The Ravens’ 2-2 tie against Bonney Lake, coupled with Sumner’s 2-1 loss at White River, clinched the SPSL 3A title for the team, giving Auburn Riverside its first league championship in school history, coach Robyn Saarenas said.

“I think everyone kind of knew we had a lot of good players and could go far,” the sixth-year coach said. “We’ve got good chemistry.”

Auburn Riverside (10-1-2 overall, 9-0-2 SPSL 3A) has a mix of old and new players dominating the opposition. Senior defender Jermaine Haller, last season’s SPSL 3A defender of the year, leads a squad that has allowed only six goals. Haller, who will play at Gonzaga in the fall, left his Crossfire club soccer team to play for his high school team.

Ricky Morales, one of the team’s leading scorers last season, chose to stay at Crossfire.

But a couple of junior transfers have helped offset the loss of Morales.

Goalkeeper Derek Hawn and midfielder Dalton Thomas played on Auburn Riverside’s junior varsity team after transferring from Todd Beamer High School last year. Hawn has posted nine shutouts and Thomas has four goals and seven assists.

The team has a balanced scoring attack, with Oscar Diaz, Dalen Leverenz and Adam Zeman each with at least five goals.

The Ravens reached the Class 3A state tournament last season, losing in the first round to Newport, but they are poised for a much deeper run this spring. But you won’t hear it from them.

“We don’t talk about the state title,” Saarenas said. “We don’t want to jinx anything.”

Auburn coach resigns

First-year Auburn baseball coach Brian Embery resigned on Wednesday. Embery declined to comment on reasons for his resignation and Auburn School District officials could not be reached for comment.

Embery had not been with the team for the three games prior to his resignation.

Embery replaced Tim Kuykendall, who left to coach at Curtis High School after last season.

Hale transfers to FWay

Decatur’s boys basketball team lost a key contributor when junior point guard Michael Hale III transferred to Federal Way earlier this month for academic reasons. Gators coach Kevin Olson said Hale’s decision stunned him.

“I had no idea,” Olson said. “I heard a rumor about it earlier in the week, but I asked him and he said it wasn’t true. Then he transferred. I have no idea why.”

Hale was a first team all-SPSL North selection and helped Decatur reach the Class 4A state semifinals where the team lost to Federal Way.

Hale’s transfer boosts Federal Way’s chances of returning to the 4A state final next season – the Eagles lost to Ferris, 68-44, in March. The team returns four starters in guards Jeff Forbes, Isiah Umipig and Andre Barrington and forward Cole Dickerson.

Decatur still has two returning starters in forward Cam Schilling and wing Jerron Smith.

Brilhante to lead Beamer

Brent Brilhante has been named the boys basketball coach at Todd Beamer High School. Brilhante has been an assistant coach at Decatur for the past six seasons.

“He’s definitely ready to lead his own program,” Decatur coach Kevin Olson said. “He’s really come into his own the last couple years.

“He relates really well to kids and has a great basketball mind and a lot of energy.”

Brilhante, a 1997 Decatur graduate, replaces Connie Richardson, who resigned after guiding the Titans for two seasons. Beamer went 10-14 in the 2007-08 season.

Doug Pacey: 253-597-8271

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