The La Conner High boys’ basketball team lost more than a non-league game when it dropped a 40-31 verdict Dec. 11 at home to Puget Sound Adventist Academy.

Through no fault of their own, the Braves (3-3) also lost the opportunity to face NW2B foes Friday Harbor and Darrington last week.

Because an opposing player apparently tested positive for COVID-19 after the Kirkland team’s visit here, pandemic protocols forced the Braves to postpone their Dec. 13 home date with Friday Harbor and a trip the next night to Darrington.

The tipoff with Friday Harbor, which first-year La Conner head coach C.J. Woods has billed as a “must-watch” game, was shifted to Feb. 8. The Braves’ visit to Darrington had not been re-scheduled when the Weekly News went to press.

“What a crazy week in Washington state with the new (omicron) variant,” shrugged Woods, who was looking forward to La Conner returning to action on Tuesday (yesterday) with a junior varsity game in Mount Vernon and the varsity at Landy James Gym entertaining Rainier Christian in a non-conference contest.

“Rainier Christian is 2-0, having beaten Darrington and Concrete, with a good-looking big man,” Woods told the Weekly News. “We will have to be able to play smart, play competitively and play tough.”

Woods said the La Conner JVs continue to make strides.

“We have seen our junior varsity improve,” he said, “so we’re excited to see what that game looks like.”

The La Conner JVs and varsity are both slated at Sound Christian (formerly Tacoma Baptist) in tonight’s (Wednesday’s) scheduled hoop action.

“There has been a great relationship between La Conner and Sound Christian,” Woods noted. “Seeing Sound Christian play, I expect an exciting and close game between us.”

The Braves continue the non-league portion of their schedule, featuring primarily SeaTac 2B foes, with a Dec. 30 home encounter opposite Auburn Adventist Academy.

“That game,” said Woods, “is also a game with the expectation that it will be close and exciting to watch.”

Woods indicated the early NW2B race remains wide open, noting that Friday Harbor has lost to Orcas and Mount Vernon Christian while Concrete has been tripped up by Darrington and Coupeville.