Braves weather Bellingham storm for comeback win

On a cold, gusty Saturday night in Bellingham, La Conner High head football coach Johnny Lee was blown away by his team’s ability to storm back from an early deficit.

The Braves churned out nearly 250 yards on the ground and checked in with one of their best performances to date despite the blustery conditions, scoring three second half touchdowns to edge Bellingham 21-14 in non-league grid action at Civic Field.

“It was a great win for us,” said Lee, whose club improved to 6-2 overall. “I really felt we played at a different level in a great setting, beating a quality opponent in 2A Bellingham.

“It was one of the most exciting games I’ve been a part of as a coach,” Lee added.

Which is saying a lot, considering he has guided La Conner to three straight post-season berths, including an appearance at the Tacoma Dome.

The win at Bellingham wasn’t by chance, insisted Lee.

“We set some specific goals for this non-league game,” he said, “and we met all those goals. I was very proud of the way the team competed with undeniable courage all four quarters of the game.”

Cameron Hansen continued his successful return from a mid-season injury, leading the run-oriented Braves with 79 yards on seven attempts, one of which was a 44-yard burst in the third period that tied the score at 14-14.

“That was a huge run for us,” Lee said of Hansen’s long TD dash. “It really provided us with some much-needed momentum.”

Hansen had plenty of help, especially up front.

“Our offensive line didn’t disappoint,” stressed Lee. “They provided our backs with significant holes all night.”

Among the prime beneficiaries was power back Seth Schuh.

Schuh repeatedly put La Conner in position to move the sticks with nice gains on slashing first down runs between the tackles.

Schuh netted 56 yards on 11 carries, and was also a force defensively for the Braves.

“He played like a man possessed,” Lee said of Schuh, who helped anchor a La Conner stop unit that took the Red Raiders out of their comfort zone.

A big key for La Conner was its balanced attack. Bellingham couldn’t afford to focus solely on either Hansen or Schuh.

Quarterback Trey Johnson, who scored the game-winner on a one-yard blast in the final stanza, was a constant threat to run as was wideout Harrison Orkney.

Orkney got the Braves, who were blanked in the first half, on the board with a four-yard scamper early in the third quarter.

“Harrison,” Lee said, “provided us a big spark in his limited carries.”

Still, Lee couldn’t help but shift attention back to the La Conner defense.

“I can’t say enough about how this group played,” he said afterward. “We coaches challenged them the past few weeks, and they continue to make huge strides toward improvement. It was by far our best defensive effort.”

Lee hopes that carries over to La Conner’s much-anticipated home rematch with Friday Harbor, a Halloween night treat that kicks off at 6:30 p.m.

The Braves enter with a 4-2 conference mark, while Friday Harbor sports a 5-2 NW2B ledger.