Garfield Hangs on at Home Against Roosevelt

Posted on January 31, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Jan 24th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Garfield High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Roosevelt	14	11	17	18	60
Garfield	19	16	19	8	62

Garfield Hangs on at Home Against Roosevelt
By Colin Caruso

The undefeated Garfield Bulldogs (16-0) have had little competition this season. With just one game of their first 15 decided by single digits, the Bulldogs have strolled down the stretch of the majority of their contests, with the game comfortably in their hands. Cameron Haslam and the Roosevelt Roughriders vowed to not make that the case on Friday night.

Garfield previously beat the Roughriders at Roosevelt by 21, a game that was decided early in the contest. Garfield jumped out to an early lead in this one too, 8-0 run to begin, allowing everyone to think this would be another Bulldog walkover. Roosevelt clung on to the first quarter after the Bulldog immediate surge, and held right around a ten point deficit throughout the first three quarters. Throughout these quarters, junior guard Cameron Haslam led his Roughriders offensively, scoring 24 points going into the fourth.

The Bulldogs won each of the first three quarters and held a 12 point lead entering the fourth. The Roughriders knew that this was their opportunity, their chance to make a dent in the perfect Bulldog record. Their interior defense strengthened, pushing the Bulldogs off the offensive glass and grabbing a few offensive rebounds of their own. The Roughrider offense also began to open up, working to capture baskets closer to the hoop and getting to the line and taking advantage of those chances.

The Roughriders found themselves clawing back, down two points with just 2.5 seconds on the clock. Haslam scored another 8 points in the fourth, putting his game high total at 32, but he did not receive the ball in the waning seconds. Instead it went to another Roughrider, who unfortunately traveled on the play and was unable to put up a final shot. Led by Tramaine Isabell with 23 points, the Bulldogs were able to sneak away with just a two point win.

Top Performers:
Roosevelt
Cameron Haslam – 32 points

Garfield
Tramaine Isabell – 23 points

Bellevue Spoils Kangs’ Senior Night, Remains Undefeated in KingCo

Posted on January 31, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Tuesday	Jan 28th	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
Lake Washington High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Bellevue	21	11	7	14	53
Lake Washington	9	11	8	13	41

Bellevue Spoils Kangs’ Senior Night, Remains Undefeated in KingCo
By Steven Dion

Winning league games on the road this time of the high school hoops season is a tall task. The Bellevue Wolverines (11-0 league, 14-2 overall) were set to face off against the Lake Washington Kangaroos (9-2, 12-4) on senior night. In order for BHS to pick up their fifth win away from Wolverine Way and stay unbeaten in KingCo play, they would need to weather the storm brought by the Kangs on Tuesday night.

The first quarter of this ball game was dominated by the visitors as Bellevue picked up a double digit lead after eight minutes of play. Their choice to play the Kangs man-to-man on the defensive side of the ball showcased their size advantage and led to numerous turnovers. Chris O’Connor’s Wolverines were lethal in transition early as precision passing primarily through junior guard Kyle Foreman led to scoring in bunches. LWHS coach Ryan Staudacher called a timeout after trailing 26-9 and was able to motivate his guys to go into halftime with a pulse. A much-needed 11-6 run to close the second quarter left the visitors leading by a dozen with much work needed by the Kangaroos to climb back into the contest.

Refusing to let this game spiral out of control, Lake Washington was motivated to close the gap in the final sixteen minutes of play. The Kangaroos were able to limit Bellevue to only 7 points in the third quarter, but failure to capitalize by scoring only 8 with such a sizable deficit hindered the comeback. A critical moment in the game was a blocking foul called on Jamal Muhammad with LWHS trailing by single digits. After two made free throws, the Bellevue lead was back to 11. In the final quarter, the Kangs would catch some fire from three point range as senior Jeffrey Staudacher brought his team within 7. However, a gutsy response by BHS junior K. Foreman in the form of a floater took the wind out of the home team’s sail. A putback and one by Dylan Foreman was the cherry on top for the Wolverines as the guests picked up a quality win by the final score of 53-41. Timely responses to LWHS runs shows that Bellevue will be a tough contender come postseason.

Top Performer:
Bellevue
Kyle Foreman-Bellevue-18 points (7/11 FG’s), 5 assists

Bothell Grinds Out Overtime Victory at Garfield

Posted on January 31, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Wednesday	Jan 29th	2014	4A	Girls	Basketball
Garfield High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	OT	Final
Bothell	12	8	14	11	8	53
Garfield	6	16	13	10	6	51

Bothell Grinds Out Overtime Victory at Garfield
By Steven Dion

With postseason hoops around the corner, teams are jockeying for position to make the big dance in their respective leagues. A pair of KingCo squads on the outside looking in were matched up on Wednesday night in Bothell (5-6 league, 11-6 overall) and host Garfield (3-8, 6-10). Those in attendance for tonight’s game would have thought this was a playoff game as it took more than the usual thirty-two minutes to declare a winner.

The Bulldogs scored the first two buckets of the contest, but would quickly concede the next ten points to the Cougars. BHS found early success by feeding Taya Cordsdale on long passes down the court after sneaking behind the Garfield defense. The six point lead Bothell picked up in the first quarter was erased quickly in the second frame as Garfield’s scrappy defense forced several Coug turnovers. Similarly, the Bulldogs shored up their early offensive struggles by using up more shot clock and finding high percentage shots. Garfield had six scorers in the second quarter and as a result, took a 22-20 lead into the break.

The offense-oriented tone of this game continued into the second half as both squads took advantage of their opposition’s inability to stop the attack. Garfield built a slight lead early in the third from turning rebounds on the defensive end to outlet passes in transition and easy buckets. Bothell was able to close climb back in by closing the third strong largely due to three more field goals by Cordsdale. Taya continued here strong play in the final frame by plucking offensive rebounds and muscling through defenders for put-backs. The Cougs regained the lead for the first time since early in the second quarter with six minutes remaining. With thirty-five seconds remaining in regulation, Bothell grabbed a three point lead after a pair of made free throws. Garfield sophomore Krysma Patu knocked down the tying three-pointer merely seconds later. A missed shot at the buzzer by Bothell would force this contest to be settled beyond the regular four quarters. The Bulldogs picked up the first four points of OT and were seemingly one more basket away from sealing the victory. The reliable Hanna Tyndall responded by knotting the ball game back at 49 apiece. With under a minute remaining, Cordsdale fouled out. A pair of free throws courtesy of Tyndall once again gave BHS the lead. Garfield was unable to find an open look on the final possession and the win was awarded to the road Cougs by the final score of 53-51.

Top Performers:
Bothell
Taya Cordsdale – 15 points

Garfield
Juanita Agosto – 25 points

Kentridge Remains Undefeated With Win Over Auburn

Posted on January 28, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Jan 25th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Kentridge High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Auburn	8	12	11	16	47
Kentridge	14	14	18	18	64

Kentridge Remains Undefeated With Win Over Auburn
By Steven Dion

The Chargers are one of the few teams in the state that has not lost a single game this season and is quietly emerging in the state rankings as one of the top teams in 4A. Hailing from the SPSL North, Kentridge would have to contend with the second place Auburn Trojans (8-3 league, 10-5 overall) to keep the blemish-free mark in the standings. The gut reaction heading into this contest was the size advantage down low for the host Chargers as Chris Adams and Danny Torlai standing at 6’7 and 6’6 respectively had a distinct size advantage to Auburn’s forwards that peak at the 6’3 range. It was intriguing to see if Ryan Hansen could draw up a plan to upset first place Kentridge.

The first frame consisted of both teams trading buckets early as a Marquise Prater three-ball energized the visiting Trojans. However, the Chargers offense got rolling and carried a 14-8 lead after one frame of play. Kentridge built on this lead by using their size advantage down low to convert on close range buckets. Auburn was able to tie the ball game at 18 apiece midway through the second by forcing Kentridge to take some outside shots, which were not falling. A 10-2 run to close the first half by KRHS gave the home team a 28-20 lead going into the half.

Dave Jamison’s Chargers picked up where they left off in the third quarter as the monstrous presence of senior Chris Adams on defense led to smooth offensive transitions which consisted of no-look passes by either Deon Thomas or Jawan Stepney to Danny Torial under the bucket time after time. Thomas nailed all six of his points on consecutive possessions as a three-pointer, defensive stop, and another triple built a 46-31 lead after three quarters. Auburn senior Rio Paul scored a big chunk of his game-high 24 points in the final frame by knocking down tough shots. With a comfortable lead, Kentridge was content to challenge Paul, but not over-extend defensively and give the 6’2 wing extra points from the charity stripe. An alley-oop dunk from Thomas to Stepney followed by an Adams two handed slam and a fourth and final block by the big senior put a bow on this contest to keep Kentridge undefeated at 17-0.

Top Performers:
Auburn
Rio Paul – 24 points

Kentridge
Danny Torlai – 20 points, 9 rebounds

O’Dea Avenges Early Season Defeat to Prep with Victory Over Panthers at Home

Posted on January 28, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Tuesday	Jan 21st	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
O'Dea High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	OT1	OT2	Final
Seattle Prep	15	16	16	9	2	2	60
O'Dea	10	12	15	19	2	6	64

O’Dea Avenges Early Season Defeat to Prep with Victory Over Panthers at Home
By Steven Dion

The rivalry between Seattle Prep and O’Dea travels back through many generations. These Metro League schools are on the same street, but seemingly worlds apart. Basketball games between Prep and the Fighting Irish are always exciting and competitive; Tuesday night was no exception. Eight extra minutes of basketball were required to determine a victor between two of Seattle’s premier hoops programs.

The host Irish squad seemed tentative from the get-go as senior point guard Tyler Kidd displayed frustration in the lethargic O’Dea offense. Coach Kelly’s Panthers were able to force their opponent to take ill-advised FG attempts in the first half. Prep sharpshooter Jack Stewart found a groove from distance as the junior nailed three from downtown in the first half. The Irish dug themselves into a nine point deficit at the half largely due to a balanced offensive attack. The combo of Quin Barnard and Jacob Lampkin accounted for 17 of the Irish’s 22 points in the first sixteen minutes. The home team would need more contributors down the stretch to avoid a season sweep from their league foe.

O’Dea chose to adjust to a smaller lineup in the third as they loaded the floor with guards. The speed of the game increased noticeably and the floor opened up for scoring attempts in transition. Seattle Prep remained composed as Stewart buried another pair from the perimeter en route to a game-high 20 points. With a ten point lead heading into the final frame, the Panthers were eight minutes away from securing an impressive road victory. Enter Jamie Orme. The 6’6” senior guard/forward combo for the Irish demanded the ball to get his team back into the game. Orme was a perfect six for six from the free throw line down the stretch and disrupted a number of Prep shots in the final quarter. Tied at 56 apiece, each team had a final possession to win the game in the final thirty seconds, but both came up empty handed. We were headed to overtime. A defensive minded overtime period only led to one bucket for each squad in four minutes. We headed into double overtime, and Kidd rose to the occasion. O’Dea’s quarterback on the court buried a contested turnaround jumper and slipped a perfect pass to Orme in the low post for two daggers. Prep’s desperation shots did not fall and the Irish locked up a 64-60 victory in double overtime.

Top Performers:
Seattle Prep
Jack Stewart – 20 points (6 3PT FG’s)

O’Dea
Jamie Orme-O’Dea-14 points (8/8 FTs, 10 pts in 4th qtr+ OTs)

Lincoln Shocks Jackson in King Holiday Hoopfest

Posted on January 28, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Monday	Jan 20th	2014	4A-3A	Boys	Basketball
Bellevue College	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Lincoln	20	7	10	25	62
Jackson	10	17	14	14	55

Lincoln Shocks Jackson in King Holiday Hoopfest
By Steven Dion

Steve Johnson’s Timberwolves do not lose often. Heading into the 2014 King Holiday Hoopfest matchup against the Lincoln Abes, the Wolves had only lost one of its last forty games. Unfortunately, that lone defeat was the 2013 4A state championship game against Curtis. The Abes from Tacoma were eager to square off with the defending 4A Wesco champs. Who could have predicted the lone freshman in the contest would rise to the occasion and grab the win for their team?

The familiarity between these squads was evident as Lincoln was prepared to outrun Jackson in this contest. The Timberwolves “Big 3” of Jason Todd, Dan Kingma, and Brian Zehr are smooth operators in the halfcourt attack and play gritty defense. However, the senior trio were outmatched athletically against the likes of Josiah Barsh, Cameron Collins, and Justice Martion who were effective in transition from the opening tip. The Abes picked up a double digit lead after one quarter leading 20-10. The 2012-2013 player of the year in Todd was not going to allow his team to fall further behind. The Wolves senior leader used his muscular frame to earn shots from underneath the bucket. This resulted in field goals and trips to the line. His ten points in the second frame were key in tying up the ball game at 27 heading into the half.

The level of intensity rose in the third quarter as every possession resulted in momentum shifts and team confidence moving forward. The Twolves moved the ball well in the perimeter, but did not convert enough opportunities to pull away from their 3A counterpart from Tacoma. The fourth quarter is when Londrell Hamilton made a statement. The freshman buried a triple early in the quarter which opened the floodgates for his scoring. Jackson’s Kingma and Connor Willgress fouled out midway through the final frame and Hamilton capitalized. He scored two huge buckets in the final minutes after defensive stops. The Abes grabbed the lead and did not look back. Londrell’s nine points in the fourth led a 25 point fourth quarter for Lincoln. When the buzzer sounded, the Abes celebrated a 62-55 victory.

Top Performers:
Lincoln
Londrell Hamilton – 12 points (9 in 4th quarter)

Jackson
Jason Todd-Jackson-22 points (13/15 FT’s)

Jefferson (OR) Barely Hangs on to Defeat Beamer

Posted on January 23, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Monday	Jan 20th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Garfield High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Jefferson (OR)	24	24	5	14	67
Todd Beamer	11	11	21	17	60

Jefferson (OR) Barely Hangs on to Defeat Beamer
By Colin Caruso

In the final game of the Unity in the Community Showcase, the Todd Beamer Titans hosted the Jefferson Democrats from Oregon. Unfortunately for Root Sports they did not televise this game, as this was by far the most entertaining matchup. Jefferson has one loss on the year, to the mighty Rainier Beach Vikings. Beamer also had one loss entering this contest, to the Lincoln Abes.

Jefferson began this contest unconsciously hot from long range. Back to back 24 point quarters with a total of eight three pointers made put the Beamer Titans in a big hole. Also, Beamer couldn’t get past the two towers for the Democrats, both standing over 6’9″ and turning away most shots at the rim. Jefferson led convincingly 48-22 at the half.

The Beamer staff decided that after the first half it was time to put into effect the terrorizing Beamer full court press. Todd Beamer is an interesting team in that they have five or six players who all hover around the 6’4″ and 6’5″ range who all move well. Their diamond press proved extremely challenging for the Democrats, who only put up 5 points in the third quarter.

By pressing with your best players, you also risk the occurrences of random fouls far away from the basket. This began to hurt the Titans, as their leading scorer in the contest and captain Trey Burch-Manning fouled out. This put a cap to the fantastic comeback for Todd Beamer, who once came as close as four points late in the fourth quarter. But Jefferson held on while only scoring 19 points in the second half to a 67-60 win.

Top Performer:
Jefferson
Silas Melson – 25 points

Garfield’s Zone Propels Win Over Franklin

Posted on January 23, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Monday	Jan 20th	2014	3A-4A	Boys	Basketball
Garfield High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Franklin	24	13	8	12	57
Garfield	14	20	15	21	73

Garfield’s Zone Propels Win Over Franklin
By Colin Caruso

In the most anticipated game of the day on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, the rivals Garfield Bulldogs and Franklin Quakers squared off. With the likes of Mark Few, Lorenzo Romar, Cam Chancellor, and Earl Thomas in the building, everyone knew that this game would bring a lot of energy. With Garfield now in 4A the rivalry has relatively calmed down, but next year they will be back in 3A and one of the states best matchups will now be a league game.

The undefeated Bulldogs anticipated a good matchup against the 10-3 Quakers, but they did not expect the offensive explosion that resulted in the first quarter. Franklin blew up for 24 points in the first frame, led by Keith Smith’s 11. Garfield could not match the intensity or the size of the Quakers in the first frame. Smith also picked up two fouls in the first frame, and a third early in the second quarter. He was forced to sit the rest of the half, with Franklin going into the break up 37-34.

Garfield’s zone defense and Smith’s foul trouble really turned the tide in this game. Garfield sat back in a 2-3 zone and Franklin was forced to take outside shots. The shots did not fall, and Garfield was able to get out in transition on the long rebounds. Smith also picked up his fourth foul early in the third quarter, opening the door for Tramaine Isabell’s quarter high nine points for the Bulldogs, giving them the lead, 52-45.

The Quaker coaches had to gamble and put Smith in to start the fourth quarter, with their hopes gradually fading against a quicker but smaller Bulldog opponent. Smith fouled out with just over 5 minutes remaining in the contest, without scoring in the second half. This effectively ended the contest, with Garfield winning the fourth quarter 21-12 and ultimately the contest 73-57.

Top Performer:
Garfield
Tramaine Isabell – 28 points

Rainier Beach’s Big Second Half Drops O’Dea

Posted on January 23, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Monday	Jan 20th	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
Garfield High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Rainier Beach	21	14	30	18	83
O'Dea	18	10	17	17	62

See game recap below

Rainier Beach’s Big Second Half Drops O’Dea
By Colin Caruso

In a packed Garfield High School gym for the Unity in the Community Showcase, the first matchup saw an unblemished Rainier Beach Vikings squad the strong O’Dea Fighting Irish. Rainier Beach has travelled multiple times this season to play the elite teams in the nation, with their last trip to Massachusetts producing another win for the Vikings. Rule of thumb, if you are playing Beach, pray that they are having an off day or else they may put 100 up on the board.

O’Dea played Beach well for the first half in this contest. They were able to keep pace with the Vikings, who do not run half court offenses; they are constantly in transition and moving the ball with ease. Against a team like Beach, turnovers and even made baskets lead to fast breaks for the Vikings. But O’Dea played well in the first half and limited the Vikings to just 35 points.

The third quarter is when Beach made their run. A monstrous 30 point quarter, led by Dejunte Murray’s 12 points in that quarter alone, stifled the O’Dea dream of an upset. Shaqquan Aaron and David Crisp both added seven points in the quarter, and no matter what coach Hairston drew up for the Irish, Beach had an answer on the other end of the floor.

With a 30-18 blowout third quarter, Rainier Beach coasted through the fourth quarter. Both teams emptied their benches late and Beach came away with a 83-62 win.

Top Performer:
Rainier Beach
David Crisp – 25 points

Crusaders Complete Season Sweep of Lakeside Despite Brown’s 39

Posted on January 20, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Jan 17th	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
Lakeside High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Eastside Catholic	14	20	20	19	73
Lakeside	14	13	22	19	68

See game recap below

Crusaders Complete Season Sweep of Lakeside Despite Brown’s 39
By Steven Dion

The 3A runner-up from a season ago has unveiled its new gym, a spectacular venue for high school basketball. All that is missing at this point for Lakeside is a win at the new house. The Lions would get their chance to pick up that victory Friday night against Eastside Catholic following up a 53 point performance by Isiah Brown last week against O’Dea. The Crusaders have established themselves as a formidable force in the Metro League with a combination of athleticism and precision shooting. The Lions would need a complete thirty-two minutes of play to take down their division foe sitting ahead in the standings.

An energetic Lakeside student section gave their Lions a lift early as Brown knocked down his first two shots, a double-clutch jumper and a rainmaker from the perimeter. Freshman guard Daejon Davis jumped the passing lane on a Crusader possession and finished strong with a highlight dunk. Eastside Catholic demonstrated their multi-faceted scoring abilities as slashing buckets at the cup and three-balls began to fall. ECHS set a tough trap in the Lakeside backcourt which gave Lion guards trouble with their entry passes into the offensive zone. The Crusaders were 8/19 from downtown in the ballgame. A double-digit lead ECHS built midway through the second frame was cut to seven going into halftime. At the break, the visitors led 34-27.

Lakeside rallied behind their freshman prodigy Daejon Davis early in the third as the 6’2” guard forced his way into the paint on several trips down the floor. His aggressiveness led to eight points in that third frame for the Lions. Crusader senior Ian Christie twisted his ankle and did not return in the ballgame for EC. Brown continued to sizzle throughout that second half as the bulk of his game-high 39 points came in the final sixteen minutes of the contest. Despite allowing the Lions to tie the ball game in the second half, the Crusaders retained their composure by knocking down buckets when needed. The exclamation point in the game was a tomahawk slam by forward Matisse Thybulle. When the buzzer sounded, ECHS picked up their eighth league win to the tune of a 73-68 victory.

Top Performer:
Lakeside
Isaiah Brown – 39 points (11/23 FG’s, 14/16 FT’s)

Ballard Grinds Out One Point Victory over Bothell

Posted on January 20, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Tuesday	Jan 14th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Ballard High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Bothell	10	20	16	14	60
Ballard	19	10	18	14	61

See game recap below

Ballard Grinds Out One Point Victory over Bothell
By Steven Dion

Tuesday night’s slate of league matchups included a clash of familiar foes in KingCo 4A opponents Bothell and host Ballard. The Cougars (7-5, 3-4 league) have stumbled through the first few weeks of league play after winning the Bothell Christmas Classic. The Beavers (7-5, 4-4 league) are looking to keep pace with Garfield and Issaquah in the competitive Crown division. A much-needed win was up for grabs Tuesday night.

The home team got off to a hot start as Ballard registered 19 points in the first frame. The Beavs were aggressive on the boards and came up with the majority of 50/50 balls. The Cougars often ease into a scoring rhythm so the nine point deficit after quarter one did not discourage Bothell. The Cougars moved the ball much better in the second frame resulting in higher percentage shots. Bothell was a perfect eight for eight from the charity stripe in the second quarter and quietly grabbed the lead. At the halftime buzzer, Ballard senior Morris Fortmann buried a half-court heave. The home team trailed by a single point at the break,30-29.

The second half fed off the energy created in the first sixteen minutes as the lead seemingly changed after each bucket. Bothell senior and University of Minnesota commit Josh Martin scored a game-high 20 points in the contest, but ran into foul trouble in the third and eventually registered the fifth and final penalty midway through the fourth. The final sequence of plays had everyone in the Ballard gymnasium on the edge of their seats. Trailing by four with less than ten seconds remaining, Cougar guard Hunter Dean dished it to Peyton Cordova-Smith in the corner who drained a three-ball after a fortuitous shooter’s roll. On the ensuing inbound, Ballard received a five count and turned the ball back over. Dean caught the inbound and fired a jumper from the wing; a foul was called. However, the official ruled a non-shooting foul. When the ball was inbounded again, Dean slipped on a puddle of sweat and received a travelling call. The Beavers were able to inbound the ball and run out the clock even though it appeared Bothell intentionally fouled the ball-carrier before the buzzer sounded. After the dust settled, the home team escaped with a 61-60 victory.

Top Performer:
Bothell
Josh Martin – 20 points

Shirts Across America
Caitie Scott- Donate Here

Posted on January 17, 2014 by Randall Novak

Thank you for helping me reach my fundraising goal! I have decided to spend my spring break in New Orleans rebuilding homes this upcoming April.

We cannot help families move home without your support, your generosity is critical to my success and helps purchase building materials.

I have raised $0 of my $100 goal,
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TODAY!

I want to thank these people for supporting my efforts:
SAA

Fundraising Thermometer by:
Provided by Easy Fundraising Ideas

Shirts Across America
Vanessa Xu- Donate Here

Posted on January 17, 2014 by Randall Novak

Thank you for helping me reach my fundraising goal! I have decided to spend my spring break in New Orleans rebuilding homes this upcoming April.

We cannot help families move home without your support, your generosity is critical to my success and helps purchase building materials.

I have reached my original goal, BUT there are MORE FAMILIES to help!
PLEASE BE GENEROUS AND CLICK HERE TO DONATE TODAY!

I want to thank these people for supporting my efforts:
Judy S.
Anna X.
Victor H.

Free Fundraising Thermometer by:
Easy Fundraising Ideas

Rainier Beach Hits Triple Digit Scoring Twice in One Week in Win Over Crusaders

Posted on January 14, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Jan 10th	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
Rainier Beach High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Eastside Catholic	12	14	29	15	70
Rainier Beach	21	23	22	34	100

See game recap below

Rainier Beach Hits Triple Digit Scoring Twice in One Week in Win Over Crusaders
By Steven Dion

It is no surprise that top ten nationally ranked Rainier Beach enters every game they play as heavy favorites, even against top teams the state of Washington has to offer. Eastside Catholic ventured into Crawford Court Friday night as one of the best squads statewide, but staring down the South Seattle juggernaut as an underdog.

The Vikings were able to get their offense going quickly as senior captains D’Juan Piper and Shaqquan Aaron combined for 15 of Beach’s 21 points of the quarter. Eastside Catholic’s size disadvantage forced them to take shots from the perimeter, which were feast or famine throughout the contest. The home team got a nice lift from the bench as junior guard Shadeed Shabazz scored eight in the second frame, resulting from penetration into the paint and finishing at the cup. The Viks led 44-26 at the break.

Eastside Catholic entered the second half in high gear as they were able to score more in the third quarter than they did all first half, 29 points in all. The Crusaders received a huge confidence boost when the three pointers began to fall through. Rainier Beach’s eagerness to run up and down the floor opened up the court to fastbreaks for ECHS from errant Viks passing. A tomahawk dunk by Mandrell Worthy fired up the Eastside bench and student section alike. Shaqquan Aaron had the type of dunk seen on Sportscenter’s Top 10 in the third quarter, but a technical foul was called after the play. This led to a series of technical fouls from physical play for both teams. This slowed down the game greatly. Aaron’s relentlessness on the offensive end yielded him a total of sixteen trips to the free-throw line, most in the fourth quarter. A 34 point surge by Beach spurned the mini comebacks the Crusaders threatened with. RBHS capped off the contest by tipping in a missed free throw with seconds remaining for the 99th and 100th point. When the horn sounded, Beach remains undefeated by the final score of 100-70.

Top Performer:
Rainier Beach
Shaqquan Aaron – 24 points

Garfield Handles Newport for Second Time

Posted on January 14, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Jan 10th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Garfield High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Newport	11	12	11	26	60
Garfield	20	15	18	24	77

See game recap below

Garfield Handles Newport for Second Time
By Colin Caruso

Good news came to the Newport Knights Friday night when they heard the news of second leading scorer Brayon Blake for the Garfield Bulldogs would not play. This could be their opportunity to conquer the mighty undefeated Bulldogs, who trounced the Knights by 25 earlier this year. Unfortunately for the Knights their leading scorer, senior leader, and captain, Will Ferris, accumulated three fouls in the first four minutes of the contest and had to sit the rest of the first half. At this point in the game, Newport looked strong, leading 9-4 and controlling the pace of the game. After Ferris sat, the Bulldogs closed the quarter on a 16-2 run.

Garfield continued to pressure the Knights on the defensive end; with their quickness and off-ball screens, the Bulldogs were able to extend their lead to 12 at the half.

The game opened up in the second half, with Ferris coming back in and picking up an early foul in the third, forcing him to sit again. This is when the Bulldogs put together another big run. Garfield outscored Newport 18-11 in the third, led by Tramaine Isabell and freshman Jaylen Nowell. With a 19 point lead going into the fourth on their home floor, Garfield cruised to a final of 77-60 to remain undefeated on the season. Newport is still looking for their first league win.

Top Performer:
Garfield
Tramaine Isabell – 29 points

West Seattle Pounces On Prep Panthers

Posted on January 10, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Wednesday	Jan 8th	2014	3A	Girls	Basketball
Seattle Prep High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
West Seattle	12	9	10	9	40
Seattle Prep	4	13	7	11	35

See game recap below

West Seattle Pounces On Prep Panthers
By Steven Dion

One of the many games slated for this Wednesday night was a Metro League clash between the visiting Wildcats of West Seattle against the Seattle Prep Panthers. The Sound division leading Wildcats (4-1 league, 7-3 overall) are without a senior on the roster, but experienced nonetheless and loaded with a powerful frontcourt. Michelle Hall’s Prep squad (3-4, 4-7) are coming off a state runner-up season, but the graduation of integral seniors from the 2012-2013 campaign have left the 15 year coach with a young team. This Wednesday night home game would be a step in the right direction for the blue and white.

The first quarter started with a 8-0 run for West Seattle. Lydia Giomi’s rebounding ability created multiple scoring opportunities on single possessions which helped the Cats grab a 12-4 lead after the first quarter. Prep responded to their mismatch nicely by knocking down shots from the perimeter. Their three buckets from downtown in the period brought the Panthers back within four points at the half. At intermission, WSHS led 21-17.

Seattle Prep’s senior leader Mary Ann Santucci heated up in the third quarter; unfortunately she was the only one doing the scoring for the Panthers. This low-scoring affair kept the ballgame balanced even though West Seattle was able to retain the lead they garnered from the tipoff. The Wildcats were able to protect the ball in the fourth quarter as Seattle Prep attempted to make a late run. They drew fouls instead of turning the ball over and buried four of five in the process. Prep got a pair of three-balls late by Santucci, but it was not enough to erase the deficit for the home team as West Seattle picked up the 40-35 victory.

Top Performer:
Seattle Prep
Mary Ann Santucci – 15 points (3 3pt FG’s, 2/2 FT’s)

Rainier Beach puts up 115

Posted on January 10, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Tuesday	Jan 7th	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
Rainier Beach High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Nathan Hale	18	14	20	18	70
Rainier Beach	33	25	39	18	115

See game recap below

Rainier Beach puts up 115
By Colin Caruso

The defending state champion Rainier Beach Vikings have already had a phenomenal season, and we aren’t even to February. The 10-0 Vikings have already beaten teams from all over the country, the likes of Bishop Gorman in Nevada and Whitney Young in Illinois. They faced up against a 3A metro team on Tuesday night looking to build upon their close seven point win in Bainbridge just four days prior.

Nathan Hale, instead of attempting to slow the contest down, did what they could to keep up pace with the amazingly athletic Vikings. The Raiders from Hale continuously put up shots early in the shot clock, giving Beach the ability to get up and down the floor with simplicity and grace. Rainier Beach flirted with the full court press in the first half, and went into the locker room with a commanding 58-32 lead.

The third quarter proved to be a three point entourage from the Vikings. Seven threes on the quarter, three from transfer David Crisp, pushed the Vikings to an outpouring of 39 points in the eight minute quarter. That is averaging almost five points per minute, or right around a point every 12 seconds. Hale guard Steven Shpreyregin did what he could to keep up with the Vikings, scoring 23 on his own. But his talents were trumped by this heavy favorite to win the state title. Beach took the home contest 115-70.

Top Performer:
Rainier Beach
Shaqquan Aaron – 27 points
David Crisp – 23 points

Issaquah Soars Over Bothell in League Showdown

Posted on January 8, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Tuesday	Jan 7th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Bothell High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Issaquah	24	5	19	17	65
Bothell	12	17	12	15	56

See game recap below

Issaquah Soars Over Bothell in League Showdown
By Steven Dion

The marquee matchup of 4A KingCo on Tuesday night was undoubtedly a clash of the Eagles from Issaquah and host Bothell Cougars. Issaquah (5-4 overall, 4-1 league) are striving to keep pace with undefeated Garfield and create separation with the rest of the Crown division. Bothell (7-4, 3-3) are also in second place in their respective Crest division and are led by dynamic senior Josh Martin. If the Cougs could supply Martin with plenty of shots and get contributions up and down the roster, Bothell would have a great opportunity to send their crowd home happy.

Jason Griffith drew up a near-perfect game plan for this game as Issaquah imposed their will to play the way they wanted to. Their back-court pressure forced several Bothell turnovers early which led to points in bunches. The Eagles scored 24 points in the first frame, 11 of which from the hot hand of Ty Gibson who scored a team-high 19 points. Bothell switched to a zone defense in the second quarter and it paid dividends. Issaquah had difficulty penetrating into the paint and were forced to take outside shots that were not falling as regularly. The Cougars picked up momentum in the second quarter as freshman Josh Kollman buried two from downtown and Martin ignited the crowd with blocks that led to three of his thirteen total field goals in the game. At the break, the game was knotted up at 29 apiece.

The Eagles were eager to mimic their scoring spree in the first quarter and forget about the five points registered in the second as they distributed the rock to their several options on offense. Additionally, Josh Martin’s rebounding ability for Bothell was understood by the Eagles, but limiting boards from the rest of the Cougs was achieved successfully. The Eagles grabbed a seven point lead heading into the fourth quarter and kept the pedal down. The last few comeback spurts by BHS were thwarted quickly and Issaquah was able to pick up a big road win by the final score of 65 to 56.

Top Performer:
Bothell
Josh Martin – 33 points

Winning is Deja Vu with Inglemoor’s Strother

Posted on January 6, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Jan 4th	2014	3A-4A	Girls	Basketball
Bishop Blanchet High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Inglemoor	19	11	9	11	50
Bishop Blanchet	4	10	8	12	34

See game recap below

Winning is Deja Vu with Inglemoor’s Strother
By Steven Dion

Bishop Blanchet has established itself as a contender in the Metro League in this young season as their pair of dynamic freshmen in Jaydn Bush and Taylor Chambers complement an experienced Braves roster. Bryan Willison’s squad had a true test on Saturday as last year’s sixth place finisher in 4A Inglemoor made a visit for a non-league matchup. Blanchet would give up length in this contest as Inglemoor entered with a significant size advantage. If Inglemoor could neutralize Blanchet’s speedy guards, the Viks would have a good chance to pick up a quality road win.

The first quarter set the tone for the game as cold shooting from both teams in the opening minutes changed in favor of the Vikings as sophomore Deja Strother entered the game. The 6’4” center registered five field goals in the first frame after coming off the bench and Inglemoor grabbed a 19-4 lead after quarter one. Strother’s physicality and rebounding ability outmatched the Blanchet opposition all game long. BBHS remained resilient in the second quarter as Chamber buried a pair of three pointers and Bush knocked down five of six free throws before the break. At halftime, Inglemoor grabbed a commanding lead at 30-14.

The Vikings continued their relentless play on both sides of the floor as John Augustavo’s team made highlight blocks on defense and quality offensive possessions at the other end. Bishop Blanchet was able to keep pace, but trailing by double digits meant they would have to find a way to outscore the Viks. The home team just did not have the recipe to make the comeback happen. Inglemoor chewed up the clock in the fourth quarter to secure the victory. When the buzzer sounded, the Vikings were victorious by the score of 50-34. Look for Inglemoor to make a deep playoff run this season as Strother’s presence on the floor changes the complexion of the game. The dynamic sophomore disrupts most shots for opposing teams and is a lethal scoring option in the front court.

Top Performer:
Inglemoor
Deja Strother – 15 points

Hale Prevails in Three Point Shootout With Ingraham

Posted on January 6, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Jan 3rd	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
Ingraham High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Nathan Hale	13	9	17	25	64
Ingraham	20	7	6	17	50

See game recap below

Hale Prevails in Three Point Shootout With Ingraham
By Steven Dion

The first Friday of 2014 delivered several quality hoops matchups; one of which a showdown between Nathan Hale and host Ingraham. Both teams are jockeying for position in the highly competitive Metro League. Marques Chinn’s Ram squad is undersized, but fortunately makes up for it with an active guard duo of Jovan Owens and D’Olajuwon Swanks. The Raiders also boast a strong pair of guards in Tim Iwuhoa and Gadisa Margarsa that have size and athleticism.

Ingraham shot out of the gates with a 10-0 run sparked by Owens’ perimeter shooting. Hale cut into the deficit with a pair of triples by Steven Shpreyregin, but Owens struck back in a big way by draining a half-court shot at the buzzer to close out the first quarter with a 20-13 lead. The second quarter was a coach’s nightmare for both sides as poor shot selection and unnecessary fouls plagued both sides. The Raiders cut into the Ram lead marginally in the second quarter by edging the home team out 9-7 in the second frame. At the half, Ingraham led 27-22.

Nathan Hale certainly received a stern halftime talk by coach Chris Weakley for a relatively sloppy first half because the Raiders put together an impressive second sixteen minutes. Ingraham’s inability to score in the paint from their forwards extended a scoring drought into the third frame as the Rams only netted six points. NHHS started knocking down jumpers in transition through superior ball distribution by Tim Iwuhoa. The fourth quarter featured a shooting spree from Hale guards Shpreyregin and Nate Hartman as both seniors drained two from downtown. Ingraham could not recover from the deficit despite a late surge by Raymond Horne who scored twelve of his eighteen in the final quarter. Final score: Nathan Hale 64 Ingraham 50.

Top Performer:
Nathan Hale
Steven Shpreyregin – 23 points (7/10 FT’s, 4 3 pt. FG’s)

Seattle Prep Clinches Late Win Against Rival O’Dea

Posted on January 6, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Jan 3rd	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
Seattle Prep High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
O'Dea	11	11	13	10	45
Seattle Prep	8	11	14	16	49

See game recap below

Seattle Prep Clinches Late Win Against Rival O’Dea
By Colin Caruso

Seattle Prep held two leads in this game, 15-14 in the middle of the second quarter and when it mattered the most, when the clock struck 0:00. O’Dea led at every other moment of the game, but couldn’t close it out in their rival’s gym. The Irish controlled the pace of play from the beginning of the contest. They were more physical, gathered more rebounds, and scored with ease in the interior. The Irish led 11-8 after the first quarter, and 22-19 at the half.

O’Dea senior big Jacob Lampkin carried the Irish in the first half with 11 of his 13 coming prior to third quarter. But only two points after the break, and a Panther defense focused on keeping him out of the game really turned the tide for Prep. The Panthers were having a tough time knocking down the three ball in the first three quarters, but senior guard Marc Caindec and freshman guard Aaron Nettles were not deterred, they kept firing. The most critical was Nettles’ three to put the Panthers up two, 47-45 with just under a minute to play. The Panthers then forced an Irish turnover, and junior Jack Stewart knocked down two free-throws to close out the contest 49-45.

Top Performer:
Seattle Prep
Jordan Kitchen – 16 points

Enumclaw Narrowly Slips Past Resilient Cascade Christian

Posted on January 3, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Thursday	Dec 26th	2013	3A-1A	Boys	Basketball
Kennedy High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Enumclaw	15	11	12	14	52
Cascade Christian	8	11	11	14	44

See game recap below

Enumclaw Narrowly Slips Past Resilient Cascade Christian
By Steven Dion

The Sterling Athletics Christmas Classic started with an interesting matchup between a large public school and a small Christian school. Coach Kellen Hall’s Enumclaw squad entered this contest with a significant size advantage in addition to experience as the Hornets six seniors outnumber Cascade Christian’s one. However, the Cougars from the Puyallup Valley led by Jerry Williams were prepared to go toe-to-toe with their SPSL opponent.

Enumclaw established their dominance quickly as the opening tip resulted in an outlet pass and a score in mere seconds. Hornet forward Zac Webb outscored the entire Cougar roster in the first quarter as he notched 10 of his 20 points in the opening frame. The Cougs seemed to take a collective deep breath going into the second quarter because the tides began to change. Jordan Tveter continued to have the hot hand as three more jumpers fell for the junior. The vastly undersized CCHS squad surprisingly started to win the rebounding battle. After an identical second quarter output, the Hornets led 26-19 at the break.

Cascade Christian returned to the floor with the “bend-don’t-break” mentality which kept Enumclaw within reach. The Cougars accepted the underdog role with open arms by out-hustling the Hornets and forcing them to cough up the ball. EHS countered with aggressive play, but translated to numerous player-control fouls. Despite Enumclaw’s scoring woes, they held an eight point lead into the fourth quarter. CCHS started to shoot threes; this is when the hoop grew to the size of a swimming pool for the Cougars. After the first two dropped, people entered the Kennedy gym as if by magnetic force because Enumclaw’s lead was shrinking. Another pair of threes fell through and the Cascade Christian sideline erupted as they trailed by a single point. This is when Enumclaw seniors Drake Rademacher and Bryce Peterson said enough is enough. The Hornet duo demanded the ball and forced their way to the bucket and drew fouls. The Hornets were able to weather the storm and escape with a 52-44 win.

Top Performer:
Enumclaw
Zac Webb – 20 pts (4/5 FT’s)

Seattle Academy Spoils Host Lancers Christmas Party

Posted on January 3, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Thursday	Dec 26th	2013	3A-1A	Boys	Basketball
Kennedy High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Seattle Academy	11	17	18	19	65
Kennedy Catholic	5	19	11	10	45

See game recap below

Seattle Academy Spoils Host Lancers Christmas Party
By Steven Dion

The nightcap of the first round of the Sterling Athletics Christmas Classic featured the Cardinals of Seattle Academy and host Kennedy Catholic. Despite their 1A classification, the SA Cardinals carry a much deeper roster as their team of fifteen outnumbers their 3A counterpart by five players. Additionally, the Cardinals are composed of entirely upperclassmen with the exception of sophomore guard Ian McManus. Conversely, Kennedy’s Spencer Weisberg is the lone senior on the young Lancers squad from the Seamount League. Would Kennedy be able to feed off their home crowd en route to the second round of the Christmas Classic?

The first four minutes of the contest were sloppy from an offensive standpoint as Kennedy was stuck at three points for extended time. Seattle Academy was slow out of the gates too as their star trio of Daniel Davydov, Ben Gerke, and Jeremiah Hobbs combined for seven points in the first eight minutes. After trailing 11-5 in the first quarter, Kennedy’s offense woke up. The Lancers netted seven field goals and earned some trips to the charity stripe where they knocked down four of five. Seattle Academy upped their efficiency in the second frame too as their seventeen points protected their lead heading into halftime. Seattle Academy’s ability to keep all four Lancer posts scoreless in the first half earned them a 28-24 lead into the break.

After knocking down only one three-ball in the first half, Seattle Academy found their touch from the perimeter in the third quarter. Gerke and Davydov both drained two from downtown in a back-breaking third frame for the Lancers. The Cardinals were able to increase their point total in each successive quarter whereas Kennedy experience a significant dropoff after their strong second frame. Leading by eleven going into the final eight minutes, the Cardinals were able to allot minutes to their bench and put the game into cruise control down the stretch. Burying nine of eleven free throws in the fourth put a stamp on the contest as the senior Daniel Davydov continued his consistent scoring with seven of his game-high twenty two coming in the final quarter. When the dust settled, Seattle Academy rolled to a 65-45 win.

Top Performer:
Seattle Academy
Daniel Davydov – 22 points (8/10 FT’s)

Clash of Nobility Resulted in King’s Knights Victory over Royals

Posted on January 3, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Thursday	Dec 26th	2013	4A-1A	Boys	Basketball
Kennedy High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
King's	16	16	14	18	64
Kent Meridian	12	10	14	20	56

See game recap below

Clash of Nobility Resulted in King’s Knights Victory over Royals
By Steven Dion

Game three of the first round of the Christmas Classic at Kennedy High School mashed up a 1A school in King’s against the 4A Royals of Kent-Meridian. The guard duo of Quincy Brown and Romaine Jackson would prove to be a tough matchup for a King’s roster loaded with forwards. However, Rick Skeen’s has prepared his Knights to be able to play up against higher classification teams.

The Royals quickly established they wanted to run up and down the floor on both sides of the ball. King’s adjusted nicely and their ball movement was able to counteract KM’s energy. The backcourt presence of Royals guards opened up the King’s attacking zone and their superior ball-movement led to easy buckets. Seven Knights scored in the first quarter and as a result led 16-12 after the first quarter. KMHS head coach Brian Lockhart made a defensive adjustment in the second frame to apply slightly less pressure in the King’s backcourt forcing them to move the ball up the floor. Brown and Jackson began to jump into passing lanes and set up the Royals for some transition buckets. Junior Chris Lewis nailed another three pointer in the period; one of his five from downtown in the contest. However, King’s was able to match their sixteen points from the first quarter to carry a 32-22 lead into the break.

Trailing by double digits meant Kent-Meridian would have to take some chances on the offensive end to claw back into the contest. Shooting triples appeared to be their strategy in doing so. Lewis knocked down a pair from downtown in the third, but the team shooting percentage was low. King’s continued their gritty attack in the paint and protected their ten point lead going into the fourth. The Royals put together a solid fourth quarter, but failure to bury buckets from close range dashed their hope of vying for the lead. Freshman Knight Corey Kispert pulled down several critical rebounds in addition to scoring a game-high twenty points. When the buzzer sounded, King’s claimed a 64-56 win.

Top Performer:
King’s
Corey Kispert – 20 points (4/7 FT’s)

Meadowdale Lady Mavs Ride over Roosevelt in Rebel Challenge

Posted on January 3, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Saturday	Dec 28th	2013	3A-4A	Girls	Basketball
Juanita High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Meadowdale	11	8	15	18	52
Roosevelt	8	15	13	9	44

See game recap below

Meadowdale Lady Mavs Ride over Roosevelt in Rebel Challenge
By Steven Dion

The fifth of eight games on Saturday’s slate of the Rebel Challenge on the main court presented a clash of two 4A squads in Roosevelt and Meadowdale. The Lady Roughriders and Mavericks offer a similar skill set in prominent guard play and effective jump shooting. This game was up for grabs throughout and the team that was able to convert in critical possessions down the stretch earned the victory.

Meadowdale established their commitment to challenge Roosevelt early as they created ample scoring opportunities. However, eleven trips to the free throw line in addition to a shooting spree only resulted in eleven points for the Mavs. Roosevelt did not find their groove early, but eight points was enough to keep them within one possession heading into the second quarter. The scoring dropped off in the second quarter for Marcus Merrifield’s Mavericks as only one of nine free throws fell through. Conversely, Roosevelt dropped a pair of three balls en route to a fifteen point second frame. At the half, the Roughriders grabbed a 23-19 lead.

Meadowdale entered the second half rejuvenated and prepared to shore up efficiency issues experienced in the first half. The Mavericks drained three triples in a fifteen point third quarter where two of three free throws were good. Roosevelt stayed consistent in the third by notching thirteen points and taking a lead into the final period. This is where the Riders offense fell off in a big way. Their guard trio in Izzy Mason, Serena Toney, and Hannah Swanson account for all of Roosevelt’s nine points in the quarter. Meadowdale saved their best for last as six Mavs scored in the final eight minutes. Ciarra Hart knocked down her third three and Kearstin Franco netted seven in the quarter. MHS’s game-high eighteen point fourth quarter stole the lead and ultimately the win. Final score: Meadowdale, Roosevelt 45.

Top Performer:
Meadowdale
Ciarra Hart – 15 points (3-3 3-point FG’s, 4/10 FT’s)

W.F. West Bounds over Kangaroos in Rebel Challenge

Posted on January 3, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Saturday	Dec 28th	2013	3A-2A	Girls	Basketball
Juanita High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
W.F. West	15	7	10	15	47
Lake Washington	4	9	10	15	38

See game recap below

W.F. West Bounds over Kangaroos in Rebel Challenge
By Steven Dion

Day two of the round robin format of the Rebel Classic at Juanita High School featured a 2A showdown between Lake Washington and the Lady Bearcats of W.F. West. The KingCo League Kangs would have their hands full in this matchup as their Evergreen League counterpart has two 6’3” posts in Nike McClure and Tiana Parker. If Lake Washington could tread water in the rebounding department and knock down shots consistently, they would be able to challenge W.F. West in this contest.

The Bearcats owned the first quarter on both sides of the ball. Scoring was dispersed among five players in the first eight minutes. Meanwhile, the Kangs stumbled out of the gate by going field goal-less in the first frame. Four free throws by Sydney Shepard culminated all of LW’s offense as they trailed 15-4 after quarter one. Kang head coach Corey Shepard was able to rally the troops after the slow start by outscoring the opposition in the second quarter. Carly Rataushk was strong on the boards for Lake Washington setting up scoring opportunities for her offense. A quarter filled with changes in possession led to a slim 9-7 scoring total in favor of the Kangs. At the half, W.F. West was ahead 22-13.

Playing catch up in the final sixteen minutes meant LWHS would have to push the tempo and finish at the hoop. Rataushk stayed tough among the tall trees on the Bearcat roster by netting seven points in the third quarter. Unfortunately, secondary scoring options were relatively absent for the Kangs. W.F. West protected their lead throughout the third and entered the final eight with their nine point lead. Lake Washington’s fifteen points in the fourth could have been enough to close the gap, but failure to get defensive stops hindered their ability to challenge the Bearcats. W.F. West also registered fifteen in the quarter to pick up the 47-38 victory.

Top Performer:
Lake Washington
Carly Rataushk – 13 points (3/5 FT’s)

Cleveland Rings in New Year With Win Over Lynnwood

Posted on January 3, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Wednesday	Jan 1st	2013	3A-4A	Girls	Basketball
Cleveland High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Lynnwood	11	16	19	13	59
Cleveland	14	3	11	21	49

See game recap below

Cleveland Rings in New Year With Win Over Lynnwood
By Steven Dion

The first day of 2014 granted high school hoops fans a great New Year’s gift in the form of a matchup between undefeated Lynnwood and defending 3A champions Cleveland. It was evident that this game was the place to be in Seattle on Wednesday night because the Eagles gymnasium was packed. The line to enter extended outside the school and did not shrink until the second quarter. The stage was set for a showdown between two of the top girls basketball programs in the state.

Lynnwood jumped out to an early lead by knocking down shots from the paint. The Royals were able to move the ball well in the half-court offense and set up high percentage scoring opportunities. The host Eagles were able to keep pace and trailed LHS by three after one quarter. The second quarter completely changed the complexion of the game. The Royals shots stopped falling and Cleveland’s pesky defense translated to points on the other end of the floor. Alexia Mefi’s blocks brought the capacity crowd to its feet. The Eagles outscored the Royals 16-3 in the second quarter and led 27-17 at the break.

CHS picked up where they left off in the third quarter as senior Makayla Roper drained four field goals in the frame. The deficit increased as the fourth quarter commenced with a 46 to 28 lead in favor of Stephenie Wheeler-Smith’s squad. The contest garnered some interest in the fourth as Lynnwood was able to extend the ball game and get to the free throw line. The Royals were able to cut the Eagles lead to eight points late, but Cleveland held on to pick up a 59-49 victory.

Top Performer:
Cleveland
Makayla Roper – 17 points (2/3 FT’s, 3 3 pt FG’s)

Auburn-Mountainview Unwraps Late Christmas Present with Win Over Lindbergh

Posted on January 3, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Thursday	Dec 26th	2013	3A-2A	Boys	Basketball
Kennedy High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Auburn Mountainview	16	15	22	18	71
Lindbergh	15	18	19	15	67

See game recap below

Auburn-Mountainview Unwraps Late Christmas Present with Win Over Lindbergh
By Steven Dion

Game two of the opening round in the Christmas Classic featured Lindbergh from the Seamount League and Auburn-Mountainview of the South Puget Sound League. This matchup pitted a guard-heavy Lindbergh squad against an Auburn-Mountainview team with a prominent post presence. The team that adjusted to their dissimilar counterpart would prevail in the contest.

The contest opened with both teams trading buckets. A-M Lions’ guard Ryan Lacey buried a pair of triples in the first frame as part of his 15 total points in the game. Lindbergh’s Vincent Carter played like the NBA legend that bears the same name by scoring from the field, perimeter, and free throw stripe. The Eagle guard scored a team-high 20 in the contest. The rebounding battle was won by the Lions in the first half. However, Lindbergh took a 33-31 lead into the locker room.

Most of the third quarter was spent at the free throw line as twenty attempts were taken in the frame. Lindbergh was unable to get their star guard Marcel Hale rolling in the second half, but credit the Auburn-Mountainview defense for limiting Hale’s output. Lions senior Wyatt Walstad netted six of his game-high 21 points in the third. His effort on the defensive end of the floor paid off on the stat sheet in this contest. However, Lindbergh hung tough and only trailed by one point going into the final frame. Buckets were traded in the fourth, but AMHS’s ability to snag some late rebounds primarily through Tristan Miguel’s 6’9” frame put the Lions in position to protect their small lead. A late full-court press by the Eagles resulted in an outlet pass to Victor Daggs Jr. to put the game away. Auburn-Mountainview picked up the 71-67 win.

Top Performer:
Auburn Mountainview
Wyatt Walstad – 21 points (9/12 FT’s)

Enumclaw Narrowly Slips Past Resilient Cascade Christian

Posted on January 3, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Saturday	Dec 21st	2013	2A	Girls	Basketball
ShoWare Center	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Mark Morris	21	19	21	14	75
White River	14	8	19	12	53

See game recap below

Enumclaw Narrowly Slips Past Resilient Cascade Christian
By Steven Dion

Top Performer:
Enumclaw
Zac Webb – 20 pts (4/5 FT’s)