SPORTS
by Jack Kintner

Boys in good shape

Blaine’s baseball team defeated both Nooksack and Meridian earlier this week to close out the 2005 season with a perfect 12-0 record and a sixth place ranking in the state polls.

Against Nooksack, Ryan Henley and Joey Paciorek combined to pitch a four hitter and went 2 for 3 in getting the 10-7 win. Blaine’s impressive offensive production – 10 runs on 12 hits – buried Nooksack early. Bryan Galbraith hit a double and a home run in his three at bats for 2 RBI’s. Rob Bleecker went 2 for 4, his second hit a three RBI home run, and Craig Rothwell went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI’s. Joey Paciorek also went 2 for 4.

This set up the season-ending game at the Pipe on Tuesday with Meridian. Blaine had already clinched the league title, so this was for the perfect season, a real bright spot in what has been a trying couple of years for Blaine athletics.

Blaine spotted the Trojans two runs before answering with a three run third inning fueled by Craig Rothwell’s thundering three RBI double, only to see Meridian tie the game with a solo run in their half of the fourth inning. Blaine answered with a five run fourth inning led off by Kyle Dhanani and Joey Paciorek’s RBI double. Kyle Dhanani and Rob Bleecker both went 2-4.

This puts Blaine in the driver’s seat for district play beginning this Saturday at the Pipe. The team’s outstanding offense, which has crossed home plate 19 times on 22 hits in the last two games, is peaking at just the right time. Everyone’s healthy and looking forward to a dandy post-season with Blaine’s first undefeated league championship team to come along in some time.

In a day of what promises to be some very good baseball, Blaine will play Sultan at 11 a.m. Saturday while Mt. Baker plays Granite Falls, both games at the Pipe. At 2 p.m. the winners of each will face off. The other bracket will be played in Granite Falls, and starts with Meridian playing Archbishop Murphy and Nooksack going against Lakewood.

Slivers from the bench

Brandenburger wins state championship
Blaine’s golden-haired wrestling ace, the strong and crafty light heavyweight Blayne Brandenburger, won the state freestyle chapionship as a junior heavyweight last week in Sedro Woolley. Wrestling with the Blaine Barracudas, coached by Blaine high school wrestling coach Larry Foster, Brandenburger pinned three of four opponents on his way to the crown.

Soccer team into district play Saturday
Blaine’s soccer team enters district play this coming Saturday at 4:30 at the Pipe. The opponent was still to be determined by press time.

Blaine girls golf wins again
Blaine’s distaff golfers beat teams from Nooksack, Mt. Baker and Meridian Tuesday at Homestead on Badger Road in Lynden. Tegan Bukowski,with 26 points, missed being medalist by one point to Nooksack's Gena Weinheimer. Blaine ended up with 86 points, Nooksack 71, Mt. Baker 36 and Meridian 10.