Author Archives: Steven Dion

Puyallup Secures 2nd Place in SPSL-South Over Jags

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Puyallup Runs Past Rams on Rivalry Night
By Nic Beckman

Tuesday- February 2nd 2016 Boys 4A SPSL-South
Spanaway Lake High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Emerald Ridge 10 12 11 11 44
Puyallup 10 10 16 20 56

Emerald Ridge and Puyallup played at Spanaway Lake on Tuesday night to determine the number 2 and 3 seeds for the SPSL South. One week ago these two teams played to a one point, 55-54 overtime win for the Jaguars at PHS. Puyallup still without second leading scorer Tony Gutierrez suffering from a quadriceps contusion, has had to adjust their play down the stretch. The lingering injury and treatment has kept the senior off the court for nearly a month to end the regular season. Gutierrez hopes to be back for playoff action on Thursday night. The Vikings have relied on a number of other players to step up to fill the void. Emerald Ridge coach Pat Mullen and Viking coach Scott Campbell had their teams ready to play and the first quarter was indicative of these teams familiarity with each other. The Jags Daniel Gregory and Viking Deven Neff each with a pair of 3’s had their teams tied at 10 after the first quarter. The second period had the Jaguars hitting four from beyond the arc two from Donald Bango while Puyallup made 4 of 5 free throws and converted in the paint to keep it close. At the half Emerald Ridge held a 2 point lead 22-20. Vikings Deven Neff would lead all scorers with 8 at the half and Daniel Gregory had 7 for the Jags.

The opening of the second half saw the Vikings start with 3 turnovers and ER’s Chase McGuire with back to back buckets gave the Jags their largest lead at 26-20 with 6:37 left in the quarter. Coach Campbell called time out to settle his team. The Vikings responded as Jaden Vollmen and Brennan Winter with a pair of baskets followed by a Deven Neff 3, put the Viks up 27-26. Andrew Boston put the Jaguars back on top with a bucket inside. Jaden Vollmen with a dime to Brooks Ballmer under the hoop followed it up with two hard drives to the rim and Puyallup was up 33-30. ER had problems from the free throw going 1-5 in the third. Chase McGuire would add another field goal for all 6 of his points on the night, but Puyallup’s leading scorer Deven Neff with a pair of 3’s and strong move in the lane, would get 8 of his game high 17 and the Vikings out scored ER 16-11 in the period to take the lead at 36-33 heading into the fourth.

Fouls mounted for PHS and Emerald Ridge got to the line early in the fourth, where they collected 5 of 9 for half of their quarter total. On the other end, Puyallup gained momentum from sophomore Landen Neff, who converted at the rim twice and Brennan Winter stepped up and knocked down a 3 and the Vikings built a 9 point lead at 45-36. Winter who did a great job rebounding also put in 13 points for his team helping to fill the Gutierrez void. Jaden Vollmen continued to push the pace for the Vikings keeping the pressure on Emerald Ridge. Vollmen would tally 14 for Puyallup. Jags senior Raeshon Scales with a pair of 3’s in the first half tried to keep his team in it with two jumpers just inside the arc, would finish with a team high 10 points. A Tyler Torgerson 3 put the Viks on top 50-39 giving them their largest lead of the night at 2:50 left in regulation. The lead forced the Jags to foul PHS with the clock winding under 2 minutes, but with only 3 fouls in the half cost Emerald Ridge nearly 30 seconds as ER tried to get the Vikings into the bonus. Puyallup would hit 6 of 8 from the line to close out the game. Puyallup’s top 3 scorers would equal the total ER output as Brennan Winter with a season high 13, Jaden Vollmen’s 14, combined with Deven Neff’s 17 would secure the #2 seed from the SPSL South. The Final Score Vikings 56 Jaguars 44.

Emerald Ridge will face the winner of Kent Meridian vs Rogers on Saturday at 6pm as the #3 seed to gain either the 7th or 9th seed from the SPSL heading into West Central District III play. #2 seed Puyallup will see Kentridge at the ShoWare on Thursday, the winner getting the SPSL #4 seed, the loser will play Jefferson on Saturday for either the SPSL #5 or #6 seed.

The Final Score
Puyallup 72, Rogers-Puyallup 57.

Top Performers:
Puyallup
Deven Neff- 17 points
Jaden Vollmen- 14 points
Brennan Winter- 13 points

Emerald Ridge
Raeshon Scales- 10 points
Daniel Gregory- 8 points
Donald Bango- 7 points

Audio Recap: Emerald Ridge vs. Puyallup

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Game Recap
Emerald Ridge vs. Puyallup 2-2-16

Tuesday night presented a pivotal SPSL contest for 2nd place in the division race between Emerald Ridge Jaguars and the Puyallup Vikings on a neutral floor at Spanaway Lake High School. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the game!

To listen to the game recap, simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

 

Rainier Beach Defends Crawford Court Against Garfield

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Rainier Beach Defends Crawford Court Against Garfield
By Steve Dion

Tuesday- February 2nd 2016 Boys 3A Metro
Rainier Beach High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Garfield 21 20 13 15 69
Rainier Beach 20 16 20 20 76


Rainier Beach combo guard Kevin Porter

In a rematch of last year’s 3A state final, the defending champs Garfield ventured south to Crawford Court to take on Rainier Beach in front of a capacity crowd for a battle of the top teams in Washington.

Kevin Porter gave Rainier Beach an early lift by scoring ten first quarter points as part of his sixteen total including a pair of thunderous dunks. The Bulldogs’ lethal back-court of Jashaun Agosto, Daejon Davis, Terrell Brown, and Jaylen Nowell were faced with the challenge of operating without versatile forward Alphonso Anderson. Garfield received ample contributions from the four guard and carried a 41-36 lead to halftime through high-percentage buckets on dribble penetration.

The Bulldog lead reached eight in the opening minutes of the third frame and was dangerously close to hitting double digits, but Beach fought back. Tijohn Rodde knocked down a pair from downtown Seattle as part of an extended run for the home team which brought the score within two heading into the final quarter.

Sam Cunliffe who led all scorers with 25 continued to attack the rim with ferocity and helped the Vikings grab the lead and start to pull away. Daejon Davis who led GHS with a team-high 21 battled back with acrobatic finishes at the cup to keep the champs within striking distance. Needing a clutch bucket late, Agosto answered with a monster three-pointer to draw the game within a point leaving only 26 seconds to spare. Rainier Beach’s ability to bury free throws in the final possessions allowed them to create separation and secure a seven point victory.

The Final Score
Rainier Beach 76, Garfield 69.

Top Performer:

Rainier Beach
Sam Cunliffe- 25 points

Garfield
Daejon Davis- 21 points

Audio Recap: Kentridge vs. Kent-Meridian

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Game Recap
Kentridge vs. Kent-Meridian 1-28-16


Kentridge Senior Forward Joran Ticeson

A pivotal SPSL-Northeast contest between Kentridge and Kent-Meridian took center stage at the ShoWare Center Thursday night. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the contest including post-game comments by Kentridge senior forward Joran Ticeson!

To listen to the game recap, simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

 

Audio Recap: Kentridge vs. Kent-Meridian (Girls)

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Game Recap
Kentridge vs. Kent-Meridian (Girls) 1-28-16


Kentridge Head Coach Bob Sandall

The opening game of the Kent Shootout placed the Kentridge Chargers against the Kent-Meridian Royals. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the match-up including post-game comments from Kentridge coach Bob Sandall!

To listen to the game recap, simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

 

Audio Recap: Puyallup vs. Rogers-Puyallup

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Game Recap
Puyallup vs. Rogers-Puyallup 1-29-16

Friday was rivalry night and crosstown opponents Puyallup and Rogers-Puyallup met for the second and final time this season. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the game!

To listen to the game recap, simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

 

Audio Recap: West Seattle vs. Bishop Blanchet

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Game Recap
West Seattle vs. Bishop Blanchet 1-27-16


West Seattle Head Coach Darnell Taylor

Wednesday night featured the much anticipated Metro League match-up between undefeated West Seattle and Bishop Blanchet. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the contest including post-game comments from West Seattle head coach Darnell Taylor!

To listen to the game recap, simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

 

Puyallup Runs Past Rams on Rivalry Night

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Puyallup Runs Past Rams on Rivalry Night
By Nic Beckman

Friday- January 29th 2016 Boys 4A SPSL-South
Rogers High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Rogers-Puyallup 27 11 13 6 57
Puyallup 24 14 17 17 72

The final night of regular season play in the SPSL-South had two Viking teams heading to South Hill. First place Curtis brought their 11-0 record into Emerald Ridge who were coming off their overtime win at Puyallup. The Jaguars were looking to knock off the top dog and secure the second spot in the division heading into post season play. Meanwhile, another Viking team was invading the opposite flank of the hill, Puyallup was at Rogers. This long standing rivalry game had meaning for both. Puyallup chasing Emerald Ridge for the second spot was in a must win situation after the one point OT loss to the Jags just three days ago. Rogers with only 4 wins in the division was in the spoiler role on senior night and claiming victory against a fierce rival provided incentive enough that would be a highlight of a tough season. Seniors Konnor Bandley’s 7 and Braden Hannold’s 10 points in the first quarter provided the push to give the Rams a 27-24 lead after the first. But Puyallup sophomore Landen Neff kept the Viks close hitting three 3’s and a field goal for 11.

As the adrenaline of the opening period started to dissipate the shooting cooled off but the intensity remained. At 3:01 of the second, the game was tied at 33, Jaden Vollmen at the rim and another Landen Neff 3 put the Viks up 38-33 at just under two minutes. The Rams responded with 5 of their own, Braden Hannold fouled on a tap back got the and one for his only points of the quarter tied the game again at 38 with 1:01 on the clock. The halftime score 38-38, Landen Neff leading all scorers with 15 on four 3’s in the half. Hannold leading the Rams with 13.

After a couple Rams baskets by seniors Daniel O’Brien and Hannold to get a 42-38 lead, PHS seniors Jaden Vollmen and Deven Neff each with 7 first half points got the Viks going in the third and went on a 10-0 run to put the Viks up 48-42. But O’Brien and the Rams responded with back to back scores and the lead was down to a possession. Vollmen with 10 third quarter points would give Puyallup a four point lead after three, Viks up 55-51.

Meanwhile, at Emerald Ridge, the Vikings of Curtis held a tenuous one point advantage at 55-54 over the Jaguars. The fourth quarter at both gyms would answer a lot of questions and maybe create a couple more depending on the final score.

At Rogers, defense would decide the outcome. The Vikings coach Scott Campbell had taken off the back court pressure most of the night had his team turn up the heat. Puyallup held the Rams to just 4 points in the first 4 minutes but the Rams defense and rebounding where keeping the Viks from pulling away, with 3:33 left Rogers was behind by just a couple of Deven Neff three’s at 61-55. Neff with a right handed tear drop in the lane stretched it to 63-55 followed by a Tyler Torgerson steal and basket had the Rams looking at a 10 point deficit with just 2:43 remaining. Puyallup would out score Rogers 17-6 in the fourth and finish going away, 8 by Deven Neff, 4 more by sophomore brother Landen. The sophomore would spoil senior night for the Rams and lead all scorers with 21. The difference in the defense showed up in the final quarter, but the difference in the score came from beyond the arc. Both teams with four 3’s to open the game, it was Puyallup who finished with 10 3’s, while the Rams could only tally one more for five 3’s on the night. The Final Score Vikings 72 Rams 57.

While final game congratulations were being handed out at Rogers the final from Emerald Ridge was being spread like wildfire. Curtis with five players in double digits lead by Aushanti Potts-Woods with 24 and Glenn Jordan with 15 held off the Jags Daniel Gregory’s 21 point night and Jason Cassens with 15 to get the second Viking win on South Hill Friday night, The Final Score 74-70.

Second place in the SPSL South is now the prize to be claimed at a neutral sight on Tuesday night. Emerald Ridge and Puyallup will face off for the second time in a week to see who will be the number 2 seed in the SPSL-South division heading into the playoffs.

The Final Score
Puyallup 72, Rogers-Puyallup 57.
Top Performers:
Puyallup
Landen Neff- 21 points
Deven Neff- 18 points
Jaden Vollmen- 17 points

Rogers-Puyallup
Braden Hannold- 18 points
Konnor Bandley- 14 points
Daniel O’Brien- 11 points

League Leading Issaquah Spoils Redmond Senior Night

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League Leading Issaquah Spoils Redmond Senior Night
By Steve Dion

Friday- January 29th 2016 Boys 4A KingCo
Redmond High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Redmond 14 15 12 10 51
Issaquah 16 4 24 22 66


Issaquah senior Jason Crandall

The final home game on Redmond’s schedule took place Friday night against league-leading Issaquah. The Mustang seniors were honored prior to the contest adding to the anticipation for the home crowd who understood the playoff implications it carried. The Eagles were carrying a slight edge over Woodinville for the division lead, so Issaquah had plenty to play for in this game as well.

IHS jumped out early to a 16-6 lead in which they simply knocked down shots despite an honest Redmond defensive effort. However, a switch flipped in the contest sparked by senior guard Kevin Carpenter as Redmond put together a 21-2 run which nearly extended to halftime. Redmond senior Sava Trifunovic registered 8 points in the half to help give the ‘Stangs a 29-20 lead heading into the locker room.

Much like the start of the contest, Issaquah started the second half with some fire to quickly erase the deficit. Trevon Ary-Turner and Scott Kellum led the charge as the Eagles duo combined for 29 of their combined 38 points in the final two quarters. Within three minutes of the third quarter, the Redmond lead vanished. The 18-3 Issy run took the wind out the Mustang sails and the gap continued to grow. A 46 point second half proved too much for RHS and the Eagles avoided a pressure-packed ending to the game.

The Final Score
Issaquah 51, Redmond 36.

Top Performer:
Issaquah
Trevon Ary-Turner- 22 points

Issaquah Secures Important League Win Over Redmond

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Issaquah Secures Important League Win Over Redmond
By Steve Dion

Friday- January 29th 2016 Girls 4A KingCo
Redmond High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Redmond 12 12 3 9 36
Issaquah 11 11 17 12 51


Issaquah senior Tatum Dow

With a crowded top-half of the 4A KingCo girls standings and Issaquah in the mix, every game down the stretch is imperative to secure a playoff spot including Friday’s matchup with Redmond. Neither team could gain a lead more than a handful of points in the first half as both squads traded buckets. At times, the court looked like a war zone as multiple players would dive for loose balls and scrums developed in the paint. This made for an exciting start and the home Redmond team led by a pair at the break 24-22.

The Eagles took hold of the contest in the second half by knocking down tough shots through contact. Tatum Dow led the charge by scoring 10 in the quarter as part of a solid stretch that helped build an ever-growing lead. Dow’s 12 in the game joined Lauren Longo and Mariah VanHalm as Issaquah’s trio of double-figure scorers who added 10 and 17 respectively Despite the efforts of Teagyn Ohrt and her team-high 12 points, Redmond was unable to rally back in the final quarter. With the win, Issaquah remains firmly intact in the playoff chase.

The Final Score
Issaquah 51, Redmond 36.

Top Performers:
Issaquah
Mariah VanHalm- 17 points

Redmond
Teagyn Ohrt- 12 points

Kentlake Soars Past Kentwood, Perfect League Record Remains Intact

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Kentlake Soars Past Kentwood, Perfect League Record Remains Intact
By Steve Dion

Thursday- January 28th 2016 Girls 4A SPSL-Northeast
ShoWare Center 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Kentwood 5 13 10 8 36
Kentlake 12 10 12 20 54


Kentlake junior Jada Leonard

Eighth ranked Kentlake squared off against Kentwood on Thursday night in an SPSL-Northeast showdown. The Falcons grabbed an early lead in which Sydney Peterson scored her team’s first ten points. The Conks struggled to find its rhythm by netting five points in the first quarter. Eventually, Kentwood clawed back to draw within a single point, but Kentlake used this as motivation to increase the gap once again.

An explosive second half for Kentlake highlighted by another pair of Peterson’s four buckets from downtown and six of Aniston Denckla’s ten in the ballgame allowed Kentlake to create separation that would carry the rest of the game. Zaria Jones led the Conks with 11 in the losing effort. Meanwhile, the Falcons continue to fine-tune for the playoffs which are quickly approaching.

The Final Score
Kentlake 54, Kentwood 36.

Top Performers:
Kentlake
Sydney Peterson- 20 points

Kentwood
Zaria Jones- 11 points

Kentridge’s Ticeson Nets 34 in Shootout with Royals

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Kentridge’s Ticeson Nets 34 in Shootout with Royals
By Steve Dion

Thursday- January 28th 2016 Boys 4A SPSL-Northeast
ShoWare Center 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Kent-Meridian 19 12 13 15 59
Kentridge 17 15 7 21 60


Kentridge senior Elijah Ticeson

Kentridge forward Joran Ticeson and Kent-Meridian guard Romaine Jackson matched buckets as the two play-makers recorded 34 and 29 respectively in a Thursday night nail-biter. The SPSL-Northeast opponents with matching 4-3 league record and tied for second place in the division understood the magnitude of this game and there was a playoff intensity present.

The up-tempo style of Kent-Meridian clashed with the deliberate, half-court attack of the Chargers. Joran Ticeson led all scorers with 32 in the ballgame through domination in the block. Romaine Jackson scored 29 points for the Royals including a tough circus shot in addition to drawing a foul in the air. Seconds later, he picked off the inbound and gave the Royals a one point lead on his putback. However, AJ Chappell drew contact on the ensuing possession in which he buried both free throws to put Kentridge back on top. After the game, Ticeson commented on Chappell’s clutch free throws stating, “I believed in him…I had 100% trust in him to make those shots.” The final desperation shots by the Royals rimmed out and the Chargers held on for a gutsy win. This was a big win for the Chargers according to Ticeson who said, “We were feeling kind of down, but this game brought us up…we’re in second place now and that was the tie-breaker.”

The Final Score
Kentridge 60, Kent-Meridian 59.

Top Performers:
Kentridge
Joran Ticeson- 34 points

Kent-Meridian
Romaine Jackson- 29 points

Kentridge Charges Past Royals in Kent Shootout Opener

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Kentridge Charges Past Royals in Kent Shootout Opener
By Steve Dion

Thursday- January 28th 2016 Girls 4A SPSL-Northeast
ShoWare Center 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Kent-Meridian 4 4 9 5 22
Kentridge 11 10 14 11 46


Kentridge junior Taylor Jenkins

All eleven Chargers scored in the opening game of the Kent Shootout to keep Kentridge on pace with Kentlake in the chase for the SPSL-Northeast crown. Coach Bob Sandall said Kent-Meridian’s “two post players are really good, and we just really had to try to take it away from them”. This strategy worked to Kentridge’s success as the Royals were limited to eight points in the first half. Tresai McCarver and JaQuaya Miller led the Chargers with 5 and 4 first half points respectively. They led KM 21-8 heading into the break.

One of the two skilled posts Coach Sandall referred to Savannah Lackey sparked the Royals in the third quarter with a half dozen points of her game-high ten points. However, the Kentridge guard combination of Bronte Fougere and Morgan Gary proved too much down the stretch as they pulled away to secure a comfortable win.

As the playoffs approach and Kentridge finds itself in position to make a run in February, playing well in a neutral site like the ShoWare Center can pay dividends later on. To this point, Coach Sandall stated, “It’s a nice change for the kids and us coaches as well…to play in a different environment is helpful.”

The Final Score
Kentridge 46, Kent-Meridian 22.

Top Performers:
Kentridge
Monique Gary- 9 points

Kent-Meridian
Savannah Lackey- 10 points

Audio Recap: Emerald Ridge vs. Puyallup

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Game Recap
Emerald Ridge vs. Puyallup 1-26-16

A pivotal game in the South Puget Sound League took place on Tuesday night between Emerald Ridge and Puyallup. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the contest including in-game sound!

To listen to the game recap, simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

 

West Seattle Claims Sole Possession of Metro Lead, Tops Braves

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West Seattle Claims Sole Possession of Metro Lead, Tops Braves
By Steve Dion

Wednesday- January 27th 2016 Girls 3A Metro
West Seattle High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Bishop Blanchet 6 8 6 10 30
West Seattle 13 11 9 11 44


West Seattle Wildcats

Wednesday night at West Seattle High School was the first sign that playoff hoops is quickly approaching. The host Wildcats and Bishop Blanchet Braves both carried 16-0 records into tonight’s game and this would determine the Metro League regular season champions in all likelihood.

The Wildcats rebounding advantage was evident early as Lexi Ioane pulled down several offensive boards and Lydia Giomi was a force on the defensive end of the glass. After the game, West Seattle head coach Darnell Taylor stated, “I noticed early on they were doubling Giomi…I sat Lexi down and told her it was your time to go at it and take over.” The two recorded 12 and 14 in the contest respectively. Taylor Chambers scored a quick five points for the Braves, but they were unable to get contributions elsewhere and fell behind. The Wildcats were able to avoid an extended defensive lapse throughout the first half and carried a double digit lead to the locker room.

The uphill battle continued early in the second half for Blanchet as the team’s leading scorer this season Jadyn Bush faced foul trouble that forced Coach Burns to sideline the junior wing. A dagger three pointer by Jenna McPhee solidified the Wildcats’ edge in tonight’s game. Blanchet briefly cut the lead to single digits in the waning minutes, but WSHS converted on scoring opportunities before the clock hit triple zeros. When asked about how his team responded to the extra pressure added to this game in terms of league standings, Coach Taylor replied,”I’m really excited the way they handled themselves through the week building up to this big game, they were really focused.” These teams will likely meet again in the near future with increasingly high stakes.

The Final Score
West Seattle 44, Bishop Blanchet 30.

Top Performers:
West Seattle
Lydia Giomi- 14 points
Lexi Ioane- 12 points

Bishop Blanchet
Taylor Chambers- 11 points

Emerald Ridge Escapes Overtime Thriller With Viks

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Emerald Ridge Escapes Overtime Thriller With Viks
By Nic Beckman

Tuesday- January 19th 2016 Boys 4A SPSL
Puyallup High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT Final
Puyallup 10 12 12 16 4 54
Emerald Ridge 16 13 11 10 5 55

As the regular season winds down, the games gain significance for teams at the top of their divisions and Tuesday night was one of those nights. Curtis has clinched the SPSL South top spot at 11-0 with one game remaining, but the number 2 through 4 positions are going to be decided between Emerald Ridge, Puyallup and Spanaway Lake. Spanaway Lake was at Rogers and the Jaguars came down from South Hill to take on the Vikings looking to avenge the 48-43 loss PHS gave them at the jungle in the first game of the new year on January 5th.

The Paul B. Hanawalt Pavilion was rocking Tuesday night , it was senior night for the Viks and Emerlad Ridge was in the house. ER coach Pat Mullen had is Jaguars ready to play, the junior dominant team handled the Viking pressure early. The Jags Jason Cassens and Tevin McClain combined for the first 10 ER points and got up 10-4. Cassens would finish with 11 points, McClain with 8. Puyallup, again playing without their second leading scorer, Tony Gutierrez still hobbled by a quadriceps contusion and sophomore starter Jacob Holcomb, looked to find scoring elsewhere. The first quarter would end 16-10. In the second quarter, Viking leading scorer senior Deven Neff got going with a pair of 3’s and a couple of buckets in the lane for 10 of Puyallup’s 12 in the period and the Jags held pace with 13 of their own to head to the locker room up 29-22 at the half. Deven Neff with 11 in the half would lead all scorers and come out in the third quarter to repeat his performance of the second, getting two more 3’s enroute to 10 of the Viks 12 in the first 8 minutes of the second half. Puyallup would cut the lead to one at 33-32 with 3:19 remaining in the third, but Emerald Ridge would keep their poise and push the lead back to 6, leading 40-34 heading into the final period. Puyallup tried to stay within striking range as Jags Daniel Gregory fouled on a jumper hit the and one to put the score at 44-38 with 5:10 on the clock. But the Vikings kept coming, Brooks Balmer with a bucket and the ER lead was 44-40 with 4 minutes left. Balmer would go 4-4 from the line and finish with 8. The Viks would also get help from junior Myles Smith who hit two 3’s coming off the bench, the second at 1:46 to again cut the Jaguar lead to just one at 49-48. Andrew Boston at the line for ER with under a minute hit 1of 2 to set the score at 50-48 with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation. A baseline drive with the clock winding down by senior Tyler Torgerson who went up and under for a reverse off the glass as the buzzer sounded fell in and the crowd went wild. This game was tied at 50 and was headed to overtime.

Sophomore Landen Neff gave Puyallup their first lead at 51-50 at 3:46 of the OT period. Points always a premium became even harder in the overtime as both teams battled for the lead. Daniel Gregory hit a runner in the lane to get the lead back for Emerald Ridge and would finish with a team high 15 points and the Jags looked to have the game in hand as they would get 8 free throws in the extra time but could only convert 3 of them. Leaving the door open for PHS. Puyallup couldn’t find their range from beyond the arc, but we’re able to corral offensive rebounds the most critical by Jaden Vollmen who fell to his back on a play at the rim, but as the ball was tipped around dropped in his hands while he was on the floor and he was able to loft it out to a team mate and Vikings coach Scott Campbell called time out with just 6 ticks remaining on the clock, down 55-54. Before the inbound coach Mullen called another time out to set his defense. On the ensuing inbounds the Vikings were forced to throw the ball into back court to get it in the hands of Jaden Vollmen. With seconds ticking off, Vollmen was able to get into range and launched a high arcing 3 for the game winner, it hit the rim and before Deven Neff could put it back, time expired and the Jaguars had the OT win 55-54. Neff would lead all scorers with 22 points, Vollmen would finish with 11. The win by ER puts them at 8-3 in control of the number 2 spot, for now. The Jags will be facing 11-0 Curtis at home in the jungle on Friday night, while Puyallup 7-4 heads up to a 4-6 Rogers team, who beat Spanaway Lake 61-55 Tuesday night. Putting the Sentinels at 7-5 on the outside looking in and setting up a must win rivalry game for the Vikings against the Rams on Friday. The close of the regular season in the SPSL South still with questions to be answered is going down to the wire.

The Final Score
Emerald Ridge 55, Puyallup 54.

Top Performers:
Emerald Ridge
Daniel Gregory- 15 points
Jason Cassens- 11 points
Tevin McClain- 8 points

Puyallup
Deven Neff- 22 points
Jaden Vollmen- 11 points
Brooks Balmer- 8 points

King’s Tames Tigers With Explosive Third Quarter

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King’s Tames Tigers With Explosive Third Quarter
By Steve Dion

Tuesday- January 26th 2016 Boys 2A/1A Cascade
King's High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Granite Falls 11 11 9 13 44
King's 27 9 23 9 68


King’s junior Josh Frohardt

The Cascade leaders in King’s hosted the Granite Falls Tigers on Tuesday night to push their league record to a perfect 7-0. GFHS is amidst a mid-pack battle in the division and this game against the Knights would serve as a golden opportunity to elevate their position in the standings. It would require a valiant effort considering the size mismatch on the court and in number of available players.

An alley-oop attempt in the opening seconds to King’s Corey Kispert which rimmed out was met with the opening points in the game for the visitors. The Knights countered with a flurry of Kispert triples as the junior sharp-shooter buried five from downtown in the first quarter as part of a game-high 32 points. Granite Falls put the clamps down in the second frame defensively by outscoring the Knights 11 to 9 through contributions of Simon Angel and Brad Hills. At the break, the KHS was cut down to 14 at 36-22.

The opening minutes of the second half determined the fate of the game as a double-digit run cemented King’s path to victory. Cole Mitchell and Kispert rocked the rim with a pair of dunks to highlight the 23 point quarter. The Tigers battled down the stretch and once again outscored King’s in the final frame 13-9. Despite the losing cause, Andy Estes will likely have several positive takeaways from the Tigers effort. Meanwhile, King’s continues to defend their state title with another win in a strong season.

The Final Score
King’s 68, Granite Falls 44.

Top Performers:
King’s
Corey Kispert- 32 points

Granite Falls
Simon Angel- 13 points

3A State Girls Basketball Rankings

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theFinalScore.TV
4A State Girls Basketball Rankings
By Steve Dion

As league play is in its final weeks and the playoffs are on the horizon, here at the top ten rankings for the 3A girls classification!

1) Lynnwood: 15-0 (7-0)
This Royals team is having a season that will be remembered for years to come.


2) Bellevue: 14-0 (9-0)
Winning the Tournament of Champions in Arizona as part of an undefeated record shows the Wolverines are firing on all cylinders.


3) Bishop Blanchet: 16-0 (11-0)
If the Braves stay healthy down the stretch, the sky is the limit.


4) West Seattle: 16-0 (11-0)
Will host what appears to be the Metro League title tomorrow against Blanchet
.


5) Arlington: 15-0 (5-0)
Haven’t faltered every time a tough opponent has tried to compromise the Eagles unblemished record!


6) Auburn-Riverside: 16-0 (10-0)
Rare to call a 16-0 a team a “sleeper”, but this year the Ravens are
.


7) Lincoln: 15-1 (10-0)
The Abes edged rival Wilson by a pair to determine South Sound dominance
.


8) Wilson: 13-3 (9-1)
The Rams have put together one of the toughest schedules, and the three losses were by a combined 9 points.


9) Mercer Island: 12-2 (6-1)
Don’t forget about the Islanders that are in Bellevue’s rearview mirror.


10) Glacier Peak: 12-4 (6-2)
Can run with the best, but are slightly outmatched by powerhouses like Lynnwood
.

On the Bubble
Prairie
Stanwood
Lakeside
Bonney Lake
Roosevelt