Category Archives: Featured

Featured posts.

Olympia Remains Undefeated With Road Win Over Stadium

Posted on by

Olympia Remains Undefeated With Road Win Over Stadium
By Steve Dion

Friday- December 18th 2015 Boys 4A Narrows
Stadium High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Stadium 6 9 14 18 47
Olympia 25 21 6 18 70


Olympia senior Liam Murphy

After four games of the 2015-16 season, the Olympia Bears have equaled their win total from a year ago. On Friday night, the Coach John Kiley led squad from Washington’s capital travelled north to take on the Tigers from the scenic campus of Stadium High School. Olympia jumped out to a lightning quick start as Hunter Sipe recorded a lay-up four seconds into the game. This was the catalyst for a 16-1 run to start the game. When the Tigers knocked down their first field goal, they were facing a sizable deficit. Oly was also strong on the defensive end of the floor in which they drew three first-half charges and built a large rebounding advantage which finished 37-18. In his postgame remarks Kiley stated, “I felt it was one of our best halves of basketball.” Could the Bears stave off the Tigers in the final two quarters with a big lead?

Stadium emerged from the locker room with a renewed sense of energy by gradually cutting into the deficit. The increased defensive intensity including blocks by Jaz Howard and steals by Dieauka Bradley set up transition buckets on the other end. Kiley said, “To Stadium’s credit, they were out-working us in the second half.” However, the Bears righted the ship in the final quarter and both teams scored 18 apiece in the fourth and the coaching staff was pleased with their ability to close out. In regards to the 4-0 start, Kiley praised his seniors by replying, “Eddie Beusch and Liam Murphy put so much time in this fall as leaders in the weight room…they really want to see a great basketball season and a legacy develop for them.” The Bears will get that opportunity when they take off to Florida for a holiday tournament soon.

The Final Score
Olympia 70, Stadium 47

Top Performers:
Olympia
Zaiden Hernandez- 16 points, 7 rebounds

Stadium
Jaz Howard

Garfield’s Tempo Too Much for Young Panthers

Posted on by

Garfield’s Tempo Too Much for Young Panthers
By Steve Dion

Tuesday- December 15th 2015 Boys 3A Metro
Seattle Prep High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Seattle Prep 11 19 12 25 67
Garfield 20 25 21 23 89


Garfield junior Jaylen Nowell

Terrell Brown led the top ranked Garfield Bulldogs with 23 points in their victory over Seattle Prep on Tuesday night. Ed Haskins’ defending state champs were victorious by a comfortable 22 point margin, but Steve Kelly’s young Panthers squad showed they can compete with the state’s best in this one. The first half was very physical and thus many key players from both sides received fouls that tested the depth of both rosters. Garfield had early success when they applied the full court press, especially with Prep’s floor general Aaron Nettles on the sidelines. The front court battle of Garfield’s Alphonso Anderson and J’Raan Brooks against SP’s Collin Welp and Nic Lynch was exciting as both duos were integral scoring combos for both teams early. The forwards combined for 14 and 13 in the first two quarters respectively. At the break, Brown’s five field goals helped the Bulldogs earn a 45-30 lead.

Needing to chip away the GHS lead to give themselves a chance in the fourth quarter, Seattle Prep needed to start the second half strong. However, the opposite occurred. Garfield extended the lead to 21 points early in the third as they were able to play at a high tempo and score on the fast break. Jaylen Nowell put a stamp on the game when he threw down a pair of dunks as part of his 14. Prep’s lack of consistent shot-takers dashed their ability to keep pace with the high-flying Bulldogs. The Panthers put together a strong final quarter even though Garfield’s big lead was not in jeopardy. The home team earned 20 trips to the free throw line in which 13 were made. Coach Haskins was able to distribute minutes up and down his roster in the fourth quarter to close out the ballgame. Double digit scorers for the Bulldogs included Daejon Davis, Brown, Nowell, and Brooks. Seattle Prep’s Nettles, Welp, and Lynch scored in double figures.

The Final Score
Garfield 89, Seattle Prep 67

Top Performers:
Garfield
Terrell Brown- 23 points (5/7 FTs)

Seattle Prep
Aaron Nettles- 20 points (8/10 FTs)

Titans Prove Might Over Lancers

Posted on by

Titans Prove Might Over Lancers
By Steve Dion

Saturday- December 12th 2015 Boys 4A/3A SPSL/SeaMount
Highline College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Kennedy Catholic 12 10 15 12 49
Todd Beamer 18 12 14 15 59


Todd Beamer junior Stef’fun Singleton

Patrick Kennedy recorded a double-double for Todd Beamer in their win over the Kennedy Catholic Lancers. The senior wing scored 11 points and pulled down 10 rebounds as the Titans led nearly the entire contest. Beamer opened the game on a 7-0 run the first 90 seconds to which Kennedy called a timeout to gain their composure. KCHS rallied in the second quarter to cut the TB lead to 8 points at the break by getting into the bonus early in the second quarter and knocking down freebies from the charity stripe. Amari McClemore demonstrated his athleticism when the 6’0 wing followed a missed shot with a putback slam.

The Titans held their largest lead in the fourth quarter of 19 points, but Kennedy closed on a 9-0 run to end the game with a 10 point deficit. James Jolly from the Lancers led all scorers with 15 points. The game was in the balance early in the fourth quarter, but Gio Jackson put the game on ice with a 6-0 run of his own to put Beamer over the top. SPSL prevailed in this invitational format contest against a representative from the SeaMount League.

The Final Score
Todd Beamer 59, Kennedy Catholic 49

Top Performers:
Todd Beamer
Gio Jackson- 16 points
Patrick Kennedy- 11 points, 10 rebounds

Kennedy Catholic
James Jolly- 15 points, 6 rebounds

Lake Washington Cruises Past Sammamish

Posted on by

Lake Washington Cruises Past Sammamish
By Steve Dion

Friday- December 11th 2015 Boys 3A KingCo
Sammamish High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Sammamish 9 8 18 21 56
Lake Washington 19 23 21 20 83


Lake Washington Sophomore Abi Kameric

The nightcap of Friday night hoops at Sammamish High School featured the host Totems and the Lake Washington Kangaroos. The Kangs jumped out to an early lead primarily due to Sahil Basra’s three buckets from downtown. If not for a Justin Jordan hustle play to throw up a fadeaway from a miss at the first-quarter buzzer, the Totems would have lacked any sense of momentum moving forward. LWHS continued to roll in the second frame when Abi Kameric matched Basra by knocking down a trio of triples of his own. Additionally, the Kangs rebounded well and did not allow for multiple chances for the Totems. At the break Lake Washington led 42-17.

Sammamish was able to outmatch their first half total in the third quarter alone by logging eighteen points in the quarter, but LW kept the pedal down and continued to extend their lead. There was a sequence in transition for the Kangs where a lead pass in transition to Sam Linsky was dished behind the back for an open bucket. Sammamish closed strong by putting together a series of possessions where they came up with two quick steals following an initial bucket by Nate Aebi for three field goals in a very short period of time. However, the Kangs led wire to wire and cruised to a double digit victory on the road.

The Final Score
Lake Washington 83, Sammamish 56

Top Performers:
Lake Washington
Sahil Basra- 26 points

Sammamish
Justin Jordan- 13 points

Gonzaga Prep Captures 4A Crown in Convincing Fashion

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Saturday Dec 5th 2015 4A Boys Football
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Gonzaga Prep 10 14 7 3 34
Skyline 0 3 6 7 16

15-WA-Fball-GPrep-ArticlePhoto

See game recap below
 

Gonzaga Prep Captures 4A Crown in Convincing Fashion
By Steve Dion

In a classic battle of east against west, the Gonzaga Prep Bullpups traveled 300 miles over the mountains to take on the Skyline Spartans from the Sammamish Plateau. Sparty was fresh off a shootout at the Tacoma Dome a week ago against Lake Stevens which tested them from the opening kickoff to the final whistle. They busted through the gauntlet that was the bottom half of the 4A bracket taking down Gig Harbor, Camas, and the Vikings. The Bullpups used their staunch defense and efficient offensive attack to navigate to the title game including a grinder in the Tri Cities during semifinal week against the Richland Bombers. A packed Woodshed was set to close out a fantastic Gridiron Classic.

The first few minutes featured a pair of turnovers when an early Bullpup drive ended with a fumble into the Spartan endzone; a big momentum swing that erased what was nearly a quick 7-0 lead. However, the second play from scrimmage following the fumble was picked off by the Pups giving them the ball back in good field position. Later in the first, GPrep struck when Coach McKenna’s trickery caught the Spartans off guard, a double reverse to Devin Culp who glide to the goal line. On the ensuing kickoff, Conor McKenna knocked the ball loose from the Skyline kick returner to give his team the ball back in great scoring position. They walked away with three points off the foot of Jared Kutsch. Skyline’s enemic offense continued throughout the first half as they were limited to 102 total yards; the Bullpups had 358 in the same time frame. Before the teams entered halftime, Culp busted loose for a 59 yard rumble to the endzone. Also, the big running back/defensive end combo Evan Weaver capped off a late Bullpup drive to punch it in from a yard out. Many knew Gonzaga Prep had a tough defense, but limiting Skyline to three points in the first two quarters drove that point home on the biggest stage.

Trailing by three touchdowns entering the second half, Mat Taylor needed to rally the troops and craft a gameplan to score quickly before a comeback was out of reach. After failing to move the ball into Bullpup territory on their first drive, SHS caught a break by forcing a fumble after they punted. Unfortunately, they turned it right back over on the next play. The ball must have been covered in butter because Skyline forced another turnover two plays later. In 45 second and five plays, there were 3 fumbles! The Spartans took advantage of their gift by setting up Jake Pendergrast for a quick slant route for a touchdown. The Spartans were very much alive!

In a series that put a stamp on the contest, Gonzaga Prep drove down the field on a 15 play, 80 yard drive that culminated in a Weaver touchdown to put the Pups up 31-9. Skyline would find paydirt only one more time in the game; a fantastic one-handed grab by Danny Sinatro (see highlight video above). However, this was not enough to overcome the massive lead the Bullpups built early on. When the dust settled, GPHS outrushed their counterpart by 500 yards! Additionally, they dominated the time of possession game by controlling the ball over twice as long as Skyline. A stellar defensive effort by Gonzaga Prep neutralized Skyline’s running attack to only 22 yards. In his postgame comments, Coach McKenna said, “We faced adversity all year long, so when we had to travel over here against a great Skyline team, our kids came out firing.” The 4A crown will head east for until the first week of December in 2016!

The Final Score:
Gonzaga Prep 34, Skyline 16
Top Performer

Gonzaga Prep
Evan Weaver- 24 rush, 133 yards, 2 TDs
Devin Culp- 4 rush, 79 yards, 2 TDs

Skyline
Jake Pendergast- 9 rec, 98 yards, TD

Eastside Catholic Erases 28 Point Deficit in 3A Thriller

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Friday Dec 4th 2015 3A Boys Football
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT Final
Eastside Catholic 7 7 14 14 6 48
Bellevue 7 28 7 0 0 42

15-WA-Fball-ECatholic3-TeamPhoto

See game recap below
 

Eastside Catholic Erases 28 Point Deficit in 3A Thriller
By Steve Dion

This is the game Washington high school football fans wanted to see. This is the game that seemed inevitable. The most dominant high school football program in the state during the 21st century against their neighbor that has gradually built a powerhouse of their own. A fourth straight matchup for the 3A title would match Bellevue who won the first two in ’12 & ‘13 and Eastside Catholic the victor a year ago.

The Crusaders received the opening possession and were forced to punt when the drive stalled deep in their own territory. The punt was mishandled and recovered by Parker Davidson to give the Cru the ball back before they could relinquish it. Two plays later, Chris Lefau burst into the endzone to give Eastside Catholic the first points of the contest. Benaiah Ellington made up for the punt return fumble by picking off EC quarterback Harley Kirsch later in the first. This set up Ercle Terrell for his first of four unanswered touchdowns including one from 54 yards up the gut. Brandon Wellington had seen enough and returned the kickoff 97 yards to cut the Wolverines lead to 14. Despite only having 1:38 to work with in the half, the Wolverines charged down the field once again and Tyson Penn who dropped what would have been a touchdown earlier made a spectacular diving grab to put BHS within striking distance. Wolverine quarterback Justus Rogers was content with feeding the hot hand so he went to Penn once again; this time in the corner of the endzone. Bellevue stampeded into halftime with a commanding 35-14 lead. They were led by Terrell’s 129 first half rushing yards and quartet of scores as part of their 232 to 53 total yards advantage over their counterpart.

A three touchdown deficit to Bellevue is a tall task to overcome. The prospects of a comeback became less of a reality when the lead extended to four touchdowns midway through the third when Christoph Hirota punched it in for the sixth Bellevue score. The Crusaders appeared to be at their breaking point. Harley Kirsch who had thrown a rare pair of interceptions in the game returned to their potent aerial attack immediately by finding Hunter Bryant on a 28 yard toss to the back corner of the endzone. The Cru defense did their part to get the ball back to their playmakers. Kirsch would find Bryant once more before the third quarter closed. Down 14 points with one frame remaining, could Bellevue hang on?

Coach Butch Goncharoff ran the ball 56 times in this game and even as his team’s lead dwindled, he did not stray from his game plan. On a crucial fourth and three, Wellington stopped Omar Dyles from moving the chains. Six plays later, Matt Laris pulled in a four yard toss to bring EC one score away from evening up the score. The Cru could taste it. With the pressure on Bellevue to hold on, their next drive was thwarted when Steve Moran stripped Justus Rogers to which Davidson recovered once again. At this point, Eastside was on a crash course to the endzone to which Wellington was behind the wheel. The senior tailback tied the game up leaving only 1:24 on the clock. Bellevue failed to advance the ball to field goal range in the final seconds and we were headed to overtime!

Bellevue took the first crack in extra time. On second down, Rogers passed to Penn in the endzone and Victor Guevara batted the ball away in a courageous effort. On fourth down, Bellevue lined up for a 39 yard field goal. The ball was mis-hit and all EC need now was a score of any kind. A pitch to Wellington resulted in a dive to the pylon that was one yard short of the game winner. Eastside Catholic hurries to set up into formation. Kirsch takes the snap, hands off to Wellington, initially stopped at the point of attack, but a second effort allowed for just enough room to dive past the plane of the goal line. Crusaders win! The team and coaching staff rush onto the field knowing they just completed one of the premier comebacks in the history of the Gridiron Classic. The trophy stays in the plateau for another year.

Moments after the game, a glowing Coach Thiebahr said, “I’m so happy for our seniors and for our community. I’m just really happy to show what we are; the resilience that our school has and the resilience of our football program. One of these seniors “Coach T” was referring to is Brandon Wellington who scored the game winning touchdown and when asked about his four years with Thielbahr, an emotional Wellington replied, “He’s a great teacher…he has pushed me to that next level. I’m gonna miss him.” After three years as the starting Crusader quarterback in which he collected two state titles, Harley Kirsch remarked, “It’s weird to think it’s all over…I was thinking a couple days ago ‘wow, that’s our last practice’ and now I’m thinking wow, that’s it.”

The Final Score:
Eastside Catholic 48, Bellevue 42

Top Performer

Eastside Catholic
Brandon Wellington- 3 kick returns, 143 yards, 97 yard TD, 2 rushing TDs (11 yards, 1 yard game-winner in OT)

Bellevue
Ercle Terrell- 31 rush, 225 yards, 4 TDs (1, 3, 24, 54)

2B Trophy Stays in Okanogan as Bulldogs Repeat

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Saturday Dec 5th 2015 2B Boys Football
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Okanogan 7 7 2 20 36
Napavine 7 13 7 7 34

15-WA-Fball-Okanogan-ArticlePhoto

See game recap below
 

2B Trophy Stays in Okanogan as Bulldogs Repeat
By Steve Dion

The penultimate game of championship weekend at the Tacoma Dome showcased a repeat of the 2014 title game between the Okanogan Bulldogs and Napavine Tigers in which the Dogs were victorious by the score of 17-14. Competing for the crown a year ago was impressive for the Tigers considering the youth of their core contributing group of players, so getting back to the Woodshed in ’15 seemed like a very likely scenario. Erick Judd has done a fantastic job in guiding the defending champs through the postseason to give themselves the rare opportunity to go back-to-back. The only expectation heading into this game is that it would be exciting; the expected winner was a mystery.

Napavine won the coin toss and chose to defer to receive in the second half. Okanogan’s opening possession was interrupted by a strip by Chase Van Wyck that turned the ball over to Napavine. The Tigers marched 83 yards on a dozen plays to log the first touchdown of the game; a thirty-four yard completion to Jordan Purvis. Okanogan wasted no time to even the score when on the third play from scrimmage, they were in the endzone after Mason Guerette hauled in a 56 yard pass from Clay Ashworth. Van Wyck’s defensive effort earlier was rewarded on the offensive end when he recorded the second Napavine touchdown midway through the second quarter. Mac Fagerness got into the action too for the Tigers by catching a 34-yard touchdown of his own. Okanogan’s remaining points of the first half were the result of a 3 yard reception by Riley Prescott. The first half statistics were fairly even, but the glaring difference was the lone turnover of the game which resulted in a touchdown. At recess, Napavine led 20-14.

Coach Josh Fay certainly understood the importance of picking up a two-possession lead to open the second half and his team did exactly that. NHS moved the ball 64 yards to the one yard line and let their 6’3”, 225 pound junior quarterback Wyatt Stanley take care of the rest. Okanogan was unable to respond on the offensive end, but they got a minor lift from Napavine when they committed a safety after a botched snap that sailed through the endzone. The Tigers still held a two possession lead at 27-16, but the momentum was shifting back toward the Bulldogs.

Early into the fourth, Okanogan pulled closer when Greyson Fields punched it in from three yards out. Less than two minutes later, Guerette shook off multiple Tiger tacklers on the sideline and sprinted to the goal line to give OHS the lead. The shootout continued shortly thereafter when Fagerness miraculously hauled in a pass to the corner in double coverage then hurdled over a defender to retain the lead. The Napavine defense could not hold down the Dogs who found paydirt yet again on a Greyson Fields plunge. With 1:02 remaining on 4th and 1, Napavine needed a stop to keep their hopes of a game-winning drive alive. As the play clock was expiring, Clay Ashworth set up in the gun. He called out orders to his center then suddenly the Tiger defensive line jumped. Ashworth’s hard count was successful! This proved to be the final piece to line up in victory formation yet again. The hardware stays in Northeast Washington for another year. Expect Napavine to be in contention to contend for the title in 2016.

The Final Score:
Okanogan 36, Napavine 34

Top Performer

Okanogan
Clay Ashworth- 10/18, 173 yards, 3 TDs, INT, 20 rush, 133 yards

Napavine
Wyatt Stanley- 18/27, 282 yards, 4 TDs, INT, 14 rush, 82 yards, TD

Royal Victorious in “The Knight Bowl”

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Saturday Dec 5th 2015 1A Boys Football
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Royal 14 7 0 7 28
King's 0 0 7 0 7

15-WA-Fball-Royal-ArticlePhoto

See game recap below
 

Royal Victorious in “The Knight Bowl”
By Steve Dion

Game two of state title Saturday was a clash of nobility as the Royal Knights from near Yakima would face the King’s Knights based out of Shoreline. Royal bulldozed through their entire schedule as the only game within one possession was against Connell in mid-October who they decimated in the semifinal round 47-7. For King’s, the return of senior quarterback Koa Wilkins had given Jim Shapiro’s team a huge boost in the playoffs. Only one team could wear the crown, would Royal finish the season undefeated or would King’s continue their hot streak?

Royal received the opening kickoff and marched to the endzone in under three minutes culminating in a 10-yard Joseph Lang scamper. King’s was on the move to even the score, but Lang jumped in the passing lane for an interception. Royal proceeded to matriculate the ball into King’s territory and cap the drive off with Lang’s second touchdown. King’s offensive woes continued for the duration of the first half as they were limited to 138 total yards and no points to show for it. Before the break, Royal took a three possession lead when Kaden Jenks ran it in from eight yards out. King’s dug themselves a big hole with a three-touchdown deficit heading into the break, could Coach Shapiro make the necessary adjustments to spark a comeback?

King’s received the second half kickoff and did exactly what they needed to shift the momentum back in their direction. The westside Knights marched down the field and after 12 plays and 72 yards, they scored for the first time in the game. Caleb Perry burst through the King’s defense for a 3 yard touchdown. The KHS defense stepped up by blanking Royal in the third quarter. The game was still in the balance heading into the fourth.

As the clock was starting to wind down in the final frame, King’s was on the move and in position to bring the game to one possession. Joseph Lang put an exclamation point on his already huge game by intercepting a pass and taking it 58 yards to the house. Kaden Jenks picked off a pass shortly thereafter and the Royal sideline began to celebrate. Wiley Allred led his team to a perfect 14-0 season. Congratulations to the Royal Knights on their first championship since 2005!

The Final Score:
Royal 28, King’s 7
Top Performer

Royal
Joseph Lang- 14 rush, 64 yards, 2 TDs, 58 yard interception for TD

King’s
Caleb Perry- 15 rush, 117 yards, TD

Almira-Coulee-Hartline Claims 1B Title in Tightrope Act Finish

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Friday Dec 4th 2015 1B Boys Football
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Almira-Coulee-Hartline 14 24 0 8 46
Lummi 8 20 14 0 42

15-WA-Fball-ACHartline-ArticlePhoto

See game recap below
 

Almira-Coulee-Hartline Claims 1A Title in Tightrope Act Finish
By Steve Dion

The 2015 Gridiron Classic opened with the always exciting eight-man championship from the 1B classification with Almira-Coulee-Hartline from the Northeast League and perennial contender Lummi Nation from the Northwest. The ACH Warriors would be making their first trip to the title game since 2011 while the Blackhawks were finally able to beat Neah Bay in the semifinals who ousted them in each of the last four seasons.

As many 1B games typically transpire, the scoring started early and often. Almira-Coulee-Hartline marched down the field in the opening seven plays and capped off the drive with a 19 yard run by Dallas Issak to the endzone. Lummi returned the favor when Hank Hoskins punched it in from three yards out on the next drive. This exchange marked the beginning of a back-and-forth shootout that would last throughout the entirety of the first half. Lummi’s Free Borsey helped the Blackhawks return the contest to a one possession deficit in the final minutes of the second quarter by returning a kickoff 53 yards for a touchdown. The Warriors countered with a series of plays that resulted in a touchdown with only four seconds remaining. The scoreboard read 38-28 at the break in favor of the visitors east of the Cascades.

This is when the game got ugly. Scoring dried up like the scablands near the Grand Coulee Dam. Lummi seemed to have the edge coming out of their makeshift “locker room” at the TDome. The pace of play screeched to a halt when the action resumed as injuries stoppages and penalties dashed a sense of continuity Hoskins and Borsey each scored another touchdown to give Lummi a 42-38 lead heading into the final frame. The inability for any team to develop any sustained drives kept the score locked for the majority of the final twelve minutes. As both teams refused to punch on fourth down, the pigskin changed hands often. With 1:35 left, Charles Hunt gave the Warriors a 46-42 advantage. Lummi had one last gasp.

Starting quarterback Jonathan Casimir was replaced by Hoskins at quarterback due to injury and with thirty seconds left, he aired it out. Caught by Free Borsey who glided to the endzone! But wait, a flag on the play! Offensive holding nullified the score and on fourth and long, Payton Nielsen made the game-ending tackle to turn the ball over to the Warriors who set up for one final play, victory formation. Congratulations to Almira-Coulee-Hartline on their 1B championship!

The Final Score:
Almira-Coulee-Hartline 46, Lummi 42

Top Performer

Almira-Coulee-Hartline
Dallas Issak- 17/18, 261 yards, 3 TDs, 28 rush, 185 yards, 2 TDs

Lummi
Hank Hoskins- 15 rush, 79 yards, 3 TDs, 5 rec, 65 yards, TD

Prosser Prevails in 2A, Ingvalson Adds to Mustang Legacy

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Saturday Dec 5th 2015 2A Boys Football
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Prosser 8 14 0 0 22
Tumwater 0 8 0 7 15

15-WA-Fball-Prosser-ArticlePhoto

See game recap below
 

Prosser Prevails in 2A, Ingvalson Adds to Mustang Legacy
By Steve Dion

Saturday morning at the Dome kicked off with the 2A final between perennial powerhouse Tumwater and Prosser who has a rich football history, but had not reached this stage of the postseason for the better part of a decade. Both teams featured a strong fan sections along both sidelines. Prosser took down the 2014 champs in the semis, would they claim the 2015 crown? Or would Sid Otton add another championship to his legendary coaching resume?

Prosser’s explosive passing game was demonstrated in the first half as Tanner Bolt distributed the ball to his corps of wideouts to the tune of 213 yards on 21 attempts. Three of these throws resulted in touchdowns to Kolby Swift, Kason Blair, and Noah Flores. Going into the game, it was uncertain whether or not Tumwater scat-back Easton Trakel would be available for the game as he was absent in the semis. Trakel did play and in his postgame remarks, Prosser head coach Corey Ingvalson stated, “we knew he would play. He’s too good of a player not to.” Indeed, Trakel was the lone scorer for the T-Birds in the first half when he took a Noah Andrews pass 42 yards to the house. Tumwater would trail by 14 heading into the break, but were faced with a similar situation against Montesano last Saturday when they overcame a two touchdown deficit in the second half.


Tumwater’s first attempt to cut down the Mustang led was thwarted when Michael Kernan picked off Noah Andrews on a shot to the endzone. Both defenses kept the ball within the twenties effectively with only two and three trips to the red zone in the game for Prosser and Tumwater respectively. The clock began to become a factor that was working against a Tumwater comeback especially with Prosser in control of the ball and only seven minutes remaining. Trayten Rodriguez changed the complexion of the game when he intercepted Bolt and brought the ball back to the Prosser 24. Moments later, Tolo Hafoka punched it in to bring the score to 22-15. Prosser needed a handful of first downs to seal the win. The TBird defense shut the door. After turning the ball over on downs, Tumwater had their chance. The Mustangs held their ground and stopped the TBirds on fourth down and seemingly the ability to line up for kneels. Prosser chose to line up in the gun and they “shot” themselves in the foot, a botched snap recovered by Tumwater. The T-Birds were on the move.

The deciding moment of the game was a Spencer Dowers scramble up the middle in which the ball popped loose. Riley Lusk picked it up only to be blindsided by a TBird tackler causing another fumble. Lusk immediately found his composure and jumped on the loose ball. This time, Coach Ingvalson opted to line up in victory formation. He has now won a state title as a Prosser student, assistant coach, and now first year head coach of the Mustangs. Following the trophy ceremony, he talked about his fantastic senior class and explained his respect for “their commitement to eachother. Their commitment to the program to get it done.”

The Final Score:
Prosser 22, Tumwater 15

Top Performer

Prosser
Tanner Bolt- 21/35, 280 yards, 3 TDs

Tumwater
Easton Trakel- 2 rec, 47 yards, TD

Skyline Survives in Shootout with Lake Stevens

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Saturday Nov 28th 2015 4A Boys Football
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Skyline 6 18 6 7 37
Lake Stevens 14 7 13 0 34

15-WA-Fball-Skyline-ArticleThumb

See game recap below
 

Skyline Survives in Shootout with Lake Stevens
By Steve Dion

The nightcap of semifinal Saturday at the Tacoma Dome would pair Skyline and Lake Stevens with a ticket to the 4A championship game next week on the line. Heading into the contest, both teams were aware that Gonzaga Prep earned their berth to the title game earlier that afternoon. Which team would set their date with the Bullpups for next Saturday?

The back and forth affair began early when Viking quarterback Jacob Eason connected with Riley Krenz for a fifteen yard score. Without skipping a beat, Sparty gave their rebuttal in the form of an 81 yard Danny Sinatro catch and run. The first of many botched extra points for both teams occurred on this Skyline touchdown. The floodgates opened at this point as the high-scoring shootout was underway. The quarterback clash between Blake Gregory and Jacob Eason took center stage. Gregory was allotted half as many pass attempts with a dozen as Eason threw twenty-four times, but trailed in passing yards slightly at 244 to 252 and matched in touchdowns with one apiece. The running attacks were nearly identical in the first half with Rashaad Boddie and Andrew Grimes recording 10 and 12 runs for 34 and 38 yards respectively. Two plays that stood out in the first two quarters was an Eason pass in which he rolled out toward the sideline, bought time, and at the very last moment before taking a big hit zipped the ball to a receiver on the other side of the field for a big gain. Also, Boddie hauled in a fingertip catch along the sideline which set up his touchdown that garnered many “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd. Everyone in attendance was in store for an exciting finish.

Lake Stevens opened the second half with a seven-play eighty yard drive in less than three minutes culminating in a Asi Tupua run from two yards out. The extra point was blocked and instead of a four point lead for the Viks, they only led by a field goal at 27-24. Skyline gained the lead on a Bradley Kim reception from Gregory which required fantastic improvisation and vision, but Grimes captured a 34-30 edge shortly thereafter which held into the final quarter.

Midway through the fourth frame, Gregory struck once again on his brilliant game under center as he found Kim to give Sparty a 37-34 advantage. With less than three minutes remaining, it was gut check time for Lake Stevens. The purple and black were marching down the field when on a Skyline blitz, Eason was forced out of the pocket. Harry Reed and Joseph Chauvin bottled up the big quarterback and the ball fell to the turf. Skyline’s Alex Diegel jumped on the football and the official indicated the ball was heading the other way. The Viking defense was able to stave off enough offense in the ensuing drive to give themselves one last shot with less than a minute remaining. Three unsuccessful deep throws put the game on one last play. Eason drops back, fires to the right corner of the endzone. Intercepted by Noah Park! The Skyline sideline flooded onto the field thrilled to be victorious in a memorable game that places them forty-eight minutes from a state championship.

When asked where this game ranks among games Coach Taylor has been involved with, he simply replied, “It’s right up there!” In regards to his quarterback Blake Gregory, Mat said “hopefully this game will get on video for more college coaches to see” as his signal-caller has proven great ability and decision-making throughout his Spartan career. Skyline will play Gonzaga Prep for the 4A title next Saturday.

The Final Score:
Skyline 37, Lake Stevens 34

Top Performer

Skyline
Blake Gregory- 22/28, 436 yards, 3 TDs, 13 rush, 54 yards, TD
Bradley Kim- 2 receptions, 47 yards, 2 TDs

Lake Stevens
Jacob Eason- 32/42, 390 yards, 2 TDs
Andrew Grimes- 24 rush, 157 yards, TD
Riley Krenz- 12 rec, 173 yards, TD

King’s Edges Montesano, Earns Chance to Claim 1A Crown

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Saturday Nov 28th 2015 1A Boys Football
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
King's 0 21 7 0 28
Montesano 0 7 11 7 25

15-WA-Fball-Kings-ArticlePhoto

See game recap below
 

King’s Edges Montesano, Earns Chance to Claim 1A Crown
By Steve Dion

Being battle tested during the regular season pays dividends at this stage of the season. Coach Jim Shapiro’s tough schedule including games against Lynden and Archbishop Murphy have prepared the Knights for the state’s best in 1A. Montesano, who has knocked King’s out of the playoffs was the willing challenger for a ticket to the championship game.

King’s dominated this game across the board statistically including 395 to 160 total yards, 22 to 10 first downs, and 29:24 to 18:36 time of possession for King’s and Montesano respectively. However, the scoreboard did not reflect this fact. Back to back Knight touchdowns in the second quarter by Edmund Sundquist and Andrew Cline were quickly countered with a 97 yard kickoff return by Kylar Prante. Koa Wilkins extended the lead back to two touchdowns before the half on a goal line dive with mere seconds remaining.

Montesano’s attempt to climb back into the contest started with a Connor Lovell field goal early in the third. It was followed with a pick six by Keegan Darst minutes later which appeared to begin the momentum shift that could propel the Bulldogs to a win. However, Koa Wilkins led the troops down the field and converted another 1 yard quarterback sneak for a touchdown. Trailing ten points with five minutes to go, Monte was in desperation mode. They were able to cut the lead to a field goal with ninety seconds left when Logan Truax pulled in a Jake Herzog pass. A good-looking onside kick that simply wasn’t recovered by the defense was the final straw that allowed King’s to line up in victory formation.

The Final Score:
King’s 28, Montesano 25

Top Performer

King’s
Andrew Cline- 16 rush, 138 yards, TD

Montesano
Kylar Prante- 9 rush, 47 yards, 97-yard kickoff return TD

Tumwater Pitches Second Half Shutout, Will Play for 2A Title

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Saturday Nov 28th 2015 2A Boys Football
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Tumwater 0 7 10 7 24
Archbishop Murphy 0 21 0 0 21

15-WA-Fball-Tumwater-ArticlePhoto

See game recap below
 

Tumwater Pitches Second Half Shutout, Will Play for 2A Title
By Steve Dion

The Tacoma Dome has become a second home for Sid Otton and his T-Birds football team which he sends to deep playoff runs virtually every year. Archbishop Murphy is no stranger to late November football either as the Wildcats were the 2A runner-up in 2010 and 2011. With both teams boasting 12-0 records, who would win the penultimate game of the season?

A defensive struggle summarized the first frame as both teams failed to put any points on the board. Archbishop Murphy struck first when Bailey Singh-Ha hauled in a 32 yard pass from Connor Johnson. Exactly three minutes later, Wildcat tailback Anfernee Gurley notched a rushing touchdown. Tumwater’s Noah Andrews made his first big play of the game by taking the ball 43 yards to the house to cut down the lead. AMHS went into halftime feeling good due to Connor Johnson’s quarterback sneak for touchdown at the second quarter buzzer.

The Thunderbirds put the clamps on defense down in the second half by preventing the Wildcats from adding to their point total. But they had work to do. Cade Otton answered the call on a 21 yard touchdown early in the third. The game really began to hit the skids at this point as both teams refused to pull away. In the final minutes, Tumwater was down by four. It was gut-check time; touchdown or bust. After a THS timeout, Spencer Dowers executed the play discussed in the huddle perfectly; a quick toss to reliable Andrews who shed a few tackles and dove for the corner pylon. Touchdown! An elated Tumwater sideline breathed a big sigh of relief when the scoreboard read triple zeros after Aiden Slater brought down AM’s quarterback on the final desperation play.

After the game, Coach Otton admitted this was up there with one of the best games he has coached. Noah Andrews said with “three minutes left and we’re down, we’re not really having a lot of hope. It’s just never giving up.” On the winning touchdown, he noticed the defender lost his balance and “I saw him dive at my feet, so I just put my hand down, and dove in.” A play this junior leader will likely not forget anytime soon!

The Final Score:
Tumwater 24, Archbishop Murphy 21

Top Performer

Tumwater
Noah Andrews 25 rush, 102 yards, TD, 2 rec, 43 yards, TD (game-winner)

Archbishop Murphy
Anfernee Gurley 8 rush, 58 yards, TD, 5 rec, 140 yards

Wolverines Double Up Blanchet in Semis, Championship Game Bound Again

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Friday Nov 27th 2015 3A Boys Football
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Bellevue 21 14 14 7 56
Bishop Blanchet 14 7 7 0 28

See game recap below
 

Wolverines Double Up Blanchet in Semis, Championship Game Bound Again
By Steve Dion

Bellevue has become synonymous with championship football in Washington and their appearance at the Tacoma Dome during semifinal week is par for the course. Bishop Blanchet would look to continue their dream season under Coach Kyle Moore on the heels of a 73-28 blowout over Juanita last week.

The Braves demonstrated how green they were literally and figuratively as the first snap of the game was fumbled and recovered for a Wolverine touchdown. Bellevue struck again two minutes late as Isaiah Ifanse punched it in from two yards out to cap off a four-play, seventy-two yard drive and give BHS an early double digit lead. Needing a big play to spark Blanchet, the ever-reliable O’Shea Trujillo made a big play; a 39 yard fumble recovery for touchdown cutting the lead to a single score. This started a back-and-forth game trading touchdowns as the scoreboard read 35-21 in favor of the Wolverines heading into halftime.

Butch Goncharoff certainly reinforced the need to start halves strong because his team found the goal line early in the third on an Ercle Terrell run who finished with three total touchdowns. Once again, Bishop Blanchet answered the call on a trick play which involved a pass from Trujillo to a wide-open Christian Peter. The Braves finally recovered an onside kick afterwards, but failed to turn the momentum into points. This proved to be a backbreaker for Blanchet because Bellevue put the nail in the coffin to secure a 56-28 win. For the fourth consecutive year, the Bellevue Wolverines will face the Eastside Catholic Crusaders for the 3A state title.

The Final Score:
Bellevue 56, Bishop Blanchet 28

Top Performer

Bellevue
Justus Rogers 9/13, 171 yards, TD, 9 rush, 104 yards
Ercle Terrell 12 rush, 68 yards, 3 TDs

Bishop Blanchet
Clinton Allen Jr. 9 rush, 94 yards, 2 TDs

15-WA-Fball-Bellevue-ArticlePhoto

Trujillo Magnificent as Braves March to Tacoma for Semis

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Saturday Nov 21st 2015 3A Boys Football
Memorial Stadium 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Bishop Blanchet 20 20 14 19 73
Juanita 7 14 7 0 28

See game recap below
 

15-WA-Fball-BBlanchet-ArticlePhoto

Trujillo Magnificent as Braves March to Tacoma for Semis
By Steve Dion

A chilly Saturday evening at Memorial Stadium at the base of the Space Needle was the setting of the much anticipated 3A quarterfinal game between Bishop Blanchet and Juanita. The Rebels trounced Columbia River in the first round down in Vancouver while the Braves prevailed in a nail-biter against the Sumner Spartans who were red hot all season long. The winner of the clash between KingCo and Metro on this cold November night would earn a date with the victor of Bellevue & Glacier Peak in the comfy confines of the Tacoma Dome next weekend.

Blanchet began their onslaught early as their first play from scrimmage was a 56 yard touchdown run by dynamic tailback O’Shea Trujillo. The 6’0, 200 pound senior really seems focused on ending his Braves career on a high note. However, Juanita had a number of playmakers to contend with as Blanchet quarterback Alex Freeman connected with Christian Peterson and Clinton Allen Jr. before the Rebels could find the scoreboard. JHS halfback Salvon Ahmed punched the ball past the Blanchet defense to open their scoring, but facing a double digit deficit early, was it too little too late?

The signature moment in the contest occurred early in the second quarter when Antone Parente blocked a Juanita punt deep in Rebel territory. After swatting the ball, Parente picked up the rock and trotted into the endzone. The green-laden sideline erupted.

When play resumed, the fate of the contest became clear quickly as Coach Moore’s Braves kept their foot down to secure the win.

By the time the scoreboard hit triple zeros (or in the case of the scoreboard at Memorial Stadium 0:80), the Braves recorded one short of a dozen touchdowns. The Rebels were limited to four touchdowns in total including a second for Ahmed, a 12 yarder for Dylan Moctezuma, and a Makiah Gilmer 8-yard grab on fourth down from Tavin Montgomery. Next week, the Braves will fight for a state championship appearance. They will certainly enter the game brimming with confidence!

The Final Score:
Bishop Blanchet 73, Juanita 28

Top Performer

Bishop Blanchet
O’Shea Trujillo- 4 rushing TDs (20, 49, 56, 65)
Clinton Allen Jr.- 3 receiving TDs (12, 35, 79)

Juanita
Salvon Ahmed- 2 rushing TDs

Cru Rolls Past Bonney Lake, Advances to Semis

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Friday Nov 20th 2015 3A Boys Football
Memorial Stadium 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Eastside Catholic 14 14 13 6 47
Bonney Lake 7 0 0 0 7

See game recap below
 

15-WA-Fball-ECatholic-ArticlePhot

Cru Rolls Past Bonney Lake, Advances to Semis
By Steve Dion

Jeremy Thielbahr’s defending 3A champion Crusaders has looked the part of a team poised to defend their crown all season long. Eastside Catholic entered Friday three wins away from a repeat, but to advance to the semifinal round had a date with Bonney Lake. The 7-4 Panthers were fresh off a head-turning win against Lincoln last week and hungry for more. Coach Jason Silbaugh would get a crack at the state’s best with his team peaking in November.

The opening kickoff was taken 86 yards to the endzone by Eastside’s Brandon Wellington, but an illegal block in the back penalty negated the big play and gave the Panthers an early sigh of relief. The methodical Cru offense eventually punched the opening drive into the endzone on a 33 yard reception by Matt Laris on 4th and 14. The point after sailed wide right and the scoreboard read 6-0 early. Bonney Lake did what few teams do which is return the favor. A run-heavy drive was capped off with a 23 yard touchdown by Ethen Koepke on a screen pass by Dane Wagner in which several EC defenders were staved off en route to the goal line. The Panthers grabbed gained the lead. The Crusaders regained their composure and another drive highlighted by several Laris catches resulted in a 2-yard quarterback sneak by Harley Kirsch. Bonney Lake did not respond this time or any other drive for the remainder of the contest. A fumble at midfield in the second quarter was capitalized on by Eastside Catholic on a Tyler Folkes rushing touchdown and a dagger in the final moments of the first half; a 23 yard receiving touchdown by the always dangerous Devon Arbis-Jackson.

A 28-7 deficit against the Crusaders is a tall task to overcome and the Panthers were not able to climb back into this one. The implementation of a wildcat offense by Bonney Lake to start the 3rd quarter was effective in moving the chains early, but the direct snaps to Jason Day did not equate to points. The relentless ECHS offense recorded another pair of touchdowns in the third frame to put the game out of reach. The 47-7 final score was not fully indicative of the battle Bonney Lake waged in this contest. The Panther defense’s inability to hold the Cru on 3rd and 4th down was the difference maker in this one. Eastside Catholic advances to face the winner of Kennewick and Lakes. Bonney Lake’s 2015 campaign comes to an end.

The Final Score:
Eastside Catholic 47, Bonney Lake 7

Top Performers

Eastside Catholic
Harley Kirsch – 2 passing TDs (23, 33) 1 rushing TD (2)
Devon Arbis Jackson – 2 rec TDs (23, 36)
Tyler Folkes – 2 rush TDs (2, 39)

Bonney Lake
Ethen Koepke – 27 yard rec TD

Issaquah Avenges Regular Season Loss, Prevails Against Olympia

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Friday Nov 6th 2015 4A Boys Football
Issaquah High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Issaquah 7 21 0 0 28
Olympia 0 7 7 0 14

See game recap below
 

15-WA-Fball-Issaquah-ArticlePhoto

Issaquah Avenges Regular Season Loss, Prevails Against Olympia
By Steve Dion

We have reached the “survive and advance” point of the season where a win retains the quest to the Tacoma Dome. An intriguing “play-in” matchup on Friday night featured round two between Issaquah and Olympia. These two non-league squads played just over a month ago in the state capital in which the Bears defended their home turf and won 32-14 in Ingersoll Stadium. For this one, Olympia (7-2) reciprocated by traveling north to the Sammamish plateau to take on Issaquah (6-3) as the second place finisher in the KingCo4A was pitted against the Narrows runner-up.

Both teams got off to a slow start with short-lived possessions as the opposing defensive units caused difficulty for the offense to move the chains. Issaquah took the first step grabbing momentum through their defensive intensity especially demonstrated in Eagle linebacker Danny Flores. His energy resonated to fellow teammates when Issaquah broke the deadlock at 1:51 in the first quarter. Connor Pederson took an interception 47 yards to the house after getting key blocks en route to the pylon. Pederson also kicked the extra point showing his versatility on the field. At 7:54 in the second frame, Bryce Hughes was rewarded from a handful of chunk runs when he punched in a 3 yard score to which the home crowd yelled Huuuuuuughes! Olympia furthered their uphill battle in the first two quarters by shooting themselves in the foot with personal fouls. However, before the first half concluded the Bears commitment to the run was rewarded when Scott Gunther turned what initially was a stop at the line of scrimmage into a 42 yard touchdown run. Issaquah responded with a 29 yard pass from Cam Humphrey to Pederson moments later. The Eagles were still hungry. Hughes scampered 30 yards for a pick six twenty seconds after the ensuing kickoff pushing the lead to 28-7 at the break.

The three touchdown lead built by the home team proved to be sufficient to prevail even though they were unable to score in the final twenty-four minutes of the ball game. The Eagle defense held the Bear attack at bay enough by only allowing a lone touchdown in the second half. The non-league opponents split the season series 1-1, but Issy gets the one that counts. Olympia concludes their season 6-4. Hopefully this organically created rivalry continues in years to come!

The Final Score:
Issaquah 28, Olympia 14

Top Performer

Issaquah
Connor Pederson – 2 TDs (47 yard interception return, 29 yard reception), 3 interceptions

4A State Football Rankings

Posted on by

4ARankings-ArticleFinal

theFinalScore.TV
4A State Football Rankings
By Steve Dion

The regular season has concluded and postseason matchups are set for the first weekend of November. Here are the rankings for the 4A classification.

1) Lake Stevens: 9-0
Hard to not put the Vikings at the top spot when their lowest point total in a game this season is 42 with Lake Jake under center.


2) Gig Harbor: 9-0
The Tides are laden with veteran leadership that is taking the mold of a title contender.


3) Graham–Kapowsin: 9-0
The Eagles edged out Skyline for the second straight season as part of an undefeated regular season.


4) Camas: 9-0
Coach Eagle continues to churn out one of the best teams the state has to offer year after year.


5) Gonzaga Prep: 9-0
Bullpups loaded their schedule and escaped unscathed despite wins against Richland and Bellarmine Prep combining for 9 points.


6) Richland: 8-1
The distinction of the lowest scoring defense in the 4A classification belongs to the Bombers.


7) Skyline: 8-1
Mat Taylor has the talent to shift the Spartans into another gear. Will they find themselves at the Tacoma Dome once again?


8) Olympia: 7-2
The Bears have been impressive with the exception of a hiccup against Gig Harbor followed up by an overtime loss at Bellarmine.


9) Central Valley: 7-2
A win this weekend would double their win total in 2014. They’ll have to get past last season’s runner-up Chiawana to reach the mark.


10) Jefferson: 7-2
Their ability to go toe to toe with Graham-Kapowsin earns the Raiders a top ten spot.

On the Bubble
Battle Ground
Monroe
Moses Lake
Curtis
Kentwood

Archbishop Murphy Routs King’s, Remains Undefeated

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Friday Oct 23th 2015 2A/1A Boys Football
Woolsey Stadium 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Archbishop Murphy 7 14 14 14 49
King's 0 7 0 0 7

15-WA-Fball-AMurphy-ArticlePhoto

See game recap below
 

Archbishop Murphy Routs King’s, Remains Undefeated
By Steve Dion

There are two leaders in the Cascade League that have emerged from the rest of the pack and week eight would retain one of two blemish-free records between Archbishop Murphy and King’s. The visiting AM Wildcats entered the ballgame with a remarkable 353-19 scoring tally in the first seven games. Jim Shapiro’s home King’s squad opened the season with an impressive victory over perennial 2A contender Lynden and kept winning. It was senior night for King’s at Woolsey Stadium; would the Knights defend their home field against league rival?

After receiving the opening kickoff, Wildcat tailback Kerry Jackson rumbled 82 yards to the house and gave AMHS an early lead. This immediate strike gave the visitors an upper hand off the bat and would serve as a catalyst for the remainder of the contest. Midway through the first, the Knight’s defended a fake punt by AM in Wildcat territory. Would the Knight’s make them pay? Nope. Anfernee Gurley intercepted a Knight’s pass thirty seconds later and was rewarded with a 10 yard touchdown pass by Connor Johnson on the first play of the second quarter. King’s put together a scoring drive set up by a Jake Welch pick that allowed Andrew Cline to pound the rock into the endzone and bring the score to 21-7. Archbishop Murphy didn’t blink. Kerry Jackson scored another touchdown minutes later after steamrolling a King’s defender at the goal line. At the half, the visitor led 21-7.

The opening drive for King’s in the second half seemed important to set the tone for the remainder of the ball game. Unfortunately, they were unable to move the sticks and were forced to punt immediately. The Wildcats put the game out of reach on the ensuing drive when Jackson completed the hat trick on another touchdown run. The rout was in full effect as Archbishop Murphy recorded 21 more points before the final whistle. With a 49-7 final score, Archbishop Murphy has emerged as the clear favorite in the Cascade League. However, King’s has the ability to steer the ship back in the right direction moving forward. They need to get some key starters healthy and put this fluky loss behind them.

The Final Score:
Archbishop Murphy 49, King’s 7

Coach Interview with Lake Stevens’ Head Coach Tom Tri

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

15-WA-Fball-LakeStevens-TTri-ArticlePhoto

2015 Varsity Football Live Coach Interview
Lake Stevens Vikings – Head Football Coach
Tom Tri

Lake Stevens has emerged as a top 4A team in 2015 led by Georgia commit Jacob Eason as the Vikings will strive to improve on their elite 8 finish in 2014. Dick Fain catches up with head coach Tom Tri as he talks about his playmakers and expecatations this season.

To catch the complete radio interview with Lake Stevens Coach Tom Tri, simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

15-WA-Fball-LStevens-TTri-ArticleBanner

 

Eastside Catholic Remains Unscathed, Tops Blanchet on Senior Night

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Friday Oct 9th 2015 3A Boys Football
Acosta Field 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Eastside Catholic 14 21 13 6 54
Bishop Blanchet 6 0 0 0 6

15-WA-Fball-ECatholic-ArticlePhoto

See game recap below
 

Eastside Catholic Remains Unscathed, Tops Blanchet on Senior Night
By Steve Dion

First year coach of Bishop Blanchet Kyle Moore led his team to one of the biggest wins in program history in week five of the 2015 campaign as they knocked off O’Dea for the first time in over two decades. The Braves were rewarded by putting their 5-0 record on the line against the top team in the state Eastside Catholic at Acosta Field on the plateau. Coach Thielbahr’s Crusaders are firing on all cylinders in the state championship title defense season. Two teams entered the contest undefeated, which record would remain intact?

The home team put their offense on the field following a quick defensive stop and turned the possession into a score by Devon Arbis-Jackson in which the senior wideout shed multiple tackles. The critical drive following this Cru touchdown was highly successful for Blanchet as Alex Freeman marched his team down the field and O’Shea Trujillo closed the deal by crossing the goal line shortly after BBHS converted on a 4th and 21. Minutes later, Harley Kirsch found himself in the endzone after a 4-yard quarterback sneak to put ECHS up by 8. The Crusader defense started to clamp down on the green and yellow clad Braves as linebacker Noah Failauga among others controlled the middle of the field. A 62 yard punt return for touchdown by captain Jonathan Webster extended the Eastside Catholic lead and the blowout was starting to take form.

Missed opportunities for Blanchet such as not recovering a fumble forced on their 1 yard line played into their inability to keep pace with the state champs. Trailing 35-6 at the break, the fate of the game was virtually sealed as Kirsch and Co. entered halftime on a 6-yard touchdown run at the buzzer.

The lopsided matchup continued into the second half as the home squad would log 19 more points for a total of 54. What’s more is the Crusader defense disallowed any second half points for Blanchet. With the win, EC will likely run the table in league play with bigger goals in mind during late November and early December. Blanchet will retain its position in the second tier of Metro and fight for seeding once postseason play begins.

The Final Score: Eastside Catholic 54 Bishop Blanchet 6

Blanchet Ends 22-Year Winless Streak to O’Dea in Comeback Fashion

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Friday Oct. 2 2015 3A Boys Football
Bishop Blanchet High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Bishop Blanchet 7 0 0 26 33
O'Dea 0 14 7 0 21

15-WA-Fball-BBlanchet-ArticlePhoto

Blanchet Ends 22-Year Winless Streak to O’Dea in Comeback Fashion
By Steve Dion

All good things come to an end. For the O’Dea Fighting Irish, their 22-year streak of victories against league opponent Bishop Blanchet did just that Friday night. A large crowd amassed at BBHS to see two undefeated Metro teams battle to maintain a blemish-free record. The home crowd would be rewarded for staying a full four quarters.

BBHS nearly scored early in the game as quarterback Alex Freeman was approaching the endzone coughed up the ball and was smothered by an O’Dea defender for a touchback. However, the defense held strong for first-year Braves Head Coach Kyle Moore. Freeman was able to avenge the early turnover when he connected with Jamiek Satterwhite for a 17 yard strike. O’Dea woke up after that score as their quarterback Nathan West’s nerves appeared to settle down. He matched Blanchet’s touchdown with a 17 yard dart to Sam Sanchez and followed that up with a 21 yard pass to Race Porter following a Blanchet fumble. The Irish carried a 14-7 lead into the half.

An interesting coaching decision that proved successful for the Braves was staying on the field during the intermission. It appeared that Blanchet’s players were gassed and Moore chose to refrain from making his team schlep down the hill into the team locker room.
This payed dividends early as a renewed sense of green and gold energy resulted in an interception by Ryan Howard. Unfortunately, the offense stalled and were forced to give the ball back up. Monte Kohler’s troops responded with a sustained drive that culminated with a 1-yard quarterback sneak by West which was set up by multiple strong runs by tailback Hunter Franco. That would be the Fighting Irish’s last points of the game.

The Braves began their improbable rally by finding the endzone to bring it back within a score. They would then recover a pair of onside kicks and fumble recovery for touchdown. But a lead was not enough. After taking over with a six minutes remaining, the Braves tacked on another touchdown for good measure to secure a 34-21 victory and end to a streak older than any player on the field!

The Final Score: Bishop Blanchet 33 O’Dea 21

Cascade Christian Prevails in Clash of Nisqually Against Seamount

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Friday Sept. 25 2015 1A/2A Boys Football
Renton High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Cascade Christian 0 21 7 7 35
Lindbergh 7 7 0 7 21

15-WA-Fball-CChristian-ArticlePhoto

Cascade Christian Prevails in Clash of Nisqually Against Seamount
By Steve Dion

Week 4 of the high school gridiron season included an intriguing non-league game between the defending 1A champions Cascade Christian and rising Seamount squad Lindbergh. The setting was Renton Memorial Stadium featuring the airport in the backdrop where undefeated LHS played host.

The game broke out with a slow start as each team struggled to move the ball fluidly. The first big play of the game was an interception by Eagle cornerback Steve Celis. The home team would eventually capitalize on the momentum of the pick when Anthony Walker took a sweep 58 yards to the house. It wasn’t until the second quarter when the visiting Cougars woke up. Senior tailback/defensive back combo Zach Bartolome rumbled up the gut for a 20 yard touchdown run to tie it up. Later, he forced a fumble and turned it into a 48-yard score and the lead ten seconds later. Needing a response to swing the momentum in their favor, Lindbergh capped off a long drive with a 6 yard scamper to the goal line by DeMarco Sauls. Before the half, Evan Patrick grabbed the lead at 21-14 when he took a 3 yard run to the end zone.

When the teams took the field for the second half, the rain started to fall onto the turf and the pace quieted down. Cascade Christian used extended possession to wind down the clock and continue to build their lead. Madden Tobeck put the Cougs up two possessions on a 1 yard goal line push. The inability of Lindbergh to establish an aerial attack allowed the CCHS defense to load up in the box and pressure Samuel Nehren. Lindbergh made a late charge with a fourth quarter score, but eventually allowed Cascade Christian to put a stamp on the contest with their fifth touchdown of the game. Both teams will carry a 3-1 record heading into next week.

The Final Score: Cascade Christian 35 Lindbergh 21

Skyline Stuns Eagles in Season Opener

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Friday Sept. 4 2015 4A Boys Football
Issaquah High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT Final
Skyline 0 7 7 14 3 31
Issaquah 0 7 14 7 0 28

15-WA-Fball-Skyline-ArticlePhoto

Skyline Stuns Eagles in Season Opener
By Steve Dion

Football season is back and the first Friday night of high school gridiron action featured a classic KingCo rivalry matchup between Issaquah and Skyline. The Spartans have had the upper hand against their plateau foe for over a decade and the Eagles were primed to turn the tides in front a capacity crowd on the premises of Gary Moore Stadium.

A slow pace of play dictated the entirety of the contest as both sides incorporated a heavy dose of passing and short possessions as the ball exchanged hands frequently. After a scoreless first quarter, Blake Gregory found Logan Wanamaker on a long flare down the left side for a big gain. This set up Rashaad Body for a 9 yard scamper to give the green six. Issaquah responded with a scoring drive of their own which closed with a 9 yard tie-toe grab by Joe Nelson from Cameron Humphrey. The scoreboard read 7-7 at the break.
The home team picked up an early touchdown in the second half, a 2 yard goal line dive by Bryce Hughes. Minutes later, Sparty responded as Gregory crossed the goal line untouched on a quarterback sneak. The ping-pong match continued when Jack Dellinger hauled in a pass by Humphrey on what appeared to be a defensive misread for 72 yards and a 21-14 lead.

Issaquah grabbed a two score lead early in the final frame on another Nelson reception. The Eagles were less than ten minutes from stunning Mat Taylor’s perennial 4A juggernaut. The visitors rallied the troops and drove down the field to set up another rushing touchdown for Boddie. Needing seven to tie the game up and send the game into overtime, Wanamaker did just that on a fourth down conversion with less than a minute remaining.

With a complete shift of momentum to the visitor sideline, Buddy Bland needed to rally his team to a score and a stop. They fell short on step one as a field goal attempt did not split the uprights. It was the Spartans chance to complete the comeback and they were faced with a similar predicament. Jack Crane pounded the pigskin through with his big left leg to seal the improbable victory for Skyline.

The FinalScore – Skyline 31, Issaquah 28.

Top Performers:
Skyline
Rashaad Boddie-2 rushing TDs (9, 30)

Issaquah
Joe Nelson-2 rec TDs (9, 72)

Garfield Ends Rainier Beach’s Reign

Posted on by

Garfield Ends Rainier Beach’s Reign
By Colin Caruso

Saturday March 7 2015 Boys 3A State Final
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Garfield 11 15 18 22 66
Rainier Beach 12 14 15 10 51


Garfield Bulldogs

In a rematch of the Metro championship game, and a matchup of the two best teams in the state of Washington, the stage was set in Tacoma to watch the athleticism unfold between Rainier Beach and Garfield. Both inter-city Seattle schools, both defending state champions (Garfield won 4A last year) with the coveted 3A crown to take home.

The game began with a frantic pace, as it always does with these two teams. Beach got off to a quick lead behind eight first quarter points from star De’Jounte Murray. But the Bulldogs responded on the back of Jaylen Nowell, a sophomore star who responded with seven in the first.

Neither team slowed down in the second quarter; the pace remained at the highest level of the tournament. Even with the extremely fast pace both teams took care of the ball quite well, not allowing the opposition to get easy buckets in transition. Both defenses held firm, and the halftime score was tied at 26.

The Tacoma Dome was electric to start the second half. Neither team was able to pull away in the third quarter, but Garfield appeared to have more control going into the fourth.

After a back and forth third, Garfield held a 44-41 lead entering the final frame.
Shadeed Shabazz started the quarter hot for the Vikings, converting on two straight layups in under 30 seconds to take a one point lead. The teams exchanged baskets, and Garfield continued to attack the basket, getting into the bonus, and knocking down their free throws. With three minutes to play, the Bulldogs held a five point lead.

De’Jounte Murray responded with a beautiful reverse layup, but the Bulldogs answered with a put back layup by Jaylen Nowell. After a Rainier Beach miss, Austin Anderson for the Bulldogs knocked down two more from the line to take a seven point lead, the largest of the game for either team. From there, the Bulldog floodgates opened, ending the game on a 17-2 run.

Congratulations to Garfield, the back to back state champions! This Garfield win ended a Rainier Beach run of three consecutive 3A boys state titles.

Top Performers:
Garfield
Jaylen Nowell – 23 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals
Alphonso Anderson – 17 points, 14 rebounds, 2 blocks

Rainier Beach
Shadeed Shabazz – 22 points
De’Jounte Murray – 15 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks

Gonzaga Prep Wins 2 OT State Finals Thriller

Posted on by

Gonzaga Prep Wins 2 OT State Finals Thriller
By Colin Caruso

Saturday March 7 2015 Girls 4A State Final
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT 2OT Final
Inglemoor 4 15 14 12 4 3 52
Gonzaga Prep 15 16 12 2 4 8 57


Gonzaga Prep Bullpups

Gonzaga Prep was back in the state finals, defending their title against the Vikings of Inglemoor in 4A girls basketball. This was a classic contest of size vs. speed, with Gonzaga Prep possessing the speed, and Inglemoor living in the paint on both ends of the floor.

Inglemoor star Deja Strother got into foul trouble early, forcing her to sit for a good portion of the first quarter, a first quarter that Gonzaga Prep controlled. Inglemoor had a tough time finding the basket and trailed 15-4 after one.

Inglemoor’s offense opened up in the second quarter, distributing the ball more effectively and getting easy looks at the basket. Strother stayed out of foul trouble and was able to provide 11 points in the first half. But Gonzaga Prep was dominating the pace of play, and it was uptempo. Laura Stockton had eight points in the first half and Otiona Gildon added ten to take a 31-19 lead into the locker room.

Gonzaga Prep slowed their offense down in the third quarter, much to the chagrin of their coach. The speed change allowed Inglemoor to setup in the half court and control the paint. This allowed Inglemoor to go on a 9-2 run to start the quarter. Coach Arte of the Bullpups called a timeout to regroup, and it proved to work. His Bullpups responded and took a 10 point lead into the fourth.

Alex Hagen for the Vikings put in the first eight points of the fourth quarter to electrify the Inglemoor crowd. Down just two, the comeback was on. The run extended to 12-0, and Inglemoor took their first lead of the game. Laura Stockton stopped the bleeding with 30 seconds to go, the Bullpups first points of the quarter. That proved to be the last bucket of regulation and this game went to OT.

The Bullpups struck first in overtime with two free throws, answered by one free throw from the Vikings. With just 1:45 to play, the Bullpups held a one point lead.

The scoring subsided until 30 seconds remaining, when Strother hit a layup and was fouled. She hit the free throw, putting the Vikings up two. Stockton drove the lane on Gonzaga Prep’s next possession and found Gildon for an easy two to tie the game. Double overtime!

Gildon struck first from the line for the Bullpups, hitting one of two. Tayler Drynan followed up with a three for Gonzaga Prep to extend the lead to 4, but the Vikings came right back with a three of their own.

Another one for two trip for the Bullpups, followed by an offensive rebound gave them the ball back with one minute to play. Oona Harrington knocked down a jumper for the Bullpups to go up four, and that jumper would seal it. The Bullpups won 57-52! Congratulations Gonzaga Prep Girls!

Top Performers:
Inglemoor
Deja Strother 22 points, 8 rebounds

Gonzaga Prep
Otiona Gildon – 17 points, 11 rebounds
Laura Stockton – 13 points , 9 steals

Beach Cruises to Another State Final

Posted on by

Beach Cruises to Another State Final
By Colin Caruso

Friday February 7th 2015 Boys 3A State
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Rainier Beach 22 4 13 22 61
Eastside Catholic 10 7 10 6 33


Rainier Beach Senior Dejounte Murray

The big question most coaches ask when facing the back, to back, to back, state champs, “What can we do to stop them?” Coach Bill Liley and his Eastside Catholic Crusaders were faced with that question on Friday night in the Tacoma Dome.

The Crusaders fell to the mighty Rainier Beach Vikings twice during the regular season, both times by double digits. The goal of this contest was to keep Rainier Beach out of transition, force a half-court game, and knock down shots.

Unfortunately for the Crusaders, they were unable to keep Beach out of transition, and struggled from the perimeter. Rainier Beach took a 22-10 lead into the second, backed by an emphatic De’Jounte Murray alley-oop slam.

Rainier Beach failed to score for the first six minutes of the second quarter. This obviously played into the Crusaders hands, who started the quarter on a 7-0 run. In a low scoring second, Beach took a 26-17 lead into the break.

With the first six points in the third quarter, the Crusaders turned this into anybody’s game. Down just three, Eastside had the momentum and the Vikings struggles from the floor did not subside. But the shooting woes that plagued the Vikings transferred to the Crusaders, and they finished the third quarter with just 27 points.

Beach rolled in the fourth. Ivy Smith and Shadeed Shabazz began to knock down jumpers for the Vikings, as they extended their lead to as many as 28. Rainier Beach won the game 61-33, finishing the game on a 16-2 run. They will face off against the Bulldogs of Garfield for the 3A state title.

Top Performer:
Rainier Beach
De’Jounte Murray – 16 points, 14 rebounds, 3 steals

Garfield’s Big First Half Leads to Win Over Seattle Prep

Posted on by

Garfield’s Big First Half Leads to Win Over Seattle Prep
By Colin Caruso

Friday February 7th 2015 Boys 3A State
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Seattle Prep 17 13 17 13 60
Garfield 25 21 7 11 64


Garfield Bulldogs

Coaches will always tell you it is difficult to beat a team three times. The fate of the Bulldogs lay in those circumstances Friday night, as the final four teams in 3A boys all came from the same league, the Seattle Metro league.

This matchup is distinctly size versus speed. The Panthers start three players over 6 foot 7 and the Bulldogs don’t have a single player above 6 foot 6. But speed has prevailed in their previous matchups, with the Bulldogs controlling the pace and the game.

The speedy Bulldogs set the pace early, amassing 19 points to the Panthers nine in under five minutes of play. But back to back threes by the Panthers put them right back in the game. Garfield held an eight point lead going into the second.

The eight point lead ballooned to 20 quickly, with seemingly every player on Garfield getting in on the action. Coach Haskins uncharacteristically used ten players in the first half. His team is typically 5-6 deep, but he opened up his bench and let them roll over the Panthers in the first half. They led by as many as 24 in the second, but the Panthers cut it to 46-30 at the half.

Garfield’s heat in the first half turned to ice in the third. They scored just four points in the first six minutes of the quarter, allowing the Panthers to cut the lead to eight. The bleeding continued to for the Bulldogs, as there seemed to be a seal over their basket. The Panthers trailed by just six entering the fourth.

Prep kept their momentum early in the fourth. A Colin Welp three for the Panthers cut the Garfield lead to just three, 56-53 with 5:30 to play. The three point lead was maintained for the next three minutes as neither team was able to convert on the offensive end. Jaylen Nowell broke the cold streak with a pair of free-throws to push Garfield up 60-55 with 1:30 on the clock. Aaron Nettles responded for the Panthers with a mid-range jumper, cutting the lead back down to three with under one minute to play.

Nowell answered again for the Bulldogs, converting on a spin move floater off the glass to extend the lead back to five with 32 seconds on the clock. The ensuing possession resulted in another Welp three pointer, electrifying the Panther crowd, now just down 2 with 10 seconds to go. The Panthers, forced to foul, fouled Terrell Brown, who hit both free throws, icing the game with a four point lead. A Jack Stewart three for the Panthers missed just long, and the Bulldogs took the contest 64-60.

Top Performers:
Seattle Prep
Jack Stewart and J’Raan Brooks – 16 points each

Garfield
Jaylen Nowell – 21 points
Alphonso Anderson – 16 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals