December 2015

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

Tyee's Totems torched the net for a 78-43 triumph over Evergreen in the Seamount League boys basketball opener for both teams Friday.

The Totems shot 51 percent (29-for-57) from the field including 40 percent from three-point range compared to the 29 percent (15-for-51) from the field and six percent from three-point range shooting of Evergreen.

"It helps when you go 7-for-14 from three-point range in the first half against the zone," said Tyee head coach Brandon Horstman. "I really liked our energy and effort and togetherness. That's what we're working on and I'm glad to see it implemented tonight."

Both the Totems and Wolverines stand at 1-1 overall including Friday's game in the Evergreen gymnasium.
"Our goal is the top four in the Seamount League to move on to the next level," Horstman said. "We have that in mind for every game. Every game is extremely important. It was real important coming in here to get this one. It will only help us down the road."

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

Saturday, Dec. 5

Wrestling
Chief Sealth Tournament
Chief Sealth scored 169 points to win its own 14-team tournament Saturday.
West Seattle came in ninth with 46 points and Evergreen of White Center placed 11th with 37.

Girls basketball
West Seattle 70, North Thurston 27
Lydia Giomi swished in 16 points to lead the Wildcats to a lopsided non-league win Saturday.
Seattle Lutheran 60, MR Lutheran 42
Seattle Lutheran of West Seattle posted a 60-42 victory over Mount Rainier Lutheran.

Boys basketball
MR Lutheran 52, Seattle Lutheran 33
Seattle Lutheran lost to Mount Rainier Lutheran in boys action Saturday.
Meridian 56, Shorewood Christian 52
Shorewood Christian of West Seattle was edged by Meridian in Friday Harbor tournament action Saturday.

Friday, Dec. 4

Girls basketball
Renton 71, Highline 33
Highline's Pirates took a loss as Seamount League action opened Friday.
Bethel 47, Foster 40
Foster fell in a non-league game Friday.
West Seattle 61, Roosevelt 36

High schools

Girls basketball
Highline hosts Kennedy Catholic for a 7 p.m. game Wednesday as Foster entertains Tyee and Evergreen gets a visit from Hazen.
West Seattle, meanwhile, is at Nathan Hale at 7:30 p.m. as Chief Sealth travels to Cleveland.
Shorewood Christian will drop in on Chief Sealth's "C" team at 4 p.m. and Seattle Christian hosts Crosspoint at 6 p.m.
Seattle Lutheran will play a 6 p.m. home game against Muckleshoot Tribal on Thursday and Shorewood Christian visits Tulalip Heritage at 5 p.m. Friday.
Chief Sealth entertains West Seattle at 6:30 p.m. that day and at 7 p.m. Thomas Jefferson is at Mount Rainier, Highline at Tyee, Renton at Kennedy, Foster at Hazen and Evergreen at Lindbergh.
JFK meets Auburn-Riverside at 9 a.m. Saturday at Highline Community College and Seattle Lutheran entertains Bush at 1 p.m. with Seattle Christian hosting Life Christian at 4 p.m. and Evergreen entertaining Mount Rainier at 5 p.m.
Tyee plays host to Seattle Christian at 6:15 p.m. Monday and Foster goes to Sammamish for 7:15 p.m. action.

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

McPhee hits double-double

Mount Rainier graduate Jordan McPhee scored a double-double for the Seattle Pacific women's basketball team in its 55-46 win over Concordia on Saturday.
McPhee scored 11 points and led the Falcons with 12 rebounds to reach double figures in both categories. She added five assists and one steal.
McPhee also hit a team-high 15 points in a 79-58 victory over Western Oregon on Thursday. She hauled down seven rebounds in that game and had one steal.

McPherson, Vikings take title

Kennedy graduate Jennica McPherson had two big outings to help the Western Washington University volleyball team take the NCAA Division II West Region title Saturday.
She had 10 kills and 17 digs in a 3-2 win over San Diego before leading with 26 digs in a 3-2 victory over Cal State San Bernardino in the championship.

Penner paces SPU in win

Kennedy graduate Mitch Penner led the way with 17 points as the Seattle Pacific University men's basketball team posted an 83-64 win over Western Washington University Saturday.
He also had five rebounds, five assists and one steal.

Olympia – Last week a Good Samaritan was struck and injured while exiting his SUV to check on the driver of a  rolled over semi-truck along Eastbound I-90 at mile post 81.This is the second person hit along a state highway in the recent past. Both pedestrians were hit while checking on the occupants of rolled vehicles.

On December 2, 2015, a pedestrian was killed at a one vehicle rollover collision on Interstate 90 at mile post 116. The Good Samaritan stopped to assist the occupants of the rolled vehicle and he was struck and killed by another motorist who lost control of his vehicle. Both collisions occurred during freezing rain conditions.

While this is not a common occurrence, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) wants to share some roadside safety tips and to remind drivers to plan ahead when road and weather conditions are not ideal. In some cases, it takes time for law enforcement and first responders to arrive on scene. Law enforcement and first responders are trained and equipped to provide protection on emergency scenes and know where to park to ensure the safety of all those at the roadway collision.

A West Seattle man was wounded by two bullets after a brief altercation while visiting a convenience store in Highland Park. The incident took place around 9 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 28 on the 9000 Block of Delridge Way Southwest. The victim told police that he was leaving a nearby convenience store when he was approached by a man who made him feel threatened. As a result, the victim pulled out a revolver and fired one bullet into a nearby fence. He told police that the suspect then fled to a nearby truck and retrieved a gun before returning multiple shots and fleeing the scene in the vehicle. The victim then also left the scene and traveled all the way into White Center before noticing that he had been shot once in each leg and dialed 911. The victim was treated at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for non-life-threatening wounds. Police have yet to release any further information about the altercation. 

Crimes reported between 11/15/15 and 11/29/15

Home and Business Break-in/Burglary:

1962 ~ 2015
Robert Ruth, 53, passed away peacefully at home November 28, 2015, having faced pancreatic cancer bravely, with both humility and concern only for others. Robert was born into a US military family in Munich, Germany April 27, 1962 and grew up in Texas and Tacoma, WA.

He graduated from Wilson High School in Tacoma in 1980 and Western Washington University in 1984, with a BA in Urban and Regional Planning. During his career as a city planner, he worked in the Tacoma Planning Dept., Pac-Tech Engineering in Tacoma, the City of Baldwin Park, CA, and spent 25 years in the City of Des Moines Planning Department.

He married his high school sweetheart, Mary Vlahovich, in 1985, and together they raised two beautiful daughters.

Update Friday Dec.11
Si Phu 24, was arrested on suspicion of murder for the shooting death of his niece Christy Phu over her refusal to give up a pair of shoes was charged Thursday with first-degree murder and unlawful possession of a firearm. He was being held in the King County Jail in lieu of $2 million bail. He will be arraigned on Dec. 22.

Original Post
Following the shooting death of a 14 year old Chief Sealth High School freshman girl Seattle Police Detectives arrested 24 year old suspect Si Phu in the South Seattle area Tuesday morning and will book him into the King County Jail for Investigation of Homicide. The suspect and victim were related.

Officers responded to the 3500 block of South Brandon Street around 3:15 PM after a woman called and reported a shooting. The victim died a short time later at the scene.

The shooting was reportedly due to the victim's refusal to give up a pair of shoes.

A letter from Sealth High School Principal Aida Fraser-Hammer was sent to families announcing a candlelight vigil set for tomorrow at 5 pm

Dear Sealth Families,

Born in Seattle, WA, March 16, 1958, to John and Florence Roth, Steven Roth passed away suddenly November 22, 2015.

After attending Highline High School, he joined the United States Navy, serving from 1975 to 1985.

Except for his military service, Steven was a lifetime resident of Burien, WA. He was well known and liked by everyone he met.

Steven is survived by his daughter, Alycia Downs of Bend, OR and 2 sons, John Forrest Roth and Steven Micheal Roth of Seattle, WA; grandchildren, Cheyenne and Chayce; his siblings, brother, Max Roth, and sisters, Sue and Amy; six nieces and two nephews; best buds, Kimberly Lintner-Chang and Fu Chang; friend, John “LJ” Falagan; and dog, Dyson.

Steven will be missed by many.

Published in The Highline Times Section of The Westside Weekly December 11, 2015.

To the editor: