Sometimes success is measured in other ways than just winning games.

Don Waler from Eugene (left) and his son Andrew fished with guide Joe Whaley from Whaley’s Guide Service on Tuesday and caught this 39-pound 4-ounce Chinook on the Chetco. Don caught a 40-pound 5-ounce king on Wednesday to earn them second place in Jack Hanson’s Clearwater Classic Salmon Derby. The Pilot/Larry Ellis

Fishing report for 

November 11-17

Fish warriors – start your engines! It looks like the Southern Oregon Coast is going to get hit by a series of low-pressure fronts this week. Last Thursday, although the Chetco was muddy and on-the-rise, Chinook salmon between 30 and 45 pounds met the sharpened ends of fillet knives at the Port of Brookings Harbor cleaning station.

Seventh grader Tyrah Baron cuts to the basket during Wednesday’s victory over Bandon Middle School. Baron came off the bench to give the Bruins seven points. The Pilot/Jef Hatch

Winning ways continued for the Azalea Middle School girls basketball teams.  The latest victims were the Gold Beach Panthers and the Bandon Tigers.

Grade 7

As it has all season, seventh grade Head Coach Kristy Kleespies’ run-and-gun offense continued at full speed as the Bruins routed Gold Beach, 58-17, and Bandon, 63-28.

“Sometimes we get rather lax,” Kleespies said. “We just want to play to the level of our competition.”

 “The best player will not always be successful, but the person with the best attitude will be successful.” 

These words, spoken by Brookings-Harbor High School boys soccer Head Coach Pancho Garcia, opened the awards banquet on Thursday night.

Both teams gathered together to honor the players who received their varsity letters and were named to the Far West League All Conference teams.

The Azalea Middle School seventh grade girls basketball team poses with their third-place trophy following the Fortuna Invitational basketball tournament. The Pilot/Jef Hatch

“I think we could beat Ferndale,” seventh grade Head Coach Kristy Kleespies said. “If the playing field was level.”

Friday nights loss didn’t keep the Bruins from winning by a 48-point combined margin on Saturday though.

Travis Wood, 22, runs the ball for a 45-yard gain and a touchdown as the Panthers rolled over the Warriors of North Douglas 62-0 on Saturday. The Pilot/Gary Percy

The Panthers scored 54 points in the first half, before putting the JV squad in the game to bring home the complete game shutout.

Nick Amato (right), editor of Salmon Trout Steelheader Magazine fished on Thursday with Larry Ellis and guide Andy Martin (left) when he caught this 34-pound Chinook in the upper Chetco River. The Pilot/Larry Ellis

Fishing report for 

November 4-10

The Chetco River’s entire main stem opened last Saturday, and although the water flow was only at 159 cubic feet per second, anglers caught fish in lower tidewater at other various locations.

Social Security Bar (SSB) was plugged with fish as well as fishermen, and anglers who got there at first light and threw Kastmasters painted with glow-in-the-dark paint or phosphorescent tape caught fish at first legal light.

Eighth grader Hannah Leonard drives to the basket in Thursday game against Redwood Middle School. The Pilot/Jef Hatch

Outside was cold and rainy – inside the Azalea Middle School girls basketball teams were as hot as can be.

The Riley Creek Cubs and the Driftwood Eagles came away feeling the fangs and claws of the 2011 Bruins.

Junior Shaylin Curtis runs at the Far West League district championships in October. Curtis placed seventh overall which qualified her for First Team All-League honors. The Pilot/Jef Hatch

Brookings-Harbor High School cross country Head Coach Terry Axel honored the members of the cross country team with their varsity letters and other awards on Tuesday night.

Junior Shaylin Curtis was named the Most Valuable Player for the girls squad after taking seventh place at the Far West League district championships in late October.

“I wanted to place in the top five, so I was a little disappointed with my finish,” Curtis said. “But, I’m going to work hard and make it try and happen next year.”