Sports roundup: Blaine softball, soccer take commanding wins over Pioneers

B y I an h aupt

Girls softball

The Lady Borderites are having a strong softball season.

Blaine beat the defending 1A state champions Nooksack Valley Pioneers 10-6 April 11 at Pipeline Fields in Blaine.

The girls took the lead in the bottom of the first inning, making it 2-1 after responding to Nooksack pushing a run in.

Junior pitcher Emersyn Bakker then stepped up and struck out three Pioneer batters in a row in the top of second inning. And the game remained within one run until the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Lady Borderites rallied.

With four RBI singles pushing in one run each and another pushing in two, Blaine took command of the game. The Pioneers notched a run back in the fifth inning, but the Borderites notched one up, and it wasn’t until the top of the sixth inning that Nooksack made a late run to close down the gap. A fly ball to Blaine’s left fielder ended the away team’s hopes of a comeback.

Blaine has another big game against the Lynden Christian Lyncs at 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 14 at Lynden Christian Middle School. The team then hosts the Lynden Lions 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 18 at Pipeline Fields in Blaine.

Boys soccer

Blaine boys soccer team beat the Nooksack Valley Pioneers 6-0 at home April 10.

Freshman Dimitry Yuryev started the romp in the 28th minute when he scored a free kick, which he won from nearly 30 yards out to put Blaine in the lead. The boys doubled their lead minutes later when junior Leonardo Blanco slotted a penalty kick past the Pioneer goalkeeper. Senior Alessandro Rangel made it three before halftime when he finished Yuryev’s pass back from the goal line.

Blaine scored three more in the second half. Sophomore Isa- iah Zuch followed in a shot from Yuryev that the Nooksack keeper couldn’t handle. By then, the Borderites were in full control.

Seniors Justin Pluschakov and Timothy Pomeroy scored Blaine’s final goals of the game.

Head coach Gio Quesada said his team performed better in the second half, showing more confidence and moving the ball faster. He said it was nice to be able to bring up some junior varsity players to get some game time.

The team hosts the Ferndale Golden Eagles at Blaine High School stadium Saturday, April 15 at noon. They then host the Meridian Trojans Thursday, April 20 and the Lynden Christian Lyncs Monday, April 24. The Borderites have beaten both teams already this season, but Quesada says the games will be a huge challenge. Both games are at 7 p.m.

The team is 5-1-1 overall this season and 3-0 in conference.