State Preps Report

Bellingham senior solid all season
Girls' Golf All-Whatcom County Player of the Year: Paige Rachor
Paige Rachor is steady and consistent. She doesn't get too high or too low.

Bulldogs to run 78.5-mile relay
EHS cross-country team dreams up fancy fund-raiser

In order to prepare for the fall cross-country season, the Ellensburg High School runners are logging some hefty miles.

All told, they are preparing to record 435 miles in the next few months - peaking as high as 50 miles a week.

AHS celebrates its own
Aberdeen named a new class to its Hall of Fame and honored its senior athletes during a ceremony Wednesday at the Log Pavilion.

Elite Oregon, Washington teams converge to hit local courts Friday
Unless you're already a regular, good luck getting your team into the "War of the Border."

The annual summer basketball tournament, hosted by Mark Morris and sponsored by Bud Clary, features some of the best teams in Oregon and Washington, and will include a trio of state champions in its 14th incarnation this weekend at area gymnasiums.

Stumbo to guide Jacks runners
Nick Stumbo, a member of R.A. Long football coach Steve Rooklidge's staff for the past four seasons, was approved by the Longview School District last week to become RAL's new head cross country coach this fall.

Peck slips to 2nd at junior tournament
Timberline freshman golfer Cameron Peck fell into a tie for second place after two rounds at Houchens Industries Junior Open in Alvaton, Ky.

Former Port Angeles High School standout drafted by Toronto Blue Jays
SEATTLE -- Matt Lane knew he wanted to be a professional baseball player from the minute he found out he could get paid to do it.

Volunteering to don an awkward mask and clumsy pads as a little leaguer, the former Port Angeles Roughrider first became a catcher out of necessity.

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Prep Notes: Kamiakin hires Meneely as boys basketball coach; other coaching changes announced
A second generation of Meneelys is entering the Tri-City coaching landscape.

Notebook: Bay's Peavey, Evans named to all-4A first team
Hudson's Bay pitcher Greg Peavey and shortstop Jackson Evans earned spots on the Class 4A baseball all-state first team selected by the Washington State Baseball Coaches Association.

All-Region Baseball team: Peavey Adds to His Resume

Passion drives Jorgensen
Meridian junior earns opponents' defensive respect and All-Whatcom County Player of the Year honor
Meridian junior Jake Jorgensen cringes a bit when asked which team he's picking to win the World Cup, then admits he's going with everyone's favorite - Brazil - to take home the trophy.

Dahl leaps into record books
Girls' track and field athlete of the year: A little rest pays off for Ferndale senior high jumper.

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Natural-Born Swimmer
Anne Scott | The Bainbridge senior defended her 100-yard freestyle title and added the 50 free championship.
Conversations about the best female swimmers in Bainbridge High School history usually start with the Silver sisters, Helen and Emily. The Silvers combined for 11 individual state titles and kept the Spartans in the Class 3A title hunt every year they swam.

Where Are They Now?
Have you ever wondered what happened to past winners of the Kitsap Sun's Female Athletes of the Year? Well, look no further. Here's a summary of what some of our past honorees have been up to since their glory days.

Sports Briefs: Chokers sign five for women's basketball
Grays Harbor College signed five high school basketball players to play for the Chokers women's team this winter, including three from the Twin Harbors, according to head coach Pat Wulfekuhle.

Alicia Snyder, an all-Evergreen League center at Montesano, Kassie Braden, an all-Pacific League guard at North Beach, and Ann Mero, of South Bend, are the Harbor signees.

Coach convicted of felony to keep his job
SPANAWAY - A football coach and teacher convicted of felony vehicular assault will be allowed back at Graham-Kapowsin High School in the Bethel School District this fall.

The School Board this week agreed to retain Eric Kurle after the state said he could keep his teaching credentials. He'll return to coaching immediately.

Peck in the lead at junior tournament
Timberline freshman Cameron Peck finished the first round of the Houchens Industries Junior Open in Alvaton, Ky., in first place with a 2-over par score of 74.

Boys soccer all-league teams for Bridge Division

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Pullman, Northwest Christian capture scholastic cup honors
Pullman won the Wells Fargo Scholastic Cup for 2A schools and Northwest Christian was the runaway winner for the B award, the WIAA announced recently.

Four Cougars named to preseason All-Pac-10 team
Two former prep players from the state of Washington honored

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2006 Herald Athletes of the Year
Travis Mattair of Southridge and Lyndsee Landon of Richland shared similar experiences between the lines this year.

Between the two, they reached 4A state competitions in five of six sports.

The Columbian's All-Region softball: Bookend Honors for Baker
Whitney Baker did not burst onto the softball scene when she was a freshman in 2003. Certainly, she was new to high school ball, but before she threw her first pitch for Skyview, expectations were

The Columbian's All Region boys soccer: Hoss is Player on the Rise

All-region boys track: Jeremy Lovell in Front by Leaps and Bounds

All-region girls track: Kelly jumps to top again

Local Report: Davis players, coach named to all-state team
Davis' Pete Orgill was named Class 4A coach of the year and five of his players received honors on the All-State baseball teams as selected by the Washington State Baseball Coaches Association.

Angels draft Locker
Two-way standout taken in Round 40
The Los Angeles Angels tried, but the Major League Baseball franchise couldn't sway Jake Locker from becoming a Husky.

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Metro All-Stars roll to win
Take 13th straight Jack Blair Memorial
The annual Jack Blair Memorial Girls AAU Basketball Classic at University High Wednesday was strictly a hands-on experience for the Metro All-Stars.

Inside: Metro team wins another one
Lewis and Clark High teammates Katelan Redmon, right, and Heather Bowman scored 12 points and 14 points respectively to lead the Metro All-Stars to their 13th victory in 13 editions of the Jack Blair Memorial Classic, 74-40 Wednesday night at University High.

All-Region teams: Champion's Mentality
After blowing up in the second round at state last year, Gaston De La Torre refocused his mental approach to win a state title.

The biggest development Hockinson's Gaston De La Torre made in his golf game last season had nothing to do with his swing.

M's take WV grad in the 24th round
West Valley graduate Kyle Parker won't have to go very far if he makes the big leagues with the team that drafted him.

Local report: Ike soccer coach gives up postsn
Rick Hill, who directed Eisenhower's boys and girls varsity soccer programs, has resigned from both coaching positions.

Sandusky among four to play in game
Ferndale senior Rocki Sandusky will get to wear his Golden Eagle baseball uniform one more time.
Sandusky was one of four players from the Northwest Region selected on Tuesday to play in the Class 4A/3A all-state baseball games in Wenatchee on Saturday and Sunday.

Kitsap Briefs: Five Picked for All-State Baseball Series
Central Kitsap's Tyler Owens and Aaron Johnson are among five players selected to play in the Washington State Baseball Coaches Association All-State Series set for Saturday and Sunday in Eastmont.

Oppelt takes FB job at Stadium
Now that the high school sports season has concluded, the Harbor's "silly season" â€" also known as head coaching changes - has begun with one football coach moving on to Tacoma, while two other coaches moved around locally.

Dan Oppelt, who guided North Beach to a 2005 Pacific League football co-championship one season removed from snapping a 36-game winless streak, stepped down after two seasons as the Hyaks' coach.

Ilwaco's Williams calls it quits
ILWACO - Just another ordinary Joe?
Hardly. During his 37 years of coaching and teaching, including the past 26 in Ilwaco, Joe Williams carved out a distinct style that was both demanding and innovative.

Signability of players is a key to the second day of the draft
One thought continued to race through my mind Tuesday morning as I flipped my laptop open to watch the first round of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft.

All-state games this weekend
The Washington high school all-state baseball games will be played Saturday and Sunday at Eastmont High in East Wenatchee.

Catching up
OK, I know I've been a little lax with my blogging the past couple of weeks.

Of course, there's a pretty good reason. This is a preps blog, after all, and there's not much in the way of preps going on this time of year.

Still, a couple of things caught my eye recently that I wanted to share with you.

All-region teams: A Good Walk Appreciated
Jenna Buchanan had to fight off the effects of mononucleosis early in the spring golf season. She had to regain her energy, then find her swing again. By the end of the season, Buchanan, a senior...

Talking Points
What's the buzz from the world of sports? Here are some items that will have people talking: Juvenile diabetes may get the high profile boost it needs if two athletes with Washington ties pan out...

Skyview's Mead selected by Padres
Ty Mead, who will finish his classes Thursday at Skyview High School, could be a professional baseball player by the end of the week. Mead, a 6-foot, 2-inch right-handed pitcher, was selected by...

On Further Review: the week in prep sports
Local athletes sign with NWAACC schools
Numerous local athletes have signed letters of intent to play college sports at schools in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges...

Championship Spring Season
It was a winning season for several local high school sports teams as four teams captured state championships...

Class 2A Trico League All-League Teams

All-America honor for Mackenzie
SEATTLE - For most of her senior season, Paige Mackenzie was considered by Golfweek Magazine to be one of the best women's college golfers in the nation.

Rams' Walkenhauer headed to Central
ELLENSBURG - Kevin Walkenhauer wants to do it all in college â€" pitch, hit and field.

Local report: Four tabbed from area for All-State series
Four local senior baseball players made the final selection cut and will play in this weekend's All-State Series in East Wenatchee.

DeSales grad Barry wraps up Zags crew career
CAMDEN, N.J. - Former DeSales football and baseball standout Connor Barry wrapped up his four-year crew career at Gonzaga University here over the weekend at the Intercollegiate Rowing Assocaition National Championships.

Olympic champion Rulon Gardner headlines Sunnyside wrestling camp
Rulon Gardner, a 2000 Olympic wrestling champion who backed up his gold medal performance with a bronze in the 2004 Olympics, will be one of the instructors at a summer wrestling camp to be hosted by Sunnyside High School.

SHS alumni soccer games this Saturday
The fourth annual Sunnyside High School alumni girls soccer game is scheduled for this coming Saturday. Soccer fans this year will be treated to more than just one game, though, as two other soccer matches will also be staged that day.

Prep Notebook: Columbians' Andrews earns All-State honors
Rainier senior infielder Chad Andrews, who batted a lofty .529 and slammed six home runs this season, was named to the Oregon Class 3A All-State Baseball Team last week by the state's coaches.

All-star tilt last game for Central Valley's Heintz
For someone who came to basketball later than many of her contemporaries, Heidi Heintz has made the most of her career. The Central Valley senior, this year's Greater Spokane League scoring leader, didn't begin playing basketball seriously until eighth grade, but has stamped herself among the best in league history.

Big schools didn't fit for small-town girl
For Freeman's DePell, Montana Tech feels like family
Freeman's Jessie DePell plays her final high school game Wednesday in the Jack Blair Memorial Classic.

Jessie DePell had to be true to herself. She figures she's a small-school girl for life.

The Freeman High multisport standout had opportunities to play college basketball at NCAA Division I schools, including close to home at Eastern Washington University. But the prospect of going to a smaller school and being near family eventually were the deciding factors in her choosing Montana Tech, an NAIA Division I school in Butte, Mont.

Community Sports: Kimbell keeps moving up ladder
When you are 14 years old and your family decides to move halfway across the country, it figures to be an unsettling experience.

When you are 14, and you are the reason for the relocation, the move also can be intimidating.

By any measure, though, Lilly Kimbell has made her move smoothly.

One notable measure would be her ranking, which is currently No. 3 in the nation among tennis-playing girls her age. That ranking is worth more than bragging rights.

Senior All-Star Games Today at Legion Field
The 40th annual Senior High School All-Star Games will be played today at Legion Field. The 4 p.m. doubleheader â€" sponsored by Snapple and the Kitsap BlueJackets and presented by the Kitsap County Bremerton Athletic Roundtable - showcases 42 of the top senior baseball players in the area.

CK Takes Baseball Awards
Central Kitsap's march to the Narrows League Bridge Division title earned several league honors for the Cougars.

Former Bulldog signs with Eastern Oregon
EHS grad is ready for next step
Tiffanie Ulmer, who was a four-year member of the Ellensburg High varsity girls' basketball team, just signed with Eastern Oregon University.

During her last two years as a Bulldog, 2002-2004, Ellensburg qualified out of regionals and went to back-to-back 3A state tournaments.

Fundraiser planned for Prosser runner
PROSSER - Nectaly Barbosa of Prosser is the 3A State champion in the 800 meters, the second fastest runner in the nation in that event and he's still only a high school junior.

Barbosa's exploits in the 800 have earned him invites to four prestigious track events this summer.

Prep Notebook: Dalgleish commits to powerhouse Raiders
Kelso's Jared Dalgleish, who captured the Class 3A state title at 119 pounds in February, signed a letter of intent last week to wrestle for NAIA powerhouse Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Ore., next season.

Medalist of honor
South Sound's best girls golfer proves that her integrity is well above-par
Note: story includes South Sound all-league golf teams
Long after people forget about her blasts off the tee, her four straight trips to state and her three league MVPs, they'll still remember Beth Stonecypher's integrity.

Evans shows grit under fire
Shelton senior rebounds from rough start to finish third at stateWith his golf game on the fritz, Chris Evans' chances of surviving the cut at the 4A state tournament seemed iffy.

Spring sports all-league teams

Blue Devils boys hoops camp sign-ups still open
Registrations are still being accepted for the two Blue Devil boys basketball camps that will be held this month in the Wa-Hi gym.

The first camp, for boys entering the sixth through ninth grades, will be held June 12-15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The second, for elementary age kids grades 3 through 5, is scheduled June 19-23 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.