La Conner tops Loggers with extra sharp effort

The undefeated La Conner High football team carved out an impressive clear cut win at Darrington Friday night.

La Conner improved to 2-0 in NW2B grid action with a surprisingly easy 52-14 road triumph, turning in a sharp performance in all phases of the game.

The Braves were coming off a tight 13-0 opening night win over Concrete, a match that was a physical slugfest throughout.

But in the season’s second week, the Loggers literally ran into a buzz saw.

It took the form of La Conner safety Budda Luna, making his debut at that spot but looking every bit an old hand in pass coverage.

Luna, in fact, got his hands on three errant Darrington tosses – returning one of a trio of interceptions 75 yards for a Braves score.

Luna also reached paydirt on a 13-yard second period dash, while La Conner signal caller Trey Johnson made his presence felt with three first half scoring strikes.

Johnson pretty much put on a passing clinic. He completed 17 of 20 attempts, hooking up twice for touchdowns with wideout Cameron Hansen and once more with Harrison Orkney.

“Trey was very impressive,” Braves head coach Johnny Lee said afterward. “And Cameron Hansen was also very good with the ball in his hands.”

Johnson connected with Hansen on a 75-yard pass-and-run play to get La Conner on the board early in the first frame.

They combined on a six-yard TD later in the session.

Johnson’s touchdown pass to Orkney came against double coverage. The elusive Orkney manage to snag the throw over two Logger defenders.

Trailing 43-7 at the break, things didn’t get much better for Darrington in the second half.

La Conner’s Seth Schuh burst 60 yards for a touchdown on the Braves’ first snap in the third quarter.

Big plays helped define the Braves at Darrington, Lee said.

“There were some really exciting plays on offense that from a fan’s perspective were a little more entertaining than last week,” he said. “We had some big plays that were pretty good examples of the athletes who put on the blue and white.”

La Conner placekicker Taylor Swanson provided one of the biggest – and longest – of those plays.

Swanson, who worked during the off-season with former WSU kicker Andrew Furney, booted a 47-yard field goal at Darrington that closed out the night’s scoring.

Darrington averted a shutout courtesy a kickoff return.

The Loggers inched into double figures on a 48-yard TD pass.

Other than that, La Conner was flawless, Lee said.

“Our defensive line played a great game as a unit,” he said. “And I was really proud of the guys and the way they approached the trip as all business. Guys continue to step up in ways the coaching staff hoped they would and their effort continues to pay dividends on Friday nights.”

Lee and his staff are hopeful those dividends keep rolling in this Friday when the Braves step outside league play to host Bellevue Christian in a key non-conference test.

Kickoff for the Sept. 19 matchup is set for 7 p.m.