State Preps Report

Top QBs to go head-to-head
Prosser's Moore putting up big numbers
FERNDALE - Ferndale quarterback Jake Locker is one of the best senior high school quarterbacks in the nation.
That's no surprise. Nothing new there.
But Locker just might be going head-to-head in the Class 3A state championship game Friday night with one of the best junior signal-callers in the country: Prosser's Kellen Moore.

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Kitsap Sports Headlines: Weible Named NK Baseball Coach

High School Report: Hoops Season Tips Off Today

Bobcats, Grizzlies square off three times this week
Aberdeen and Hoquiam teams will square off on three consecutive nights beginning Wednesday.

Sports briefs
Elma basketball camp planned
ELMA â€" The Elma Eagle Basketball Camp will open Saturday at the Elma High School gym.

Youthful exuberance
Hawks boys hit hardwood running under watchful eye of enthusiastic new coach
LACEY -- Brian Meneely caught his players by surprise.

It wasn't by design, but when River Ridge High School basketball player Dimitri Green walked into the gym earlier this month, he thought he'd beat his new coach to the team's first practice.

Timberline falls short after 4th-quarter rally
LACEY -- Zach Benjamin did all he could.

The Timberline High School sophomore guard scored 16 points and nailed four 3-pointers -- three in the second half -- but the Blazers couldn't recover from a double-digit deficit Monday night in a nonleague boys basketball game.

South Sound scoreboard

RAL, MM, Kelso get first taste of action
Lacey DeWeert was a nervous, excited wreck at school on Monday.

Prep notebook: Burlington-Edison has six first-team picks
Gent makes the team on both offense and defense
Six football players from Burlington-Edison and one from Anacortes earned first team all-Northwest 3A League honors in voting announced by the league’s coaches.

Winter sports preview: NW 3A, 1A/B, WesCo North boys basketball

Scoreboard

Article from November 17th
Othello golfer Patitucci signs with WWU
Othello senior Bart Patitucci, a two-time state champion golfer, signed a letter of intent Tuesday with Western Washington University.

Patitucci, who won 2A titles as a freshman and sophomore at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco, tied for third last year.

Local area prep schedule and Monday's results

Published Monday
Gearing up for a winter of sports
The winter high school sports season starts up this week, so it's time to set the table and clear out a few leftover items from the fall.

Actually, the winter sports season started Saturday for Clark County teams, when Evergreen's boys basketball team travelled north to take on Yelm. Josh Troyer scored 21 points and Jared Fullmer added 17 as the Plainsmen jumped out a 15-3 first-quarter lead, then kept the Tornados at an arm's distance the rest of the way, winning 67-50.

Away at school: Shuyler receives honor
ElizabShuyler (Selah), a middle blocker at Walla Walla Community College, was named to the All-American Junior College second team last week.

Published Sunday
Prep Football: Little Mustangs fill Bruns' big shoes
Prosser High School's Danny Lochrie (18) misses a pass as a flag is thrown in the background during the third quarter of Prosser's matchup against Rainier Beach High School in the state semifinal football playoffs at Edgar Brown Stadium in Pasco, Saturday, November 26, 2005. Prosser won 42-27.

PASCO â€" Cody Bruns' eye-popping statistics notwithstanding, Prosser's vaunted passing attack has typically been a share-the-wealth, throw-to-whoever-is-open deal.

A royal Irish shellacking
DeSales romps over Lind-Ritzville, 51-0, Saturday to advance to the state Class B-11 title game against Reardan.
There will be a new Washington state Class B-11 football champion.

Sanduskys carry on family tradition
Ferndale's Rocki Sandusky could turn out to be even better than father Jim...

Lummi tackles best in state
L-W aims for fourth straight championship
Lummi football coach Jim Sandusky says Class B-8 football state semifinal opponent LaCrosse-Washtucna shouldn't surprise local football fans.

Ferndale won't play turkey in semifinals
Kennedy stands between Eagles and title game
FERNDALE - There won't be any turkey naps for Ferndale.
Not wanting to fall victim to tryptophan, an amino acid in the Thanksgiving birds that causes sleepiness, the Golden Eagles have sworn off turkey.

Kitsap Sun Football Player of the Year
Pease Standing Tall
The 2004 season was a rough one for the South Kitsap Wolves. It was especially tough on Kyle Pease. The quarterback for a team that suffered through its first losing season since 1977, Pease caught plenty of grief in the halls of South Kitsap High School. Maybe you're too small, they told the 5-foot-7 Pease.

Athletes of the Fall

All-League Football Teams

Coach of the Year

All-West Sound Team

HHS girls working hard for 2005-06
You wouldn't know it from watching the Hoquiam's girls basketball team practice, but it is already banged up way before the first tipoff.

Family Program -- Quality time, game planning often overlap at the Buchanans' home
KALAMA ---- One of Cindi Buchanan's favorite plays is the double reverse. If only she could convince the head coach of her favorite football team to run it more often.

'Fun' run among coach's best
Mark Buchanan is in his ninth year as Kalama's head football coach, and he is having the time of his life.

Family tradition
Tumwater's Hougan is a state champ, just like her mom and dad
Swimming is a bit of a tradition for the Hougan family.

Sequim boys basketball team launches season with new coach
SEQUIM -- It doesn't take long to hear what's on new Sequim High School basketball head coach Matt Thacker's mind; just sit around a team practice a few minutes.

Hoop memories
A note on a banner hanging in an empty gymnasium and a small, wooden plaque are among the few remnants of Sequim basketball's greatest run at a state title. On most days, they sit in relative silence inside the gym named after a man many consider Sequim's best hoops coach.

Players of the year for girls swimming, boys tennis and cross country
Dedication paid off in top finishes for area group of high school athletes

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All-GSL football team - offense

All-GSL football - defense

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State football semifinals preview

Football first, followed by a feast
TOPPENISH - There's the Rose Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl and even the Super Bowl â€" but for a few guys in Toppenish, it's the Turkey Bowl where...

Semifinal no day at the Beach for Mustangs
One team stands between Prosser and a Dec. 2 state-championship date in the Tacoma Dome.

Ike jamboree Saturday
For a first peek at the high school boys basketball season, Eisenhower's annual day-long jamboree will be held Saturday at Ike Gym.

Irish pumped for Broncos
DeSales and Lind-Ritzville share respect for one another and look forward to Saturday's matchup
DeSales scored 13 fourth-quarter points for a nail-biting, come-from-behind 26-19 victory over Tacoma Baptist in a Class B football semifinal game last Saturday.

Locker practices, says left knee 'feels good'
The most talked about knee in Whatcom County - and possibly Washington prep football - is OK.

State football semifinals pairings

Monte, Elma golfers all-league
Two East County players were named to the all-Southwest Washington 2A League boys golf team.

Montesano sophomore Justin Allebaugh and Elma senior Dylan Hill joined three Hockinson players on the first team.

Elma senior David Zeh was a second-teamer...

Prep roundup: RAL's Chow, Bates nab top honors in GSHL 3A
R.A. Long senior Stefa Chow shared Player of the Year honors with Jessica Perry of Fort Vancouver, as voted by girls soccer coaches in the Greater St. Helens 3A League.

Eight local bowlers roll 300 games
Eight Longview-Kelso bowlers rolled perfect 300 games in recent weeks as the opening third of the 2005-06 local season closed out.

Young runner posts top 20 finish
Eric Walsh, and eighth-grader at Tumwater Middle School, competed Saturday at the Pacific Northwest Regional cross country meet in Spokane.

Prep notebook: Jacob Clem to play at UW
Burlington-Edison senior follows brother’s path

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Prosser receiver Boydston out after spleen surgery
Prosser junior wide receiver Nick Boydston will miss the remainder of the football season after undergoing surgery to remove his damaged spleen Saturday night following the Mustangs' 38-35 historic playoff win over Bellevue.

Boydston, who caught six passes for 84 yards at Kennewick's Lampson Stadium, suffered the injury after taking a hit from a Bellevue player.

Updated area stats and standings

Posted Monday
Camas seniors see all they've done
The day after winning a championship certainly is quiet compared to the euphoria of the post-game celebration.

But that day after can be just as satisfying.

The Camas girls soccer players spent their first full day as state champions taking it all in, relaxing, and reflecting.

Locals lift Wenatchee soccer
While perusing his roster a day after his Wenatchee Valley College men's soccer team had captured its first NWAACC championship, WVC coach Nelson Zaldivar noticed the distinctly Yakima aspect of his undefeated team.

Away at School
Bell closes out strong career at Gonzaga
SPOKANE â€" Selah graduate Lacey Bell, a senior three-year starter on Gonzaga University's volleyball team, was honored last Saturday night prior to her final collegiate match at Martin Centre.

Posted Monday
Local Report: Riverside Christian finishes fourth at state

TACOMA - Overcoming Riverside Christian's second-half lead with two late goals, Seattle Academy edged the Crusaders 2-1 in the third-fourth game Saturday in the Class 1A-B boys soccer tournament at Curtis High School.

Posted Sunday
Prosser snaps Bellevue's four-year reign
Prosser High School's (l-r) Ricardo Sanchez, Ivan Merino and Tyler Leighty celebrate with their teammates as they walk off the field after beating Bellevue High School 38-35 on Nov. 18, 2005. Merino rushed for 111 yards in the game and was the leading rusher in the game.

KENNEWICK - And to think when people saw this monster matchup looming in the state football bracket months ago, most of them felt sorry for Prosser.

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No. 1 LaCrosse-Washtunca, Sprague-Harrington meet tonight at Lampson
The first of four state quarterfinal games in the Mid-Columbia will be played tonight with a Class B-8 clash -- the Sprague-Harrington Falcons (8-2) meeting the LaCrosse-Washtucna Tigercats (10-0) in Kennewick.

Tireless Hound: Vela leads Grandview into state quarterfinals
GRANDVIEW -- The Grandview Greyhounds shuffle out of the locker room in preparation for a day's work on the practice field. The players have a few minutes before they begin to fine tune their game plan for Saturday's 2A state quarterfinal showdown against the Connell Eagles. There's a little clowning around, some friendly banter -- the usual stuff among teammates.

Camas team gets championship send-off
CAMAS - Before the Camas Papermakers could get to the Class 3A state soccer semifinals, they had to make it through a spirit tunnel. Hundreds of students, teachers, and community members formed t...

Papermakers proud to boost school spirit
Only one school in Clark County still has a fall sports season in progress. Fittingly, that school is Camas, which has had success in every sport this season. "You walk the halls and everyone...

High School Scoreboard
Today's Schedule Girls Soccer 3A state semifinal: Camas vs. Seattle Prep, 4 p.m. at Harry Lang Stadium, Lakewood GIRLS soccer 4A state playoffs Semifinals At Lakewood Today...

Prep Football: Another goal in sight for Mustangs
They already accomplished goal No. 1 when they won the Mid-Valley League title, their last MVL crown before dipping back down to the Class 2A ranks next year.

Introductions not needed in Pasco
When DeSales faces Tacoma Baptist at Edgar Brown, it will be a rematch of last year's quarterfinals in Tacoma.

Diminutive goalie Jessica Licea lifts E. Valley to new heights
Like all goalkeepers, Jessica Licea stands in the window of torment every day. Eight yards post to post, eight feet grass to crossbar.

Local teams take to Tacoma turf
It's the same game only with an artificial flavor that's an acquired taste.
Soccer on turf.

Blaine wrestler has high expectations
Blayne Brandenburger aims for state title
Blaine High School senior Blayne Brandenburger has two goals heading into the wrestling season: finish undefeated and win a state championship.

Meridian's Keough, Mount Baker's Welch earn top honors
Meridian and Mount Baker, co-champions of the Whatcom County League, had the two best players, too.
Meridian's Josh Keough and Mount Baker's Robbie Welch earned offensive and defensive MVP honors from WCL football coaches.

East County leads all-league honors
East County players and coaches swept the major awards that accompanied the all-Evergreen League football team announced this week.

Five Harbor volleyballers named all-league
Five Grays Harbor players were named to the all-Evergreen League volleyball team.

Sports Briefs: Bobcat swimmers honored

A Team Player
CATHLAMET ---- Terrence Pharr exploded for a breakout, career-defining performance at the most bittersweet moment imaginable last Saturday night.

All-Southwest 2A League: Evergreen Division all-league football team

Wolves fall in heartbreaking 1-point gridiron loss
On Tuesday night, with less than a minute to play in the game, the Sequim Wolves had their first state playoff appearance since 1978 in their collective grasp.

Anacortes netters honored after postseason run
Seahawks finished fifth at Class 3A state tourney
ANACORTES - The Anacortes High School volleyball team has earned postseason honors after a stellar season that ended with a fifth-place finish at the Class 3A state tournament.

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Prep winter sports kick into gear with changes
Some things staying the same, but some players have relocated.

Vince Grippi's Prep Report: West coast prep football team rankings

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Updated stats and standings

One season down, two to go
Now that the Big Nine football season is over, it's time for us at the Herald to start focusing on the next sports season.

Defense Dominates
CAMAS -- It almost looks like a typo. No way can a soccer team go an entire league season and give up only one goal. No way a team can play 19 matches, including the playoffs, while giving up...

Prep scoreboard

On Further Review: The Week in Prep Sports
More county athletes sign with colleges Three more Clark County high school seniors have made their committments to play college sports next year. Brittney Roggenkamp, an all-league foward for...more

Class 3A Greater St. Helens All-League Teams
Football Offensive player of the year: Justin Bacon, rb, Camas Defensive player of the year: Jaymin Jackson, lb, Columbia River FIRST TEAM OFFENSE QB Scott Hagensen* Sr. Camas QB Mike Peck* Sr....more

County's swimmers make all take notice
The first things you notice are the flags. The flags, which represent the dozens of nations that have sent athletes to compete in this building, hang from the ceiling. You realize...

Prep Football Playoffs
A buddy once pointed out to Kellen Moore those all-time top-five state lists in various offensive categories that take up two pages of the Gridiron Classic state-championship football program. More...

Local Report: Location chosen for Prosser-Bellevue
Prosser's state quarterfinal showdown with Bellevue will be held Saturday afternoon at Kennewick's Lampson Stadium.

Lummi-Pe Ell on Saturday
The Class B-8 first-round playoff game between Lummi and Pe Ell will be 3 p.m. on Saturday at Civic Stadium.
The Blackhawks (9-1) defeated Pe Ell (4-5) 34-16 in Lummi's season opener.

Football playoffs continue Saturday
Elma will be headed east of the mountains, while Willapa Valley and Wishkah are bound for the Olympia area for state football quarterfinals on Saturday.

Matthews, Vessey named league MVPs
Evergreen League champions Montesano landed seven players, including two as league MVPs, to lead the Twin Harbor contingent on the All-Evergreen League girls soccer opponent’s teams on Monday.

Ten Harbor swimmers named all-league
Nine members of Aberdeen's league championship team and Hoquiam's Mackenzie Smith were named to the all-Pac-Nine League girls swimming team.

Schang's hard work pays off
WOODLAND - The same relentless style of play that once left her shoe-print on the arm of a teammate, and the same ferocity that dealt her big brother Casey "more bruises than (he) could count," were the traits that convinced St. Martin's University in Lacey to offer Destiny Schang a near-full scholarship to play basketball there next fall.

Rockets, Chinooks face tough opponents
Castle Rock (9-2), fresh off its 27-0 shutout of Chimacum in the opening round of the Class 2A state football playoffs, has the toughest assignment of all quarterfinalists Saturday when it takes on top-ranked Archbishop Murphy (12-0) at Tumwater High School.

New coach, players devoted to special season at River Ridge
LACEY -- As players sat at his feet in a large circle on the court, Kevin Estes started laying the ground rules.

"You have now, by walking on to this floor, made a commitment," Estes said flatly only minutes into the first day of girls basketball practice at River Ridge High School. "If you're not 100 percent, you need to pack your stuff and go some place else."

Posted Sunday

Elma rips King's to advance in 2A football playoffs
CHEHALIS -- Elma made it back to the 2A state football quarterfinals in convincing fashion Saturday, sending King's packing 35-6.

Elma (6-5) advances to next weekend's quarterfinals, where the Eagles will run into unbeaten Cashmere (11-0).

Alumni update: Boonstra discovers success as a college receiver
Whitfield lands second-team all Ivy-League honors
Josh Boonstra earned most of his accolades as a quarterback at Sedro-Woolley High School, but he made his biggest contribution to the Central Washington University football team as a receiver.

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Kennewick grad coaches Utah college to respectability
Justin Wagar found himself in a difficult situation before the women's soccer season began at Utah Valley State College.

Posted Monday

Four prep quarterfinals to be staged in Tri-Cities
This weekend, Kennewick and Pasco will again be a hub for Washington state prep school football, despite the first-round departures by Class 4A powers Southridge and Pasco.

All-Big Nine team selected
Pasco and Southridge dominated the Big Nine all-conference team, combining for 22 of the 36 first team selections.

Suns wide receiver Shawn O'Malley was named the Big Nine MVP, while his coach, Andy Troxel, and Wenatchee coach Scott Devereaux shared coach of the year.

Pasco's Shayne Kelly and Southridge's Jason Munns - both quarterbacks - were selected as co-offensive players of the year, while Suns junior linebacker Jeremy Salinas and Bulldogs linebacker Hank Vincent were named co-defensive players of the year.

Posted Monday

Papermakers continue their fall sports celebration
For the first time since 1998, no local high school football team was able to advance past the first round of the state playoffs in any classification.

And that seems very odd after watching Evergreen win the 4A championship last season, Evergreen and La Center reach the state semifinals in 2003, Columbia River and Mountain View reach the state semifinals in 2002 and Mountain View reach the state semifinals in 2001.

Away at School: Lenihan, Crane qualify for NCAAs
STEPHANIE LENIHAN and MEREDITH CRANE (both Davis) both qualified to run in a NCAA national cross country championship meet, but unfortunately only one will get to compete.

Volleyball
Mount Baker scores two upsets, LC loses at state
YAKIMA - The Mount Baker High School girls volleyball team pulled off two big upsets in the first day of the Class 2A state tournament - and a Whatcom County favorite was knocked into the consolation round.

Mount Baker beat top-ranked King's in three games this afternoon to advance to the semifinals. The Mounties are making their first state tournament appearance since 1984.

Mount Baker swept the Northwest District champions 25-16, 25-23 and 25-23.

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'Best-Ever' Label Fits Bainbridge Volleyball
As the Bainbridge Spartans take the floor at the Everett Events Center today for the Class 3A state tournament, they'll head in as the best volleyball team Kitsap County has ever produced.

Whalen Hopes to Turn Bronze Into Gold
Bainbridge diver Stephanie Whalen hopes her senior season ends with a state championship.

Game of the week: Kittitas vs. Reardan, football

KITTITAS - Kittitas High School’s state football contest versus the Reardan Indians this Friday could be interpreted as two teams with similar make-ups. Both have high-powered running attacks, but have confidence in the aerial assault as well. Both have faith in their defensive schemes as well.

Perhaps the most glaring difference between the two teams is the fact that Kittitas isn’t in this position on a yearly basis. For Reardan, getting prepared for the state playoffs is as common as frost in November.

Wishkah’s Clevenger earns league MVP honors
Wishkah quarterback John Clevenger received the Player of the Year award in conjunction with the selection of the Pacific Coast Football Association all-Southern Division team.

Briefs: Raymond student wins State Heisman

Chinooks ready to run
Mark Buchanan has enough on his gridiron plate without worrying about the weather forecast.

Still, if the Kalama football coach had it his way, the Doppler Radar system would show nothing but a few high clouds over Chinook Stadium from the time he wakes up this morning until about 8:30 tonight.

"I think our team will have a speed advantage, assuming our field is not a quagmire," said Buchanan, whose fourth-ranked Chinooks (9-1) host Coupeville (7-3) tonight at 6 in the opening round of the Class 1A state playoffs.

Blazers' stable full of horses
Timberline rides quartet of running backs into today's first round of 3A state playoffs.

T-Birds back at state tourney
Tumwater volleyball program returns to state for the first time since 1991.
TUMWATER -- Reminders are everywhere in the Tumwater High School gymnasium.

Local swimmers take aim at medals
Centralia's Messegee, Tumwater's Hougan among state's fastest in 100, 200 freestyles.
OLYMPIA - It takes fast times to just make the field, but it takes even faster ones to get onto the podium.

Bears on the rise, ready for state
Olympia faces Eisenhower in first round.
The Olympia volleyball team is looking for a little respect - and more.

Today in South Sound prep football

Prep scoreboard

'Canes Blown From Playoffs
Mount Vernon Christian boys' soccer falls to University Prep at state.

Tigers set to face playoff-tested O’Dea
Burlington-Edison football team has one playoff win since 1990.

High-school scoreboard

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Athlete signings
Brewster star one of two guards to sign with EWU
UI picks up Chicago JC forward; GU adds JC center from Florida
The letter of intent didn't arrive until late Wednesday evening, but Mike Burns didn't seem to mind the wait. "It's a very important signing for Eastern Washington basketball," Burns, the Eagles' second-year coach, said Thursday of the letter received the night before from Brewster High School standout Michael Taylor, who had received scholarship offers from a host of Division I schools, including Texas Christian, UC Irvine and Saint Mary's.

Volleyball
Young Colfax still owns state savvy
Eight players back from last season's championship team
It has to be music to the ears of 1A coaches around the state to hear Colfax volleyball coach Sue Doering describe her team as "very young."

A dream realized with hard work, sacrifice
Mead quarterback has come a long way since freshman year
The dream was born in unlikely circumstances. "It was during my freshman year, when I was about 120 pounds and a backup, I started thinking what I really wanted to do was play quarterback for Mead," said Andrew DeFelice.

East Valley faces a test on road against Ferndale
East Valley, ranked eighth among State 3A teams, faces a top-ranked Ferndale team that has yet to be tested during Saturday's 3 p.m. game at Bellingham.

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A preview of Friday's state playoff games
Four teams from the Mid-Columbia compete tonight in state tournament action, but the Othello Huskies face perhaps the most difficult matchup of the evening.

Updated standings and stats

Camas playmaker
CAMAS - Camas football fans will remember the end forever, that game-winning drive in the closing minutes last week to beat Tumwater in a district playoff.

Success is relative for Chieftains' Jackson
Jaymin Jackson is an instinctive football player, which makes sense, given his bloodlines. The Columbia River senior running back/linebacker follows in the football footsteps of older brother Jord.

State championships preview for volleyball, swimming

Hagensen family cheering section is loud and proud
The Camas Papermakers consider themselves a football family.

High school scoreboard

Camas expects big test at Mount Si
The Camas girls soccer team expects to be tested when it pays a visit to Mount Si of Snoqualmie for a Class 3A state quarterfinal game at 7 p.m. today.

Volleyball

Class 1A Valley teams set for takeoff
League seasons and district volleyball tournaments determine who gets to play at state. They can also determine how a team will play once it gets there.

Familiar foes ready to battle in 2A bracket
When King's volleyball coach Steve Bain looked at the brackets for this weekend's Class 2A state tournament at the SunDome, he found himself looking ahead - and behind.

Ki-Be, Nooksack Valley head to state Hall of Fame
Two of the most familiar faces in Class 2A volleyball will be among the first induction class into the Washington State Volleyball Coaches Association's Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Kiona-Benton's Sharon Brandon and Nooksack Valley's Trudy Weinheimer will be inducted during a ceremony at 5:45 p.m. prior to the 2A and 1A championship finals in the SunDome.

Football
First-round matchups preview

Girls soccer
First-round matchups preview

Determined to make a splash
The six Wa-Hi girls headed to the Class 4A state swim meet are confident they will do better than a year ago.
Wa-Hi sophomore MacKenzie Giusti believes her Blue Devils can finish higher at the 2005 Girls Swimming and Diving State Championships than they did in 2004.

Girls soccer: Shannon claims NWL's top honor
Bellingham junior forward Molly Shannon was selected the Northwest League's Most Valuable Player for girls' soccer when the all-league team was released on Wednesday.

Girls soccer: Winning relieves the pain
Banged-up Trojans advance to quarterfinals

Hoisington Following in Father's Footsteps
CK basketball star Megan Hoisington signs on to play with Seattle Pacific
When Megan Hoisington was just a fraction of the 5-feet-10 she now stands, she decided she would go to Seattle Pacific University.

That dream became reality on Wednesday, when the Central Kitsap basketball star signed her letter of intent to play for the Falcons.

Game of the week: Kittitas vs. Reardan, football
KITTITAS - Kittitas High School's state football contest versus the Reardan Indians this Friday could be interpreted as two teams with similar make-ups. Both have high-powered running attacks, but have confidence in the aerial assault as well. Both have faith in their defensive schemes as well.

Perhaps the most glaring difference between the two teams is the fact that Kittitas isn't in this position on a yearly basis. For Reardan, getting prepared for the state playoffs is as common as frost in November.

Elma, Valley begin state playoff road this weekend
It is the end of the regular season in football as we know it on the Twin Harbors while two schools - Willapa Valley and Elma - are locked in the first round of the state playoffs this weekend.

Seven Harborites named all-league
Seven Twin Harbors players were named to the all-Pacific League volleyball team, selected from coaches' all-opponent teams.

South Bend's Tori Lynn and Crystal Smith, Raymond's Sunny Sayahod and Chance Runge, Willapa Valley's Traci Goodin, North Beach's Amanda Erickson and Taholah's Dora Brings Yellow were included on the 10-player all-league team.

Winter sports parents meeting set for Elma
ELMA - The Elma High School winter sports parents meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday at the high school commons.

Parents of participants in boys or girls basketball, wrestling, cheerleading or the winter drill team are urged to attend.

Golden opportunity
Kelso's Brandon Sitch has been a perfectionist since he was old enough to walk. And if you don't believe it, just ask his mother.

A life full of laps
Olympia swimmer and UW recruit Rian Buckley has left opponents in her wake since she was a tyke
Before Rian Buckley knew how to walk, she learned how to swim.

Stewart enjoys 11th-ranked Ducks' overtime victory
EUGENE, Ore. --Jonathan Stewart, Oregon's true freshman running back from Lacey, couldn't have picked a better year to be a Duck.

Bears' soccer team to face Lake Stevens
The Olympia High School girls soccer team will be heading north for the Class 4A state quarterfinals.

The Olympian's prep athletes of the week

Vander Lugt signs with Middle Tenn. St.
Tumwater senior with play softball in college
Lindsey Vander Lugt's day was a blur on Wednesday.

Prep scoreboard

Youthful Optimism
The six participants Anacortes will send to the state swimming and diving meet are underclassmen

La Conner returns to state tourney
Braves' volleyball team enters ranked No. 2 in coaches' poll

Braves to host White Pass
Winner of football playoff game to get into state bracket

State volleyball preview

Area sports

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It's graduation day
Eight Mead seniors will wrap up lifelong bond as volleyball teammates
Unity is a volleyball mantra where the sum is more valuable than the individual parts. But eight seniors on Mead's two-time defending champion state qualifiers have taken togetherness to extremes.

Quick hits
State football gets under wayLocal schools begin their drive for state football championships this weekend as the first round of the 2A and B-11 state tournaments get under way.

Area players sign letters of intent
GSL's Bowman, Schnibbe, Heintz to play in Division I
Three Greater Spokane League basketball players and one from the Great Northern League signed letters of intent with Division I women's basketball programs. All three GSL seniors, Lewis and Clark's Heather Bowman, University's Tonya Schnibbe and Central Valley's Heidi Heintz, faxed their signed letters on Tuesday.

Just in case you missed it, an era passed Tuesday
We may never see another football game at Albi Stadium, says Vince Grippi.
If you were one of the 1,610 at the Mead-Wenatchee football game Tuesday night at Albi, you were lucky. If you want to call it that.

Great Northern football preview

State 4A volleyball/At Everett Events Center

Class B state playoffs preview

Northeast A football preview

Registration required

Area athletes sign letters of intent
Wednesday's early signing period for national letters-of-intent confirmed what many people already know: the Mid-Columbia is chock full of great baseball talent. Softball too, for that matter.

State notebook: Pasco-Skyline game set for 1 p.m.
The time for Saturday's Pasco-Skyline first-round 4A state playoff game has been set for 1 p.m.

Skyline's football stadium, which seats 2,300

High School Scoreboard

Prep stars sign NCAA letters
There was no fanfare Wednesday at Skyview High School, no ceremony for Whitney Baker as she signed her letter of intent to play softball at UCLA. Her plan was to go to an assistant coach's classro

Class 3A Volleyball
The state unknown
Kay Aberle has coached volleyball 12 seasons at Selah, has taken the Vikings to 12 state tournaments, has led her team to a trophy in each appearance and has won three state championships. More...

Class 4A Volleyball
Cadets seek to ramp up at state
By Eisenhower's standards, it was a lost weekend.
Never mind that the Cadets had finished second in the Class 4A Eastern Regional at Kennewick and claimed a Class 4A state berth.

Class B Volleyball
Questions answered for RC, La Salle
This season started as one of transition for the Riverside Christian and La Salle volleyball teams:

Swimming
Whiteside is on her own ... mostly
Swimming is a team sport, but Eisenhower's Kaitlyn Whiteside has earned the chance to swim for herself.

Prep basketball
Rams' Murillo signs with Seattle University
Basketball season doesn't officially start until Monday, but West Valley's Cassidy Murillo already has a plan for when it should end â€" at the state tournament in Tacoma next March.

And now she's got the four years after that covered.

The reigning Class 3A state player of the year signed a letter of intent Wednesday to attend Seattle University next fall.

Trojans tumble in playoff opener
King's score two TDs in final two minutes to beat Meridian
Disbelief quickly turned to heartache for the Meridian football team on Tuesday night as their playoff hopes and season disappeared in less than 120 seconds.

Lyncs fall to No. 1 ATM
Wildcats' Smith runs for 306 yards, 4 TDs

Mount Baker rolls over Sultan
Flannery rushes for 136 yards

Lynden loses in double OT to Shorecrest
Missed extra point difference in game

Wolves 1 Goal Short, 1 More Time
South Kitsap again loses by a goal in the first round of state.
It was a familiar scene for the South Kitsap Wolves. They've advanced to the Class 4A state soccer tournament five years in a row. In four of those years, they haven't advanced â€" losing by the narrowest of margins each time.

High School Report: Chimacum, Gig Open State Friday
The Cowboys advanced with a 20-7 win over Nisqually League rival Steilacoom.

Gig Harbor (9-1), the last Narrows League Bridge Division team standing, is at Oak Harbor (9-1) in a Class 4A first-round game on Friday at Mount Vernon. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Harbor swimmers head to state
Ten Aberdeen and Hoquiam swimmers and divers have qualified for state competition this weekend. In front, from left to right, are Hoquiam's Abbi McCaslin and Aberdeen's Kayla Carson, Alex Manenica, Alison Matisons and Stephanie Leggett. In back are Aberdeen's Megan Randich, Masit Matisons, Whitney Morean, Taylor Martin and Hoquiam's Mackenzie Smith.

Orcas Island eliminates S. Bend
CENTRALIA - Playing as if their ferry to the San Juan Islands was docked outside of Tiger Stadium, the Orcas island Vikings quickly ushered South Bend out of the Class B-11 football playoffs.

Elma to face King's
CHEHALIS - Elma will face King’s of Seattle in the opening round of the state 2A football playoffs Saturday at Chehalis.

Wildcats blank Bulldogs
TUMWATER - The pace of the match, the style of play and the intensity of the moment favored Archbishop Murphy's girls soccer team against Montesano on Tuesday.

Go east, young ladies
The area's smallest schools to qualify for state volleyball competition this weekend will be making the biggest road trips.

Toutle Lake and Naselle, who played each other last week for the District 4 championship at Winlock High School, are prime candidates for frequent-spiker mileage when the Class B State Championships begin Friday at Eastern Washington University in Cheney.

Area Roundup
BUCKLEY, Wash. ---- The Woodland girls soccer team, making its first-ever appearance in the Class 2A state playoffs, saw its season come to an end here Wednesday after a 2-1 first-round loss to Orting at White River High School.

Olympia soccer to play Friday at Lake Stevens
The Olympia High School girls soccer team will be heading north for the Class 4A state quarterfinals.

The Bears (16-2-2) will face Lake Stevens at 7 p.m. Friday at Lake Stevens. The last time the Bears played in the quarterfinals was 1995 when they finished second in the state.

Corner kicks spark Olympia past Curtis
One of Fran Janny's gifts in soccer is near perfect execution of a corner kick.

Black Hills needs coach in a hurry
Black Hills High School is in need of a freshman boys basketball coach after the planned coach decided he would be unavailable.

Tiger domination
Burlington-Edison football team dismantles Cedarcrest in district playoff game

Issaquah tames Tigers
Burlington-Edison's girls' soccer season ends in first round of state tournament

MV coaches to meet players
MOUNT VERNON - Mount Vernon High School baseball and softball players will have an opportunity Thursday to meet their new coaches.

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Panthers, Knights playoff bound
Unbeaten Mead pounds out win over Wenatchee
Fifth-ranked Mead beats wenatchee 28-8 in Class 4A football state play-in game at Albi Stadium Tuesday night.

Inspired Pasco sends Gonzaga Prep packing
Return of injured linebacker Bonderman enables Bulldogs to prevail over Bullpups
Playoff butterflies usually scatter with the first hit. Pasco, however, will often have at least one touchdown on the board before anyone can put in a good lick on defense.

Girls soccer roundup: G-Prep upsets defending champs
A new State 4A state girls soccer champion will be crowned in 2005. Gonzaga Prep, a state semifinalist last season and No. 2 team from the Greater Spokane League, scored off a deflection early in the second half and went on to post a 2-0 first-round playoff victory over Bellarmine Prep on Tuesday night at Mount Tahoma High Stadium.

It was the Lions' first opening-round exit since 2001.

Gonzaga Prep (15-3) and top-ranked Richland will meet in the 4A quarterfinals, likely Saturday afternoon in the Tri-Cities in a rematch of a Nov. 1 district game â€" a Bombers' 1-0 shootout triumph.

Southridge cruises early, defeats CV
Everything had gone so smoothly for the Southridge football team in the second half of the season. Maybe too smoothly. After building a 24-0 halftime lead over Central Valley in their 4A regional playoff game Tuesday night at Lampson Stadium, the Suns had a third-quarter lapse but survived for a 38-16 victory to advance to the state playoffs.

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Pasco, Bonderman put hit on Gonzaga Prep
Playoff butterflies usually scatter with the first hit.

Pasco, however, often will have at least one touchdown on the board before anyone can put in a good lick on defense.

So it wasn't until just past the nine-minute mark on Tuesday in the first quarter of Pasco's 35-13 win over Gonzaga Prep at Edgar Brown Stadium in the 4A Eastern Regional that all seemed right in the Bulldogs' world.

Southridge rises to challenge
Everything had gone so smoothly for the Southridge football team in the second half of the season.

Maybe too smoothly.

After building a 24-0 halftime lead over Central Valley in their 4A regional playoff game Tuesday night at Lampson Stadium, the Suns had a third-quarter lapse but survived for a 38-16 victory to advance to the state playoffs for the second straight year.

Prosser explodes near half to beat Selah
PROSSER -- Everyone knew Prosser could score quickly, but this was ridiculous.

The Mustangs scored 26 points in six minutes and 20 seconds to effectively put away Selah in their 59-27 3A regional playoff victory Tuesday at Art Fiker Stadium.

Updated area stats and standings

Bennett's Game Reaches Its Peak
BRUSH PRAIRIE - Shasta Bennett said it was probably just nerves, but she was sick as the Prairie Falcons made their way to the Class 4A regional volleyball tournament last week. The Falcons went...

Camas girls soccer rolls into quarterfinals
CAMAS - Figuring they had a wide advantage on the Highline Pirates, the Camas girls soccer team took advantage of it. Burning the visitors with speed on the wing and toughness in the middle, the...

Ridgefield tops Granite Falls, runs into familiar hurdle
The Ridgefield girls soccer team is back in the state quarterfinals. Now, the Spudders want to try something different. After beating Granite Falls 1-0 in a state playoff match on...

High School Scoreboard

On Further Review: More athletes commit to college teams
Jay Ponciano and Jackson Evans of Hudson's Bay are expected to sign letters of intent today to play Pac-10 baseball. Ponciano is planning to sign with...

Defeats rare for locals at McKenzie
McKenzie Stadium used to be the end of the road for road football teams from around the state. It used to be the place where opponents walked, slowly, to the charter, for the long, miserable bus...

Class 4A Greater St. Helens All-League Teams

Prep Soccer
Rams back in playoff mode
As West Valley girls soccer seasons go, this has been an aberration. It has not followed the usual Rams start fast, Rams get faster and then Rams barrel full-speed into playoffs scenario.

Prep Football
Moore tosses seven TDs to beat Selah
PROSSER - Kellen Moore threw a career-high seven touchdown passes, including four in a 32-point second period, and Prosser rolled to a 59-27 victory over Selah in a regional playoff game Tuesday night at Fiker Stadium.

Prep Football
Bulldogs outfight Bantams
ELLENSBURG - On paper, this wasn't supposed to be as exciting as it ended up being …quot; a 7-3 Ellensburg squad hosting 3-7 Clarkston.

Prep Football
Colfax too much for Mengarelli, Granger
GRANGER - Gary Ely knew going in that his star tailback was not 100 percent, that Mike Salcedo's bad ankle was going to keep him from the explosive cuts and breakaway speed that had helped him rack up nearly 3,000 yards during the past two...

Season is on the line for four teams
Meridian the lone team with home game at Civic tonight

The season could end tonight for four local football teams.
Lynden, Lynden Christian, Meridian and Mount Baker all face winner-to-state, loser-out contests.

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Wolves Looking to 'Seize the Moment'
Versatile, according to Webster, means "turning with ease from one thing or position to another." Versatile, according to South Kitsap soccer coach Eric Bergeson, is a good way to describe junior Kelsey Penn. On Saturday, she was used as an attacker on offense, and Penn scored a goal in a 4-3 victory that propelled the Wolves to the Class 4A state soccer tournament.

Top SK Athletes Davison, Chriswell Pick Texas, Purdue
Tennis ace Davision and wrestler Chriswell had a lot of options.

Local teams readying for state football playoffs
Willapa Valley will face Adna in the opening round of the state B-11 football playoffs at 7 p.m. Friday at Naselle, Valley coach Rob Friese reported Monday.

D.D.'s final dance
Mark Morris senior swimming sensation Danielle Denita Wagner takes another shot a state.

Lumberjills face tough road to a state title
The schedule-makers for the Class 3A State Volleyball Championships aren't helping the R.A. Long Lumberjills.

First-round matchups set for state-bound gridiron squads
Castle Rock, Kalama, Wahkiakum and Clatskanie will host state playoff football games this weekend, as several local football and volleyball squads begin their state championship quests.

Athletes of the week

Playoffs heat up for local schools
State tourneys start in football, soccer
It's not easy being the athletic director at Olympia High School this week.

Prep notebook: Mount Vernon Christian shows the ability to adjust
Fans moved out of the way so Geertsma could use jump serve

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Mead, EV home tonight for state play-in games
Many of the usual suspects will be playing tonight when the Greater Spokane League and the Big Nine meet in their annual play-in games to the state 4A football playoffs.

For the first time since the two leagues began pooling their playoff berths in 1996 and playing on Tuesday nights, there will be three games instead of four. And one of the winners will have to travel to the West Side for a Saturday first-round game with second-ranked Skyline (10-0) of Sammamish.

State soccer officially begins today
What's another hour when you've already waited three extra days? Gonzaga Prep's soccer team plays Bellarmine Prep tonight at 8 at Mt. Tahoma in the first round of the State 4A tournament.

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Playoffs season arrives in the Mid-Columbia
The regional playoffs begin Tuesday night with five teams from the Mid-Columbia involved -- Southridge and Pasco in Class 4A, Prosser in 3A, and Warden and Wahluke in the 1A ranks.

Rice's TD catch joins Camas lore
It was a memorable play, the kind that becomes part of the fabric of a small town. So when Jeff Rice rose over a Tumwater defender Saturday night and plucked a game-winning pass out of the air, he...

Four local teams play in soccer playoffs today
Camas and Ridgefield look to continue their highly successful seasons in state girls soccer playoff games today at Doc Harris Stadium in Camas. Ridgefield will kick off a soccer doubleheader in Camas...

Bush steps down as Davis' football coach
Having felt he's done everything he could with no victories to show for it, Andy Bush decided that it's time to let someone else try and turn around the fortunes of the Davis High football program.

Bush announced Monday that he's stepping down as head coach of a Pirates program that went winless in each of Bush's two seasons.

Away at school
Braun helps lift North Idaho
LYNNEA BRAUN (West Valley), a freshman defensive specialist and outside hitter for North Idaho College, helped her team to a five-game victory over top-ranked College of Southern Idaho on Saturday, Oct. 29. Braun had three kills, an assist and five digs in the match, which moved the Cardinals from sixth to fifth in the national junior-college rankings.