Edmonds-Woodway Clinches Last Regional Berth with Win Over Snohomish

Posted on February 27, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Thursday	Feb 20th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Mountlake-Terrace High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Edmonds-Woodway	13	22	17	14	66
Snohomish	12	10	15	20	57

Edmonds-Woodway Clinches Last Regional Berth with Win Over Snohomish
By Steven Dion

There was one ticket to the sweet sixteen, the regional tournament. There were two teams: Edmonds-Woodway and Snohomish. The coveted spot would be awarded Thursday night at Mountlake Terrace High School. One of these two 4A Wesco squads would get the opportunity to host the third seed from KingCo on Saturday to finalize seeding for the next round. With the season on the line, the crowd at the MTHS gym was in for an exciting battle.

The first half featured back-and-forth scoring, including some nice dishes by Trey Holland of the Warriors. The freshman guard of EWHS was able to get penetration into the paint and find open shooters on the perimeter. Snohomish countered with efficient jump-shooting by the likes of Collin Kane and Josh Baird. The Warriors were able to create some separation midway through the second quarter with some triples by Jordan Rice. After sixteen minutes of play, Edmonds-Woodway picked up a double digit lead at 35-22.

When play resumed, Snohomish showed urgency to climb back into the contest early in the second half. Unfortunately, the Panthers suffered a tough wrist injury to Collin Kane in which he was unable to return from. E-W responded to the delay of play by continuing their sprint to the finish line. A dunk by Travis Bakken and sharp shooting by Jason Smarr continued the Warrior assault. The long, contested shots thwarted Snohomish’s attempt to climb back into the game, despite Andrew Ivelia and Kane’s continued scoring. When the buzzer sounded, Edmonds-Woodway won their ticket to regionals in convincing fashion by the score of 66-57.

Top Performers:
Edmonds-Woodway
Travis Bakken-19 points, 10 rebounds, 6 blocks
Jason Smarr-21 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists

Snohomish
Collin Kane-19 points

Blaine Cruises Past Eatonville in District Matchup

Posted on February 27, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Thursday	Feb 20th	2014	1A	Girls	Basketball
Lynnwood High School	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Blaine	14	18	19	9	60
Eatonville	7	8	12	17	44

Blaine Cruises Past Eatonville in District Matchup
By Steven Dion

Game two of three in the slate of girls Tri-District matchups on Thursday night at Lynnwood High School was a meeting between the Cruisers of Eatonville and a clever name for the school that essentially sits between the United States and Canada, the Blaine Borderites. These schools are separated by a few hundred miles so it would be interesting how unfamiliar opponents from different districts would match up with one another.

The Borderites caught EHS on their heels early as a handful of opening possessions led to easy buckets in the Cruiser zone. This forced an early timeout called by Davina Serdahl to wake up her team. When play resumed, Blaine kept their foot on the pedal as Eatonville was trailing 14-3 to start the game. Alexis McElwain and Taylor D’Vovec eached scored a dozen in the first half which outscored the entire EHS scoring output by nine points. Cruiser senior Lauren Pate countered with aggressive play by scoring all but two of Eatonville’s second quarter points. At halftime, Blaine grabbed a commanding lead at 29-15.

Down by double digits with sixteen minutes of play remaining, the Cruisers needed to go on a big run to climb back into the contest. Kaelyn Voss answered the call to an extent by commanding the EHS attack. She was able to notch seventeen of her team’s 29 second half points, including three from downtown. However, McElwain and Mandy Hayes kept their scoring output rolling down the stretch to preserve the Blaine lead. The Borderites’ ability to collapse into the interior when Eatonville attacked the rim prevented and disrupted many scoring opportunities. Credit the Cruisers for hanging tough despite giving up a big lead early and Blaine for not wavering after grabbing the initial momentum. When the buzzer sounded, Blaine earned a 60-44 victory.

Top Performers:
Blaine
Alexis McElwain-24 points

Eatonville
Kaelyn Voss-22 points

Bremerton Sneaks Past Clover Park in District Quarterfinals

Posted on February 27, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Wednesday	Feb 19th	2014	2A	Boys	Basketball
Foss High School	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Bremerton	14	14	10	17	55
Clover Park	13	10	11	19	53

Bremerton Sneaks Past Clover Park in District Quarterfinals
By Steven Dion

Game two on Wednesday night in Dalesky & Black Gymnasium at Foss High School featured the second seed in Bremerton against Clover Park at number seven. The winner would take on Fife who won the game played prior to this one. Additionally, the loser would face Olympic in the consolation bracket. The ability of the Knights to limit the scoring Warrior senior and recently named 2A player of the year Philip Winston would play a big role in the result of this contest.

This game was exciting from the start as both teams were able to get multiple looks in the offensive zone. There were a handful of possessions where a flurry of putbacks were thrown at the rim by the attacking team. CPHS senior Anthony White was a monster on the boards and was there to pick up some rebounds on misses from his shooters. Surprisingly, Winston had trouble finding his shot early in this ball game and it would continue throughout. Bremerton guard Tarez Tyree Mason had an impressive second quarter, scoring ten points in the eight minutes, primarily through steals on defense and picking apart the suspect interior defense of the Warriors. At the half, Bremerton led 28-23.

Upon resuming this game, both teams had a tough time finding their groove. Clover Park made several errors on both sides of the ball. Fortunately for them, the Knights failed to capitalize on many of those occasions. BHS’ leading scorer through the season Deonte Dixon showed his athletic ability as a lob near the rim was caught in the air with his back to the hoop and slammed to the rim. A highlight dunk was ruined by a slight miss getting it through the hoop. Dixon still scored a game-high 20 points. CPHS climbed back in the game late with some threes by Trey Martin and Martino Smith. The Knights missed free throws down the stretch and gave Winston a chance to tie it up in the final seconds. His drive to the hoop resulted in a tough up-and-under that caught a lot of rim, but did not fall. Bremerton escaped by a deuce by the score of 55-53.

Top Performers:
Bremerton
Deonte Dixon-20 points

Clover Park
Philip Winston-17 points

Fife Prevails Over Olympic in the Battle of Trojans

Posted on February 27, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Wednesday	Feb 19th	2014	2A	Boys	Basketball
Foss High School	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Fife	10	6	9	12	37
Olympic	7	14	8	7	36

Fife Prevails Over Olympic in the Battle of Trojans
By Steven Dion

In the quarterfinals of the District 3 2A Basketball Tournament, the third seed in Fife met sixth seed Olympic at Foss High School on Wednesday night. OHS defeated Steilacoom in the first round on Monday by the score of 54-42. Fife received a first round bye for being a top four finisher in league. The winner of this matchup would face the winner of Clover Park/Bremerton on Friday whereas the loser would take on team that failed to pick up the win on the aforementioned game.

FHS guard Austin Wood helped his team pick up some early momentum as he drew some charges under the rim to force turnovers. Olympic responded nicely by picking up their defensive intensity. The up-tempo offense Fife built early on was replaced with perimeter shots that were not falling regularly. A 10-2 run by OHS including 6 by sophomore post Jumier Johnson helped the Trojans from Silverdale take a 21-16 lead into the locker room.

When play resumed, impact bench player from Fife Jephthah Donker excited the crowd with highlight blocks and a bucket with foul on the offensive end. Olympic’s Makaleb McInnis despite only scoring 5 points had big contributions with aggressive play. The fourth quarter was a chess match with alternating possessions emptying the shot clock and back-and-forth trading of buckets. With thirty seconds left and a tie ballgame, Alex Lemoncelli intercepted an Olympic pass and took the ball to the hoop. The shot did not fall, but the senior drew a foul. He drained the second shot and that was the difference in the game as Fife won 37-36.

Top Performers:
Fife
Alex Lemoncelli-11 points including game winning steal and FT
Austin Woods-10 points

Olympic
Jumier Johnson-12 points (6/10 FG’s)

O’Dea Cruises to Huge Win Over Islanders

Posted on February 27, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Tuesday	Feb 18th	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
Bellevue College	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
O'Dea	16	19	20	22	77
Mercer Island	9	3	9	11	32

O’Dea Cruises to Huge Win Over Islanders
By Steven Dion

When you are one of the best teams in the state and seemingly every shot falls, it’s a recipe for disaster to virtually any opponent. The Islanders of Mercer Island were the unfortunate victim to a complete game by the Irish on both ends of the floor. The stifling defense the Irish is capable of throwing at opponents was clicking on all cylinders which translated to smooth offensive sets. Mercer Island earned a first round bye in the SeaKing tourney after solid play in KingCo regular season. O’Dea defeated Nathan hale by a dozen on Saturday. The winner of this contest would take on the winner of Bainbridge versus Rainier Beach.

The first four minutes of the game were the most evenly matched as O’Dea took a few minutes to get rolling. The Islander guards did a nice job keeping the three-point threat Quin Barnard unable to take attempts from the perimeter. Unfortunately, Mercer was unable to capitalize on the slow O’Dea start by only scoring 9 points in the first frame. The second quarter is where the Irish grabbed this game by the horns. Jacob Lampkin was a force in the low block throwing that lanky 6’9 frame around. The senior even drained a triple in that second quarter as part of a strong eight points in eight minutes. Turnovers were plentiful as the Islanders were unable to get any open looks and for that matter shot attempts as the Islanders only scored 3 points in the second quarter! One takeaway in the O’Dea zone led to a Jamie Orme dunk on the other end. At the half, OHS led by 23 points at 35-12.

Not much changed in the second half as O’Dea continued to dominate in all phases of the game. This fighting Irish squad is talented, but even the biggest fan of the red and yellow would admit they will have a tough time replicating this performance time after time. There was a point in the fourth quarter where a handful of O’Dea possession resulted in three after three. It was curious that Al Hairston did not pull out his starters late in the fourth quarter even with a forty point lead and a running clock. A highlight for the Islanders in the second half was Kaleb Warner going coast-to-coast and finishing with a two-handed slam. But a complete game by the Irish earned them a 77-32 win. Up next, Rainier Beach. They’ll need this performance and maybe more to take down the Vikings.

Top Performers:
O’Dea
Jamie Orme, Tyler Kidd, Quin Barnard, David Woodard, Jacob Lampkin (All in double figures)

Mercer Island
Andrew Pickles-9 points (played strong defense against relentless O’Dea attack)

Mercer Island Hangs on Despite Late West Seattle Surge

Posted on February 27, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Tuesday	Feb 18th	2014	3A	Girls	Basketball
Bellevue College	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Mercer Island	11	15	13	13	52
West Seattle	11	8	11	19	49

Mercer Island Hangs on Despite Late West Seattle Surge
By Steven Dion

In the second round of the District 2 3A SeaKing Girls Basketball tournament, Mercer Island was set to face West Seattle. The Islanders received a first-round bye while West Seattle snuck past Eastside Catholic in a loser-out opener by the score of 34-33. The Wildcats have been a tough matchup throughout the season and will continue to do so in upcoming season as the starting lineup consists of three sophomores and two juniors. There is not a single senior on the roster. Mercer Island plays tough perimeter defense and boasts plenty of scoring options. Winner of this game was set to face the winner of Cleveland/Liberty.

The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair as neither team was able to build much separation to the opposition. Islander junior guard Jamie Mounger put together a strong first half by knocking down five field goals for ten points, some of which heavily contested. West Seattle countered with their 6’5 sophomore Lydia Giomi. The post was a tough matchup for MIHS on both sides of the floor as Giomi rebounded well and was able to create space and open looks under the hoop. Mercer Island showed tremendous anticipation of WSHS screens which resulted in a number of turnovers going the other way. A scoring spree midway through the second frame gave the Wildcats some breathing room and a seven point lead at the break.

The struggle for both teams to knock down perimeter shots continued in the second half. As a result, this game took place almost exclusively in the paint. The matchup down low between Giomi and Islander forward/center Anna Luce was very physical as they jockeyed for possession aggressively under the bucket. The Islanders were able to carry a double digit lead until midway through the fourth. West Seattle went on a run that brought the Wildcats within two points and a trip to the foul stripe. The shooter missed, but WS recovered and had a flurry of game-tying shots fired at the hoop in the final seconds. The could not connect and eventually fouled an Islander. After making one of two, the Cats fired one last desperation three-ball, but fell short. The Islanders were victorious by a slim margin at 52-49.

Top Performers:
Mercer Island
Jess Blakeslee-18 points (6/7 FT’s)
Jamie Mounger-14 points (5 first-half field goals)

West Seattle
Lydia Giomi-20 points (4/4 FT’s)

Garfield Dominates 4A KingCo Final

Posted on February 27, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Feb 21st	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Juanita High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Issaquah	6	18	11	30	65
Garfield	18	20	20	15	83

Garfield Dominates 4A KingCo Final
By Colin Caruso

In what was supposed to be a close battle between the Issaquah Eagles and the Garfield Bulldogs, one team proved their dominance. The packed house at Juanita High School to see the 4A KingCo final knew the Bulldogs would bring intensity and pace to the contest. The only team to defeat them all year, the Issaquah Eagles would have to match that intensity to keep this one close. Garfield ensured that their will was the way, and punished the Eagles early and often.

Garfield jumped out to an early 9-2 run, which eventually turned into a 14-4 run and an 18-6 first quarter. Issaquah was on their heels for the duration of the quarter, reacting to the speed of the Bulldogs as opposed to being the aggressor on both sides of the floor. The second quarter wasn’t much better, as the Bulldogs increased their lead to 14 points entering the second half.

The Bulldogs relentless pursuit of offensive rebounds was the difference maker throughout this contest. Repeatedly Garfield would have two to three bodies in the paint on every attempted jumper, and Issaquah’s zone was not conducive to boxing out. Garfield extended their lead again at the end of the third, 58-35.

By this point the game was completely in hand, but kudos to the Eagles for putting up 30 points in the final quarter. When the dust settled, the Bulldogs took home the KingCo title, and the #1 seed from the district into state. Issaquah is also guaranteed a state berth.

Top Performers:
Issaquah
Trevon Ary-Turner – 19 points

Garfield
Tramaine Isabell – 24 points
Brayon Blake – 20 points

Emerald Ridge Extends Season With Victory Over Tahoma

Posted on February 21, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Saturday	Feb 15th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Mount Tahoma High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Emerald Ridge	7	19	24	15	65
Tahoma	6	13	13	15	47

Emerald Ridge Extends Season With Victory Over Tahoma
By Steven Dion

Game two of the slate of District 3/4 matchups at Mount Tahoma High School on Saturday featured another consolation game with loser-out stakes attached to it and winner advances. The teams set to play were the Emerald Ridge Jaguars from South Hill and Tahoma Bears. This battle between SPSL South and North was prime for exciting play from both sides. Both teams suffered close losses in the first round of districts. Emerald Ridge fell to Stadium by one point on short rest whereas Tahoma was defeated by five points against the defending state champs in Curtis.

Tahoma picked up an early lead in the game by way of a 6-0 run in the opening minutes. Emerald Ridge had open looks, but nothing was falling until their first points of the game came with 2:51 left in the first frame on free throws. Jaguar senior post Goa Mal was a key bench player as his length in the paint created solid interior pressure. ER finally got rolling and rattled off seven straight to take the lead. They would not look back the rest of the way. Jaguar guard Marcus Harris was not afraid to let it fly in this game and despite spotty shooting at times, the senior made enough to keep warranting opportunities. Tahoma’s leading scorer Coleman Wooten was held to five points in the first half who averages nearly 26 a ballgame. At the break, the Jags led 26-19.

Much like Mal’s impact noted earlier, more of Emerald Ridge’s several role players were highlighted in the second half. Guillermo Alcaraz knocked down some back-breaking And-1s that extended the ER lead in the third. The final minute in the quarter was the Raeshon Scales Show as the sophomore buried 3 triples including one at the buzzer in front of his own bench where he was promptly mobbed afterwards. Leading 50-32 in the final quarter, the Jags were in the driver’s seat. Tahoma was resilient and earned 10 trips to the free throw line in the final eight minutes, making 8. However, Harris’ 31 points and solid contributions up and down the roster sealed a respectable victory for the Jaguars, who live to see another day in districts.

Top Performers:
Emerald Ridge
Marcus Harris-31 points (10/14 FT’s including making both after getting poked in the eye)

Tahoma
Coleman Wooten-20 points (7/11 FT’s)

Battle Ground Keeps Season Alive with Win Over Tides

Posted on February 21, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Saturday	Feb 15th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Mount Tahoma High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Battle Ground	14	12	19	20	65
Gig Harbor	14	12	13	22	61

Battle Ground Keeps Season Alive with Win Over Tides
By Steven Dion

In the consolation bracket of the District 3/4 tournament, the Battle Ground Tigers were set to take on the Tides of Gig Harbor. BGHS fell to Federal Way in the opening round on Thursday by the score of 82-58. GHHS was defeated by Beamer 67-54 in the opening round as well. In this loser-out contest, the possibility of finishing up to sixth place in the district tourney was still up for grabs by these unfamiliar opponents.

The bulk of early shots by the Tigers were launched by Devin Johnson and Jamie Ford. The forward/guard duo was an integral factor in the outcome of the game and provided solid offensive output despite some difficulty finding consistent rhythm. After the teams were knotted at 14 apiece following the first quarter break, the court began to open up. Each squad was flying up and down the court, but it took until the final minutes before the half to reach the twenties when a string of shots fell for both sides. After sixteen minutes of play tied at 26 apiece, the contest was right as it started. Battle Ground’s strong perimeter defense covered their offensive struggles as the Tigers were 8 of 26 field goals.

The intensity naturally grew in the second half as the reality that one team’s season would be coming to an end clearly resonated on the court. The first offensive possession for Gig Harbor was an And-1 by Casey Gearhart off an offensive board. The junior played big for the Tides on both ends of the floor including a team-high 16 points. But Johnson from the Tigers gave GHHS trouble on the low block throughout as the strong 6’6” junior plays a traditional “back-to-the-hoop” post game. Trailing by nearly double digits down the stretch, Gig Harbor needed buckets. Chris Drake, Chad Glover, and Sam Lovrak rose to the challenge. The Tide trio buried six from downtown in the final minutes to keep the game within reach. However, the Tigers were automatic from the free-throw line as they kept the Tides from stealing the game late. Battle Ground’s 21 of 29 from the charity stripe was the difference in the game and they move on in the tournament. The Tides season is over. Final score 65 to 61.

Top Performers:
Battle Ground
Jamie Ford, Nate Moring, Damien Ford, Devin Johnson (all scored in double figures)

Gig Harbor
Casey Gearhart-16 points, memorable block on defense

Cleveland Defeats Blanchet for Back-To-Back Metro League Titles

Posted on February 21, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Feb 14th	2014	3A	Girls	Basketball
Garfield High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Cleveland	19	20	11	13	65
Blanchet	19	10	10	11	50

Cleveland Defeats Blanchet for Back-To-Back Metro League Titles
By Steven Dion

Garfield High School played host to the boys and girls 3A championship games for the Metro League tonight, the first of two the girls game featuring Cleveland and Bishop Blanchet. Cleveland won this game last year over Seattle Prep and eventually won the state title. Bishop Blanchet is a team on the rise that seems poised to be in contention for years to come. Would the Eagles repeat as Metro champs or would the newcomers shock everyone at the GHS gym Friday night?

The first half was back-and-forth as Bishop Blanchet traded three pointers from freshman guard Taylor Chambers with buckets from Cleveland’s variety of scoring options. It appeared we were set for a high octane game as the first quarter score read 21-19 in favor of the defending champs. The Eagles eventually found their groove of suffocating defense in the second quarter as a number of turnovers in the backcourt on successive possessions resulted in a growing lead for CHS. When playing Cleveland, it is understood that field goals count for twice as much because they score in bunches. At the half, Cleveland held a double digit lead.

Bishop Blanchet caught their opponent on the heels early in the third quarter as the Eagles’ lead was cut to six midway through the frame. Jaydn Bush played solid on both sides of the floor as the freshman blocked several shots as well as made several buckets for the Braves. Blanchet battled throughout the game, but Cleveland is the defending state champs for a reason as senior Makala Roper buried several clutch shots down the stretch to put the game out of reach for the challenger. When the buzzer sounded, the Eagles raised the hardware for the second consecutive year by the final score of 65-50. After first round byes, Cleveland will face the winner of Liberty/Seattle Prep and Bishop Blanchet will take on the victor of Juanita/Holy Names in the first round of the SeaKing district playoffs.

Top Performers:
Cleveland
Cleveland-Myzhanique Ladd, Jayde Christopher, Alexia Mefi, Makala Roper (All double-digit scorers)

Blanchet
Bishop Blanchet-Taylor Chambers, Jaydn Bush (double-digit scoring, strong defensive effort)

Seattle Prep Sails Past Bainbridge for Fifth Seed

Posted on February 21, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Thursday	Feb 13th	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
Seattle Prep	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Bainbridge	7	9	11	15	42
Seattle Prep	15	7	10	25	57

Seattle Prep Sails Past Bainbridge for Fifth Seed
By Steven Dion

Thursday night marks day three of the Metro League tournament and the battle for the five seed pitted the Prep Panthers and Bainbridge Spartans. Both teams have already punched their ticket to districts but the result of this contest determined the matchups in the SeaKing tourney. The winner would face the 7th seed from Metro in West Seattle and the team with the loss would meet third seed from KingCo in Mount Si. The Panthers have beaten the Spartans in their lone matchup on January 17th, would the visitors from the island return the favor?

The game got off to a slow start as the first points of the game were not scored for the first 2:10 of the game. Prep sharpshooter Jack Stewart was unable to connect on his early attempts from the perimeter, something uncharacteristic for the junior guard. However, the Spartans had scoring issues in the first quarter too as the first bucket came at 4:11 left in the frame. Give Prep’s defense credit as BHS scored only seven points in the first quarter. Coach Kelly’s defensive gameplan continued to succeed as the Panthers established good position to disrupt shots and forces offensive charges. Sophomore Eric Van Hare was a spark off the bench as he drew back to back charges before the half. The low scoring nature of this game would take a 22-16 Prep lead into the break.

The second half would continue the exciting matchup of bigs in SPHS forward Sean Gummersall and Spartan center Oskar Dieterich. They scored some of their team’s most crucial buckets as the posts registered eight and seven points respectively. Seattle Prep’s dynamic guard Aaron Nettles played with his high intensity style on both ends of the floor as one of his highlights was an and-one after knocking down a circus shot in traffic. The freshman scored a game-high 14 points. Bainbridge guard Blake Swanson knocked down shots late, but the damage was done and the game was too far out for the Spartans to recover. The relentless Seattle Prep defense was the x-factor of this contest as BHS was only able to score 42 in a playoff game. The Panthers were able to pick up a 57-42 win in front of their home crowd.

Top Performers:
Bainbridge
Trent Schulte – 9 points (3 3-pt FG’s, all in fourth quarter)

Seattle Prep
Aaron Nettles – 14 points (2/3 FT’s, 2 3-pt FG’s)

Reigning Champs Curtis Prevails Over Conks

Posted on February 21, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Tuesday	Feb 11th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
ShoWare Center	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Curtis	17	21	16	10	64
Kentwood	14	11	13	14	52

Reigning Champs Curtis Prevails Over Conks
By Steven Dion

The battle for third and fourth place in the final regular season standings of the South Puget Sound League featured the defending 4A champions in Curtis and a dark horse Kentwood squad. Tim Kelly’s Vikings are mostly a new-look squad compared to the victorious team of last year with some familiar faces. However, Curtis is still a formidable contender to make a run in the 4A tournament. The Conks have firepower primarily through freshman guard Darius Lubom. Blake Solomon’s Kentwood team is able to contend with top teams now, but is built for a bright future with their young talent.

Curtis established their desire to execute on both sides of the court and were able to shoot an efficient 64% from the field in the first quarter while limiting the opposition to 40% field goals. The Viking defense effectively forced several turnovers by pressuring the Conks to dribble through traffic. Kentwood seemed to struggle finding continuity offensively, but managed to put up enough points to keep the game within reach needing a strong second half. Lubom’s ten points in the first two frames helped to cut a big KHS deficit to 13 before the break.

It appeared Curtis had the Conks on the ropes early in the second half as the lead continued to grow early in the third, but the Viks seemingly took their collective foot off the pedal slightly. Free throws began to rim out and sloppy offensive play gave Kentwood a window to climb back into the contest. The Conks cut down the Curtis lead to single digits, but there was not enough clock for KHS to reach the summit. At the end of regulation, the 2013 4A champs came away with a 64-52 win, good for a third place finish in the South Puget Sound League. The Viks have their work cut out for them if their season is to wrap up at the Tacoma Dome again come March.

Top Performers:
Kentwood
Darius Lubom – 14 points (5/8 FG’s, 3/5 FT’s)

Curtis
Aushanti Potts-Woods – 19 points (8/15 FG’s, 3/3 FT’s)

Kentwood Girls Conquer the Viks in Third Place SPSL Showdown

Posted on February 21, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Tuesday	Feb 11th	2014	4A	Girls	Basketball
ShoWare Center	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Kentwood	17	13	10	17	57
Puyallup	8	16	8	14	46

Kentwood Girls Conquer the Viks in Third Place SPSL Showdown
By Steven Dion

The first of four matchups at the ShoWare Center on Tuesday night was the battle for third place in the SPSL between Kentwood and Puyallup. The Conks are led by University of Hawaii commit Sarah Toeaina, a 12-letter varsity earner. Puyallup features a dynamic guard/post duo of Braylie Jeffers and Addie Picha. This north versus south battle would provide an admirable third place finish in a competitive South Puget Sound League.

Kentwood took an early grip of this contest by grabbing a double digit lead in the first half. The physicality of this game was prominent as there were Vikings and Conquerors strewn along the hardwood fighting for loose balls. The Lady Viks were able to pull themselves out of a big deficit before the conclusion of the first half, primarily through a pair of triples by Jeffers and Sarah Steimle. The Conks took a 30-24 lead into the locker room.

As if the intensity in the first half was not enough for those in the grandstands, the second half jumped up another notch in the final sixteen minutes. Coach Ainslie put Christina Holland on the floor in the third quarter for PHS and picked up a noticeable return in energy and momentum for the Viks. The Conks countered with strong play by Alycea DeLong, a primarily contributor of offensive rebounds and second chances at the offensive end of the floor. Puyallup clawed back in the contest and were within one to two possessions during the fourth quarter, but the intentional foul game started. Toeaina demonstrated the senior leadership by knocking downs shots from the charity stripe and effectively sealed the deal for the Conquerors. Final score: Kentwood 57 Puyallup 46.

Top Performers:
Kentwood
Sarah Toeaina – 16 points (10/14 FT’s)

Puyallup
Addie Picha – 14 points

Garfield Coasts to State Berth

Posted on February 18, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Feb 14th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Juanita High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Eastlake	13	14	15	22	64
Garfield	18	18	19	19	74

Bulldogs Outpower Wolves
By Colin Caruso

In the primetime matchup in the 4A KingCo Tournament, the Garfield Bulldogs faced off against the Eastlake Wolves for a spot in the KingCo Final and an automatic trip to the state tournament. In their only other matchup this season, Garfield put together a dominating 23 point win. This game, due to its magnitude, proved to be much closer to that.

Eastlake was not going to let their previous defeat let them down, as they came out fighting in this contest. If it wasn’t for a couple of missed layups in the first quarter, the Wolves would have trailed by just one. But those misses hurt, and Garfield took a five point lead into the second.

The second quarter stayed fairly close as Garfield held a double digit lead for less than one minute midway through the frame. With just five seconds left in the quarter, Tramaine Isabell, senior guard for the Bulldogs, pulled up from about 30 feet and knocked down a three pointer to push the Bulldog halftime lead to nine.

Garfield continued to control the pace in the third quarter, extending their halftime lead to as many as 17. As the seconds winded down in the third, Garfield continued to put pressure on the Wolves, and took a secure 13 point lead into the fourth.

The Bulldogs were in a groove throughout this contest. Every time the Wolves made a run, Garfield was right there to answer with either a spectacular drive to the basket or ferocious offensive rebounding leading to a put back bucket. This continued in the fourth quarter, as the Bulldogs bulldogged their way into the lane and capitalizing off their own misses. Eastlake won the fourth quarter but it wasn’t enough to take the game, as the Bulldogs advanced to play Issaquah in the KingCo final, where both teams qualify for state.

Eastlake will have to win three straight games to qualify for state, with the last contest coming against the third seed from the Wesco district in a winner in, loser out game.

Top Performers:
Eastlake
Davis Woerner – 19 points
Jordan Lester – 17 points

Garfield
Tramaine Isabell – 28 points
Brayon Blake – 18 points

With a Punishing First Quarter, Issaquah Takes Down Roosevelt

Posted on February 18, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Feb 14th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Juanita High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Roosevelt	3	18	24	23	68
Issaquah	17	17	20	24	78

With a Punishing First Quarter, Issaquah Takes Down Roosevelt
By Colin Caruso

To the winner go the spoils in this contest; the 4A KingCo League semifinal matchup between Issaquah and Roosevelt. With a trip to state on the line for the winner, and a horrible draw to reach state for the loser, both teams were fighting tooth and nail for this precious victory.

Issaquah started the contest pretty much as well as they possibly could have. A punishing 17-3 lockdown in the first quarter, sparked by great defense and unfortunate finishing by the Rough Riders gave Issaquah a huge momentum boost. The Eagles biggest lead of the game came after another basket to start the second, leading 20-3 and poised for a blowout.

But Roosevelt would not back down. They continued to claw back on the shoulders of Nathan Batisti’s 21 points and Cam Haslam’s 16. They closed the gap to just nine entering the fourth quarter, and got as close as six three separate times in the fourth. But the Eagles always answered and it came from an unfamiliar source.

Sophomore Trevon Ary-Turner’s previous career high was 16 points against these Roughriders earlier in the season, which concluded in a 12 point win. This time he blew up, scorching Roosevelt from three and putting in an amazing 32 points and leading his Eagles to victory. Issaquah was also unconscious from the free-throw line, making all but one in the fourth quarter to seal their trip to state with a 78-68 victory.

Roosevelt will now have to win three straight to secure a spot in the state tournament.

Top Performers:
Roosevelt
Nathan Batisti – 21 points

Issaquah
Trevon Ary-Turner – 32 points
Tyler Gibson – 17 points

O’Dea’s Huge Second Quarter Downs Quakers

Posted on February 18, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Thursday	Feb 13th	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
O'Dea High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Franklin	16	6	9	10	41
O'Dea	15	32	16	14	77

O’Dea’s Huge Second Quarter Downs Quakers
By Colin Caruso

With Metro’s third seed going to the winner and fourth seed going to the loser, O’Dea and Franklin battled on Thursday for the higher seed going into the SeaKing District Tournament. With not a lot of difference between the two seeds going forward, Franklin sat their second leading scorer Eugene Artison, which proved to dismantle the Quakers in the second through fourth quarters.

With Keith Smith already sidelined with a partially torn meniscus for the Quakers, Franklin looked to other players for the scoring void left by their two top scorers out. They found it in the first quarter, distributing the ball well and taking a 16-15 lead into the second. And then everything went sour.

On the back of Quin Barnard, a 5’11 sophomore guard for the Fighting Irish of O’Dea, the Irish outscored the struggling Quakers by 26 points in the second quarter. The Quaker offense did not look anything like it did in the first quarter. Turnover after turnover plagued Franklin, leading to easy finishes at the basket for the Irish and an onslaught of three pointers, led by Barnard.

With a heft 47-22 lead going into halftime, O’Dea was comfortable heading into the third and final quarters. With the scoring void for Franklin, they were not able to put together any big run that even made this game close. O’Dea controlled the rest of the contest, and prevailed with a staggering 77-41 win.

Top Performer:
O’Dea
Quin Barnard – 21 points

Woodinville Soars Over Eastlake in 81 Point Effort

Posted on February 9, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Jan 31st	2014	4A	Girls	Basketball
Eastlake High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Woodinville	15	18	17	31	81
Eastlake	12	12	13	32	69

Woodinville Soars Over Eastlake in 81 Point Effort
By Steven Dion

Two of the top 4A girls teams in #8 Eastlake (10-2 league, 14-3 overall) and Woodinville (9-3, 11-6) met up Friday night for a pivotal battle in the KingCo Crest division. The Lady Wolves are led by post Marijke Vanderschaaf and her 14.3 points per game and superior rebounding ability. Woodinville boasts a lineup full of scoring options including Emily Spencer, Mackenzie Campbell, and Gabby Phillips. The importance of this league matchup was reflected in the attendance as there was a strong turnout for the clash of first and third place in the standings.

The first half opened at an up-tempo pace as both teams were aggressive on getting to the bucket. Vanderschaaf quickly established her rebounding presence as the 6’3 post plucked the ball from air time and time again. Woodinville grabbed a 15-12 lead in the first quarter highlighted by a steal at midcourt by Sabin Keo and a nice dish to Campbell for the score. The Wolves used their length advantage early in the second frame by feeding Ellie Woerner and Vanderschaaf in the paint for high percentage shots. EHS was in the bonus early which yielded several trips to the charity stripe. However, Woodinville’s will to control the pace of the game was felt as the quarter progressed. Falcon senior Erin Hamilton knocked down some tough shots in the lane. Additionally, the defensive awareness of WHS was demonstrated several times as the Falcons took a handful of charges to gain possession. At the half, the home team led 33-24.

Eastlake’s deficit continued to grow into the second half as a 5-0 run to start the third forced the Wolves to call a timeout and regroup down 38-24. Woodinville was simply clicking on this night as four players scored in double figures and their ability to score down low and from three point range kept EHS on the ropes all night. The Wolves were resilient though and made a strong effort to climb back in the game. The Woodinville lead was cut to single digits at the 2:30 mark in the fourth as EHS opted to foul throughout the quarter to protect the clock. Vanderschaaf made 5 buckets in the final eight minutes, but Woodinville refused to let their led dip below seven points. The Falcons cruised to a solid victory in which they scored 81 points over the first place team in KingCo in front of their home crowd. The Wolves notched 69 points in the contest. Do not be surprised if these two teams meet up again this season.

Top Performers:
Woodinville
Emily Spencer 19 points, Mackenzie Campbell 18 points

Eastlake
Marijke Vanderschaaf 23 points, Ellie Woerner 19 points

Beach Proves their Strength

Posted on February 9, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Feb 7th	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
Rainier Beach High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Franklin	8	13	4	15	40
Rainier Beach	27	27	19	17	90

Beach Proves their Strength
By Colin Caruso

With leading scorer Keith Smith of the Franklin Quakers sidelined with a partially torn meniscus, the general public knew this would be a tough contest for Franklin against the mighty Rainier Beach Vikings. The Vikings recently climbed to #2 in the country and are widely considered if not the best team in the nation in high school, at least in the top 5. They have taken multiple trips to other states to play the finest opponents in the nation, and Beach has yet to be touched.

This contest was the last game of the regular season for both teams, with Rainier Beach locked in the #1 seed in Metro and Franklin vying for the three seed. With a loss they claimed the four seed, and that is what ensued.

On senior night Beach came out ready to play, and Franklin was not prepared for the offensive onslaught. Beach put up 27 points in both the first and second quarters, roughly 3.5 points per minute. The threes from Shaqquan Aaron, David Crisp, and Naim Ladd were all falling, and Franklin could not find an answer.

With the game in firm grasp after the first half, Rainier Beach coach Mike Bethea experimented with a few line up changes to allow his players to mesh. They continued to extend their lead in the second half, connecting on alley-oops and relentlessly crashing the offensive glass. Beach came away with a commanding win, 90-40.

Top Performer:
Rainier Beach
Shaqquan Aaron – 20 points