YAKIMA – Although Sumner High starting pitcher Logan Christensen held Lynden to two hits, four errors and too many free passes proved too much to overcome, as the Spartans lost to Lynden, 5-1, on Friday at Yakima County Stadium.
They’re back – and they’re ready.
Tumwater High softball coach Clay Hill had a feeling something like this could happen at the state championships.
SPOKANE – The best fastpitch teams usually rely heavily on dominant pitching, but the Jefferson Raiders are doing their best to change that way of thinking. “Our thing is all about outscoring teams,” Jefferson coach Chad Fahnlander said after the Raiders opened the state 4A tournament with a pair of high-scoring wins Friday at the Dwight Merkel Sports Complex.
The thought of her Wilson High School fastpitch career ending without a state trophy crept into senior Janessa Flynn’s mind during the sixth inning.
The 4A boys soccer championship game is set, and Bellarmine Prep is nowhere to be found, losing, 1-0, in the semifinals to Central Kitsap on Friday night at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup.
Rachel O’Neil didn’t know if she had won the finals of the Class 4A girls 100-meter hurdles.
PASCO — It usually takes your best game to reach the championship of the 4A baseball state playoffs.
No matter how bad his wrists hurt during a game, the pain Connor Sigmon feels subsides with every Tumwater boys soccer win.
Matt Bower won’t back down from a challenge.
Olympia High tennis coach Denny Bailey faced a quandary.
It’s not all that common for a third of a team’s starting lineup to live under the same roof.
Marcus Dickson lost his kicks. Trailing Squalicum High’s Patrick Gibson for seven and a half laps, Dickson figured his end-of-race rocket boosters would blast him into the lead.
Coming up through the youth soccer ranks, Bellarmine Prep senior forward Kurtis Pederson played every position.
Before Alivia Brown stepped forward to accept the Class 4A girls golf state tournament individual championship, the Bellarmine Prep sophomore found herself in another spot she’d never been – a playoff.
With a blistering 1-under-par 71, Clarkston’s Tyler Carlson dominated the field in route to the 2A golf title at The Classic Golf Club in Spanaway on Wednesday afternoon.
DUPONT – There was cause for some sibling revelry.
There was a time when Lakes High’s Izaic Yorks and White River High’s Marcus Dickson thought running 1,600 meters in 4 minutes, 18 seconds – which they both did in a head-to-head race at the 2011 Tacoma City Invitational – was a gut-busting achievement.
After two years of finishing runner-up at the girls Class 2A state golf tournament, Steilacoom High junior Cherokee Kim drained enough clutch putts to claim her first state championship.
Fife’s Kendall Gray played well enough to put herself in position to compete for a state title.
Despite poor weather conditions Tuesday, Tumwater’s Seth Nickerson is two shots off the lead going into today’s final round of the 2A state golf tournament at The Classic Golf Club in Spanaway.
Mother Nature was an unwelcome visitor on the golf course for most of Tuesday.
The parallels between surgery and softball intrigue Janessa Flynn. The mandate that every move be precise. The constant drive for perfection.
At some point, the Bellarmine Prep girls’ golf team knew it was going to face a fight for a tournament title.
One summer day in 2008, as Seth Nickerson waited on the first tee at Tumwater Valley Golf Club, another eighth-grader asked to join him. Little did anybody know at the time that teenager – Dominick Francks – would go on to become the state’s best golfer as a Stanford-bound senior at Olympia High School. He will try to defend his Class 4A state boys title starting today in Spokane.
The scene at W.F. West High baseball games when Mitch Gueller pitches has become, well, like a zoo, says coach Tom Zuber.
TUMWATER – As excited as the Tumwater Thunderbirds were about their Class 2A state boys soccer quarterfinal victory Saturday afternoon over Franklin Pierce to earn the program’s first berth into next weekend’s state semifinals, they know still there’s more left to be accomplished.
For Wilson’s seniors, the bottom line was that they simply weren’t going home without a title.
Where’s the best Class 4A baseball played in Washington?
CHEHALIS – Spenser Dorsey charged home.
The Gig Harbor Tides and Curtis Vikings girls water polo programs are very familiar with each other, having met in five consecutive state-championship contests.
Going into the discus competition at the Class 4A West Central/Southwest bi-district track and field meet, Albert Havili knew he’d probably have to uncork his best throw of the season to win.
“It was too close to call” was a phrase uttered quite regularly Saturday afternoon at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner, and it was never more appropriate than in the boys 110-meter hurdles race at the 2A West Central District meet.
Nursing a 1-0 lead just two minutes before halftime, Bellarmine Prep coach Joe Waters was making plans to talk about a conservative game plan for his team in the second half of its Class 4A state quarterfinal game against Puyallup.
After he crossed the finish line, Lakes High's Izaic Yorks earned a bit of Washington state high school history in the 1,600-meter run, completing the four laps in 4 minutes, 4 seconds. Not only was it an all-time best mark in the state, he wrested away the 2012 national lead from a fellow Pierce County runner – White River’s Marcus Dickson (4:05.83).
Gig Harbor High hired Aaron Chantler as its football coach, replacing Darren McKay, who was fired last month.
Star Track seems to be on everyone’s mind – except Decatur High’s Drew Thompson.
Surging from obscurity, Ryan Phillips’ ascent up the 2A discus charts has been unfathomably fast.
Led by 6-foot-2 sophomore pitcher Courtney Schwan, the Lions roared past Kentwood, 7-1, in the quarterfinals of the West Central Districts Class 4A Fastpitch Tournament on Friday at Sprinker Recreation Center in Spanaway.
Sean Keller will be big in Finland. The Heritage High javelin thrower has been invited to compete in an elite event this summer in the Nordic country, which has a national obsession over javelin.
The verdict is in – Curtis High track star Kennadi Bouyer is one of a kind.
Lana Van Dyken, the Rogers Rams’ star senior shortstop, will play next season at North Carolina State. First, she hopes to make a fourth consecutive trip to the Class 4A state playoffs. That journey begins with this weekend’s West Central District III fastpitch tournament at Sprinker Recreation Center.
Two years ago the Skyline Spartans eliminated the Puyallup Vikings in the first round of the boys Class 4A state high school soccer playoffs.
Pat Johnson knew he wanted to become a head football coach when he was in 11th grade at Lakes High, playing under then-Lancers coach Dick Zatkovich.
TUMWATER – Mount Vernon seemed completely content with maintaining possession at midfield, rarely taking an aggressive chance.
Franklin Pierce’s boys soccer team is getting used to living on the edge.
MONday’s highlights
Attention to detail has always been a staple of Matt White-coached teams on the soccer pitch.
The ball seemed to hang in midair forever, but when it finally came down Jason Bauknecht was waiting for it.
Talk about a comeback.
SHELTON – Added strength or improved technique.
The third time was a charm.
The third time was not a charm for the Timberline Blazers on Saturday.
SILVERDALE – Sumner baseball coach Casey Adcox was walking off the field at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds when he glanced up at the clear skies with warm sunshine all around – the soggy days that wreak havoc on spring sports a distant memory – when he uttered what every high school coach guiding an active team in Western Washington must have been thinking.
No area soccer player has the pure, blinding straight-line speed that Bellarmine Prep’s Michael Rector has.
Birthdays are a family celebration, Thomas Jefferson’s fastpitch team turned the finals of the 4A South Puget Sound League fastpitch tournament into just that Friday night.
The Bellarmine Prep Lions are showing a knack for late-game postseason fastpitch comebacks.
Competition and hard work breeds success.
Like he’s done all season, Marcus Chambers coasted to an easy victory in the 400-meter dash at the Narrows League 3A track and field championships – winning the event by a comfortable 2 seconds.
Sometimes, being up 9-0 is still too close for comfort.
Exactly 75 percent of Gig Harbor’s boys 4x100 relay team was waiting near the winner’s platform.
There was no doubt Wednesday that the Timberline Blazers were ready for the baseball postseason.
While trying something for the first time is always challenging, Kentwood’s Madelayne Varela has found no difficulties adjusting to the long jump.
Luis Roman is not a prototypical goalkeeper.
Wednesday’s highlights
A hot start to the 2012 high-school baseball season has begun to unravel for the Peninsula Seahawks, and now they’ve got one chance remaining to salvage their top preseason goal.
One is the No. 1 golfer in the state, headed to one of the best college programs in the country. The other two were No. 3 in their own schools’ lineup, getting hot at the right time.
Tuesday’s highlights
The last time the Kentwood High Conquerors took the field at Puyallup’s Heritage Park was not one they wanted to remember.
OLYMPIA – Capital boys soccer coach Kyle Jones wanted to clock watch. But there was no clock to watch as the scoreboard was not working due to renovations at Ingersoll Stadium.
Hustling and playing with reckless abandon is simply Chris Maez’s style.
Decatur High entered the baseball postseason with three victories.
Throughout their run to the 4A Narrows League regular-season title, the Olympia Bears trailed late in a game and needed a comeback once.
Monday’s highlights
Friday’s highlights
Bonney Lake High wasn’t without a football coach for long.
When the final whistle sounded on Central Kitsap High’s 2-1 Narrows League 4A boys soccer victory at Bellarmine Prep, the Cougars mobbed each other, celebrating a victory that gave them the inside track on the path to the league title.
Lucas Meikle’s breakthrough junior season at Bellarmine Prep provided a springboard to a full-ride basketball scholarship to Gonzaga University.
There won’t be a winner of the Narrows League 4A baseball tournament.
Redemption is a sweet thing for the Puyallup High boys soccer program, especially when it means clinching the SPSL South Division title.
Monday’s highlights
As Rashon Smith lunged for the finish line his feet briefly became tangled, sending the Timberline senior crashing to the track.
Friday’s highlights
After track and field practice ends at Timberline High School, senior Rashon Smith often extends his work, moving from the on-campus track to the Lacey roads.
It is safe to assume the golf showcased Thursday at the Narrows League 4A dual match showdown will not be added to anyone’s highlight tape.
Wednesday’s highlights
Cabe Reiten may be best known for his glove, but that’s not to say he can’t deliver at the plate.
When Tumwater’s Jaimie Bryant narrowed his choices on where he wanted to play college football, he kept his family and friends in mind.
Tuesday’s highlights
JoJo Rodriguez resurrected the boys basketball program at Lakes High School when he took over in 2006.
LACEY – For its biggest game of the season to date, Timberline called on its youngest player to take the mound.
Before Lakes High’s Izaic Yorks became one of the state’s top distance runners, he was a freshman trying to find his way in a new sport.
Charles Wright’s Sam Gaume needed 37 pitches to shut down 15 Vashon batters and secure a perfect five-inning game in the Tarriers’ 15-0 victory over the Pirates.
Friday’s highlights
Rashon Smith doesn’t place himself in a class as one of the state’s top hurdlers, but he knows he’s a frequent target of opposing competitors.
Thursday's highlights
Foss High sprinter Marcus Chambers grew weary of showing glimpses of his speed last year in his sophomore season.
Monday’s highlights
Colorado was comfortable.
Spring break last week was all work and little play for Foss High sprinter Marcus Chambers.
saturday’s highlights
Less than 24 hours after listening an outpouring of support for Darren McKay, Peninsula School District superintendent Terry Bouck fired Gig Harbor High’s football coach Friday afternoon.
Friday’s highlights
An overflow crowd packed the Peninsula School District school board meeting in a show of support for embattled Gig Harbor High football coach Darren McKay.
Not content with how the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s metes out punishment, Washington’s State Legislature passed a bill that aims to ensure student-athletes and their teams aren’t unfairly penalized.
Tuesday’s highlights
Monday’s highlights
There’s excitement building around the Curtis High School boys soccer team.
OLYMPIA – During their first six games, one thing the Olympia Bears haven’t been accustomed to is playing catch-up, especially on multiple occasions.
Chad Barrett is no longer the football coach at Bonney Lake High. The third-year coach resigned Wednesday evening after a Sumner School District investigation found he was responsible for as much as $20,000 going missing from the school’s Associated Student Body bank account.
monday’s highlights
The Class 2A volleyball state tournament is on the move again – Pierce College will host the two-day event in the fall.
Tuesday’s highlights
Wilson High School’s fastpitch team prefers that things be drama-free. Not only among the players, but on the field &ndash.
Friday's highlights
Each day during second period, while his classmates are walking laps around the White River High School track as part of their fitness class, senior Marcus Dickson is off doing his own thing.
Most high school pitchers simply try to overpower batters, relying on a quality fastball en route to a strikeout.
In the showcase for the top high school volleyball players in the state, South Puget Sound athletes shone brightly Saturday night.
With most of the hard work already done, it was time to start pushing the tempo, launching long 3-pointers and step-back fadeaways.
The basketball roots of Brittany McPhee’s family run deep.
Ask Ahmaad Rorie what he learned about himself when lifelong friend and teammate David Crisp went down with a broken foot in the postseason and Rorie takes the opportunity to shine a spotlight on Crisp.
For two seasons Brian Davis enjoyed coaching at Kentwood High School, leading a boys basketball program he calls one of the premier in the state.
SPOKANE – Justin Berarducci scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half and Colfax knocked off defending champion Northwest Christian of Colbert, 51-40, in the Class 2B boys state championship game Saturday.
YAKIMA – Jamie Weisner took charge in the second half scoring 27 of her game-high 33 points in the second half as Clarkston beat East Valley of Yakima, 53-41, on Saturday night for its first Class 2A girls state title.
YAKIMA – Cassidy France scored 12 points, and Kennedy Hobert added 10 points as White River beat Lynden, 56-46, to claim third place in the Class 2A girls basketball tournament at the Yakima SunDome.
Spent from playing a physically and emotionally draining semifinal contest less than 24 hours prior, Bellarmine Prep fell to Union, 62-51, in the consolation finals of the Class 4A boys basketball state tournament Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.
After losing to Holy Names last year in the Class 3A state championship game, the Prairie Falcons fought their way back this year.
A freshly cut net dangling from his neck, Rainier Beach guard Marquis Davis promised he’d never forget the euphoria running through his body as he walked off the Tacoma Dome court.
A day after perfectly swishing a full-court 3-pointer, Jordan Chatman followed up by converting the gimmes.
Skyview High School sophomore guard Aubrey Ward-El hadn’t hit a shot all game.
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