La Conner's Killer B's sting Gulls in first round

In a battle of the birds and B’s, it was the Raymond Gulls who ended up getting swarmed.

It was hardly sexy, perhaps even ugly at times, but La Conner High — led by Killer B’s Budda Luna and Brady Nelson — overcame seven fumbles and five turnovers to best Raymond 33-10 in first round State 2B football playoff action in Sedro-Woolley on Saturday.

A swarming La Conner defense, with Michael Page recording a sack and interception, likewise made its mark as the Braves advanced to this week’s State quarterfinal game opposite Toledo.

That contest, set for this Saturday, Nov. 19 at 1 p.m., is to be played at Mount Vernon High School.

La Conner head coach Peter Voorhees would love to see a repeat performance — minus the fumbles.

Ball security has been a point of emphasis during La Conner workouts leading up to the Toledo game.

Other than that, its been pretty much status quo. And why not?

La Conner’s fast and furious attack overcame the fumbles against Raymond to amass 378 yards in total offense, almost equally split between the run game and quarterback James Hulbert’s pinpoint passing.

Hulbert completed seven of nine throws for 168 yards and three scores, two to Luna and one to Nelson.

Luna reeled in first half Hulbert TD strikes of 59 and 43 yards. Nelson caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from Hulbert in the third period.

It was the versatile Nelson who got La Conner on the board first. He scampered 30 yards to paydirt in the opening stanza. That run, coupled with a Luna conversion kick, put the Braves on top 7-0 in the early going.

Raymond answered with a 23-yard Taevon Hubbard field goal.

La Conner stretched its lead to 14-3 on the first Hulbert-to-Luna hookup. The second Hulbert scoring toss to Luna gave the Braves a comfy 21-3 edge at the break.

The victors went in front 28-3 on the Hulbert to Nelson TD pass.

But Raymond, behind workhorse running back Jace Duckworth, wouldn’t quit. Duckworth, who ground out 140 yards on 27 carries, zig-zagged his way from near the midfield stripe on a twisting, turning touchdown jaunt that brought the Gulls within 28-10.

They would get no closer.

Luna, who filled the stat sheet — ranking among La Conner’s leaders in five categories — added an insurance score in the final stanza courtesy a 13-yard run.

In the end, it was La Conner’s speed versus Raymond’s size. Speed won out.

Fans afterward were buzzing about La Conner’s quick-strike capability.

But that’s only half the story. The Braves were physical in the trenches as well. Kaden Murdock was effective running between the tackles, while Page was one of a dozen La Conner players to record solo stops.

Luna, Nelson, Harley Hulbert, Cooper Zavala, James Hulbert, Murdock, Nick Reese, Terrance Fornsby, Jeffrey Johnson, Kolbe Rasler, and Trey Casey also landed on the Braves hit parade.

They hope to top the charts again this week, but it won’t be easy. In Toledo, the Braves, 8-1, face an undefeated club that has been tested just twice this fall.

Toledo edged Adna 35-34 and defeated Kalama 36-28.

La Conner has won all its games by double-digits. The Braves’ lone setback was a 24-14 road loss to No. 1-ranked Napavine.