February 2011

Sports Roundup

Gymnastics

State 3A

Kennedy snagged an eighth place finish as a team at the state gymnastics meet held Feb. 18-19. The Lancers scored 144.400 points, with eight athletes taking part in the all-around competition.

Charlotte Dittmar led the Lancers by taking 22nd place in the all-around with a 33.825 score. Her top individual finish was a ninth place tie in the floor exercise with a 9.350 score.

The rest of the Lancers placed in the all-around only.

Danielle Carnahan was 53rd with a 29.900, Ashley Knox 58th with a 28.075, Danielle Sposari 80th with a 22.550, Eleana Stevens 89th with a 16.600, Emily Mitchell 102nd with a 13.150, Jenny Donahue 105th with a 12.200, Lisa Armitage 106th with an 11.550 and Maddy Brummond tying for 140th with no score.

Mia Alverez of Highline had the biggest individual event performance among the locals.
Alverez was second in the beam with a 9.550, third in the vault with a 9.525 and 13th in the bars with an 8.250.

Della Norton of West Seattle tied for 45th in the all-around with a 31.220 total.

State 4A

Kerrie Heckel of Mount Rainier came in 22nd in the 4A all-around competition with a total of 33.35 points.

When I heard that somebody on Vashon Island had a collection of photos of naked guys on display in a makeshift showroom and that some of Seattle's television studios had plans to do an expose' (so to speak) on an evening program I took notice.  

I asked a  friend and property owner on the island to fill me in.
" Yes," he said. "That is true." He and his wife own a building that had an unoccupied hall. They have been letting some artists show their wares without charge. He was unaware they showed some photos of some men without underwear.
   "When my wife  heard about it she took off (so to speak) and demanded to know the naked truth.''

''She insisted they remove what she considered off the wall and had the stripper pictures stripped."
  I have had glimpses of guys in the buff in steam rooms. It does not offend me but would make Elsbeth close her eyes or turn to stone.
So, don't go out and buy a ferry ticket. The rude nudes are now gone.
                                 ------------------------------------------

 We once owned a small rental house on Vashon and knew Don MacDonald, husband of   Betty MacDonald who wrote The Egg and I. Big deal?

TACOMA - After losing late leads in two close losses to Auburn-Riverside, the seventh-ranked Mount Rainier girls came out primed for vengeance in a 57-39 Class 3A West Central District III/Southwest IV Bi-District tournament demolition of the No. 2 Ravens on Friday, Feb. 18, at Stadium High School.

With the win, the Rams also guaranteed themselves a spot in the regionals of the state basketball tournament.

"We really just wanted revenge for the games we lost in league," explained Brittany McPhee, who hammered and jumped for 27 points, 15 rebounds and five assists. "We were well prepared after watching the video and seeing how they sagged on defense. Then, we decided to be aggressive."

Showing no fear, the Rams broke away from a slim 14-12 lead after one quarter. Freshman forward McPhee's foul line jump shot and rebound basket preceded Maylynn Mitchell's free throw in a 5-0 Mount Rainier salvo to open the second quarter.

MOUNTLAKE TERRACE -- It was a game in which Seattle Christian showed great effort, but Jasmine Hommes was just super.

Carrying the team on her shoulders, Hommes had a game-high 32 points and 12 rebounds to lead the state No. 2 Lynden Christian girls' basketball team to a 49-40 win against No. 5 Seattle Christian in the Class 1A Tri-District tournament on Thursday, Feb. 17, at Mountlake Terrace High School.

"She was like a superstar," said SCS coach Bob Kickner. "She was draino, making shots from everywhere, inside, outside, mid-range. Hats off to her. It was No. 2 versus No. 5, and it showed that. We'll keep improving as we play."

Seattle Christian shot well to begin the game, storming to 16-7 lead after one quarter and lengthening it to double digits in the second quarter. In the ebb and flow of a playoff game, Lynden Christian of the Northwest League changed its defense and put on full court pressure to gain a 23-22 lead by halftime.

The West Seattle High School Auction on Feb. 17 has resulted in some significant benefits for the school.

Principal Christy Rowe shares "The Second Annual WSHS Auction held on February 17th at The Hall at Fauntleroy looks to have net $17,000 from our event! Considering we had less people attend than last year we feel very happy with these results.

The WSHS gym and Commons areas will be getting new and upgraded sound systems for the benefit of students for assemblies and sporting events and this equipment will also benefit the Alumni Association when they hold their annual All-School Reunion.

These improvements will also benefit the community at-large when these spaces are used for other events. Thank-you to parents, staff, local businesses and community members for your continued support at WSHS! "

AUBURN - Mount Rainier's win streak reached nine games after another overpowering victory against a formidable foe on Saturday, Feb. 19, at Auburn High School.

Once again, the incredible defensive pressure led into efficient offensive sets as the No. 7 Rams (21-3) beat Kentwood (18-6), 58-44, in the Class 4A West Central III/Southwest IV Bi-District girls' basketball semifinals.

"We came out and established ourselves again," said a grinning Ram head coach Bob Bolam in wonderment. "I don't know if I thought we'd be playing for the district championship in our first year at 4A, but we are excited about it. We know these are good teams, but to do it again, almost the same way (as we did against Mount Tahoma and Auburn Riverside) has us looking at each other with raised eyebrows. We don't know what it is, but we'll take it."

Much of the "it" has to do with two talented freshman sisters, Brittany and Jordan McPhee.

SPSL North co-MVP Brittany closed out the game with 25 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. McPhee is averaging 27.1 points in three tournament games.

Improvement from her would really raise the bar to a super level.

KENT - After slaughtering the tough teams of Mount Tahoma, Auburn Riverside and Kentwood, the No. 7 Mount Rainier girls' basketball team collided with a physically empowered and immovable force.

Worn down by No. 4 Federal Way's brutally physical and intimidating defense, the Rams were clamped down in the third quarter before finally falling to the Eagles, 66-56, in the Class 4A West Central III/Southwest IV bi-district championship game held at the ShoWare Center on Monday, Feb. 21.

"We didn't play that badly," said Mount Rainier coach Bob Bolam about the end of his team's winning streak after nine games. "They played that well. They pushed us around a little. We were out of sync from the beginning. They put a hand on us and never let us go where we wanted to go and made us initiate our offense really high. It was a tough game."

While fighting a slight MCL tear and bronchitis, University of Washington-bound Talia Walton was still key for Federal Way. The 6-0 senior scored 10 of her 17 points in the crucial third quarter and finished the game with nine rebounds along with five blocks.

KENT - Even without star player Heather Corral, No. 2 state-ranked Prairie (Bush Prairie) near Vancouver proved it was tough to handle.

Before the Class 3A West Central/Southwest bi-district girls' basketball championship game on Monday, February 21, the high flying Falcons learned that Corral, a 6-foot-1 junior with nearly 30 Division I college scholarship offers, had ruptured the ACL in her left knee in Saturday's semifinals, a little more than one year after tearing the one in her right knee.

Instead of folding up shop, Prairie rallied to defeat No. 4 John F. Kennedy Catholic, 52-46, with swarming defense.

"They're a good team," said Lancer coach John Barbee. "They played tough against us and got great plays. Free throws (12-24) and turnovers were it. Most of our turnovers came when we were in our own front court. We need to improve these. We've seen (state-ranked) teams one through six, now. We know what to expect (at state)."

Thane Maudslien won two individual events and swam on two scoring relay teams to lead the Kennedy Catholic boys swimming and diving team to a ninth place team finish at the state Class 3A meet held at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way Feb. 18-19.

The Lancers scored 101 points behind a two-way tie for seventh at 109 points. Highline finished 18th as a team with 32 points.

Maudslien, who is only a sophomore, won both the 100-yard butterfly race and the 100 backstroke. His efforts also helped the opening 200 medley relay take second in the final for 14 points and helped the meet-ending 400 free relay to a ninth-place finish for 18 more.

Maudslien took the 100 back in an All-American Automatic time of 50.30 seconds in the Saturday, Feb. 19 finals after posting a 52.11 time the day before. His winning time of 50.30 in the 100 fly was good enough for All-American Consideration.

The wins reeled in 20 points apiece for the Lancers.

Maudslien teamed up with Karl Fenster, Curtis Kasahara and Sean Piper to take 10th in the 200 medley relay in a time of 1:43.71.

The successful BHS boys basketball season finally came to an end last night with a loss to the Puyallup Vikings.

The game was a close one. The Beavers came out strong in the first quarter and so did the Viking. The Beavers came into the second quarter with a two-point lead, which the Vikings diminished to a one-point lead by half time. Going into the last quarter the score was tied. Ballard let down their intensity for a short two to three minute stretch, enabled the Vikings to get ahead. Ballard, unable to catch up, lost the game 74 to 67.

Senior Salim Gloyd had another great game, leading the team with 29 points and 18 rebounds. He shot 77% from the field. Sophomores Seth Berger added 16 points and Johnny Verduin put 10 points in the net 7 rebounds.