Category Archives: Featured

Featured posts.

Lynnwood Cruises to Final in Blowout of Bellevue

Posted on by

Lynnwood Cruises to Final in Blowout of Bellevue
By Steven Dion

Friday- March 6 2015 Girls 3A State
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Lynnwood 13 19 23 8 63
Bellevue 6 6 19 6 37


Lynnwood Junior Mikayla Pivec

Lynnwood’s stifling defense and lightning quick offense has put them on a collision course to a deep state tournament run all season long. With one game separating them from their first championship appearance in 3A, Bellevue who has put together another strong season stood in their way. The well-balanced Royals squad Coach Everett Edwards places on the floor each night featuring Mikayla Pivec and Monty Cooper cruised to a convincing 60-36 victory over a talented West Seattle team in the opening round. Meanwhile, the Wolverines rolled to a double-digit win over Prairie in the quarterfinal round on Tuesday. With a ticket to the title game on the line, who would prevail?

The Royals put together a first half that would determine the fate of the game in their dominance on both ends of the floor. Not only did they limit Bellevue to a dozen points in the first sixteen minutes of play, they built a twenty point lead in the process. Their 42% field goal percentage compared to BHS’ 17% told the story in the opening quarters of the contest. A 32-12 halftime score meant the Wolverines had a huge hill to climb.

BHS returned to the floor with a spark in the third quarter in which they registered 19 points, but allowing 23 in the process caused the Lynnwood lead to grow. Bellevue’s key players all season long including Mackenzie Keeter, Deja Rogers, Tatiana Streun, and Mandy Steward were unable to establish a rhythm and react to the incredible team speed of Lynnwood. Back-to-back possessions where the Royals drained long jump-shots including a deep three by Dani Hayes causing the net to get tangled with the rim symbolized the roll Lynnwood was on from start to finish. Four Royals finished in double figures including Pivec and Jordyn Edwards with 15 apiece. LHS advances to take on the back-to-back defending champs in Cleveland on Saturday.

The Final Score: Lynnwood 63 Bellevue 37

Top Performers:
Lynnwood
Mikayla Pivec-15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks

Bellevue
Tatiana Streun-8 points, 6 rebounds

Lakeside Controls 2nd and 3rd Quarter, Rolls Against Mercer Island

Posted on by

Lakeside Controls 2nd and 3rd Quarter, Rolls Against Mercer Island
By Colin Caruso

Friday February 20 2015 Boys 3A Metro
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Lakeside 13 19 20 16 68
Mercer Island 17 5 11 21 54

Most games in high school basketball do not have the pressure of a loser out game. To both of these teams, a loss marks the end of the season and looking towards next year.

Mercer Island, the underdog in this game, came out in the first quarter with a masterful game plan. Knowing that they would have trouble guarding Daejon Davis and Isiah Brown in transition, they focused on using the duration of the shot clock and slowing the game dramatically. The athleticism favored Lakeside, and Mercer Island’s only hope was to control the tempo.

The Islanders looked great in the first quarter. A 12-2 run in the first gave the Islanders a 17-13 lead going into the second. And then the wheels fell off. Fast forwarding to the second quarter, the Lions began getting into transition and finding Kiki Boyle on open threes; he hit 6 on the day. The closed the quarter on a 12-0 run, and extended that to 19-2 into the third.

16 points in a quarter is a good amount of points for a high school team. When you score 16 points over the course of two quarters, against a team from the Metro conference, you are in trouble. The shots that fell for the Islanders in the first were not falling in the second and third. The turnovers piled up, and the Islanders found themselves down 19 points entering the fourth quarter.

Mercer Island never gave up, they continued to battle in the fourth. Unfortunately, the deficit was insurmountable against a team as defensively strong as the Lions. Lakeside took this game, ending the Islander season, by a final of 68-54

Top Performers:
Lakeside
Isiah Brown – 31 points
Kiki Boyle – 20 points

Mercer Island
Sam Nordale and Andrew Pickles – 14 points each

Stockton Sinks Late Triple to Send Bullpups to 4A Championship

Posted on by

Cleveland Returns to Title Game for Third Consecutive Season
By Steven Dion

Friday- March 6 2015 Girls 4A State
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Gonzaga Prep 5 9 19 8 41
Todd Beamer 12 8 13 6 39


Gonzaga Prep Oona Harrington

The final girls game of Friday night was a 4A semifinal with Todd Beamer and defending champions Gonzaga Prep to determine Inglemoor’s opponent in the title game. Occasionally, the Hardwood Classic features games that are wars of attrition and this particular matchup played out as such. A half dozen lead changes, four ties, and a heroic three-ball in the final seconds were the ingredients to determine the representative in the 2015 final from the bottom half of the bracket.

The defending champs rolled out to a slow start by only recording five first quarter points and submitting a seven point in the process. Todd Beamer grabbed the largest lead of the game early at 14-5 with Quinessa CaylaoDo heating up for what would become a monster game. With only four Bullpups recording points in the contest, the combination of Laura Stockton, Otionta Gildon, Tayler Drynan, and Oona Harrington would need to improve the 22% first half shooting percentage in addition to back-to-back single digit quarters. At intermission, Beamer led 20-14.

As Coach Mike Arte has shown many times in his coaching tenure with GPrep, halftime adjustments and the ability to instill composure in close ball games was demonstrated once again. The Pups strung together the highest point total of the game in the third to bring the score to a 33-33 tie heading into the final frame. The crowd at the Tacoma Dome started gravitating its attention to what was shaping up on the north court.

A tense fourth quarter with minimal scoring came down to a one point lead for Todd Beamer after a tough turnaround in the paint by Nia Alexander with under thirty seconds remaining. CaylaoDo recorded 20 of TBHS’ 39 thus far and the Titans were one possession away from a state berth.

Stockton has the ball at the top of the paint…works the ball to the wing…the ball is passed to an open Lauren Weir in the corner but is tipped…Stockton recovers…ball back to the wing and Stockton twice more…clock is dwindling. Stockton hoists one up from the top of the key with a defender closing fast. Nothing but net. The Gonzaga sideline erupts. Beamer quickly inbounds the ball to set up a desperation shot but it is intercepted and a Bullpup is running the ball and clock to zero in excitement. The basketball is in the hands of Laura Stockton. Ballgame. Gonzaga Prep to its back to back state final.

The Final Score: Gonzaga Prep 41 Todd Beamer 39

Top Performers:
Gonzaga Prep
Laura Stockton-13 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists

Todd Beamer
Quinessa CaylaoDo-20 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists

2015 State Tournament Preview

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

14-WA-Bball-StatePreview

2015 State Tournament Preview
4A & 3A- Girls & Boys
Steve Dion & Colin Caruso

All season long, Steve Dion and Colin Caruso have been in gyms throughout the state watching the best high school basketball Washington has to offer. With the 2015 Hardwood Classic at the Tacoma Dome coming up, they break down the 3A and 4A brackets for boys and girls and use what they saw throughout the season to project what they expect to see at the Woodshed this weekend!

To catch the complete State Tournament Preview with Steve Dion and Colin Caruso, simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

 

Rainier Beach Downs Wolverines For SeaKing Title

Posted on by

Rainier Beach Downs Wolverines For SeaKing Title
By Steven Dion

Saturday- February 21 2015 Boys 3A SeaKing
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Rainier Beach 27 14 15 14 70
Bellevue 19 13 12 12 56


Rainier Beach Vikings

In what could become a state final matchup, the 3 time defending champs Rainier Beach squared off against a surging Bellevue team for the district title on Saturday at Bellevue College. The capacity crowd was eager to see two of the top teams in the state square off to determine district dominance. This particular game had seeding implications on the line in addition to an extra boost heading into regionals weekend. The stage was set: Metro League versus KingCo. Which league would prevail?

As Rainier Beach does better than anyone, the Vikings pressed the Wolverines in the backcourt with Ivy Smith and Shadeed Shabazz. This defensive effort provided dividends on the offensive end as Shabazz got a hot hand early. Bellevue countered with high scoring early as big man Mikey Henn notched eight points including a pair of triples in the first quarter. Ivy Smith connected on a long toss at the first quarter buzzer to give RB a 27-19 lead after one quarter.

Senior leader for Beach Dejounte Murray demonstrated his versatility by pulling down tough rebounds and controlling the Viking attack. He followed his 10 point first quarter with half a dozen more in the second frame. Murray finished with a game-high 22. The Wolverines kept pace with a variety of scoring options including reserve Andrew Kinney who provided a nice boost. At the break, RBHS held a nine point lead.

When play resumed, BHS was eager to find a groove and cut the deficit to set themselves up for a chance to win. Senior captains Kyle Foreman and Gunther Klimes attempted to will their team to reach that extra gear Bellevue is capable of locking into. Rainier Beach dashed their hopes on back-to-back possessions when a two-handed alley-oop slam by Murray was followed up by a defensive stop and a tomahawk slam by high-flying freshman Kevin Porter. Trailing by a dozen with a quarter to go, could Coach O’Connor rally the Wolverines?

Beach responded with a resounding “no” as Murray converted on two crucial possessions to put the game away. He zipped an assist to Vincenzo Reiser who was parked under the cup and on the next possession dished the rock to Ivy who knocked down a three while being fouled in the process. These two plays put the game on ice and propelled Rainier Beach to a district championship. Don’t be surprised if these teams meet up again in the Tacoma Dome in March!

The Final Score: Rainier Beach 70 Bellevue 56

Top Performers:
Rainier Beach
Dejounte Murray-22 points

Bellevue
Gunther Klimes-15 points

Henn’s Explosive Second Half Propels Bellevue Past Crusaders

Posted on by

Henn’s Explosive Second Half Propels Bellevue Past Crusaders
By Steven Dion

Tuesday- February 17 2015 Boys 3A SeaKing
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Bellevue 12 15 21 21 69
Eastside Catholic 12 10 9 16 47


Bellevue Senior Kyle Foreman

The 3A District 2 tournament is underway and the second round was played on Tuesday night including a pair of contests at Bellevue College. The nightcap featured the 3A runner-up in the state championship tournament Eastside Catholic and a surging Bellevue squad who enjoyed a sense of home-court advantage due to close proximity. The winner would advance to the quarterfinals where they would take on Garfield who won the early game over Franklin. Conversely, the losing squad would move to the other side of the bracket where they would have a chance to finish up to fifth place in the highly competitive SeaKing district.

A buzzing gym with packed sidelines may have taken a toll on the nerves of both teams in the opening minutes, but it did not take long for each side to find a rhythm. An emphatic dunk by Gunther Klimes gave Bellevue a burst. EC responded moments later when Matisse Thybulle elevated for a one-handed tip jam that brought many people to their feet.

Tied at dozen apiece heading into the second quarter, the ability for one team to create some separation was available. The Wolverines seized the opportunity by stringing together an 11-0 run that ate up nearly five minutes. Sharif Khan scored five in the frame and Javon Jefferson provided a lift off the bench by knocking down two buckets in the quarter. Max Hudgins finally got the Cru off the scheid at the 3:30 mark when the senior knocked down a three-pointer. This allowed ECHS to close the quarter strong by outscoring the Wolverines 8-4 in the final minutes of the first half to cut the deficit to five points at 27-22.

Bellevue’s versatile post Mikey Henn had a quiet three points in the first half, but that quickly changed in the second. A few early buckets including a monstrous two-handed slam earned the junior more time with the ball in his hands as the half progressed. Senior guard Kyle Foreman distributed the ball nicely to Henn in addition to knocking down shots of his own. He buried a pair from downtown en route to 15 points and ten by Henn helped Bellevue blow the doors off the game in the pivotal third quarter. The final frame was on cruise control for Chris O’ Connors Wolverines as they chewed up clock and used precision passing to neutralize the Crusaders press. Henn netted eight more points to pad his game-high 21 point total. The BHS bench was emptied to protect the starters down the stretch and the clock wound down quickly as Bellevue ran away with a 22 point win.

The Final Score: Bellevue 69 Eastside Catholic 47

Top Performers:
Bellevue
Mikey Henn-21 points

Eastside Catholic
Max Hudgins-14 points

Rainier Beach Holds Metro League Champion Title for Another Year

Posted on by

Rainier Beach Holds Metro League Champion Title for Another Year
By Steven Dion

Friday- February 13 2015 Boys 3A Metro
Seattle Pacific University 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Rainier Beach 17 25 19 23 84
Garfield 18 12 18 33 81


Rainier Beach Senior Ivy Smith

In a packed Brougham Pavilion at Seattle Pacific University, the Metro League title was up for grabs between 3-time defending 3A champs Rainier Beach and reigning 4A winner Garfield. There were former star alumni in the audience including Brandon Roy and current Philadelphia 76er Tony Wroten to see Washington’s top talent square off for a league title. Garfield took the regular season matchup by a score of 84-67 so The Beach Boys were eager to avenge the defeat in the Metro Championship. Regardless of the result, these familiar foes are likely to see one another again this season.

Super sophomore Jaylen Nowell started the game on a 6-0 run to give the Bulldogs an early spark. Garfield’s early advantage was compounded by the Vikings’ inability to find an offensive rhythm. However, as Beach seemingly always does, they closed the quarter strong by when Ivy Smith buried two threes in the corner.
The second frame proved to be a pivotal stretch for RBHS as a Dejounte Murray dunk propelled the Viks to a 25-12 run. When Garfield’s Alphonso Anderson picked up his second foul and was forced to sit on the bench, RB capitalized and the complexity of the game changed. The Bulldogs lost their effortless flow and resorted to operating in the half-court with a visible lack of confidence. Mike Bethea’s Vikings grabbed a double-digit lead with 1:30 remaining in the first half and led by a dozen at halftime.

Rainier Beach’s leading scorer in the contest Shadeed Shabazz started to pour it on during the third quarter. The senior guard was able to get tough shots in the paint to fall and demonstrated his defensive prowess by turning the Bulldogs over. Leading by 13 with eight minutes to play, could Rainier Beach hold on?

Jaylen Nowell re-emerged in the as his 11 point fourth-quarter propelled Garfield to a 9-0 run late to bring the contest to 77-73 with 2:48 remaining and a RB timeout to talk things over. In the ensuing possession, Murray was able to knock down a contested jumper with an expiring shot-clock. Garfield was able to respond and keep the margin close. In the final 20 seconds, Ivy Smith was at the line with a 83-81 lead and two shots to seal the contest. The senior made the front end of the one-and-one. Shot two rimmed out and Garfield had a chance to put the game into overtime. Jaylen Nowell fired a good look from downtown and it rimmed out to the hands of Austin Anderson. The ball was fed to Nowell for a second chance, but Shabazz jumped the passing lane and created a pile-up as the fight for the ball erased the last seconds on the clock. Rainier Beach holds on to capture another Metro League championship.

The Final Score: Rainier Beach 84 Garfield 81

Top Performers:
Rainier Beach
Shadeed Shabazz-25 points

Garfield
Jaylen Nowell-33 points

The #1 Bulldogs Handle Seattle Prep, Advance to Metro Final

Posted on by

The #1 Bulldogs Handle Seattle Prep, Advance to Metro Final
By Colin Caruso

Wednesday February 11 2015 Boys 3A Metro
Ingraham High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Seattle Prep 14 11 15 9 49
Garfield 20 14 16 14 64

Seattle Prep knew they were in for a tough matchup when facing the #1 3A ranked team in the state, the 4A defending champion Garfield Bulldogs. Garfield came out swinging early in the first frame of this contest, putting up a cool 20 on the Panthers, who had no match for the speed and quickness of the Bulldogs. But Prep would not go down without a fight, scoring 14 points on the back of Collin Welp’s 7 to trail by just six going into the second.

The first five minutes of the second quarter all belonged to Seattle Prep. The Panthers zone defense was stifling to the quicker but smaller Bulldogs. Prep cut the Bulldog lead to just one, 26-25 with three minutes to play in the half. But the Bulldogs responded, as they normally do, with a commanding 8-0 run to end the first half with a nine point lead.

Garfield extended their lead again in the third quarter, with sophomores Jashaun Agosto and Jaylen Nowell leading the charge. Prep continued to hang around, but the Bulldogs were in control.

The fourth quarter came down to the final three minutes, with the Bulldogs clinging to a six point lead. Prep could really never get over that barrier, as Agosto forced two late turnovers that sealed the contest for the Bulldogs, 64-49. What a great game!

Top Performers:
Seattle Prep
J’Raan Brooks – 12 points
Jack Stewart and Collin Welp – 11 points

Garfield
Jaylen Nowell – 22 points
Jashaun Agosto – 21 points
Alphonso Anderson – 16 points

King’s Caps off Perfect League Record Against Archbishop Murphy

Posted on by

King’s Caps off Perfect League Record Against Archbishop Murphy
By Steven Dion

Friday- February 6 2015 Boys 2A/1A Cascade
King's High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
King's 14 13 14 15 56
Archbishop Murphy 10 18 4 12 44


King’s Sophomore Corey Kispert

The end of the regular season has arrived and the top dogs of the Cascade League in King’s and Archbishop Murphy would see the rivalry renewed on senior night for the Knights. A packed Mike Martin gymnasium was excited to see undefeated King’s take on second place Archbishop Murphy who was hungry to avenge a 65-40 loss earlier in the season. Would Rick Skeen and Co. finish conference play blemish-free or would the Wildcats play spoiler in the league finale?

Archbishop took a quick 7-0 lead to start the contest which got the home team off balance. Coach Skeen switched up his normal starting lineup for senior night and it appeared the chemistry early on was affected. The Knights proceeded to roll out a 14-2 run and capture a lead by the end of the first frame. Corey Kispert drained one of his four three-pointers en route to a game-high 27 points. The dynamic sophomore would go on to show his all-around versatility as a top player in the state. The Wildcats responded in the second quarter by increasing the intensity on both ends of the floor. D’Andre Bryant knocked down some tough shots and the Cats rebounded well as a team. At halftime, the home squad led by a single point at 28-27.

With anticipation for an exciting second half, the seesaw ride continued for the majority of the third quarter. Points were at a premium and with a chance to take control of the contest, King’s stood up. Their length advantage paid dividends as tenacious defenders like Noah Bundrant forced turnovers that led to buckets at the other end. Kispert scored nine in the frame including a pair of triples which proved to be daggers. AMHS could not climb back the double digit lead built in the fourth quarter despite efforts by Abraham Lucas and Anfernee Gurley. The Knights finish Cascade play undefeated and poised to make a run at the 1A state title.

The Final Score: King’s 56 Archbishop Murphy 44

Top Performers:
King’s
Corey Kispert-27 points

Archbishop Murphy
Abraham Lucas-9 points

Worthy, Thybulle Register 15 Apiece as Crusaders Defeat Prep

Posted on by

Worthy, Thybulle Register 15 Apiece as Crusaders Defeat Prep
By Steven Dion

Tuesday- January 27 2015 Boys 3A Metro-Mountain
Seattle Prep High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Eastside Catholic 20 10 11 19 60
Seattle Prep 11 10 17 12 50


Eastside Catholic Mandrell Worthy

Any given Tuesday in the Metro League will deliver exciting basketball and showcase some of the top talent in the state of Washington. This particular night featured a clash of top ten squads as Seattle Prep would host the 2013 3A runner-up Eastside Catholic. The Mountain division leader heading into the contest was the Panthers, but a win for the Coach Liley’s Cru would yield identical league records with a tie breaker to Eastside Catholic.

The visitors jumped out to a nice start by converting several offensive possessions into easy buckets through well executed sets. ECHS made use of the shot clock to earn good looks at the cup from crisp ball movement. University of Washington commit Matisse Thybulle netted seven of his fifteen points in the first quarter to help his team pick up an early 20-11 lead. However, the senior forward found himself in foul trouble and Seattle Prep responded with a boost in tempo. Sophomore guard Aaron Nettles dazzled the crowd with crafty passes to teammates and smooth ball handling to get penetration in the paint to open up offensive options. Each time the Panthers picked up momentum, Eastside was able to knock down a rally killer to protect their nine point lead heading into the locker room.

When play resumed, Mike Kelly drew up a new defensive scheme for Prep by plugging Jordan Kitchen into EC’s backcourt. His long 6’8” frame created havoc for the Crusader offense and caused turnovers which sparked a Panther run to tighten up the contest. A 9-2 scoring spree to begin the third quarter caused Eastside Catholic to call a timeout as their lead shrunk to a deuce. J’Raan Brooks established his post presence by finishing tough shots near the cup and registering 8 of his 14 points in the third quarter. Nettles also drained a big three-pointer to help the blue and white climb back into the game heading into the final frame.

Eastside regained their composure in the fourth quarter and knocked down big shots to put pressure on Prep as the clock winded down. The free-throw contest in the final minute put EC to the test as SP tried to extend the contest. They passed with flying colors draining 11 of 13 from the charity stripe. Mandrell Worthy buried the final dagger on a cross-up jumper to give his team a lead they would not sacrifice. With the win, the new leader in the Metro-Mountain division hails from the Sammamish plateau.

The Final Score: Eastside Catholic 60 Seattle Prep 50

Top Performers:
Eastside Catholic
Mandrell Worthy (4/5 FTs) & Matisse Thybulle (2/2 FTs)-15 points

Seattle Prep
Aaron Nettles-17 points (8/10 FTs)

Hudgins’ 19 Propels Crusaders Past Braves

Posted on by

Hudgins’ 19 Propels Crusaders Past Braves
By Steven Dion

Tuesday- January 20 2015 Boys 3A Metro
Bishop Blanchet High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Eastside Catholic 15 17 19 9 60
Bishop Blanchet 4 17 11 14 46


Eastside Catholic Senior Max Hudgins

The 3A runner-up a season ago made a visit to Bishop Blanchet High School on Tuesday night to take on the Braves for some Metro League action. Coach Liley’s Crusaders squad is on track to make a run at the state title again this season as their athleticism, leadership, and chemistry are in the upper ranks of Washington state hoops. However, Blanchet is headed in the upward direction as a program and on pace to record a higher win total than the previous year for the fourth consecutive season under Coach Bilanko. This matchup is one of the biggest tests the Braves would face.

There was a slow pace when the game started as both teams had difficulty finding a rhythm. Eastside eventually broke the spell by increasing the intensity on the defensive end and it translated to points on the other side of the floor. One of the defensive turnovers resulted in a high-flying, two-handed slam by Matisse Thybulle. By the end of the first frame, the Crusaders jumped out to a 15-4 lead. Blanchet regrouped in the second quarter when Sam Cunliffe and Derrik Dean were able to get shots to fall. The pair scored 12 and 7 respectively before the break and brought the game back to single digits within the quarter. The lead could have been cut even further, but an efficient first half by Mandrell Worthy who registered 9 of his 16 total points on 4 of 5 shooting brought the lead back to 11 when the buzzer sounded. At intermission, Eastside Catholic led 32-21.

The visitor’s lead continued to grow in the second half through contributions of Max Hudgins who led all scorers with 19 points. ECHS went 6/6 from the charity stripe in the third quarter and 10/12 overall which proved to be an important piece of their success. Cunliffe made a strong effort to get the Braves back on track, but the opposing defense made it difficult for him to get into a groove. A pair of pull-up 3’s by the Crusaders helped build a 19 point lead going into the final frame. With the game essentially put away, both teams emptied their benches to give reserves minutes. Ryan Harmon found himself with the rock and nothing but daylight ahead so he finished with a two-handed slam to end the game on a good note for the home team. Eastside Catholic proved their prestige by walking away with a double-digit victory against an ever-improving Blanchet team.

The Final Score: Eastside Catholic 60 Bishop Blanchet 46

Top Performers:
Eastside Catholic
Max Hudgins-19 points (6/13 FGs, 4/11 3pt FGs, 3/4 FTs)

Bishop Blanchet
Sam Cunliffe-18 points

Garfield Remains Unbeaten, Tops Lakeside

Posted on by

Garfield Remains Unbeaten, Tops Lakeside
By Colin Caruso

Friday- January 9 2015 Boys 3A Metro
Garfield High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Lakeside 23 12 18 14 67
Garfield 15 17 23 28 83

With Lorenzo Romar in the house, watching two of Seattle’s and Washington State’s finest, the Garfield Bulldogs overcame an early deficit but pulled away late to claim their 12th win of the year.

Lakeside started this game on fire, Isiah Brown had 8 points in the first quarter and Daejon Davis had 9, propelling the Lions to a 23-15 lead after one. In speaking with a Lakeside coach after the game, this was one of their best quarters of basketball all year long.

But the scoring slowed down in the second for the Lions, and the Bulldogs began to heat up. A 35-33 halftime lead for Lakeside meant that they needed to come out with a third quarter like their first quarter to keep the momentum.

Garfield began their 3/4 court triangle trap to begin the second half. This caused fits for the Lions, who’s turnovers led to easy leak out baskets for Jashaun Agosto and Jaylen Nowell. Garfield took their first lead with 4:09 remaining in the third, and did not look back from there.

The points came easily to the Bulldogs in the fourth quarter, 28 in total in just 8 minutes. Alphonso Anderson proved his worth scoring 6 in the last frame, as the Bulldogs rolled to remain undefeated on the year.

The Final Score: Garfield 83, Lakeside 67

Top Performers:
Lakeside
Isiah Brown and Isaiah de la Fuente – 17 points

Garfield
Alphonso Anderson – 18 points
Jashaun Agosto – 21 points

Lynnwood Claims Royal Win in Battle of Unbeaten Teams

Posted on by

Lynnwood Claims Royal Win in Battle of Unbeaten Teams
By Steven Dion

Wednesday- January 14 2015 Girls 3A Wesco-South
Lynnwood High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Lynnwood 14 12 15 17 58
Glacier Peak 12 11 7 3 33


Lynnwood Junior Jordyn Edwards

At this point in the high school basketball season, those with a perfect record intact are generally the teams that are likely to have a playoff run in the near horizon. It is rare to find such in the same league, but Wednesday night featured a 3A Wesco showdown between host Lynnwood and Glacier Peak. The gym was packed to see which team would emerge as the leader of the Wesco South division.

The tenacity of Coach Edwards’ Royals was displayed early as they started the contest on a 6-0 run in the first 1:57 which prompted a Grizzlies timeout to hopefully quell the early momentum. This proved to be an effective tactic by GP because they strung together a 12-5 run until the final seconds of the first frame when Jordyn Edwards buried one from downtown. In the second quarter, the Grizzlies took advantage of hustle plays including offensive rebounds capitalized by Kayla Watkins who led GPHS with 9 points. The interior defense of Glacier Peak forced the Royals into taking tough shots. At the end of a physical first half, Lynnwood was up 26-23.

When play resumed, the home team quickly separated themselves by building a lead they would not allow to be erased. Junior captain Mikayla Pivec scored on back-to-back possessions which capped off an 8-2 run to start the third. She finished with 15 points in the game. Without skipping a beat, they scored twice more unanswered. Their pace was overwhelming as defensive stops led to quick outlets and easy buckets. The balance of Lynnwood was evident as Pivec, Edwards, and Kelsey Rogers all scored in double figures and each scored in all four quarters. Leading by eleven heading into the fourth quarter, LHS was able to maintain a sizable lead and wrap up an impressive victory over a team they could see again in the playoffs.

The Final Score: Lynnwood 58 Glacier Peak 33

Top Performers:
Lynnwood
Jordyn Edwards-17 points

Glacier Peak
Kayla Watkins-9 points

Skyline Swoops Big Win in Eagle Nest

Posted on by

Skyline Shocks Issaquah in KingCo Rival Clash
By Steven Dion

Friday- January 9 2015 Girls 4A KingCo
Issaquah High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Skyline 16 16 10 21 63
Issaquah 9 12 9 15 45


Skyline Junior Cassidy Daugherty

Game one of a varsity doubleheader on Friday night at Issaquah High School featured the host Eagles and the Skyline Lady Spartans. Both teams are jockeying for position in the 4A standings as league play heats up. The victor would take a big step in keeping pace with the KingCo leaders so the table was set for an exciting matchup of plateau rivals.

The home squad was able to score eight unanswered points to start the contest and gain early momentum. Coach Fithian was able to rally the troops and respond in a big way. Junior Cassidy Daugherty highlighted a Spartan run by knocking down a pair of triples. At the 2:30 mark in the first frame, Eagle coach Nicole Reid called a timeout to stop the Skyline attack. However, the green and white were on a 16-1 run by the end of the quarter. A strong defensive effort by SHS was led by Jade Loville and Maddie Adamson to help add onto their lead. Issaquah forward Ellen MacNary scored five second-quarter points to keep her team within striking distance. Despite her attempt at sparking a rally, Issy faced a double-digit deficit at the break trailing 32-21.

When play resumed, Skyline continued aggressive play by attacking the bucket and earning trips to the free throw line. Their 21/27 (78%) shooting from the charity stripe was a difference maker in the game as Issaquah was unable to get on extended scoring runs. The game was lengthened from the many starts and stops. Lady Spartan captain Taylor McKerlich scored 9 points in the second half en route to her 11 total points and Daugherty led all scorers with 20. Eagle freshman Mariah Van Halm had some nice takes to the cup as she led her team in scoring with 11 points. She helped IHS cut the deficit to single digits in the fourth, but the clock favored Skyline at this point and they were able to run away with the victory as the game came to a conclusion.

The Final Score: Skyline 63 Issaquah 45

Top Performers:
Skyline
Cassidy Daugherty-20 points (9/10 FTs)

Issaquah
Mariah Van Halm-11 points (5/7 FTs)

Kennedy Grabs Top Spot in Seamount with Victory Over Hazen

Posted on by

Kennedy Grabs Top Spot in Seamount with Victory Over Hazen
By Steven Dion

Wednesday- January 7 2015 Boys 3A Seamount
Kennedy Catholic High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Kennedy Catholic 12 14 20 18 64
Hazen 15 12 13 16 56


Kennedy Catholic Senior AJ McGrew

There is no mistaking a rivalry game when you see one, especially when the teams are undefeated in league play. This was the case Wednesday night as Kennedy would host Hazen which would determine a new leader in the Seamount standings. Neither squad was too keen to find themselves in the second spot.

Hazen kicked off the contest draining shots from the perimeter giving them a quick 9-3 lead which prompted a Lancer timeout by Don Hoffman. His team responded by distributing the ball to several KC playmakers including AJ McGrew, James Jolly, and Emilio Mancol. Hazen wing Jalen Green was forced to leave the game in the first quarter after landing awkwardly. The Highlanders’ reliance from downtown started to allow Kennedy to rally when the shots were not falling as often later in the first half. Meanwhile, the Lancers capitalized on numerous second chances on the offensive end to close out the half trailing by a single point at 27-26. The way that each possession appeared to result in a lead change was a good sign the crowd was in for an exciting finish.

The pace of the game jumped up a few notches to start the third quarter especially in the physicality between the two teams. Hazen captain Connor O’Hearn was in the mix of possession battles but kept a calm demeanor on the floor. Kennedy was fueled by the skirmishes and strung together a big run through the majority of the third quarter. A key play in the game was a monster block by HHS wing Dominic Green that bounced to McGrew who made a putback and one. Green responded with a three-pointer at the third quarter buzzer, but the damage was done. Kennedy led by a half dozen heading into the fourth.

Michael Sasonoff and James Jolly helped grow the lead to double-digits in the final quarter and were able to clamp down on defense. Their ability to limit Hazen scorers other than Green to 10 points in the second half was a difference maker in the contest. Even with a late run by Hazen, Kennedy had enough to secure a big home win to take first place in the league.

The Final Score: Kennedy Catholic 64 Hazen 56

Top Performers:
Kennedy Catholic
Michael Sasonoff-14 points/AJ McGrew-13 points

Hazen
Dominic Green-23 points

Inglemoor Prevails in Nailbiter Over Blanchet

Posted on by

Inglemoor Prevails in Nailbiter Over Blanchet
By Steven Dion

Monday- January 5 2015 Girls 4A/3A Non-League
Inglemoor High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Inglemoor 13 16 14 9 52
Bishop Blanchet 17 6 14 13 50


Inglemoor Senior Jordana Price

Monday night at Inglemoor High School provided a sneak peek of the kind of basketball seen at the Tacoma Dome in March as the host Vikings battled against the 2013 3A runner up Bishop Blanchet. Unfortunately, these top girls squads in the state will not have a chance to meet in the Hardwood Classic.

Blanchet was able to grab an early lead as three Braves players knocked down 3 pointers in the first quarter. It appeared that this was an integral part of Coach Willison’s game plan due to the Vikings size advantage in the paint. Deja Stother accounted for 6 of the Vikings 13 first quarter points on high ball screens allowing her to attack the rim. However, Strother picked up her second foul late in the first forcing coach John Augustavo to place the senior center on the bench. Jordana Price was able to pick up the slack by burying a pair from downtown for 6 of her 14 big points in the game. The Braves offense stalled in the second frame and in doing so allowed Inglemoor to take the lead. Jadyn Bush fought through some pain from a collision under the hoop in the first quarter which limited her to 4 first half points, but the sophomore leader had a big second half in store as BB trailed by six at the break.

The pace of the game picked up early in the third quarter as both team were getting offensive production up and down the roster. Braves guard Taylor Chambers dished out some great passes to driving teammates and notched some points in the process. Strother picked up some assists in the form of full court heaves to Kennedy Nicholas and Amanda Luckett. Ella DiPietro helped Blanchet cut the lead to one point with 4 minutes remaining. Then, Bush converted on an and-one to give the Braves the lead. However, Jordana Price came up clutch with a three-ball with 38 seconds remaining. This would prove to be the winning score as Inglemoor held onto the slim lead they regained. An exciting finish between the best the state of Washington has to offer!

The Final Score: Inglemoor 52 Bishop Blanchet 50

Top Performers:
Inglemoor
Deja Strother-17 points/Jordana Price-14 points (4 3-pt FGs)

Bishop Blanchet
Jadyn Bush-15 points (5/6 FTs)

Meadowdale Rolls Past Interlake in Tournament Opener

Posted on by

Meadowdale Rolls Past Interlake in Tournament Opener
By Steven Dion

Monday- December 29 2014 Boys 3A Non-League
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Meadowdale 16 14 11 14 55
Interlake 5 10 9 13 37


Meadowdale Junior Nathan Heilpap

The third of four games slated for round one of the boys tourney at Bellevue College featured a 3A clash between KingCo and Wesco as Interlake would take on Meadowdale. During the shootaround, it was difficult to tell which team was which as both team donned their powder blue warmups. On the line in this contest would be a round two battle on Tuesday night with the winner of the Renton/Inglemoor game which followed this game. The stage was set for the Saints and Mavericks to determine which team would advance in the winner’s bracket.

The Mavs raced out of the gates on a 7-0 run during the first 3:50 of the game. Many of their early field goals stemmed from turnovers on the defensive end leading to transition buckets on offense. Reid Wilson and Charlie White accounted for 14 of Meadowdale’s 30 first half points. Interlake’s difficulty finding a groove was exacerbated by unusually unfortunate bounces around the rim. The Saints found themselves down by double digits after one quarter despite getting good looks at the basket. Meadowdale took advantage of slow zone rotations from IHS by allowing Aidan O’Neill and Nathan Heilpap dial a pair from downtown. Interlake’s Justin Jordan provided a spark off the bench by knocking down a few jumpers of his own in the second quarter. The first half ended with a Landon Hopkins three at the buzzer to give the Mavericks a 30-15 leading heading into the locker room.

With a sense of urgency by Darren Bowden’s Saints, the pace of the game picked up in the third frame, but MHS was prepared to defend their lead. Interlake chipped away at the deficit slowly, but the Mavs closed the quarter strong to set up the final eight minutes. Kyle Grund played a major role in putting the game on ice as the 6’6 senior scored 6 of his 8 points down the stretch. Interlake’s Ayden Allen put together a strong second half en route to a game high 13 points, but Meadowdale advances to the second round after an 18 point win.

The Final Score: Meadowdale 55 Interlake 37

Top Performers:
Meadowdale
Charlie White and Reid Wilson-12 points

Interlake
Ayden Allen-13 points

Auburn-Mountainview Escapes Tornados Down the Stretch

Posted on by

Auburn-Mountainview Escapes Tornados Down the Stretch
By Steven Dion

Friday- December 26 2014 Boys 4A/3A Non-League
Kennedy Catholic High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Auburn-Mountainview 16 22 23 22 83
Yelm 7 26 17 8 58


Auburn-Mountainview Junior Victor Daggs

Day one of the 2014 Christmas Classic presented by Oberto matched up 3A SPSL representative in Auburn-Mountainview and Yelm of the 4A Narrows. Advancement to the second round in the winner’s bracket was on the line as the team that prevailed will take on the winner of the Kennedy Catholic/Cascade Christian game which would follow this one. The intriguing matchup in this game would be how the dynamic guards of AM in Victor Daggs and Ryan Lacey would fill the scoresheet against versatile forward Christian Davis of the Tornados.

The Lions captured an early lead in the game as 5 players scored in the opening quarter. Conversely, Yelm could not buy a bucket to start the game as their first points came nearly five minutes into the game. The scoring drought ceased quickly as Davis sparked a second quarter Yelm run. The 6’4 junior tallied 15 points in the second quarter as part of his game-high 27 points which helped the Tornados chip away at the early deficit they dug themselves into. On the other end of the floor AMHS’ Lacey notched nine of his own to maintain a five point lead heading into halftime. With a scoreboard reading 38-33 into the break, this game was shaping up for an exciting finish.

Auburn-Mountainview’s head coach Thomas Ostrander appeared to address his team’s size advantage during halftime as his 6’10 center Tristan Miguel played a major role in the pivotal third quarter. His rebounding on both sides of the floor led to second chances on offense and limiting Yelm’s time of possession. Miguel had 7 big points in the third which the Lions went on an 11-6 run in just under 5 minutes. However, early foul troubles by the Lions helped Yelm enter the double bonus with over 2 minutes remaining in the third quarter. At the third quarter buzzer, AM heaved a desperation throw from near mid-court. In a lapse of discipline, Yelm fouled the shooter giving Moutainview 3 free throws. This gave the Lions an 11 point lead heading into the fourth. That margin ballooned by an additional 14 points in the final 8 minutes as the 7 Lions scored in the fourth quarter while limiting Yelm to only 8 points. Auburn-Mountainview knocked down 17 of their 25 free throws in the contest en route to a big opening round win.

The Final Score: Auburn-Mountainview 83 Yelm 58

Top Performers:
Auburn-Mountainview
Victor Daggs and Ryan Lacey-18 points

Yelm
Christian Davis-27 points

 
14-WA-AD-TITLE-KileyJuergens-595x140

Davis Rallies, But Cleveland Hangs on for Non-League Win

Posted on by

Davis Rallies, But Cleveland Hangs on for Non-League Win
By Steven Dion

Saturday- December 20 2014 Boys 3A/4A Non-League
Cleveland High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Cleveland 19 17 12 18 66
Davis 7 15 17 20 59


Cleveland Eagles

Saturday afternoon included a contest with 3A against 4A in Cleveland and Davis. The Pirates based out of Yakima won the 4A state championship in 2012 and have regressed since that memorable run. However, some of the members of that title squad are still on the roster as upperclassmen so Davis is still a quality basketball team. Cleveland has struggled to remain competitive in the highly talented Metro League in recent years, but appear to be headed in the positive direction this season. Would Davis be able to get two wins in as many days or would Cleveland prevail on home court?

The pace of this game got off to a fast start as both teams were eager to score in transition. The advantage of size in the paint for Cleveland was evident early as the Eagles rebounded well on both sides of the floor. In addition, they were able to get plenty of quality shots in the paint which translated to leading by a dozen after one quarter of play. The Pirates started to chip away at the early deficit they found themselves in primarily in the perimeter shooting of Nick Navarro. The sharpshooter buried 6 triple in the contest en route to his game-high 20 points. CJ Elleby earned a handful of trips to the free-throw line which he converted as his tenacity helped Cleveland extend their lead to 36-22 at halftime.

Davis was committed to make their road-trip worthwhile as the Pirates increased their second-half intensity to cut the Eagles’ lead. The home team had some foul trouble and turned the ball over to give DHS multiple opportunities to score on offense. The lead started to dwindle and by the end of the third quarter, the difference was nine points. Cleveland’s Nico Buchanan went 6 for 6 from the charity stripe in the final frame to protect the lead. Navarro scored another pair of buckets from downtown to cut the lead to a mere 4 points. This game was still unsettled even though Cleveland led from the opening tip! However, Townsend and the Eagles closed the door by knocking down clutch buckets down the stretch as the Davis shooting starting to cool off. When the buzzer sounded, the home team picked up a quality win against a 4A team by 7 points.

The Final Score: Cleveland 66 Davis 59

Top Performers:
Cleveland
Malik Townsend-16 points

Davis
Nick Navarro-20 points (6 3-pt FG’s)

 

Bellevue Hands Sammamish First Loss, Takes Lead in 3A KingCo

Posted on by

Bellevue Hands Sammamish First Loss, Takes Lead in 3A KingCo
By Steven Dion

Wednesday- December 16 2014 Boys 3A KingCo
Bellevue High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Bellevue 13 20 15 22 70
Sammamish 9 11 9 18 47


Bellevue Senior Gunther Klimes

Tuesday night’s high school hoops schedule included a clash of two teams that were without a loss in their records. The Wolverines played host to the Totems with a chance to be perched at the top of the KingCo League standings. The home team features many of its key contributors to the state tournament last season; would Sammamish challenge one of the state’s finest?

There was a high level of energy displayed in this contest as both teams were content with attacking the bucket in transition early in the shot clock. Bellevue’s zone defense established their ability to create turnovers as their length and swarming nature resulted in Sammamish headaches. However, the Wolverines were unable to convert these takeaways to points, thus keeping the Totems within striking distance. Seven Wolverines scored in the second quarter giving the home squad a 33-20 lead by halftime. The final moments of the first half were quite a spectacle as Kyle Foreman seemingly had a clear path to another Bellevue bucket. Michael Shinaul chased the Wolverine senior down and made a phenomenal block near the rim. Shinaul came crashing down into the padding behind the basket knocking it off the wall. Meanwhile, Issac Garcia raced to pick up the loose ball that was bouncing toward the Sammamish bench. He collided with an official and both tumbled to the floor into the Totem bench as the buzzer sounded. There were seemingly more players on the hardwood than standing as the first half concluded.

To give themselves a chance to climb back into the game, it was imperative the Totems outscore Bellevue in the third quarter. Shaky free throw shooting by BHS was a start, but not finishing on their own possessions prevented Sammamish for cutting down the lead. Zach Moore, Andrew Kenny, and Foreman scored four apiece in the third and while captain Vlad Yadevich netted five, the Bellevue lead grew to 19 after three quarters. The depth of the Wolverines continued to show its strength as 8 players scored in the fourth quarter as the home team picked up its fourth win by the score of 70-47. The leading scorers in the game were Gunther Klimes and Kyle Foreman of BHS and Kyle Tracy of SHS who all scored 14 points.

Top Performers:
Bellevue
Gunther Klimes & Kyle Foreman-14 points

Sammamish
Kyle Tracy-14 points

 

Lady Mustangs Prevail in Overtime Clash with Newport

Posted on by

Lady Mustangs Prevail in Overtime Clash with Newport
By Steven Dion

Friday- December 12 2014 KingCo 4A
Newport High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT Final
Redmond 10 12 11 16 10 59
Newport 7 21 8 13 8 57


Redmond Junior Sierra Craig

Friday night’s slate of early season basketball featured a 4A KingCo matchup of Newport and visitors Redmond. At this point of the schedule, nobody knows where they fit in the spectrum of the leagues so exciting finishes often occur and this was a glaring example. This particular contest took extra time to be settled. Who prevailed and how?

The Lady Knights and their up-tempo play grabbed a 6 point first half lead as freshman point guard Jahdai Alcombrack and post Katelyn Jenkins netted nine apiece. The Mustangs had a difficult time finding a rhythm in the first 16 minutes, but kept the score close enough to give themselves a chance in the second half. Seniors Morgan Grindell and Sawyer Forseth led the Mustangs with a half dozen points each before the break by the score of 30-22 in favor of the home team.

Redmond coach Ashley Graham clearly emphasized defensive pressure in the locker room because the ‘Stangs started climbing back into the game quickly. They had four scorers in the third quarter in comparison to Newport with one. They even gained the lead and held it well into the fourth quarter. Redmond was on the brink of closing the game out, but called a timeout after a defensive rebound. The only problem? They were out of timeouts! This led to two free throws that helped Newport push the game to overtime.

Newport committed to attacking the rim in the overtime period and earned 11 trips to the free throw line making 8 of them. However they did not make a field goal whereas Forseth and Teagyn Ohrt made key buckets down the stretch. This was the difference in the ballgame as the road Redmond squad escaped with a 59-57 victory.

Top Performers:
Redmond
Teagyn Ohrt-15 points (5/7 FT’s)

Newport
Katelyn Jenkins-15 points

 

Bothell! Bothell! Bothell! 4A Champions!

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Saturday Dec. 6 2014 4A Boys Football
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Bothell 10 0 14 0 24
Chiawana 0 0 7 7 14

Game Recap below

14-WA-FBall-Bothell-Playoffs-12.7-2-Article

Bothell! Bothell! Bothell! 4A Champions!
By Colin Caruso

In a game that had the Tacoma Dome on the edge of their seats throughout, the Bothell Cougars proved they were the best team in 4A Washington State football with an amazing win over the defending champions, Chiawana Riverhawks. Knowing full well that Chiawana won the title last year by scoring 14 points in the final minute of the game, Bothell had to keep the pressure on the Riverhawks for the full 48 minutes of play.

Bothell began the game with a stifling first half. Caleb Meyer rushed for a TD on their opening drive, and the Cougar defense closed the door for the next 21 minutes of football. Cougar defensive linemen were living in the Chiawana backfield; Riverhawk quarterback Logan Ellsworth spent the first half running for his life.

When the Riverhawks finally broke deep into Bothell territory late in the second quarter, the Cougars intercepted Ellsworth in the end zone to end the first half. Bothell took a 10-0 lead into the locker room.

The second half started with another great defensive stop for the Cougars, forcing a punt and scoring on that ensuing possession. It would be Ross Bowers only touchdown pass of the day, this to Dayzell Wilson to take a commanding 17-7 lead.

But the Riverhawks would not go down easy, responding with a Austin Urlacher touchdown run to cut the lead to 10 late in the third.

Bothell responded in the most magnificent way. They drove 63 yards in just over 3 minutes, and scored on the best play of the year. Ross Bowers, on a third and goal saw pay dirt on a scramble. He rushed to the left and leaped for the end zone, ball extended. He flipped over a Riverhawk defender, flew about 5 feet in the air, and secured the landing on both feet for a Cougar score. The Bothell sideline exploded. It was one of the most courageous efforts from a quarterback, who knew he wanted to lead his team to victory.

Even with this demoralizing score, the Riverhawks found a way to respond. Cortez Ruiz caught a 37 yard strike just 3 minutes later to again trim the lead to 10 points. But Bothell would not stop fighting on defense. Their next possession resulted in a punt, and the Cougars again stifled the Riverhawk attack. After forcing a turnover on downs, the Cougars close the game in the victory formation, winning their first ever state championship.

The FinalScore – Bothell 24, Chiawana 14.

Top Performers:
Bothell
Ross Bowers – 17-19 for 216 yards and 1TD, rushing TD
Caleb Meyer – 12 carries for 105 yards and 1TD

Chiawana
Austin Urlacher – 21 carries for 101 yards and 1TD

Neah Bay Defeats Liberty Christian for Third 1B Title in Four Years

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Saturday Dec. 6 2014 1B Boys Football
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Neah Bay 8 14 22 12 56
Liberty Christian 6 12 14 6 38

Game Recap below

14-WA-FBAll-NeahBay-Playoffs-12.7-Article

Neah Bay Defeats Liberty Christian for Third 1B Title in Four Years
By Steven Dion

The penultimate matchup of the 2014 state championships featured a round of 8-man football from the smallest classification as 2012 winners in Liberty Christian from Richland would take on the defending champs: the Neah Bay Red Devils. Tony McCaulley has led NBHS to the championship game every year since 2011 in which the only loss was against these LC Patriots.

In the week leading up to the game, Coach McCaulley said upperclassmen had extra motivation in this game to even up the score against the Pats whose victory was on the final play of the game back in ’12. Each team had an undefeated record heading into this game, whose mark would remain perfect?

Neah Bay’s senior tailback scored three rushing touchdowns in the first half to give them 22 points in the first 22 minutes. Liberty Christian’s John Lesser was effective running the football in the first half as well as the junior scored two touchdowns in addition to 86 yards on the ground.

A backbreaking play in this contest was John Reamer returned the ball over 90 yards after the Neah Bay defense ripped the ball out of the carrier’s hands. This play was essentially a fourteen point swing because the Patriots were on the verge of scoring.

As the game wore on into the latter part of the second half, Neah Bay began to pull away and eventually secure a 56-38 win to claim their third championship in 4 years. The score between these two teams in title games is one apiece now. Will the two meet up again in the near future to settle the score?

The FinalScore – Neah Bay 56, Liberty Christian 38.

Cascade Christian Claims 1A Title in Overtime Shootout with Colville

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Saturday Dec. 6 2014 1A Boys Football
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 1 OT Final
Cascade Christian 7 6 0 7 7 27
Colville 8 0 6 6 6 26

Game Recap below

14-WA-Fball-CascadeChristian-Playoffs-TeamChamps-12.7-Article

Cascade Christian Claims 1A Title in Overtime Shootout with Colville
By Steven Dion

Day two of the 2014 Gridiron Classic started with the 1A title game which was a classic East vs West showdown of Cascade Christian from Puyallup and the Colville Indians. Each team entered the contest with a blemish-free 12-0 record. This game marked Colville’s first appearance in the championship game whereas Randy Davis had led his team to 4 of the previous 6. The senior class had knocked on the door of a state title for years and according to Coach Davis, the upperclassmen demonstrated a high level of commitment to vie for the hardware one final time. Colville’s dream season was 48 minutes away from the perfect ending, but could they complete the job?

The Cougars started the game as they have many times before by leading a long touchdown drive that eats up nearly an entire quarter of game clock. The 16 play, 81 yard march was capped off by a 5 yard run by Riley Ramos. Colville responded by leading a scoring drive of their own which ended on a Colton Vining run. The pendulum would swing back and forth several more times. The Cougs regained the lead midway through the second frame when Ramos found the endzone again. This score was made possible by a Russell Wilson-like escape by Jaelin Goldsmith who was in the middle of a collapsing pocket but kept the play alive and found an opening receiver for a big gain. At the break, Cascade Christian held a 13-8 lead.

Colville would receive the ball to start the second half and wasted no time getting back to business. Less than three minutes into the third, the Indians were back on top as Vining recorded his second of four touchdowns of the day. The Cougars started to look sluggish and lost some of the edge they carried in the first half. Colville was able to stop CCHS on a fourth down attempt in the Indians’ red zone but were stopped. Moments later, Ben Knight connected with Journy Young for 50 yards to set up Vining’s third TD. Colville held a 7 point lead with 11 minutes remaining. That changed quickly when Goldsmith tied it back up on a 59 yard keeper to the house. In the final minutes, Cascade Christian was moving the ball well to potentially set up the winning score, but Tyler Ward intercepted Goldsmith. We headed to overtime!

The Cougars received the ball first and proceeded to move the ball 25 yards in 6 plays ending with a Robert Terhune run from one yard out. It took Colville seven plays to punch the ball in by who else but Colton Vining. Instead of kicking the extra point and forcing a second overtime, Coach Cornwell decided to put the fate of the title into one play. The decision came up half a yard short as the Cascade Christian defense stuffed the run and in doing so, won the game. An exciting game from start to finish with tremendous fan support for both teams.

The FinalScore – Cascade Christian 27, Colville 26.

Top Performers:
Cascade Christian
Robert Terhune- 21 rush, 133 yds, 1 TD, 4 rec, 44 yds

Colville
Colton Vining- 23 rush, 136 yds, 4 TD

The Mighty have Fallen; Eastside Catholic Ends Bellevue’s Reign

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Friday Dec. 5th 2014 3A Boys Football
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Bellevue 7 6 0 0 13
Eastside Catholic 0 14 7 14 35

Game Recap below

14-WA-FBall-EastsideCatholic-TeamChamps-12.7-Article2

The Mighty have Fallen; Eastside Catholic Ends Bellevue’s Reign
By Steven Dion

Since 2001, Butch Goncharoff has led Bellevue to 11 of 13 state championships including the previous six consecutive titles. Defeating the Wolverines has taken truly special teams in their era of dominance. Eastside Catholic coach Jeremy Thielbahr had his sights set on becoming the next challenger to the 3A crown and had his fair share of growing pains in the process including back-to-back defeats by Bellevue in the 2012 and 2013 championship games.

The Crusaders and Wolverines steamrolled through their seasons to find themselves playing December football once again. The first two title games these teams played were blowouts in the favor of Bellevue. Everyone at the Tacoma Dome witnessed another lopsided result, but this had a different tune.

Per usual, the Wolverines scored a touchdown on their opening drive, a 5 yard Sam Richmond touchdown run. Playing from behind is never a good way to start against a team approaching its 68th consecutive victory. The Crusaders managed to strike back with a 9 yard touchdown scamper by Brandon Wellington who would score twice more in the contest. Less than a minute later, Isaiah Gilchrist ran a reverse 56 yards to the house to regain the lead. The Wolverines botched the extra point which appeared to give EC a dose of confidence after conceding a big scoring play. The half would close with several read option runs by Crusader quarterback Harley Kirsch which moved the chains and set up a 6 yard strike to Hunter Bryant to give the underdogs a halftime lead.

Bellevue’s commitment to the run was an unsuccessful endeavor in the second half as the Eastside defensive line grew stronger and more aggressive. Justus Rogers had three pass attempts in the game, none of which were completed. Midway through the third, Kirsch found Devon Arbis-Jackson on a short pass which he carried several defenders with him to the goal line for the score. Leading 21-13, the possibility of an upset was becoming a reality. The Wolverines ineptitude on offense was alarming as they ran only 25 offensive plays to EC’s 83 and did not convert a single third or fourth down. The total yard figures were 158 to 414 in favor of the Crusaders.

Early in the fourth quarter Brandon Wellington put Eastside up by two scores on a 1 yard dive play. On the ensuing kickoff, EC recovered the football. Eleven plays later, Wellington was in the end zone again to ice the game. There was 4:18 left on the clock at this point, but leading 35-13, Eastside’s sideline was starting to realize what they had accomplished. Bellevue’s offense was stalled one final time and ECHS was able to run down the clock at their discretion.

When the scoreboard read 0:00, waves of joy, shock, and disappointment were felt throughout the Tacoma Dome as Eastside Catholic defeated Bellevue in convincing fashion. Coach Goncharoff said the better team won the game and he was concerned going into the game about being undersized at the line. Winning coach Jeremy Thielbahr said they had to create an entirely new offensive scheme which Bellevue hadn’t seen them do before. The 3A crown is taking a short trip east to the Issaquah plateau for a year, and maybe more.

Top Performers:
Eastside Catholic
Harley Kirsch-20/22, 188 passing yards and 2TD, 94 rushing yards
Brandon Wellington-33 rushes, 110 yards, 3 touchdowns

Sedro-Woolley Faces off Against Lynden for 2A State Final

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Sedro-Woolley Faces off Against Lynden for 2A State Final
By Steven Dion

The 2A final appears to have the best chance of becoming an instant classic. The interesting storylines heading into this game are seemingly endless. Lynden has won the last 3 titles including six of the previous 8 whereas Sedro-Woolley is in rare territory playing December football. Both teams hail from the highly competitive Northwest League that produce hotly contested games in the regular season. They squared off at Lynden on October 24th and the home team escaped with a 33-30 victory. I caught up with Dave Ward this week and he said Lynden’s ability to create a half-dozen big plays was a key factor in the first go-around and will be a point of emphasis on Saturday. Based on the quarterfinal and semifinal games, expect an enormous sea of blue in support of S-W and likewise for the Lions.

The playmakers that are bound to make a splash in this contest include Sterling Somers (QB) and his favorite targets Jordan Wittenberg and Scooter Hastings who stands 6’7”. The Lynden defense has been slightly more porous than in recent years allowing opponents to push them including a rare loss against Ferndale in mid-December. The Cubs boast a dynamic offensive weapon in Mason Elms who appears to play every position on the field. If he and fellow tailback Carter Crosby can tally over 80 yards on the ground and find the end zone, the Cubs have a good shot.

The strength of Sedro-Woolley is their linebacking corps. The speed and tenacity of Chad Wilburg, Jacob Farrell, and Jay Burger has the ability to hold talented offenses like Lynden, but will they put it together on Saturday to take down the champ? The action takes place on Saturday at 1pm at the Tacoma Dome.

1A State Finals Preview, Colville vs. Cascade Christian

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

1A State Finals Preview, Colville vs. Cascade Christian
By Steven Dion

Saturday will mark the fifth time since 2008 that Cascade Christian has played for a 1A state title with the Cougs from the Puyallup Valley claiming the hardware in ’10. The senior class for CCHS is loaded and appears to have the pieces to overturn the close-calls in recent years. Colville will present a hefty challenge though as the Indians have had an impressive run in ’14 en route to their first state championship appearance. There was a 4 game stretch midway through the season where Randy Cornwell’s team outscored opponents 191-7! Colton Vining’s ability to run the ball against a Cougar defense unit which packs a punch in addition to its speed with the likes of Mason Tobeck and Riley Ramos will be an interesting matchup.

The ability of Colville to stop the rushing attack of Zach Bartolome and Robert Terhune who tallied 310 yards on the ground last week will also dictate the outcome of this contact. I talked to CCHS head coach Randy Davis this week and he mentioned how his team used last year’s overtime loss in the semis as motivation to get in the weight room to take care of unfinished business in 2014. Quarterback Jaelin Goldsmith is playing his best football when it matters most and has his sights set on repeating a similar performance as last week when he threw for 235 yards and 4 touchdowns. So far, the extra work has paid dividends, but he also said in his few game tapes of Colville understands the challenge ahead of his team Saturday morning. A long road trip across the state and a chance to grab the first state title in school history is certainly enough motivation for a hungry Colville squad.

2B State Finals Preview, Napavine vs. Okanogan

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

2B State Finals Preview, Napavine vs. Okanogan
By Steven Dion

The Gridiron Classic kicks off with an intriguing 2B matchup with Okanogan and Napavine. The Bulldogs from the northeast corner of Washington made a statement in the semifinals by pitching a shutout against the 2-time defending champions in Lind-Ritzville-Sprague by the score of 34-0. Okanogan had a fluky loss to Brewster midway through the season, but beat the Bears by four touchdowns the second time the two met up. Napavine dominated Toledo in many key statistical categories last week in the semis, but advanced with a slim six point margin. The Tigers accumulated 346 total yards in the contest and nearly doubled the Indians in plays and first downs.

One thing that Josh Fay may emphasize to his team is not allowing Okanogan to sneak back into the contest late if NHS holds a lead. The combo of Taylor Hicks to Grant McEwen was very effective last Saturday which may lead to more that 11 pass attempts for the Tigers signal-caller in the 2B championship. The last time either of these teams appeared in the championship game was 2008 when Napavine claimed the title. If Okanogan can channel the dominance they demonstrated last weekend, they will be one tough customer. Bringing the hardware home would certainly make the 12 hour round trip for Steve Chamberlain and his Bulldogs well worth it.

1B State Finals Preview, Neah Bay vs. Liberty-Christian

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

1B State Finals Preview, Neah Bay vs. Liberty-Christian
By Steven Dion

A clash of the 2012 and 2013 state champs. Neah Bay is the defending champion and winner of 2 in the last 3 seasons. Liberty-Christian defeated Neah Bay to capture the title in 2012 on the final play of the contest. I spoke with the head coach of the Red Devils Tony McCaulley this week and that game was certainly discussed this week to fire up his team, especially upperclassmen that played in the game. McCaulley’s team was tested by Lummi to reach the finals as they were limited to 213 total yards and lost 3 fumbles in a 26-20 win. The Red Devil defense also show signs of vulnerability as Lummi’s three trips to the red zone all resulted in scores. 40 of NBHS’s 45 plays were rushes, so Cole Svec and Reggie Buttram’s ability to move the football with their legs will be important.

Liberty Christian defeated Republic by the score of 46-20 en route to a state final berth. The score doesn’t fully indicate how dominant the Patriots were in this contest. Mike Olson’s team had a four touchdown lead before the Tigers even got on the board. John Lesser was responsible for 6 touchdowns, three by air and three by ground. Both teams have championship experience so it would not be a surprise to see a tight game decided in the fourth quarter. Looking forward to this game at 4 pm on Saturday night.

4A State Finals Preview, Bothell vs. Chiawana

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

4A State Finals Preview, Bothell vs. Chiawana
By Colin Caruso

Talk about the matchup of the year in this one. The Bothell Cougars, widely regarded as the top team in 4A all season long, facing off against the defending champions, the Chiawana Riverhawks. I had the unbelievable privilege to watch the Riverhawks in the state final last year, in the best comeback in Washington state football history. Down 13 points with 1 minute to play, the Riverhawks pulled off a miracle victory over the Camas Papermakers. I have never felt so much remorse for a losing team, a team that played perfectly all season and 47 minutes in the championship game, but couldn’t close the door on a team driven by a tenacious defensive line and a quarterback with a will to win.

But this is a new season, and a new team for the Riverhawks. And their competition is tested and ready for battle. The Cougars have looked unbeatable all year. Bothell quarterback Ross Conners is looking like one of the top QBs in the state, but the loss of star running back Sam McPherson may prove costly. Chiawana had the best defensive line in 4A last year, and returned three of those starters last season.

Look for another spectacular game and finish in this one. Chiawana has just one loss this season, to the Papermakers of Camas. Bothell is undefeated and deservedly so, they have outscored their opponents 597-133 on the year. Who will lift the trophy in Tacoma? Come join the action on Saturday night, December 6th, at 7:30pm.