Tag Archives: Rainier Beach

Audio Recap: Metro League Championship – Garfield vs. Rainier Beach

Posted on by

Game Recap
Metro League Championship – Garfield vs. Rainier Beach 2-12-16


Metro League Champions – Garfield Bulldogs

Back-to-back state champions Garfield met defending Metro League champs Rainier Beach on Friday night for their second contest of the season; the Metro Championship. The Viks prevailed in round one, could the Bulldogs even the score for the league title? Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the match-up including pre-game comments from Ranier Beach head coach Mike Bethea!

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

 

KJRLogo-250

Garfield Claims Metro League Title; Edges Beach by Three

Posted on by

Garfield Claims Metro League Title; Edges Beach by Three
By Steve Dion

Friday- February 12th 2016 Boys 3A Metro League Championship
Ingraham High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Rainier Beach 16 13 20 14 63
Garfield 20 14 17 14 65


Metro League Champions – Garfield Bulldogs

Round two of what could be a four game series between Garfield and Rainier Beach took place Friday night for the Metro League championship. Rainier Beach prevailed in the regular season matchup 76-69 at Crawford Court. The defending state champs Garfield were focused on avenging the loss, but the Vikings were eager to win the league title again. Before the game when asked about the key to the game, Rainier Beach head coach Mike Bethea stated, “The one thing I want to see is coming out and playing hard and cutting out the mental mistakes early.”

The Bulldogs took the lead early in the contest as junior guard Daejon Davis was able to finish some acrobatic shots near the cup scoring 9 of his 19 total shots in the first quarter alone. Sam Cunliffe countered by recording 8 of his team-high 23 in the frame taking advantage of some Bulldog defensive breakdowns. As the first half wore on, Garfield’s Jaylen Nowell took control of the contest by scoring at will which propelled his team to a 34-29 lead at the break.

Rainier Beach emerged from the locker room recharged by opening the second half on a 14-4 run to grab the lead and prompting a Bulldog timeout to talk things over. The height of excitement occurred midway through the frame as a wild series of dunks, blocks, and steals lined up back to back. Daejon Davis knocked down a mid-range jumper at the third quarter buzzer to give his team a 51-49 lead heading into the final quarter.

The Bulldogs held a marginal lead into the final minutes of the contest until Keith Smith buried a clutch three late to tie the ballgame at 61 apiece. Garfield struck back to gain the lead for the final time and a Terrell Brown steal put a bow on it. The Bulldogs tie the season series 1-1 and hoist the hardware. Coach Bethea said the rivalry between these teams, “Is basically like going back in time, like a throwback to how it used to be. And that is when basketball is at its best.” The anticipation for the next round is building.

The Final Score
Garfield 65, Rainier Beach 63.

Top Performers:

Garfield
Jaylen Nowell- 25 points

Rainier Beach
Sam Cunliffe- 23 points

Rainier Beach Defends Crawford Court Against Garfield

Posted on by

Rainier Beach Defends Crawford Court Against Garfield
By Steve Dion

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


Rainier Beach combo guard Kevin Porter

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

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

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

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

The Final Score
Rainier Beach 76, Garfield 69.

Top Performer:

Rainier Beach
Sam Cunliffe- 25 points

Garfield
Daejon Davis- 21 points

3A State Basketball Rankings

Posted on by

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: Rainier Beach vs. Roosevelt

Posted on by

Game Recap
Rainier Beach vs. Roosevelt 1-5-16

The high-flying Rainier Beach Vikings visited the Roosevelt Rough Riders on Tuesday night for a Metro League contest! Listen as Nic Beckman provides an audio recap of the game!

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

 

Garfield Ends Rainier Beach’s Reign

Posted on by

Garfield Ends Rainier Beach’s Reign
By Colin Caruso

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


Garfield Bulldogs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beach Cruises to Another State Final

Posted on by

Beach Cruises to Another State Final
By Colin Caruso

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


Rainier Beach Senior Dejounte Murray

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rainier Beach Advances to Metro Final

Posted on by

Rainier Beach Advances to Metro Final
By Colin Caruso

Wednesday February 11 2015 Boys 3A Metro
Ingraham High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Eastside Catholic 16 17 14 13 60
Rainier Beach 24 20 18 17 79

With a trip to the coveted Metro final at stake, the Rainier Beach Vikings and Eastside Catholic Crusaders clashed at Ingraham High School in front of a packed house. Rainier Beach was a clear favorite in this game, the three time state champs are always ready for the toughest competition in the state.

Beach demonstrated their #2 in state ranking by putting up 24 points in the first quarter. On the back of unbelievable shooting by Shadeed Shabazz and DeJounte Murray, the Crusaders had no response for the shot making and athleticism displayed by the Vikings.

The second quarter was not much better for Eastside Catholic, who struggled defensively and struggled bringing the ball up the floor. Rainier Beach’s lateral quickness is rivaled by only Garfield’s, and it is difficult for any team to bring the ball up against Ivy Smith. Beach extended their lead in the second and took an 11 point lead into halftime.

Eastside began to come back early in the third, cutting the lead to just six points midway through the frame. But the Vikings always had answers, Shabazz and Murray were seemingly un-guardable throughout the contest.

The game turned into more of a blowout later in the fourth, with the Vikings walking away with a comfortable 79-60 win.

Top Performers:
Eastside Catholic
Mandrell Worthy – 16 points
Max Hudgins – 15 points
Andrew Padilla – 14 points

Rainier Beach
DeJounte Murray – 27 points
Shadeed Shabazz – 24 points

Rainier Beach Handles Prep on Senior Night

Posted on by

Rainier Beach Handles Prep on Senior Night
By Colin Caruso

Friday February 6 2015 Boys 3A Metro
Rainier Beach High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Seattle Prep 16 9 11 18 54
Rainier Beach 14 18 20 9 61

In a clash of titans in the metro league, the Seattle Prep Panthers traveled south to take on the Rainier Beach Vikings. Both teams walked into this contest with 16 wins under their belt, clearly putting themselves in the elite conversation for Metro and for state in 3A hoops.

Prep started the game on a great run, capitalizing on the size mismatches they bring to every game. It is tough for a high school team to matchup against three starters that all measure 6’8″, and that is what the state has to be prepared for against the Panthers.

Prep got off to an early lead, stemmed by a 10-0 run and Jack Stewart’s 2 three pointers. But Beach battled back to trail the first quarter by just two, closing the quarter on a 35 foot bank shot by Washington commit DeJounte Murray.

Beach began to put their foot on the gas in the second quarter. Ivy Smith and Shadeed Shabazz forced numerous turnovers in the Panther backcourt, leading to easy layups and dunks. The second and third quarter were a little messy for the Panthers, who only put up 20 points total against Beach’s 38.

But Prep would not stop battling. Beach assumed they had the game in hand with such a comfortable lead in the fourth, but the Panthers scratched and clawed to cut the lead to just 4 with under two minutes to play. The Vikings again stepped up with their tenacious defense, forced two critical turnovers, and sealed the win with a 61-54 final.

Top Performers:
Seattle Prep
J’Raan Brooks – 14 points
Jack Stewart – 14 points

Rainier Beach
DeJounte Murray – 16 points
Vincenzo Reiser – 15 points

Rainier Beach Glides Past Lakeside in League Matchup

Posted on by

Rainier Beach Glides Past Lakeside in League Matchup
By Steven Dion

Friday- December 19 2014 Boys 3A Metro
Rainier Beach High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Rainier Beach 23 21 26 17 87
Lakeside 18 12 18 20 68


Rainier Beach Junior Keith Smith

Quality basketball is a guarantee on a Friday night inside Crawford Court at Rainier Beach High School. The reigning 3A champs hosted the Lakeside Lions in a Metro League showdown on Friday night as some of the top talent in the state would put their talents on display. Could the Lions pull an upset on the road?

Lakeside’s dynamic guard Isiah Brown established his pivotal role on the team by scoring 13 of his team’s 18 first quarter points. Beach countered with a balanced attack of point guards Shadeed Shabazz and Ivy Smith feeding Dejounte Murray and Keith Smith. The Vikings built a five point lead after one frame, but the slim margin kept the door open for the Lions. With increased intensity on the defensive end for Lakeside, they rebounded the ball well and found points at the other end. Mid-way through the second quarter, Mike Bethea called a full timeout because the scoreboard read 27-26 Rainier Beach. The Viking responded like they are accustomed to by closing out the half on a 17-4 run. Murray and Shabazz were major contributors to the surge of points to extend the halftime score to 44-30.

The Viking lead grew even more after the break as Keith Smith and Dejounte Murray knocked down some transition buckets at the cup. Ivy Smith tacked on seven in the third quarter also. Lion guard Connor Duffy provided a nice spark off the bench knocking down 10 points in the second half. Lakeside slowly cut the Rainier Beach lead and with over 5 minutes remaining, were trailing by single digits. However, RB closed out the second half like they did the first half and kept their undefeated record intact with a 19 point victory.

The Final Score: Rainier Beach 87 Lakeside 68

Top Performers:
Rainier Beach
Dejounte Murray-29 points

Lakeside
Isiah Brown-35 points

 

Rainier Beach Wins State, Clinches Berth to NY for National Title

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Saturday March 8th 2014 3A Boys Basketball
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Eastside Catholic 11 15 7 12 45
Rainier Beach 11 10 14 12 47

Rainier Beach Wins State, Clinches Berth to NY for National Title
By Colin Caruso

-In this their fourth meeting on the season, the undefeated Rainier Beach Vikings squared off with the Eastside Catholic Crusaders for the 3A boys state title. Only one of the three previous games was close, the Metro final which resulted in a 68-65 Beach win.

Eastside started the game on a 7-0 run, with four points coming from junior Matisse Thybulle. His length gave the Vikings issues all evening. Beach needed an answer and it came in the form of David Crisp, who scored the Vikings first eight points. Unfortunately for the Vikings, Crisp picked up his third foul in the first quarter and was forced to sit the remainder of the half. The teams were tied at 11 going into the second.

With Crisp on the bench for the Vikings, the Crusaders gathered the momentum in the second quarter. Mandrell Worthy led all scorers in the first half with 14 points, and the Crusaders took a 26-21 lead into halftime.

Rainier Beach was out of the locker room five minutes before the Crusaders, sitting on the bench and patiently waiting to start their halftime shooting. Whatever coach Bethea mentioned to them in their brief halftime session worked; they started the half on a 10-3 run. Eastside struggled offensively in the third, resorting to one on one offense, not running sets, and not battling for offensive rebounds. The Vikings took a two point lead into
the fourth.

The two point lead turned into a four point deficit for the Vikings in less than two minutes in the beginning of the final quarter. A quick 6-0 run put the Crusaders on top and brought their crowd back in the game. But Shaqquan Aaron wouldn’t let the Vikings go quietly. He scored six straight to put the Vikings back up by two. A Mandrell Worthy jumper for the Crusaders tied the game at 43 with less than two minutes remaining. Djuan Piper for the Vikings converted a minute later on a dribble drive, answered by Thybulle with his own dribble drive with 40 seconds remaining. Piper answered the call again for the Vikings, hitting a mid-range jumper with 5.1 seconds on the clock.

After the made basket, the Crusaders inbounded from their own baseline. Worthy was stripped of the ball and the Vikings picked it up as the clock struck 0:00, winning their third state title in a row. Rainier Beach will take a couple of weeks off then travel to New York to play for the national title. Good luck to the Vikings!

Top Performers:
Eastside Catholic
Mandrell Worthy – 21 points, 5 rebounds
Ian Christie – 1 point, 17 rebounds

Rainier Beach
Shaqquan Aaron – 22 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals
Elijah Foster – 6 points, 12 rebounds

Huge Third Quarter Propels Rainier Beach over Bellevue

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

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

Huge Third Quarter Propels Rainier Beach over Bellevue
By Colin Caruso

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rainier Beach Escapes the Islanders, Advances to Final Eight

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beach Proves their Strength

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Friday Feb 7th 2014 3A Boys Basketball
Rainier Beach High 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Franklin 8 13 4 15 40
Rainier Beach 27 27 19 17 90

Beach Proves their Strength
By Colin Caruso

With leading scorer Keith Smith of the Franklin Quakers sidelined with a partially torn meniscus, the general public knew this would be a tough contest for Franklin against the mighty Rainier Beach Vikings. The Vikings recently climbed to #2 in the country and are widely considered if not the best team in the nation in high school, at least in the top 5. They have taken multiple trips to other states to play the finest opponents in the nation, and Beach has yet to be touched.

This contest was the last game of the regular season for both teams, with Rainier Beach locked in the #1 seed in Metro and Franklin vying for the three seed. With a loss they claimed the four seed, and that is what ensued.

On senior night Beach came out ready to play, and Franklin was not prepared for the offensive onslaught. Beach put up 27 points in both the first and second quarters, roughly 3.5 points per minute. The threes from Shaqquan Aaron, David Crisp, and Naim Ladd were all falling, and Franklin could not find an answer.

With the game in firm grasp after the first half, Rainier Beach coach Mike Bethea experimented with a few line up changes to allow his players to mesh. They continued to extend their lead in the second half, connecting on alley-oops and relentlessly crashing the offensive glass. Beach came away with a commanding win, 90-40.

Top Performer:
Rainier Beach
Shaqquan Aaron – 20 points

Rainier Beach’s Big Second Half Drops O’Dea

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Monday Jan 20th 2014 3A Boys Basketball
Garfield High 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Rainier Beach 21 14 30 18 83
O'Dea 18 10 17 17 62

See game recap below
 

Rainier Beach’s Big Second Half Drops O’Dea
By Colin Caruso

In a packed Garfield High School gym for the Unity in the Community Showcase, the first matchup saw an unblemished Rainier Beach Vikings squad the strong O’Dea Fighting Irish. Rainier Beach has travelled multiple times this season to play the elite teams in the nation, with their last trip to Massachusetts producing another win for the Vikings. Rule of thumb, if you are playing Beach, pray that they are having an off day or else they may put 100 up on the board.

O’Dea played Beach well for the first half in this contest. They were able to keep pace with the Vikings, who do not run half court offenses; they are constantly in transition and moving the ball with ease. Against a team like Beach, turnovers and even made baskets lead to fast breaks for the Vikings. But O’Dea played well in the first half and limited the Vikings to just 35 points.

The third quarter is when Beach made their run. A monstrous 30 point quarter, led by Dejunte Murray’s 12 points in that quarter alone, stifled the O’Dea dream of an upset. Shaqquan Aaron and David Crisp both added seven points in the quarter, and no matter what coach Hairston drew up for the Irish, Beach had an answer on the other end of the floor.

With a 30-18 blowout third quarter, Rainier Beach coasted through the fourth quarter. Both teams emptied their benches late and Beach came away with a 83-62 win.

Top Performer:
Rainier Beach
David Crisp – 25 points

Rainier Beach Hits Triple Digit Scoring Twice in One Week in Win Over Crusaders

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Friday Jan 10th 2014 3A Boys Basketball
Rainier Beach High 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Eastside Catholic 12 14 29 15 70
Rainier Beach 21 23 22 34 100

See game recap below
 

Rainier Beach Hits Triple Digit Scoring Twice in One Week in Win Over Crusaders
By Steven Dion

It is no surprise that top ten nationally ranked Rainier Beach enters every game they play as heavy favorites, even against top teams the state of Washington has to offer. Eastside Catholic ventured into Crawford Court Friday night as one of the best squads statewide, but staring down the South Seattle juggernaut as an underdog.

The Vikings were able to get their offense going quickly as senior captains D’Juan Piper and Shaqquan Aaron combined for 15 of Beach’s 21 points of the quarter. Eastside Catholic’s size disadvantage forced them to take shots from the perimeter, which were feast or famine throughout the contest. The home team got a nice lift from the bench as junior guard Shadeed Shabazz scored eight in the second frame, resulting from penetration into the paint and finishing at the cup. The Viks led 44-26 at the break.

Eastside Catholic entered the second half in high gear as they were able to score more in the third quarter than they did all first half, 29 points in all. The Crusaders received a huge confidence boost when the three pointers began to fall through. Rainier Beach’s eagerness to run up and down the floor opened up the court to fastbreaks for ECHS from errant Viks passing. A tomahawk dunk by Mandrell Worthy fired up the Eastside bench and student section alike. Shaqquan Aaron had the type of dunk seen on Sportscenter’s Top 10 in the third quarter, but a technical foul was called after the play. This led to a series of technical fouls from physical play for both teams. This slowed down the game greatly. Aaron’s relentlessness on the offensive end yielded him a total of sixteen trips to the free-throw line, most in the fourth quarter. A 34 point surge by Beach spurned the mini comebacks the Crusaders threatened with. RBHS capped off the contest by tipping in a missed free throw with seconds remaining for the 99th and 100th point. When the horn sounded, Beach remains undefeated by the final score of 100-70.

Top Performer:
Rainier Beach
Shaqquan Aaron – 24 points

Rainier Beach puts up 115

Posted on by

varsity-football-live-webarticle2

Tuesday Jan 7th 2014 3A Boys Basketball
Rainier Beach High 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Nathan Hale 18 14 20 18 70
Rainier Beach 33 25 39 18 115

See game recap below
 

Rainier Beach puts up 115
By Colin Caruso

The defending state champion Rainier Beach Vikings have already had a phenomenal season, and we aren’t even to February. The 10-0 Vikings have already beaten teams from all over the country, the likes of Bishop Gorman in Nevada and Whitney Young in Illinois. They faced up against a 3A metro team on Tuesday night looking to build upon their close seven point win in Bainbridge just four days prior.

Nathan Hale, instead of attempting to slow the contest down, did what they could to keep up pace with the amazingly athletic Vikings. The Raiders from Hale continuously put up shots early in the shot clock, giving Beach the ability to get up and down the floor with simplicity and grace. Rainier Beach flirted with the full court press in the first half, and went into the locker room with a commanding 58-32 lead.

The third quarter proved to be a three point entourage from the Vikings. Seven threes on the quarter, three from transfer David Crisp, pushed the Vikings to an outpouring of 39 points in the eight minute quarter. That is averaging almost five points per minute, or right around a point every 12 seconds. Hale guard Steven Shpreyregin did what he could to keep up with the Vikings, scoring 23 on his own. But his talents were trumped by this heavy favorite to win the state title. Beach took the home contest 115-70.

Top Performer:
Rainier Beach
Shaqquan Aaron – 27 points
David Crisp – 23 points

Rainier Beach Wins
3A Boys State Championship

Posted on by

 

Saturday- March 2 2013 3A Boys Championship
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT Final
Rainier Beach 16 16 12 12 6 62
Lakeside 14 12 17 13 3 59

See complete game breakdown below


Rainier Beach Wins 3A Boys State Championship, Conquers Lakeside for
Third Time this Season
By Colin Caruso 

In their fourth matchup of the season, with the season series 2-1 in favor of the Vikings, the Lakeside Lions and the Rainier Beach Vikings faced off for the third and most valuable championship of the season. Beach won the Metro title, Lakeside won the district title, and this one was for all the marbles, lifting the state championship trophy in the Tacoma Dome.

Beach scored the first four points of the game, but Lakeside answered with a quick 7-0 run, sparked by five points from junior D’Marques Tyson. The remainder of the quarter was played close; these two teams are so familiar with each other it would be tough to expect big runs from either team. Elijah Foster for the Vikings had the quarter high with eight, and Beach took a 16-14 lead into the second.

The Vikings began the second with a 7-0 run, increasing the speed in the contest and capitalizing on costly Lakeside turnovers. Star Shaqquan Aaron for the Vikings heated up in the quarter, knocking down two three pointers to lead the Vikings to a 32-26 half.

Beach scored the first five points in the third but Lakeside quickly responded with an 11-0 run to tie the gamenbehind six points from senior Matthew Poplawski, his first points of the contest. The teams exchanged baskets to end the quarter with Beach taking a one point lead into the fourth.

Lakeside took an early lead in the fourth, but Elijah Foster came up big again for the Vikings scoring four straight to put Beach up one with 3:18 remaining. Tyson answered with a three with three minutes remaining to put Lakeside up two, and Poplawski added a layup to go up four with two minutes on the clock.

A pair of free-throws by Naim Ladd from Beach trimmed Lakeside’s lead to just two, but Isabell responded for the Lions with a dribble drive layup with 1:08 on the clock to extend the lead to four, 56-52. Will Dorsey for the Vikings scored the next four points in the contest, knocking down two free throws and finishing on a spectacular layup to tie the game with 5.6 remaining.

Isabell caught the ensuing inbounds pass and drove right down the middle of the floor and was fouled but missed the front end with 1.6 remaining, sending the game to overtime.

Dorsey added four points in the overtime and Lakeside continued to struggle from the line, which came down to the difference in this game. Lakeside shot just 9/16 from the line in the game to Beach’s 18/24, and Beach pulled out the win, 62-59 in overtime. Congratulations to the back to back champions!

Top Performers:
Rainier Beach
Elijah Foster (18 points, 10 rebounds)
Will Dorsey (15 points, 4 rebounds)

Lakeside
D’Marques Tyson (14 points, 10 rebounds)
Tramaine Isabell (21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals)

Lakeside shocks Rainier Beach, wins 3A Sea-King District Championship

Posted on by

Saturday- Feb. 16 2013 – 3A – SeaKing District
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Lakeside 15 20 18 19 72
Rainier Beach 18 22 8 17 65


Lakeside Freshman Isiah Brown


Lakeside shocks Rainier Beach, wins 3A Sea-King District Championship
By Colin Caruso

With Los Angeles Clipper Jamaal Crawford in the house, Rainier Beach faced off against the Lakeside Lions in the Sea-King district final.  The gym was electric, with the Lakeside student section bringing the noise throughout the contest.

This was the third time these teams had met; once in the regular season where Beach won by 14 and the other in the Metro championship game where Beach won again.  Lakeside came out looking for the upset.

The Lions started the game on a six-zero run, but Beach responded immediately with a nine zero run of their own.  Senior Marquis Davis led the charge for the Vikings, scoring 10 points in the quarter and converting on all three of his three-point attempts.  Lakeside responded with a three pointer by junior Tramaine Isabell to cut the Beach lead to just three after one quarter, 18-15.

Both teams came out hot in the second, with Rainier Beach hitting four threes in the quarter and Lakeside hitting five.  Davis led the way for the Vikings again in the second with eight points, and Beach took a five point lead into half.

Coach Hobson must have focused on defense in the halftime talk with his players, because Lakeside came out with great defensive intensity in the third quarter.  They began by playing relentless defense on Marquis Davis, forcing the ball out of his hands and making another Viking beat them.

Lakeside gave up just eight points in the third to the Vikings, nearly matched by Isabell’s seven for the Lions.  Lakeside reclaimed the lead late in the third on a D’Marques Tyson layup and took a five point lead into the fourth, 53-48.

Both teams were in the bonus early in the fourth quarter, and the game essentially came down to a free-throw contest.  In the final quarter, Lakeside shot 13 for 19 from the line and Rainier Beach shot 9 for 19 from the line, four points that would have drastically changed the outcome of the game.

With 2:57 remaining in the fourth, Beach junior Naim Ladd tied the game at 59 with two free-throws.  Lakeside freshman Isiah Brown responded seven seconds later with two free-throws of his own, and Lakeside would never relinquish the lead from that point.  A laundry list of shooters for both teams came to the stripe, and Lakeside hit more down the stretch to win the 3A Sea-King District Championship, 72-65.  What a game!

Top Performers:
Lakeside
Tramaine Isabell (31 points, 4 steals, 4 rebounds)
D’Marques Tyson (16, 8 rebounds, 4 steals)
Isiah Brown (13 points)

Rainier Beach
Marquis Davis (23 points, 3 steals)
Djuan Piper (10 points, 7 rebounds)
Fuquan Niles (8 points, 7 rebounds)

Rainier Beach handles Franklin, Advances to Sea-King District Final against Lakeside

Posted on by

Thursday- Feb. 14 2013 – 3A – SeaKing District
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Franklin 7 9 14 15 45
Rainier Beach 15 12 12 20 59


Rainier Beach handles Franklin,
Advances to Sea-King District Final against Lakeside
By Colin Caruso

In their third matchup of the season, Franklin faced off against Rainier Beach for a trip to the Sea-King Final against Lakeside. Rainier Beach won the first two matchups of the season, but Franklin came in looking for the upset.

The first quarter was a quarter of runs. Rainier Beach scored the first five points of the game, but Franklin responded with the next seven to take the lead 7-5. Beach came back, sparked by senior Marquis Davis’ six points in the quarter, to score the final ten of the first to take a 15-7 lead.

Franklin stayed toe to toe with the Vikings in the second quarter, limiting Rainier Beach’s quickness and fast break opportunities. Franklin did a good job of controlling the pace but Beach’s 2-3 zone was stifling and allowed just nine points in the quarter. Rainier Beach had the lead 27-16 at halftime.

The Quakers came out with a much needed strong third quarter, looking to close the gap against the Vikings. Franklin started the third on a 9-3 run, putting the pressure back on the Rainier Beach. The Vikings responded, led by Davis with six more in the third. Franklin outscored Beach in the quarter 14-13, but trailed 39-30 going into the fourth.

Despite the defensive intensity picking up in the final quarter, both teams exploded for their highest quarter point totals of the game. Beach extended their lead to as many as 17, led in the quarter by senior Jordan King with ten points. The Vikings closed out the contest 59-45, advancing to the Sea-King District Final against Lakeside, a rematch of the Metro final that Beach won 69-61.

Next Opponents:
Lakeside vs. Rainier Beach- Sea-King District Final
Saturday – 6:30 PM at Bellevue College.

Mercer Island vs. Franklin- 3rd/4th place game
Saturday – 11:30 AM at Bellevue College.

Top Performers:
Franklin
Eugene Artison (11)
Patrick Ball (9)

Rainier Beach
Marquis Davis (14)
Jordan King (12)

Beach Holds off Lakeside, Wins 3A Metro Title

Posted on by

Beach Holds off Lakeside, Wins 3A Metro Title
By Colin Caruso 

Friday- Feb. 8 -2013- Metro League Championship
Garfield High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Lakeside 13 10 21 17 61
Rainier Beach 10 27 12 20 69

The #2 ranked Rainier Beach Vikings took on the Lakeside Lions for the Metro League Championship on Friday night in a packed house at Garfield High School.  The regular season contest between these two ended in a 14-point win for the Vikings, but with the Metro title at stake and the building electric, everyone knew this would come down to the wire.

Lakeside started the game aggressively, attacking the hoop and drawing contact going through the lane.  Viking starters Fuquan Niles and Shaqquan Aaron both picked up two fouls late in the first quarter and ended up sitting for the remainder of the half.  Lakeside’s smothering defense held the Vikings to just 10 points in the quarter, and the Lions took a 13-10 lead into the second.

Rainier Beach’s shooting woes in the first turned into a shooting clinic in the second.  The Vikings began the quarter on a 14-0 run, forcing five Lion turnovers and capitalizing on baskets in transition.  Senior Marquis Davis led the Vikings with eight points in the quarter, followed closely by teammate Elijah Foster with seven.  Beach took a 37-23 lead into the half.

The tables turned again in the third quarter; it was now Lakeside’s turn to put their foot on the gas, starting the quarter on a 15-5 run.  Niles picked up his fourth foul with 5:20 remaining in the third, and Lion big man Peter French picked up his fourth foul with 4:53 remaining in the period.

Lakeside kept up their offensive rhythm until the game took a turn with 1:03 remaining in the third on a hard foul by Marquis Davis.  Unfortunately, this did not turn out well for the Vikings as Marquis Davis was ejected, Shaqquan Aaron and Coach Mike Bethea both receiving technical fouls.  Lakeside junior Tremaine Isabell also received a technical foul.  The outcome gave four free-throws to the Lions, and Matthew Poplawski stepped up to the line and made all four.  Lakeside outscored Beach in the quarter 21-12, cutting the Viking lead to five entering the fourth.

Lakeside continued to battle in the fourth quarter, exchanging baskets with the Vikings and chipping away at the Beach lead.  Lakeside cut the lead to just three with 32 seconds left, with the ball.  Lion coach Tavio Hobson drew up a play for the Lions, but the inbounds pass was stolen by Rainier Beach and led to a leak-out dribble drive that forced Lakeside to foul from behind.  The foul was ruled a flagrant, giving Beach two free-throws and the ball, ending Lakeside’s chances at the upset.

Beach won in a nail-biter, 69-61.  It was a Great Game to watch!

Leading Scorers:
Lakeside
Tramaine Isabell (18)
Matthew Poplawski (15)

Rainier Beach
Marquis Davis (16)
Djuan Piper (14)

2013 Hoopfest Game #5 Recap –
Bothell vs. Rainier Beach

Posted on by

Rainier Beach Holds off Bothell’s Late Surge

Monday- January 21 Game 5
Royal Brougham Pavilion – 4:00pm 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Bothell 8 20 10 25 63
Rainier Beach 13 23 13 17 66

The battle of #1 teams in the 4A and 3A Boys classifications lived up to it’s billing.  Before tip-off, you could feel the electricity in the air as it was standing room only in Royal Brougham Pavilion on Seattle Pacific University’s campus.

Beach started the game with three straight steals and two easy layups to go up 4-0.  From there, these two elite teams in Washington exchanged baskets to end the first, with Beach leading 13-8.  Beach’s defensive pressure continued in the second quarter, pressing Bothell point guard’s full court and creating turnovers.  Both teams were able to get out in transition and finish with some extravagant dunks in the first half.  Bothell’s Zach Lavine led all scorers in the first half with 12, but Beach took an eight point 36-28 lead into halftime.

Beach’s defensive pressure slowed early in the third quarter, allowing both offenses to run more half court sets.  The game became increasingly more physical later in the third as both teams battled for every loose ball.  Beach picked up their defensive pressure late in the third period, and closed out the quarter with an 11 point lead, 49-38.

Bothell’s Lavine tried to bring his team back with 15 of his 34 points in the fourth period.  But Jordan King held his Vikings in the lead with eight of his own in the final quarter.  Bothell battled back as they pushed the Vikings in the final minutes of play.  A few missed free throws down the stretch allowed the Cougars an opportunity for one last attempt.  Lavine took a three to tie the game at the buzzer, but the shot hit front iron and bounced off, giving the Vikings the 66-63 win.

Leading Scorers:
Bothell
Zach Lavine (34)
Josh Martin (12)
Perrion Callendret (12)

Rainier Beach
Jordan King (14)
Will Dorsey (13)

1st Half Video Highlights

2nd Half Video Highlights