oct. 13. Connor Mounts paced the hosts with six goals. Kale Navarette Higgins scored La Conner’s lone goal. The Braves (6-5-1) are slated to host Lopez Island Tuesday at 4 p.m.
The La Conner girls soccer team, coming off a tight 2-1 setback at Friday Harbor on Oct. 14, are scheduled at Orcas Island Thursday (4 p.m.) La Conner’s match last Friday with Providence Classical Christian was postponed.
The Braves volleyball team lost in four sets (15-25, 22-25, 25-20, 23-25) at Friday Harbor on Oct. 14 despite nine kills from reigning Skagit Valley Herald Athlete of the Week Nora McCormick. Rory Bird added eight kills for the Braves while Mia Delage served a team-high six aces. Faith Kowalcyk had three blocks and Reese Bird, Rory Bird, and Delage produced nine digs apiece. The La Conner spikers (8-7) are at Orcas Island Thursday at 4 p.m.
Bill Reynolds is a general assignment reporter for La Conner Community News.
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