Football
Although Blaine football ended the 2023 season with a 3-7 record, missing out on the 1A Northwest Conference (NWC) playoffs, the program seems to be on an upward trajectory.
On November 8, first-year head coach Andy Olson was named 1A NWC “Head Coach of the Year,” voted on by all other coaches in the conference.
Among the award-winners was senior kicker Matthew Hayes, named first-team All-1A NWC. Hayes was the only position player from Blaine to be part of the 30 honored student-athletes. Hayes hit 24 extra point kicks and four field goals in his senior year, including a clutch, game-winning field goal to give Blaine a 29-28 homecoming victory over Meridian on October 6.
The Borderites will need to replace a large contingent of departing seniors. Five senior receivers accounted for all 16 of Blaine’s touchdown passes, 1,503 receiving yards and 97 receptions.
While the culture at Borderite Stadium is starting to build, Olson will need to reload next year’s offense to see sustained success in a tough conference.
Stats provided by WhatcomPreps.com
Volleyball
The Blaine volleyball 2023 season was a tale of two halves. In the first six matches of the season, the Borderites were swept six times by six different opponents.
In the nine matches after, the Borderites went 5-4, finishing the regular season with a 5-10 record.
Once the Borderites reached district playoffs, they made easy work of Mount Baker, but unfortunately for the Borderites, the season wouldn’t continue on to state playoffs.
With a pair of 3-0 losses to Meridian and then Lynden Christian, the Borderites season was finally over, but not after significantly turning around a year that started out rough.
Blaine was led by standout outside hitter Teya Zaddack. Zaddack was voted to the All-NWC first team, one of 10 players to receive the honor, and the only Borderite voted in by active NWC volleyball coaches.
Zaddack, who is slated to join the Western Washington University volleyball team next year, is one of six seniors departing the team.
The Borderites, behind longtime head coach Jacquie Smith, have a deep JV and JVC roster to replenish those huge vacancies, and will hope to start next season on the upswing that they finished this season off.
Stats provided by Whatcom Preps.com
Girls Soccer
Borderite soccer fell just one win short of its first state tournament appearance since 2003. In a heartbreaking 2-0 loss to Lynden Christian at Borderite Stadium on November 4, a hard-fought season came to a brutal end.
The Borderites finished the year with a 6-7-2 overall record, and went 4-3-1 against 1A NWC opponents. Blaine was led defensively by lockdown goalkeeper Larissa Pluschakov and freshman defender Kaitlyn Ritter Von Trautmann. On the offensive side, captains Lucy Dahl and Juliana Zuzarte led the scoring effort and played the majority of minutes on the pitch. On November 14, all four players were selected to the 1A NWC All-Conference first team, representing the best 11 players in the conference.
With only three departing seniors, and a defensive back line that will be one year matured, look for Blaine to make another go at state playoffs next season.
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