O’Dea Routs Mariner in
Memorial Classic

Posted on September 13, 2014 by Randall Novak

Saturday	Sept. 12th	2014	3A	Boys	Football
Memorial Stadium	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
O'Dea	14	21	0	0	35
Mariner	0	0	0	7	7

Game Recap below

O’Dea Routs Mariner in Memorial Classic

By Steven Dion

Quantity does not always ensure quality, but when it comes to O’Dea football both are plentiful. The Irish field a roster the size of many colleges and talent is mixed in across the board. Tonight they would square off against the Marauders of Mariner High School who yield a much smaller team. O’Dea would be the clear favorites, but Mariner played tough despite a lopsided score.

The Marauders had a successful opening drive that brought them into Irish territory, but stalled from the swarming army of red and yellow. After punting the ball away, O’Dea got to work and asserted their dominance. Myles Gaskin broke free for a 16 yard score and the floodgates opened. Mariner was not able to respond and the Irish proceeded to put seal up a victory early. Gaskin wound up with three touchdowns for the game and 125 yards. Dylan Ledbetter had a strong defensive game, spending most of the night in the Mariner backfield. The Marauders battled throughout and punched in a touchdown in the fourth quarter. O’Dea picks up a 35-7 win.

Top Performers:
O’Dea
Dylan Ledbetter- Made Several stops in the back field
Mikel Owes- 4 Catches 93 Yards 2 TD’s
Myles Gaskin- 4 rushes 125 Yards 3 TD’s

A Strong Fourth Quarter Leads Marysville-Pilchuck over Lake Stevens

Posted on September 13, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Sept. 12th	2014	3A/4A	Boys	Football
Lake Stevens High	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Marysville-Pilchuck	14	7	0	19	40
Lake Stevens	0	14	7	7	28

Game Recap below

A Strong Fourth Quarter Leads Marysville-Pilchuck over Lake Stevens
By Colin Caruso

The top of 4A Wesco faced the top of 3A Wesco in this battle between the Lake Stevens Vikings and the Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawks. Both teams wanted to prove that they were the top of the conference, no matter the classification.

When these two teams face off, the offensive skill position players take center stage. For Marysville-Pilchuck, look no further than their running backs Killian Page, JJ Valencia, and WSU commit Austin Joyner. For the Vikings, Jacob Eason steals the show.

Eason, a Georgia commit as a junior, threw for 2941 yards last year and 23 touchdowns. The Vikings thrive on his legs and incredible arm, and at 6’5 215 he can sling the ball all over the field.

Joyner put a stamp on this contest early for the Tomahawks. He scored two touchdowns in the first quarter, giving the Tomahawks an early 14-0 lead. His 100 yards on the ground in the first half led all rushers.

But Eason responded in the second and third quarter for the Vikings. He led three touchdown drives to tie the game late in the third at 21.

But Joyner was not done. He ran for two more scores in the fourth, and Page added another for the Tomahawks, to win 40-28.

Top Performers:
Marysville-Pilchuck
Austin Joyner – 13 carries for 197 yards and 4TD
Killian Page – 22 carries for 120 yards and 2TD

Lake Stevens
Jacob Eason – 35/51 for 377 yards and 2TD

Skyline Makes Quick Work of Issaquah

Posted on September 7, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Sept. 5th	2014	4A	Boys	Football
Gary Moore Stadium	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Skyline	21	13	7	7	48
Issaquah	7	0	7	7	21

Video Highlights and Game Recap below.

Skyline Makes Quick Work of Issaquah
By Colin Caruso

Welcome back to High School Football! It truly is like Christmas every Thursday through Saturday when the Gridiron starts rolling. Our first game of the year, and a matchup of two teams who battled for a playoff berth last year, saw the Skyline Spartans face off against the Issaquah Eagles at a packed Gary Moore Stadium. Last year’s matchup was a battle to the end, with Skyline defeating the Eagles by a final of 30-17 on the back of a 27 point third quarter. This year’s matchup was far from close, as the Spartans dominated the line of scrimmage and the football game.

Rashaad Boddie (pronounced body) rumbled for four first half touchdowns for the Spartans, two on quick passes, and two on rushes up the middle. The Eagles could not match the size discrepancy on the lines, with their line averaging around 200 lbs. and Skyline’s line averaging around 250 lbs. Blake Gregory, Skyline’s junior quarterback added another score on a 2 yard scamper to finish off the first half with a Spartan 34-7 lead.

Skyline began to pull starters midway through the 3rd quarter, but still maintained their commanding lead. The game ended in a 48-21 blowout, with the Spartans starting off their promising season on the right foot. Coach Mat Taylor and company will like to make another run at state from the 4A King-Co conference, but will find great challenges in the upcoming weeks with Bothell and Eastlake.

Top Performers:
Skyline
Rashaad Boddie- 4TDs – 2 receiving of 81 and 58 yards, 2 rushing of 16 and 1 yards

Issaquah
Cam Humphrey- 2TD passes of 29 and 13 yards

Bauer Power Propels Union Past Federal Way

Posted on September 7, 2014 by Randall Novak

Saturday	Sept. 7th	2014	4A	Boys	Football
at Federal Way	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Union	7	0	19	8	34
Federal Way	7	14	6	0	27

See game recap below

Bauer Power Propels Union Past Federal Way
By Steven Dion

Bauer Power Propels Union Past Federal Way

Memorial Stadium in Federal Way served as the site for a 4A non-league season-opener between the Eagles of Federal Way and Union Titans. The host team was set to kick off 2014 after one of the school’s best season a year ago. The Titans from Vancouver were also coming off a strong season in which they went 8-3 and a second round playoff finish.

The staunch front seven of Federal Way was present early on as Union had a difficult time moving the ball regularly. David Tiumalu and Robert Savusa stuffed the run. The Eagles drew first blood on a delayed pass to the corner by D’Jimon Jones whose ability to extend the play and evade defenders bought time to find the open receiver. Union responded by scoring seven of their own. Before the end of the first half, dynamic senior running back/defensive back combo Chico McClatcher broke through for a 61 yard touchdown run and post route score from Jones to take a 21-7 led to the locker room.

Enter Jack Bauer. The game announcer would begin to sound like a broken record as the senior tailback was given the rock over and over. He was integral in all three touchdowns scored in the third quarter for Union which proved to be the deciding frame. McClatcher dazzled the crowd again by picking up a live ball from a muffed field goal 100 yards for the score. However, the balanced gameplan of Union including an opportunistic defense and relentless ball carrying allowed Union to grab the lead in the fourth and hold on to the final buzzer. A Caleb Browning run which broke a handful of tackles to set up a Titans score in the second half was the turning point in the game. The trip back to Vancouver will be a pleasant one for Gary McGarvie’s team.

Top Performers:
Union
Jack Bauer- 71 rushing yards, 2 TDs (3yds, 1 yd), Interception

Federal Way
Chico McClatcher- 90 rushing yards 25 receiving yards, 3 TDs (54 run, 25 pass, 99 kick return), Interception

Back to Back State Titles for Cleveland

Posted on March 20, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

: Bishop Blanchet takes on the top team in the state in the 2014 3A State Championship Game.
(theFinalScore.TV / ZUMA Media)

: Blanchet made it an all Metro League Final.
(theFinalScore.TV / ZUMA Media)

: Myzhanique Ladd poured in 16 points in the final game of the season.
(theFinalScore.TV / ZUMA Media)

Saturday	March 8th	2014	3A	Girls	Basketball
Tacoma Dome	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Cleveland	18	15	6	15	54
Bishop Blanchet	12	13	10	10	45

Back to Back State Titles for Cleveland
By Colin Caruso

Both the girls 3A and boys 3A state championship games featured teams from the Metro leagues in Seattle. This girls state championship game saw the Cleveland Eagles, undefeated in the state of Washington and 23-2 overall against the 20-4 Bishop Blanchet Braves. They faced off earlier this season just one time, resulting in a 65-50 Cleveland victory.

Cleveland won the state title last season over the Seattle Prep Panthers and the Eagles returned four of their five starters from that team. They were clearly the title favorites going into the year, and their perfect in state record kept them favorites in this matchup.

Led by 11 points from star guard Makayla Roper in the first quarter, the Eagles jumped out to an early lead. With balanced scoring the Braves closed the Eagle lead to six going into the second. With Roper not scoring a point in the second frame, the Eagles were still able to extend their lead. Myzhanique Ladd picked up what Roper left behind, adding seven points in the second to take a 33-25 lead into halftime.

The scoring dramatically slowed on both sides in the third quarter. Just six points from the Eagles allowed the Braves to get back into this ballgame. Great defense on both sides sparked the lack of offensive production. Blanchet cut the lead to four entering the fourth.

Blanchet continued to battle with the mighty Eagles in the final quarter. The lead was five for Cleveland with three minutes to play. Ladd was fouled on a coast to coast layup attempt and hit one of two to put the Eagles up six. After a Blanchet miss, Jayde Christopher converted on a layup to extend the lead to eight with under two minutes to play. After a Braves turnover Ladd added a floater to go up ten, effectively ending the game. This makes back to back titles for the Eagles, and three in the last five years for Coach Stephenie Wheeler-Smith.

Top Performers:
Cleveland
Myzhanique Ladd – 16 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals
Makayla Roper – 17 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals

Bishop Blanchet
Jadyn Bush – 10 points, 12 rebounds

Garfield Defuses Bombers, Wins 4A Boys State Title

Posted on March 10, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Saturday	March 8th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Tacoma Dome	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Garfield	17	14	21	16	68
Richland	16	12	19	12	59

Garfield Defuses Bombers, Wins 4A Boys State Title
By Colin Caruso

To kick off finals action in the Tacoma Dome, the undefeated Bombers from Richland took on the one loss Bulldogs from Garfield. Both teams were well deserved to be battling for the coveted state championship trophy, and the Tacoma Dome was packed and ready for action.

Richland started the game on fire, jumping out to a quick 14-4 lead. Garfield seemed shell shocked to start, as Richland seemingly couldn’t miss. But Garfield guard Tramaine Isabell wasn’t going to let this one slip away like last season. Isabell led his then Lakeside Lion team to the state final last year, coming up just short of beating the Rainier Beach Vikings for the 3A title. He was, as usual, unstoppable in this one. 22 of his game high 34 came in the first half and Garfield took a five point lead into the second half.

The third quarter remained close, neither team pulled further than five points ahead. Isabell continued his scoring barrage, putting up another eight points in the third to put his total at 30 going into the fourth. Four Bombers reached double figures in the quarter, a brilliant balanced attack from the boys from Richland. Starting big man Brayon Blake for the Bulldogs picked up his fourth personal, putting him in foul trouble in back to back games.

Garfield pulled ahead by as much as seven in the early stages of the fourth. Steven Beo answered by knocking down another three for the Bombers and Payton Radliffe hit a goal tended layup to cut the lead Bulldog lead to just two.

Jashaun Agosto answered with a deep two for the Bulldogs with three minutes left to take the lead by four. But the Bombers were not done. Beo and Jacob DeVries hit back to back buckets in the lane to tie the game at 58 with two minutes to play. On the ensuing possession, Baker was fouled on a layup for the Bulldogs and knocked down both at the line to go up by two. After a Bomber turnover, Isabell was fouled and made both free-throws, the lead now four. Another Bomber turnover led to a leakout basket by Deshaun Tucker, a six point lead now for the Dogs.

A Bulldog foul led to one free-throw for Streufert, and the Bombers were forced to foul Isabell with 22 seconds left; he hit one of two to take a six point lead. Beo was fouled on the other end and missed the front end, where Blake pulled down the rebound and was fouled and made two more for the Dogs, who took the lead 67-59 with under 12 seconds to play. The Bulldogs added one more late free-throw, and won the state title by a final of 68-59. An amazing game with an amazing atmosphere!

Top Performers:
Garfield
Tramaine Isabell – 34 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals
Brayon Blake – 12 points, 7 rebounds

Richland
Steven Beo – 22 points, 11 rebounds
Payton Radliff – 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks

Huge Third Quarter Propels Rainier Beach over Bellevue

Posted on March 8, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Saturday	March 8th	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
Tacoma Dome	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Bellevue	11	16	11	23	61
Rainier Beach	9	17	28	19	73

Huge Third Quarter Propels Rainier Beach over Bellevue
By Colin Caruso

The second semifinal matchup for 3A boys saw the undefeated Rainier Beach Vikings against the 3A KingCo champion Bellevue Wolverines. Bellevue faced a tough match in this game; going against the state’s finest.

The first half of this game progressed exactly how Bellevue wanted. They kept the game low scoring by significantly slowing the pace and keeping the Vikings off the offensive glass. Rainier Beach shot 55% from the field in the first half to Bellevue’s 41%, but still the Vikings trailed by one entering the third quarter.

Rainier Beach adopted the full court press to start the second half and it worked to perfection, leading to a quick 8-0 Viking run. Bellevue struggled to keep the slow pace from the first half, as Beach put up two more points in the third quarter that they did in the whole first half. Beach gained the momentum going into the final quarter, holding a 54-38 lead. Four Vikings were in double figures at the end of three, compared to just one Wolverine.

The Beach lead hovered around fifteen points until just over a minute remaining, when Bellevue hit two threes to cut the lead to single digits. But a steal by Djuan Piper and a leak out and one finish put the Vikings back up 12 with 45 seconds to play. Beach won the contest by that 12 point margin, 73-61, to face Eastside Catholic in the state final, which will be their fourth matchup of the year.

Top Performers:
Bellevue
Jack Walton – 14 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists
Sharif Khan – 12 points, 3 rebounds

Rainier Beach
Elijah Foster – 18 points, 7 rebounds
David Crisp – 18 points, 4 steals
Djuan Piper – 13 points (6/7 FG), 7 rebounds

Eastside Catholic Holds off Wilson, Advances to 3A State Final

Posted on March 8, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Saturday	March 8th	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
Tacoma Dome	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Wilson	9	7	12	24	52
Eastside Catholic	12	7	16	25	60

Eastside Catholic Holds off Wilson, Advances to 3A State Final
By Colin Caruso

When you’ve reached the final four in all state classifications, you know you are watching good basketball, and the first semifinal game of the day did not disappoint. The matchup was a great one, a 23-3 Wilson Rams team against the 21-5 Eastside Catholic Crusaders. Wilson’s losses this year were to Bellevue and twice to Lincoln, while three of Eastside’s losses were at the hands of the #1 in state Rainier Beach Vikings.

One would like to call the first half of this game a defensive battle, but mostly it was an offensive struggle. Both teams were able to work for good looks at the basket, but the shots failed to fall. Also, there were quite a few dropped and tipped passes leading to a good number of 50/50 balls, making this game even scrappier offensively. The teams combined for 13 turnovers and just ten made field goals. The Crusaders took a low scoring 19-16 lead into half.

Second leading scorer Matisse Thybulle for the Crusaders played less than two minutes in the first half because he picked up two fouls, and his reinsertion into the line-up made a huge difference to start the second half. He led the Crusaders to a quick 8-0 run to start the second half, giving the Crusaders their biggest lead of the game at 27-16. But the Rams responded with five unanswered to trim the lead back down to six.
Thybulle picked up his fourth later in the quarter, but the Crusaders extended their lead when he was in, leading 35-28 entering the fourth.

The teams exchanged baskets early in the fourth, with Nathan Christie knocking down a three for the Crusaders to give them a ten point lead with under three minutes to play. Wilson responded with a free-throw from Ivy Smith Jr. and a three from sophomore David Jenkins, cutting the lead to six. Thybulle answered for the Crusaders, converting on back to back layups to bring the lead back up to ten. Wilson couldn’t get within seven points the rest of the way; the Rams converted on a few baskets but their press was broken easily by the athletic Crusaders, leading to easy transition layups. Eastside advances to the state final with a 60-52 victory.

Top Performers:
Wilson
Alphonso Anderson – 15 points, 13 rebounds
David Jenkins – 17 points
Jamal Welch – 11 points, 7 rebounds

Eastside Catholic
Nathan Christie – 23 points, 5 rebounds
Mandrell Worthy – 13 points, 5 assists, 2 steals

Beamer Fever Advances to State Semis

Posted on March 7, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Thursday	March 6th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Tacoma Dome	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Gonzaga Prep	14	14	10	11	49
Todd Beamer	12	4	19	22	57

Beamer Fever Advances to State Semis
By Colin Caruso

In one of the bigger size mismatches of the day, the Todd Beamer Titans faced off against the Bullpups from Gonzaga Prep to secure a spot in the 4A state semifinal. Beamer started the game on a strong 8-2 run, utilizing their size and strength to get shots close to the hoop. But Gonzaga Prep answered with a 12-4 run to close the quarter with a two point lead 14-12.

The Bullpups made up for the size differential with a higher level of intensity. Gonzaga Prep added a 7-0 run on top of their 12-4 run in the first to take an early nine point advantage, 21-12. Beamer seemed very stagnant on the offensive side, too much standing around and not enough screening and cutting. Gonzaga Prep took a 28-16 lead into half.

Beamer finally adopted their diamond full court trap to start the second half, which completely stifled the Bullpup offense. Beamer’s length was in the passing lanes on every possession and they started the quarter on a 15-2 run to take their first lead since the first quarter. Gonzaga Prep recaptured their lead on back to back threes, but Beamer was back in the game, trailing by just three going into the fourth 38-35.

Beamer closed the three point lead in a hurry, and the teams repeatedly exchanged leads down the stretch. The Titans snagged the lead by two on a Bogdon Bliznyuk three with two minutes to play. Quadir Williams added two free-throws for Beamer, extending their lead to four. Sam Dowd answered for the Bullpups with two free-throws of his own, trimming the lead to two with one minute to play. The Titans answered with a Charles Frazier layup, a defensive rebound, and two more Quadir Williams free-throws to take a six point lead. Another miss for the Bullpups led to two more free-throws for the Titans, extending their lead to eight with less than thirty seconds to play. But a quick two and a turnover for the Titans led to a three pointer by Brendan McClary. The Bullpups were within three with just 22 seconds remaining. Frazier hit one from the line to extend the lead to four, and Williams added two more from the stripe to take a six point lead with ten seconds to play. The Titans put together a great comeback, winning 57-49 and advancing to the state semifinal.

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: Caption Three

Top Performers:
Gonzaga Prep
Sam Dowd – 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals
Brendan McClary – 12 points, 4 steals

Todd Beamer
Quadir Williams – 18 points, 6 rebounds
Trey Burch Manning – 15 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals

Issaquah Pulls Off Round of Eight Upset, Defeats Jackson

Posted on March 7, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Thursday	March 6th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Tacoma Dome	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Issaquah	22	14	10	10	56
Jackson	12	14	9	9	44

Issaquah Pulls Off Round of Eight Upset, Defeats Jackson
By Colin Caruso

The top half of the boys 4A bracket is stacked, with Garfield and Kentridge facing off, and this battle between Issaquah and the #1 ranked Jackson Timberwolves. Jackson has one loss on the season in a matchup against what was a very good Lincoln Abes team. Issaquah comes in at 18-6, but two were to Garfield and three were out of the state.

Both teams came out with great intensity, with great fan section support on both sides. Jackson had the upper hand early, with baskets from their leading scorers Dan Kingma and Jason Todd. But Issaquah responded with an onslaught of shot making from five different players in the first quarter. Issaquah took a strong 22-12 lead into the second quarter. The ten point first quarter lead remained going into halftime, 36-26 in favor of the Eagles.

Issaquah began pulling away early in the third, but Kingma hit back to back triples to maintain the ten point deficit late in the quarter. Issaquah extended their lead by one in the third, on the back of six points from freshman Trevon Ary-Turner. Jackson was on the ropes, down 11 going into the final frame.

The Timberwolves needed quick scoring to bring this one close, and started the fourth with a 5-0 run in the first 1:15 of play. Ary-Turner stopped the run with a brilliant spinning floater to put the Eagles back up eight with five minutes remaining. After a bucket for Jackson and a free-throw for the Eagles, Jason Todd converted a layup on a steal to cut the Issaquah lead to five with 2:30 remaining. Ty Gibson for the Eagles immediately answered with a short jumper then added one free-throw to put the Eagles up eight with just over a minute to play, 52-44. The Eagles added four more free-throws and upset the top ranked Timberwolves 56-44.

Top Performers:
Issaquah
Ty Gibson – 18 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals
Jake Henke – 6 points, 13 rebounds

Jackson
Jason Todd – 17 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals
Dan Kingma – 15 points, 5 rebounds

Wilson Sneaks Past O’Dea in Round of Eight at State

Posted on March 7, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Thursday	March 6th	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
Tacoma Dome	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Wilson	17	11	9	23	60
O’Dea	13	12	13	19	57

Wilson Sneaks Past O’Dea in Round of Eight at State
By Colin Caruso

What a way to kick off the state tournament! A team from the heart of Seattle against a team from Tacoma in a 3A boys battle. The Wilson Rams came into this contest with a 22-3 record and a regional win against Kennedy to advance to the final eight. The O’Dea Irish, at 17-10, advanced to Tacoma with a win over Shorecrest.

As a 9am game, both teams brought great intensity to the Dome despite the early start. Wilson held the edge early, taking the first quarter 17-13 and grabbing an 8 point lead early in the contest. But O’Dea answered in the second quarter with a significant 17-11 rebounding edge, to trail by just three entering the half, 28-25. O’Dea’s leading scorer Jacob Lampkin picked up his third personal halfway through the second quarter, forcing him to sit the remainder of the half.

With Lampkin back in for the third quarter, O’Dea began to click offensively. With offensive rebounds leading to easy baskets, the Irish took their first lead since early in the first. The Irish held the slightest of leads going into the final frame, 38-37.

The fourth quarter remained close throughout, with neither team grabbing more than a five point lead. With one minute remaining, O’Dea found themselves down three with a good look from the corner from sharpshooter Quinn Barnard. The shot missed just right and Wilson grabbed the rebound. O’Dea fouled on the next possession and Wilson missed both free-throws, leading to another O’Dea opportunity to cut the lead late. Jamar Kemp capitalized on a layup with under eight seconds to play, but the clock doesn’t stop on a made basket, and Wilson was able to trickle it down to three seconds before inbounding. Ivy Smith Jr for the Rams inbounded and was fouled two seconds later; he made both free-throws to bring the lead back up to three with just 0.8 on the clock. A last second heave from the Irish from well beyond half court missed long, and the Rams survived 60-57.

Top Performers:
Wilson
Alphonso Anderson – 21 points, 9 rebounds
Ivy Smith Jr – 16 points, 8 assists

O’Dea
Jacob Lampkin – 17 points, 13 rebounds
Jamie Orme – 12 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks

Jackson Blasts Stadium in Regional Rout

Posted on March 6, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	February 28th	2014	4A	Boys	Basketball
Everett Community College	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Jackson	11	16	20	20	67
Stadium	6	17	4	6	33

Jackson Blasts Stadium in Regional Rout
By Steven Dion

The nightcap at Everett Community College on Friday night featured a matchup of the number one seed of District 1 in Jackson and the fourth seed of the District 3/4 tourney in Stadium. Jackson only has one loss on the season and was able to run through the playoffs up to this point with relative ease. Meanwhile, Stadium was able to pick up wins against Emerald Ridge and Curtis in districts to earn a regional berth. At stake in this game was a trip to the Tacoma Dome next weekend for the state tournament. Would Stadium find a way to upset the lethal Timberwolves squad in front of a huge Jackson crowd or would the perceived favorite earn another trip to championship weekend?

From the tip, the pace of this game would begin at a slow tempo as scoring was relatively non-existent in the opening minutes. T’Wolves senior Dan Kingma tested the smaller Tigers guard by attacking the rim with a surprisingly explosive first step off the dribble. Stadium demonstrated their preference to keep the game slowed down by making Lucious Brown the primary ball-handler. The big forward played all five positions on the floor with phenomenal handles and great footwork in the paint. The matchup of Jason Todd and Malik Mayeux was intriguing as the reigning state player of the year in Todd was unable to knock down shots using his signature “back up and lay up” move under the rim. T’Wolves guard Marcus Blake provided a defensive boost that loosened up his squad and helped JHS control the ball game. At the buzzer heading into the half, SHS senior Eric Tuttle hit a halfcourt shot to bring the deficit to only four points at 27-23.

The third quarter was the pivotal part of the game where Jackson created insurmountable separation. Their 7-0 run to start and a 20-3 overall quarter foiled Stadium’s potential plan to gain a lead at some point in this contest. A steal by Kingma that was dished to an airborne Todd and fed to a driving Brian Zehr for a two-handed slam got the crowd on their feet and was a symbolic end to this game. The fourth quarter was merely procedural as the T’Wolves emptied their bench and ran the clock down. Stadium was able to get their freshman Hillis some minutes late in this game. The reserve not even listed on the roster has a bright future as a Tiger with a strong family tradition of Stadium basketball as his brother was part of the state team in the early 2000s. When the dust settled, Jackson cruised to a 67-33 victory. Look for the Timberwolves to avenge their loss in the state championship game last season by winning it next weekend at the Tacoma Dome.

Top Performers:
Jackson
Dan Kingma-22 points (8/8 FT’s), 3 steals, 2 assists

Stadium
Malik Mayeux-6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks

Rainier Beach Escapes the Islanders, Advances to Final Eight

Posted on March 3, 2014 by colincarusoZUMA

Friday	Feb 28th	2014	3A	Boys	Basketball
Bellevue College	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Mercer Island	15	4	20	16	55
Rainier Beach	19	13	15	14	61

Rainier Beach Escapes the Islanders, Advances to Final Eight
By Colin Caruso

When a team plays with passion and intensity on the basketball floor, it captivates your attention and compels you to watch more. When a team has the capability of playing for a national title if they win our state tournament, it compels you to watch them. This was the case in the capstone contest on Friday night at Bellevue College. The first mentioned passionate team, the Mercer Island Islanders (18-7 on the season) battled the undefeated, 25-0 Rainier Beach Vikings.

Throughout this season the Vikings have dominated their opponents, scoring over 100 points nine times on the season. But recently teams have keyed in on their scoring, sat back in zones, played slow basketball, and prayed that the lights out shooting Vikings were somehow cold. Mercer Island took this route, matched the intensity of the Vikings, and made this one a battle until the finish.

A 19-15 first quarter in favor of Rainier Beach can be classified as a Mercer Island win. The Islanders took good shots, played good defense, and senior guard Kaleb Warner scored seven on 3-3 from the field. The second quarter was not as pretty for the underdog Islanders, as a four point effort sent them into the locker room down 13. But Mercer Island did not go away.

A 20-15 third quarter put them in striking distance of the lesser aggressive Vikings. Baskets from Andrew Pickles and Jake Stenberg kept the dream alive for the Islanders, who never stopped fighting for the entire 32 minutes.

The fourth quarter again belonged to the Islanders, who trimmed the mighty Viking lead to just two points with two minutes to play on back to back three pointers by Warner. But the next two possessions resulted in turnovers, and the Vikings scored three points in their next two possessions, pushing this one ever so slightly out of reach.

A phenomenal effort by one of the state’s finest in Mercer Island, but conquering the mighty is such a difficult task. Beach moves on to Tacoma, with action beginning on Thursday, March 6th.

Top Performers:
Mercer Island
Kaleb Warner – 18 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists
Andrew Pickles – 12 points, 7 rebounds

Rainier Beach
Djuan Piper – 17 points, 5 rebounds
David Crisp – 18 points
Dejounte Murray – 17 points

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

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)

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)

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

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

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

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

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)

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)

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)

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

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

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)