An unusually dry summer here did not stop the Pacific northwest rains from falling on the Valley of the Sun. The Rain, a travel team for girls from the region, won top honors in their high school age group at the recent Summer Sizzle basketball tournament in Phoenix in 2021. Five La Conner High players – Juna Swanson, Rachel Cram, Sarah Cook, Ellie Marble, and Josie Harper – were members of the tournament winners, coached by former Mount Vernon High standout Tyler Amaya, who was pre-game collegiate at Gonzaga and Western Washington University played professionally abroad. The Rain went undefeated in four tournament matches, said parent Dustin Swanson, who was part of a sizable entourage of La Conner that made July 30th through August. 1 trip. The Skagit Valley-based team, which is part of a group of 16 representing much of the western United States, included players from the region’s major high school schools. “All of them come from really good basketball programs,” said Swanson, who helped develop the team’s roster, “and the beauty of it is that they say they love playing with the La Conner girls.” Although several team members played against each other during the high school season, the Rain players benefited from the great camaraderie of the tournament, Swanson said. “The great thing about this group,” he said, “is their selflessness. “They have great chemistry and really enjoyed their pool time and playing together. “It seemed like every game,” added Swanson, “that someone else would step in and make a huge contribution.” La Conner High girls’ basketball coach Scott Novak wasn’t surprised that his team’s players represented the rain well. “I’m very proud of her,” Novak told the Weekly News. “You need a lot of determination to go as far as you have. They are good for a reason. You invested the time. “The La Conner High girls’ team finished second in the 2020 state 2B Hardwood Classic. They also finished second in the Mount Vernon Summer State 2B tournament in June. The Phoenix tournament can’t help it “It was great to see all five La Conner players on the floor at the same time,” said Mother Lynette Cram. “It was fun for all parents.” that happened, “said Cram,” they could play games from our (La Conner) offensive sets. They aren’t used to a lot of structure at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) ball, with players from different schools playing on the same team, so we got some easy hoops. ”Swanson said the Rain players are proud of“ our northwestern one Corner of Washington State ”. Your visit was made possible in large part by the local sponsors Balance Point Physical Therapy and Christianson’s Nursery. “They took a lot of pride in our area,” he said, “and they all played fantastic basketball.” And in the end it rained in the southwest of the desert.
[ad_2]
