Tag Archives: Cleveland

Pryor, Sarver Send West Seattle to Semifinals

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Pryor, Sarver Send West Seattle to Semifinals
By Steve Dion

Tuesday- February 7th 2017 Boys 3A Metro
West Seattle High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Seattle Prep 17 15 11 6 49
West Seattle 16 7 16 14 53

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West Seattle Wildcats

With a trip to Alaska Airlines Arena on Wednesday on the line and a chance to play the top-ranked team in the country Nathan Hale, the West Seattle Wildcats who entered on an 8-game winning streak hosted the Seattle Prep Panthers on Tuesday night.

The guard battle between Aaron Nettles & Nate Pryor took center stage with both floor leaders trading buckets. Nettles buried a step back fadeaway triple at the first quarter buzzer to give Prep an early lead. This carried to halftime with Nic Lynch also making contributions down low.

Coach Fazio made the required adjustments at the break as West Seattle began to immediately chip away at the Panther lead in the third quarter. Pryor continued his torrid pace, but needed to rely on teammates down the stretch for clutch buckets. Jack Golgart & Cass Elliott buried some huge buckets from beyond the arc to give West Seattle a three point lead in the final minute. A defensive stop set up a series of free throws which allowed the Wildcats to push the lead out of reach and ultimately punch their ticket to the league championship semifinal.

The Final Score
West Seattle 53, Seattle Prep 49.

Top Performers:
West Seattle
Nate Pryor- 21 points

Seattle Prep
Aaron Nettles- 18 points

Pryor, Sarver Send West Seattle to Semifinals
By Steve Dion

Tuesday- February 7th 2017 Girls 3A Metro
West Seattle High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Cleveland 11 10 10 21 52
West Seattle 12 27 14 18 71

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West Seattle Wildcats

The nightcap at West Seattle featured the home West Seattle team and visiting Cleveland Eagles with the winner heading over to Hec Edmunson Pavilion at The University of Washington tomorrow to take on #2 seeded Rainier Beach.

It was a back-and-forth affair in the opening quarter with both teams battling playoff nerves. However, West Seattle put together a decisive second quarter which set up an 18 point lead by halftime. Kelsey Lenzie was lethal from the perimeter and Grace Sarver was scoring anyway she wanted to. Jazzeem Bethea tried to keep the Eagles in the game, but was it too late?

West Seattle’s dominance continued in the second half as airtight defense led to one fastbreak after another. In total, four Wildcats scored in double figures. On the other side, Giavanni Flowers put together a strong second half, but the damage was done. The young, talented West Seattle squad is moving on to the big show on Wednesday night at Alaska Airlines Arena at 3:30pm.

The Final Score
West Seattle 71, Cleveland 52.

Top Performers:
West Seattle
Grace Sarver- 18 points

Cleveland
Jazzeem Bethea- 17 points

Late Pryor Runner Seals Westside Win

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Late Pryor Runner Seals Westside Win
By Steve Dion

Tuesday- January 31st 2017 Boys 3A Metro
Cleveland High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
West Seattle 19 4 19 9 46
Cleveland 7 17 14 7 45

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West Seattle Wildcats

As the final week of league play begins, the West Seattle Wildcats ventured over to Cleveland HS to take on the Eagles for a clash of major playoff implications. The Cats are currently the 4th seed with a 10-3 league record looking to maintain their placement in standings. Meanwhile, Cleveland whose 9-4 record currently slates them at the sixth and final seed are seeking to fend off Eastside Catholic who are chasing them down in the last week of the regular season.

Before Cleveland could blink, they were trailing by a dozen with Wildcat floor general Nate Pryor involved in the early offensive production. However, the Eagles kicked into gear in the second quarter when C.J. Elleby found his stroke from all over the court as well as Fahad Sharif who started to connect from downtown. A late Eagle surge helped them take a 24-23 into the locker room.

As the second half progressed, Cleveland’s reliance on Elleby to control the offense grew and was countered with a strong output by senior forward Yusuf Mohamed who scored 10 second half points.

With mere minutes remaining, a strong take to the cup by Pryor resulted in a hard crash to the ground, which he was miraculously able to shrug off. Moments later, he drove down the lane for the go-ahead bucket with less than a minute to go.

Cleveland had 5 seconds to advance the ball down the court to take a potential game-winner by Yusuf had other plans as he ripped the ball loose and clutched the ball as the horn sounded. West Seattle hangs on for a critical one-point victory to retain their 4-spot in the standings.

The Final Score
West Seattle 46, Cleveland 45.

Top Performers:
West Seattle
Nate Pryor- 16 points

Cleveland
C.J. Elleby- 23 points

Metro League Semifinals move to Alaska Airlines Arena at UW

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2017 Metro League Tournament just got Bigger!

ANNOUNCEMENT

The Metro League announced their plans to move their semifinal basketball match-ups to Alaska Airlines Arena on Wednesday, February 8th.  The Boys and Girls final four teams will go head-to-head as part of the Metro League Tournament.

Former Garfield Bulldog and current Nathan Hale coach, Brandon Roy, was interviewed by KJR personalities Mitch Levy and Dick Fain about the Raiders upcoming game against his Alma Mater Garfield this Friday Night at Garfield High School.

This battle of #1 Nathan Hale vs. #2 Garfield has received unprecedented coverage and includes live broadcasts on both ESPNU-TV and Sports Radio 950 KJR-AM. This is the first game televised Live from Garfield High School since Roy was a senior for Garfield back in 2002.

Mitch and Dick of Sports Radio KJR then broke the news that the Metro League Playoffs will move its semifinal games to Alaska Airlines Arena on Wednesday, February 8th.  This will allow all fans an opportunity to see in person what experts are saying is the toughest league in Washington state history, if not the toughest league in the country.


“Metro Athletics represents quality student athletes from public and private schools in all sports,” stated Eric McCurdy, Executive Director of Athletics of Seattle Schools. “We are proud to have Varsity Hoops Live and theFinalScore.TV produce this event as they continue to positively impact high school students through events and programs on and off the court.”



Game and Broadcast Schedule

2017 Metro League Tournament Semifinals schedule of events:

• Winner #6 Metro vs #3 Metro Play-in vs. Metro #2 seed – Girls 3:30pm*
• Winner #5 Seattle Prep vs #4 West Seattle Play-in vs. Nathan Hale – Boys 5:30pm*
• Winner #5 Metro vs #4 Metro Play-in vs. Bishop Blanchet – Girls 7:00pm*
• Winner #6 Metro vs #3 Rainier Beach Play-in vs. Garfield – Boys 8:30pm**

* Varsity Hoops Live Broadcast on www.theFinalScore.TV
** Varsity Hoops Live Broadcast on Sports Radio 950 KJR-AM

The event has several media partners including Sports Radio 950 KJR-AM, POWER 93.3-FM and www.theFinalScore.TV.

All games will be carried via a live audio broadcast over the internet or on radio.

“Our hope is to celebrate great teams in a great venue. We look to showcase amazing high school students on and off the court throughout the day! We are excited to produce the event while broadcasting the games live over the web,” stated Randy Novak, President of ZUMA Media.

 

Ticket Information

Tickets are available for general admission seating and good for all four games. Tickets will be available the day of the event ONLY beginning at 3:00pm at the HUSKY STADIUM Box Office located on the westside of the Stadium.

Once fans enter Alaska Airlines Arena for the event, they can stay for all four games. However, they will not be able to re-enter the event if they leave. Ticket prices are as folllows:

Adults/students without ASB: $10
Students with ASB: $ 7
Kids K-8: $ 5
Seniors 62yrs +: $ 5

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West Seattle, Cleveland Prevail in Unity Hoops Showcase

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West Seattle, Cleveland Prevail in Unity Hoops Showcase
By Steve Dion

Friday- January 13th 2017 Boys 3A 5pm
Garfield High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
West Seattle 15 14 6 18 53
Eastside Catholic 8 7 17 12 44
Friday- January 13th 2017 Boys 3A 7pm
Garfield High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT Final
Cleveland 10 18 14 22 6 70
Franklin 16 11 18 19 4 68

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Cleveland & Franklin Battling For the Rebound at the End of Regulation

The 4th Annual Unity Hoops Showcase at Garfield High School featured a Metro League doubleheader starting with West Seattle taking on Eastside Catholic & the nightcap between Cleveland & Franklin.

West Seattle’s commitment to their gameplan which emphasized defensive intensity and precision offensive execution carried them to a sizable lead in the first half. The Wildcats kept Crusader sharpshooter Brock Mackenzie at bay while Yusuf Mohamed put his versatile scoring ability logging 10 of his game-high 16 in the first half.

Eastside Catholic stormed back in the third frame thanks Noah Springborn finding a groove from beyond the arc. Only leading by three heading into the final quarter, West Seattle relied on their trusty senior Nate Pryor to carry them to the finish line to the tune of a 53-44 victory.

Game two matched the Cleveland Eagles & Franklin Quakers both eager to pick up a crucial league win. The tandem of Marquan Williams and Maurice Bennett was hot out of the gates with electrifying ball handling by Williams and thunderous dunks by “Mo Buckets”. Cleveland relied on their leader C.J. Elleby to lead the charge including a pair of triples in the final moments of the first half to give the Eagles a one point leading heading into halftime.

The pace of play shifted into overdrive in the third quarter with the pace ramping up into the final frame of regulation which saw the Franklin guards attacking the rim with reckless abandon and the Eagles countering with transition buckets in bunches. Cleveland led by a pair in the final seconds of regulation. After coming up with the defensive rebound, instead of waiting to be fouled, they turned the ball over to Franklin in which Cejay Garrison Jr. was able to capitalize with a clutch bucket to tie the game and send the game into OT.

A pair of back-to-back buckets early in the extra period gave Cleveland the needed lift to come away with the win against a tough Quakers squad. This game was an appropriate ending to a great night of high school hoops at Garfield High School.

The Final Score
West Seattle 53, Eastside Catholic 44
Cleveland 70, Franklin 68

Top Performers:
West Seattle
Yusuf Mohamed- 16 points

Cleveland
C.J. Elleby- 33 points

Cleveland Cruises Past Plainsmen in Semifinal Round

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Cleveland Cruises Past Plainsmen in Semifinal Round
By Steve Dion

Thursday- December 29th 2016 Boys Tournament of Champions Semifinal
Franklin High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Evergreen (Vancouver) 6 31 7 22 66
Cleveland 24 22 26 12 84

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Cleveland Junior Jahleel Breland

The defending Tournament of Champions champs Cleveland stood one game away from reaching the final round again with the Evergreen Plainsmen. The Eagles jumped out to a sizeable lead in the first half through opportunistic executing from airtight defense.

CJ Elleby and Fahad Sharif led the charge with 17 and 12 first half points respectively. However, the Plainsmen were able to cut the deficit before the break with Trey Ratcliff attacking the basket and willing his team to with 14 of a 31 point second quarter.

When play resumed, Cleveland found their groove again and put the ballgame out of reach heading into the final frame. Philip White and Jahleel Breland joined the scoring spree in the second half as the Eagles rolled to a 84-66 win. Can Jerry Petty lead his squad to back-to-back tournament wins?

The Final Score
Cleveland 84, Evergreen (Vancouver) 66.

Top Performers:
Cleveland
C.J. Elleby- 23 points

Evergreen (Vancouver)
Trey Ratcliff- 16 points

2017 Coach Interview
Cleveland
Head Coach Jerry Petty

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Varsity Hoops Live Coach Interview
Cleveland – Head Boys Basketball Coach
Jerry Petty

Coming off a 6th place finish in state last season and winners of the 2015 Tournament of Championship which they will look to defend their crown this week at Franklin High School, Cleveland Eagles Head Coach Jerry Petty joins Steve Dion to discuss this year’s squad and how his team is focused on battling against the great competition in the Metro League this year.

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Cleveland Head Coach Jerry Petty

To catch the complete interview with Cleveland Coach Jerry Petty,
 simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

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Memorial Classic Media Day Recap

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3rd Annual Memorial Football Classic 2016

Friday, September 10th & Saturday, September 11th at Memorial Stadium in Seattle

The Third Annual Memorial Football Classic is a special two-day event to celebrate Seattle high school athletes, to raise money for all Seattle public high school athletics, and to build support for the Metro League.

Media day for the Memorial Classic was held at Ballard High School Tuesday afternoon to meet coaches and players from the participating schools for a Q&A session. Also, speakers at the event included Seattle City Council President Bruce Harrell (Garfield & University of Washington alum), former Seattle Seahawks Paul Johns & Edwin Bailey, and Seattle Public Schools Director of Athletics Eric McCurdy.

Additionally, founder of the event Joey Thomas (Garfield head coach, Kennedy Catholic alum, NFL veteran) has selected Monte Kohler for the “Icon Award” from his long and distinguished coaching career at O’Dea and “Legends of the Game Award” to Terry Metcalf (Franklin alum, NFL veteran) for his outstanding coaching tenure locally.

Schedule of Events

Friday, September 9, 2016
5:00 pm – Archbishop Murphy vs. Bishop Blanchet
7:30 pm – Shelton vs. O’Dea

Saturday, September 10, 2016
Noon – Kennewick vs. Cleveland
2:30 pm – Juanita vs. Garfield
5:30 pm – Roosevelt vs. Ballard
8:00 pm – Skyview vs. Eastside Catholic

Varsity Football Live for Podcast

Final 3A Boys Power Rankings

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theFinalScore.TV
Final 4A Boys Power Rankings
By Steve Dion

With the 2015-2016 season in the books, here are the final top ten rankings for the 3A Boys classification!

1) Rainier Beach (21-4):
Mike Bethea is running out of ring fingers as Head Coach of the Beach Boys captures another state title in a season loaded with quality 3A teams.


2) Garfield (24-3):
Convinced the Bulldogs would have played in the championship game if not placed in the same side of the bracket as Rainier Beach.


3) O’Dea (21-9):
The Irish take the third spot based on the convincing matchups against the Bulldogs in the regular season. Handing Beach a loss in the opening round of the playoffs was impressive.


4) Kennedy Catholic (18-11):
Despite the record, the Lancers found a groove late in the season to propel themselves to the 3A semifinal against O’Dea in a strong finish to the season.


5) Bellevue (25-3):
A shocking end to a fantastic season leaves some curiosity of what the Wolverines could’ve done in the Hardwood Classic if played again.


6) Cleveland (22-7):
Coach Petty deserves a ton of credit for arguably the biggest turnaround in the state by making the Eagles a formidable force to the best the state has to offer.


7) Lincoln (21-5):
Narrows champs completed another year as the class of the 253 finishing down the street at the TDome.


8) Auburn-Mountainview (23-2):
Claiming the league title from unquestioned favorite Peninsula was a huge accomplishment; The Lions unfortunately fell short of a trip to Tacoma.


9) Wilson (18-7):
A team worthy of playing in the comfy confines of the Tacoma Dome drew Garfield in the regional round who ended the solid Rams season.


10) Peninsula (21-4):
Purdy has plenty to be proud of as Coach Jackson’s first full class of Seahawks completed a strong senior season led by Mr. Basketball JaQuori McLaughlin.

On the Bubble
Stanwood
Mountlake Terrace
Edmonds-Woodway
Shadle Park

Garfield Soars Past Eagles in Tourney Opener

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Garfield Soars Past Eagles in Tourney Opener
By Steve Dion

Thursday- March 3rd 2016 Boys 3A State
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Cleveland 12 15 20 19 66
Garfield 25 15 20 23 83


Garfield senior Terrell Brown

The 2pm boys quarterfinal comprised Metro League foes in defending champs Garfield and upstart Cleveland. The high-flying Bulldogs led early with contributions by defensive specialist Terrell Brown and pure scorer Jaylen Nowell. However, CJ Elleby would not let the Eagles go down without a fight and knocked down bucket after bucket to keep Cleveland within striking distance.

The tremendous balance of the Bulldogs proved too much in the end with five double-figure scorers with Brown and Nowell tied at 16 apiece. Cleveland’s Fahad Sharif joined Elleby’s charge down the stretch with a combined 41 points in the contest forcing Garfield to keep their starters in for nearly the entire second half. Garfield never put their lead in jeopardy and punched their ticket to face Rainier Beach in a marquee game tomorrow night.

The Final Score
Garfield 83, Cleveland 66.

Top Performers:

Garfield
Terrell Brown- 16 points, 4 assists, 4 steals

Cleveland
CJ Elleby- 21 points, 8 rebounds

3A State Basketball Rankings

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theFinalScore.TV
3A State Basketball Rankings
By Steve Dion

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

1) Garfield 14-1 (10-0)
Not only the best team in the state, but among the best in the country.


2) Rainier Beach 11-1 (10-0)
While Bethea’s Beach Boys patiently await their anticipated game against Garfield, they continually breeze through their league schedule.


3) Bellevue 14-1 (9-0)
The Wolverines have all the pieces necessary to match up against any team that stands in their way.


4) Peninsula 15-1 (9-1)
If they continue to “Do What We Do”, this team could make a serious run.


5) Lincoln 12-2 (9-0)
The Abes have earned the distinction of Tacoma’s best right now.


6) Wilson 13-3 (9-1)
Tough interstate loss against a strong West Linn squad last week, but still top ten material.


7) Auburn-Mountainview 15-1 (9-1)
Defensive minded Lions have held opponents to 50 or fewer points in 10 of 16 games.


8) Cleveland 13-2 (9-1)
A convincing win over O’Dea on a big stage at the Unity Hoop Showcase showed these rising Eagles are for real.


9) West Seattle 12-4 (8-3)
A polished leader at point guard and a staunch front court is a nice recipe for a well-rounded Wildcats squad.


10) Shadle Park 11-4 (10-3)
The Hilanders are holding their own nicely against a 4A-laden GSL.

On the Bubble
O’Dea
Edmonds-Woodway
Kamiakin
Mercer Island
Seattle Prep

Audio Recap: Bishop Blanchet vs. Cleveland

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Game Recap
Bishop Blanchet vs. Cleveland 1-22-16

The Braves started the season 15-0 and hosted Cleveland on Friday night to extend their undefeated streak. Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the match-up including post-game comments by Blanchet coach Greg Bruns!

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

 

Blanchet Soars Over Eagles in Bruns’ 100th Victory

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Lynnwood Demonstrates Dominance in King Showcase
By Steve Dion

Friday- January 22nd 2016 Girls 3A Metro
Bishop Blanchet High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Cleveland 6 5 15 7 33
Bishop Blanchet 20 17 19 14 70


Bishop Blanchet senior Molly Dixon

Jadyn Bush and Taylor Chambers led the Braves with 19 and 10 points respectively as Blanchet extends their undefeated 2015-16 campaign with 16 straight wins to start the season. The home team set the tone early with an 11-0 run which featured tough defensive efforts by Jilese Bush and Bella Kemp in the paint. This led to a series of transition buckets that helped build a halftime lead Cleveland could not surmount. Monique Bungay finished in double figures for the Eagles scoring a dozen in the contest.

Coach Greg Bruns was able to utilize the depth on his talented roster and as a result eleven Braves were represented in the scoring column. In his postgame comments, Coach Bruns stated, “We want them all to play hard, we want all to do the same things if you’re a starter or not.” When asked about the strong start and what lies ahead for his team he replied, “We’ve got some tough games coming the next couple weeks, so we want to really focus and get better.” As a result of tonigh’s win, Coach Bruns earned his 100th victory as a Washington high school basketball coach. His response to what this means? “It’s an accomplishment, but it’s about these kids. To start the year 16-0, it’s never happened in my career. Obviously, it’s a testament to what they are and they’ve acclimated to me as a coach.” Bishop Blanchet certainly appears to be on track as a contender in early March with tonight’s convincing victory serving as further evidence of this team’s strength.

The Final Score
Bishop Blanchet 70, Cleveland 33.

Top Performers:
Bishop Blanchet
Jadyn Bush- 19 points

Cleveland
Monique Bungay- 12 points

Pivec Leads Lynnwood to State Title Over Defending Champs

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Pivec Leads Lynnwood to State Title Over Defending Champs
By Steven Dion

Saturday- March 7 2015 Girls 3A State
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Lynnwood 13 12 12 17 54
Cleveland 15 14 4 9 42


Lynnwood Royals

Championship Saturday at the Tacoma Dome tipped off with a matinee of the 3A girls title game with 2-time defending champs Cleveland and newcomer to the classification recently from 4A in the Lynnwood Royals. It was a remarkable accomplishment that Coach Redd led the Eagles to the final in her first year with the program and major turnover of the roster. Similarly, Coach Edwards has put together a powerhouse that appears to have the pieces to return to the TDome for years to come. The Eagles knocked off familiar foe Bishop Blanchet to earn a spot in the championship game while the Royals took down Bellevue in the semis. In a clash of old guard against the new kid on the block, which squad would raise the hardware?

Lynnwood’s versatile wing Mikayla Pivec kick-started her monster game early by scoring the first dozen points for the Royals which included crafty turnaround jumpers in the paint. Her rebounding prowess was also shown in the opening quarter as the path to a double-double was paved early. The Eagles countered with Aqeelah Williams who continued to heat up as the first half moved along. Pace of play increased in the second quarter and Cleveland benefitted as Jayde Christopher controlled the game speed nicely. Back to back triples by the Giavanni Flowers and Williams pushed the Eagles lead to 27-19 at 2:45 which prompted a Royals timeout. LHS used the remaining minutes of the first half to cut the deficit in half and return to the locker room with a 29-25 score in favor of Cleveland.

When play restarted, Lynnwood used a 6-0 run in under three minutes to make another lead change of the contest in which there were four. This proved to be a turning point in the game because Cleveland went on a major scoring drought which lasted the entirety of the second half. Shots rimmed out and with each miss seemed to dash the confidence of the Eagles. A field goal percentage of 16% in the final sixteen minutes of the game put CHS’ fate in the balance. Lynnwood’s 12-4 scoring edge in the third quarter put them in a good position to secure the victory.

Jordyn Edwards and Kelsey Rogers maintained the Lynnwood momentum by using their defensive pressure to set up offensive production. The pair combined for six defensive rebounds, five steals, and four blocks to keep the high-flying Eagles at bay. Leading 44-36 with a shade under four minutes to go, Cleveland needed a spark.

Myla Hightower answered the call by willing her team to rally and extend the contest. The bulk of her nine points were scored late to cut the margin to a two possession game. A few more defensive stops could make things interesting. However, Pivec eliminated any chance of a comeback by converting on back to back possessions with tip-ins under the cup. These baskets quelled any chance of Lynnwood relinquishing their lead and helped the Royals run the clock down. Before the clock hit triple-zeros, Coach Edwards checked Monty Cooper in who sprained her ankle the day before. The senior limped onto the court and found a spot twelve feet from the basket. In the waning seconds, she received the rock and took the hoisted the final shot of the game. Swish! Lynnwood storms the floor as one of their leaders ends her high school basketball career in a perfect way. The Royals are the new 3A champions.

The Final Score: Lynnwood 54 Cleveland 42

Top Performers:
Lynnwood
Mikayla Pivec-31 points, 17 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists

Cleveland
Aqeelah Williams-14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals

Cleveland Returns to Title Game for Third Consecutive Season

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

Friday- March 6 2015 Girls 3A State
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Cleveland 13 11 8 23 55
Bishop Blanchet 6 15 15 12 48


Cleveland Sophomore Zakeya Flowers

The first semifinal to determine a championship game berth in the 3A girls classification featured a rematch of last year’s title contest between two-time defending champ Cleveland and the Braves of Bishop Blanchet. The Eagles have put together an impressive run thus far considering the group of seniors that graduated last season and the passing of the head coach torch. Similarly, Coach Willison has done an excellent job of bringing Blanchet back to a deep tourney run with a young squad.

Cleveland jumped out to an early lead as Jayde Christopher and Aqeelah Williams used their backcourt pressure to produce turnovers and points on the other end. They held BBHS to a half dozen first quarter points in the process. As the first half progressed, the tides turned and Jadyn Bush was a main reason for the comeback. The sophomore got tough buckets to fall and was aggressive on the boards. She finished with a team high 19 points and 10 rebounds. At the break, Cleveland led 24-21.

When play resumed, the Braves strung together a roll that last the duration of the third frame. Bella Kemp was a main factor in the momentum swing when she notched 11 points and 9 rebounds. The 36-32 Blanchet lead accounted for the first lead change of the game: would there be another? Joyce Harrell made her post presence felt as the senior heated up in the paint. Just as Harrell was in a groove, she was sidelined for a spell with a knee injury. Upon her return, the Eagles continued a 23-12 run in the fourth quarter that eventually sealed the game. Williams scored 25 in addition to 9 rebounds as Cleveland knocks off a familiar foe once again and is now one game away from a three-peat. Saturday vs. Lynnwood at 3pm!

The Final Score: Cleveland 55 Bishop Blanchet 48

Top Performers:
Cleveland
Aqeelah Williams-25 points (10/21 FGs, 5/9 3-pt FG’s), 9 rebounds

Bishop Blanchet
Jadyn Bush-19 points (8/14 FGs), 10 rebounds

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

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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)

 

Back to Back State Titles for Cleveland

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

Back to Back State Titles for Cleveland
By Colin Caruso

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bishop Blanchet
Jadyn Bush – 10 points, 12 rebounds

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cleveland Rings in New Year With Win Over Lynnwood

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Wednesday Jan 1st 2013 3A-4A Girls Basketball
Cleveland High 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Lynnwood 11 16 19 13 59
Cleveland 14 3 11 21 49

See game recap below
 

Cleveland Rings in New Year With Win Over Lynnwood
By Steven Dion

The first day of 2014 granted high school hoops fans a great New Year’s gift in the form of a matchup between undefeated Lynnwood and defending 3A champions Cleveland. It was evident that this game was the place to be in Seattle on Wednesday night because the Eagles gymnasium was packed. The line to enter extended outside the school and did not shrink until the second quarter. The stage was set for a showdown between two of the top girls basketball programs in the state.

Lynnwood jumped out to an early lead by knocking down shots from the paint. The Royals were able to move the ball well in the half-court offense and set up high percentage scoring opportunities. The host Eagles were able to keep pace and trailed LHS by three after one quarter. The second quarter completely changed the complexion of the game. The Royals shots stopped falling and Cleveland’s pesky defense translated to points on the other end of the floor. Alexia Mefi’s blocks brought the capacity crowd to its feet. The Eagles outscored the Royals 16-3 in the second quarter and led 27-17 at the break.

CHS picked up where they left off in the third quarter as senior Makayla Roper drained four field goals in the frame. The deficit increased as the fourth quarter commenced with a 46 to 28 lead in favor of Stephenie Wheeler-Smith’s squad. The contest garnered some interest in the fourth as Lynnwood was able to extend the ball game and get to the free throw line. The Royals were able to cut the Eagles lead to eight points late, but Cleveland held on to pick up a 59-49 victory.

Top Performer:
Cleveland
Makayla Roper – 17 points (2/3 FT’s, 3 3 pt FG’s)

Lakeside Rocks Cleveland

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Saturday Oct. 19 2013 3A Boys Football
Memorial Stadium 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Lakeside 14 21 7 3 45
Cleveland 0 14 0 14 28

See game recap below
 

Lakeside Rocks Cleveland
By Colin Caruso

With Kanye West preparing to go on stage just a few blocks away, the Lakeside Lions made the short trek to Memorial Stadium to play the home-side Cleveland Eagles. As always, the Cleveland cheer team increased the decibel level and provided a great atmosphere for this ballgame. Lakeside jumped out to an early 14-0 in the first quarter, backed by a 21 yard run by junior Cole Stephens and a pass from senior QB Adam Hinthorne to classmate Mike Padden. Cleveland answered early in the second with a 12 yard TD run from sophomore Zechariah Brown, but Lakeside countered with three straight scores, an interception returned for a touchdown by Jack Betcher and another score for both Padden and Stephens. Cleveland answered with a late score in the second by Rachaun McConico, but trailed 35-14 at the break.

With a 21 point lead in hand, Lakeside slowed the game down in the second half, taking their senior QB out and primarily running the football. Cleveland added a couple of late scores in the fourth, but ultimately it was too little too late, with the Lions winning by a final of 45-28. Kudos to Lakeside kicker Trevor Peterson who knocked in a 41 yard field goal in the fourth quarter, what a great kick!

Top Performers:
Lakeside
Adam Hinthorne – 3TD passes of 22, 16, and 47 yards
Cole Stephens – 3TD (2 rushing, one receiving)
Mike Padden – 2TD receptions of 22 and 16 yards, INT

Cleveland
Rachaun McConico – 14 yard rushing TD and 88 yard kick return TD

Cleveland Jumps to Big Lead and Holds off Ingraham

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Friday Sept. 20 2013 3A Boys Football
Memorial Stadium 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Ingraham 0 0 0 18 18
Cleveland 12 14 8 0 34

See game recap below
 

Cleveland Jumps to Big Lead and Holds off Ingraham
By Colin Caruso

Even an 18-0 splurge in the fourth quarter by the Ingraham Rams was not enough to upset the bigger Cleveland Eagles. In the first contest of the night at Memorial Stadium in Seattle, Cleveland jumped out to a comfortable 34-0 lead through three quarters and coasted to a 34-18 victory. The game began with an onside kick by Cleveland, recovered by the Eagles in Rams territory. The Rams forced a turnover on downs, but fumbled the ball two plays later on their own 3 yard line to give Rachaun McConico an easy rushing touchdown on the next play, his first of two on the day. Unfortunately for the Eagles, McConico had to leave the game after his second touchdown later in the first quarter due to a shoulder injury. But that didn’t stop the Cleveland, who continued to attempt onside kicks and put pressure on the Rams special teams. Rams turnovers didn’t help their cause in the first half either, with another fumble and an interception Cleveland was able to jump out to a 26-0 lead at half.

Another Ingraham fumble on their first possession of the second half allowed then Eagles QB Gartiez Darden to throw a touchdown to Dale Daniels, Daniels’ second score of the game. Ingraham was unable to put together a promising drive in the third quarter, and trailed 34-0 going into the fourth.

With Cleveland’s first string still on the field early in the fourth, Ingraham began their comeback. Senior Nate Han was able to punch in a rushing touchdown, and Ryan Kyle threw a touchdown pass to Louie Richardson to cut the lead to 34-12. Sophomore Emmery Porter added another rushing TD for Ingraham later in the fourth, but at this point the game was securely in the hands of Cleveland, who took the contest 34-18.

Top Performers:
Cleveland
Rachaun McConico – 2 rushing TD
Gartiez Darden – 1 rushing TD, 1 passing TD, INT
Dale Daniels – 2 receiving TD

Girls- Cleveland sneaks by Seattle Prep and wins Sea-King 3A District Title

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Saturday- Feb. 16 2013 – 3A – SeaKing District
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Seattle Prep 6 6 15 9 36
Cleveland 13 8 4 12 37


Girls- Cleveland sneaks by Seattle Prep and wins Sea-King 3A District Title
By Colin Caruso

In a rematch of the Metro championship, the Seattle Prep Panthers faced off against the Cleveland Eagles.  Cleveland began the game on a 13-4 run, controlling the pace of play and executing in transition.  The Eagles stifling defense held the Panthers to just six points in the quarter, and Cleveland took a 13-6 lead into the second.

The Panthers still couldn’t get their offense on track in the second quarter.  Six turnovers in the period for the Panthers and again they scored just six points; give the credit to the full court defense by the Eagles and not allowing Prep to use their size in the interior.  Cleveland also struggled from the field in the second, committing five turnovers and making just two shots.  Cleveland took a 21-12 lead into halftime.

The seal was removed from the basket for the Panthers in the third.  Prep controlled the quarter and outscored the Eagles 15-4, crashing the offensive glass and capitalizing on second chance points.  The Panthers zone began to cause Cleveland problems, forcing the Eagles into deeper contested shots that did not fall.  Senior Holly Tonry led the comeback for the Panthers with a quarter high six points.  Prep took their first lead of the game on a three by junior Mary Ann Santucci, and closed the quarter ahead 27-25.

The final quarter was close throughout, with the lead changing hands multiple times.  Prep struggled again from the field, making only two shots in the quarter, both from Tonry.  Cleveland snagged the lead from the Panthers with a free-throw from Myzhanique Ladd, 35-34 with 1:46 remaining.  Prep answered with two free-throws from senior Michaela Carew, taking the lead back with 13 seconds to play.  Ladd drove on the final Eagle possession, got fouled and went back to the line.  She sunk both free-throws with five seconds left and closed out the contest, 37-36.

Top Performers:
Seattle Prep
Holly Tonry (11 points, 3 steals)
Quinn Glosniak (6 points, 8 rebounds)
Mary Ann Santucci (7 points, 3 blocks, 3 rebounds, 3 steals)

Cleveland
Makayla Roper (13 points)
Jayde Christopher (7 points, 4 steals)
Myzhanique Ladd (9 points)

Cleveland Wins a Nail Biter vs. Prep, Wins 3A Metro Title

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Friday- Feb. 8 -2013- Metro League Championship
Garfield High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Seattle Prep 11 7 13 9 40
Cleveland 8 14 14 7 43


Seattle Prep Senior Holly Tonry on the Dish


Cleveland Wins a Nail Biter vs. Prep, Wins 3A Metro Title
By Colin Caruso 

The stakes were high in a rematch of their December fifth meeting; the winner to take the #1 seed into the Sea-King district.  Cleveland topped Prep by five in their first contest, 42-37.  Seattle Prep started in a defensive 2-3 and occasional box and one zone, catching the Cleveland Eagles off guard and holding them to just eight first quarter points, all by Makayla Roper.  Prep took the lead after the first 11-8, led by senior Michaela Carew with seven.

Turnovers plagued the Panthers in the second quarter, losing the ball five times compared to Cleveland’s two.  Cleveland began the quarter on a 12-2 run, led by junior Alexia Mefi with seven points.  Prep’s Mary Ann Santucci kept the Panthers in the quarter with her first five points of the contest to cut the halftime lead to just four, 22-18.

The third quarter saw back and forth scoring, with the Eagles maintaining a slight lead.  Carew led the Panthers again in the third with eight points, while five Eagles scored field goals in the quarter.  Cleveland took a 36-31 lead into the final period.

Both teams maintained their excellent defense in the fourth quarter.  Each team forced five turnovers and neither team was able to get into an offensive rhythm.  Carew went down early in the fourth with an ankle injury, but Prep continued to battle without their leading scorer.  Clutch baskets down the stretch by Eagle junior Alexia Mefi secured the win for Cleveland, 43-40.

Top Performers:
Seattle Prep
Michaela Carew (16),
Nicole Hall (9)
Mary Ann Santucci (9)

Cleveland
Alexia Mefi (15)
Makayla Roper (15)

Cleveland Spoils Senior Night at Holy Names

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Cleveland Spoils Senior Night at Holy Names
By Colin Caruso 

Friday- February 1 2013 Metro 3A
Holy Names Academy 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Cleveland 22 18 13 10 63
Holy Names 8 8 7 7 30

The matchup between two of the best girls teams in Washington State ended in a blowout, with the Cleveland Eagles beating the Holy Names Cougars by a score of 63-30.  This game pitted two 17-2 teams and what seemed to be the elite of the incredible Metro League head to head on Senior Night at Holy Names.

Cleveland started the contest on a 10-0 run, forcing nine first quarter turnovers and capitalizing on transition baskets.  The Eagles distributed the ball well in the first quarter, with six of their players scoring in the period.

Cleveland did not lay off the gas in the second quarter.  The same six players each scored again in the second, moving the ball well and keeping the Cougars off balance giving the Eagles wide open looks.  Cleveland called full court defensive traps early in the first and second quarters, forcing turnovers and catching Holy Names on their heels.  When Holy Names did get the ball up the floor, their half court sets were rushed and out of sync.  Credit the relentless Cleveland defense in the first half for forcing 18 turnovers and giving up only 18 points.

With their big lead, Cleveland sat in a 2-3 zone for a good portion of the second half, not pressing or trapping on defense.  The Cougars attempted to get back in the game by taking deep three pointers, but only converted on two of them in the second half.

Watch out for Cleveland (18-2) come tournament time, they beat #1 ranked Wilson in the King Holiday Hoopfest and obviously handled a very good Holy Names (17-3) easily on Friday night.

Leading Scorers:
Cleveland
Makayla Roper (16)
Myzhanique Ladd (14)

Holy Names
Casey Pelz (10)
Camariah King (6)