West Seattle, Washington
29 Wednesday
(UPDATED SATURDAY with more venues opening early)
It’s “Blue Friday” for Seahawks fans, looking ahead to the division-playoff game vs. Atlanta, less than 39 hours away (but who’s counting … well, maybe the fans in Steph‘s photo, above, are!). We’ve been collecting info on who’s open early if you’d like to watch the game with your fellow fans. Whenever you see this, check out the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and scroll down to Sunday (look for the calendar-page icon) to see the latest listings – mouse over the right side of a line to reveal and click on the plus sign, then use “read more” to get the full scoop. As of this writing, earlybirds (various opening times – see the calendar) that we have heard from include, in chronological order, Pioneer Coffee, Christo’s On Alki, The Bridge, West Seattle Eagles, Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), Beer Junction, Elliott Bay Brewing, Beveridge Place Pub, OutWest Bar, Zeeks Pizza (WSB sponsor), Mac’s Triangle Pub, Pegasus Pizza, Alki Tavern. Who else? Add a comment, or e-mail us at editor@westseattleblog.com (fan photos welcome too, before and/or during the game) – thanks, and of course: Go, Seahawks!
Local Special Olympics athletes are getting a helping hand from Our Lady of Guadalupe’s Knights of Columbus – and just by going to see a college-basketball game, you’ll be pitching in. SO benefits from half the ticket sales in a special promotion for this Thursday’s Seattle University basketball game vs. New Mexico (7 pm) – and some of its athletes will play at halftime. To get in on the special ticket deal, use this link and the code word “unified.”
Just a few weeks into winter, here’s another chance to look ahead to spring – West Seattle Baseball has begun registration for the Spring 2013 PONY Baseball season. Here’s the announcement from Fritz Araya:
West Seattle Baseball, longtime youth-sports organization in West Seattle created from the merger of West Seattle Pee Wee and Southwest Pony Baseball, announces the opening of priority registration for youth baseball for the 2013 season. The following divisions are open for registration.
Shetland (ages 5-6)
Pinto (ages 7-8)
Mustang (ages 9-10)
Bronco (ages 11-12)
Pony (ages 13-14)
The announcement continues ahead:Read More
A one-point win for the West Seattle High School boys-varsity basketball team topped a full Friday night slate, with WSHS and Chief Sealth International High School boys and girls teams all playing on their respective home courts, and Seattle Lutheran High School‘s two varsity teams on the road. First: WSHS boys varsity. Our photo above is from the early going; the game was won in the final seconds, according to this report from Coach Keffrey Fazio:
The West Seattle Boys Basketball team improved their record to 5-5 on the season with a clutch home win last night against number-five-ranked Franklin Quakers, 70-69. Senior LaTrey Newsome made two game-winning free throws with three seconds left to seal the deal for the Wildcats. Newsome finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds. West Seattle was powered by senior Jimi Martin, who finished the game with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Also for the Wildcats, junior DeAndre Love finished with 19 points and seven rebounds. This win is arguable the biggest win in WSHS basketball in 15-plus years.
The Wildcats travel across town to face Rainier Beach on Tuesday (1/8/13) 7pm, and then back home against O’Dea Friday (1/11/13) 6 pm.
Before the boys’ game, the WSHS girls faced Franklin.
They fell, 55-38.
Meantime, the girls varsity at Sealth emerged with a Friday night win, 49-36 over Nathan Hale (stats here), but the boys’ team was defeated, 43-38.
Finally, the Seattle Lutheran games at Tacoma Baptist, both losses for the Saints: 27-21 in the girls game, 46-42 for the boys.
Are you a decisionmaker? Stickler for the rules? Love sports? We might just have the perfect part-time gig for you. A West Seattleite is now our region’s softball Umpire-In-Chief – and shared the announcement, including a recruiting call (they’ll train you!):
West Seattle’s Kayleen Dunson has been appointed the softball Umpire In Chief (UIC) for the entire Seattle-Tacoma region. It’s her job to train the nearly 200 softball umpires in our area who serve both fast pitch and slow pitch leagues. And she’s looking for more umpires to train!
You may have seen Kayleen umpire games at all the local high schools including Seattle Lutheran, West Seattle High, and Chief Sealth, as well as the West Seattle Girls teams that play at Lincoln Park and Fairmount, and the Co-Ed adult slowpitch leagues at Delridge Community Center, and elsewhere.
Kayleen also umpires college softball, including community colleges, and Division III, II and I schools.
“I love umpiring,” Kayleen said. “Not only is it the perfect way to stay involved in the sport I love, but I also see it as my opportunity to give back to a community that I love. Also, it’s a great way to make a little extra money. You get to set your own schedule, work as much or as little as you want, and the training is free – no experience necessary,” she added.
Training sessions for the 2013 season start January 28. All training sessions include both classroom and hands-on experiences to make sure umpires are ready to get out on the field. There’s lots of information at the Seattle Metro Softball Umpires Association (SMSUA) website. Or feel free to contact Kayleen here: umpkayleen@outlook.com.
“We’re hoping to train about 40 new umpires this year and I would love to see some friendly, familiar, West Seattle faces in the crowd.”
This year, something new for West Seattle Little League – online registration. 
Here’s the official announcement, from Laurie Rasmussen:
West Seattle Little League baseball registration has begun!
West Seattle Little League is excited to announce that we will be offering ONLINE REGISTRATION as well as our traditional IN-PERSON REGISTRATION for the 2013 season. To register online go to westseattlelittleleague.com and click the “Register for 2013 season” button. The in-person registration will be held at the West Seattle High School Library on Tuesday, January 15, and Thursday, January 24, from 6 pm-8 pm. West Seattle Little
League’s website has more information regarding registration and the items needed to register your child.If you have any questions, please e-mail playeragent@westseattlelittleleague.com
Winter break often means road trip – and so it is with West Seattle High School‘s boys-varsity basketball players, who just wrapped up a tournament. Thanks to new head coach Keffrey Fazio and staff for this report:
The West Seattle High School Boys Basketball team participated in the 2012 Findlay Las Vegas Prep Championship basketball tournament (12/26-12/28).
The team played four games and finished with a record of 2-2. All four teams that the Wildcats drew were from the state of California. The team was led by 6’4″ senior LaTrey Newsome. He averaged 13 points per game during the tournament.
West Seattle also had strong tournament contributions from senior DiAndre Jackson and junior DeAndre Love, who both averaged 10 points per game during the tournament.
The Wildcats travel home Sunday, and will begin to prepare for a key league game vs. Franklin, Friday, January 4th at 745 pm at West Seattle High School.
Chief Sealth also is at a winter-break tournament, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and we’ll be checking on how that’s going.
Middle-school or 9th-grade soccer player in the house? Next Wednesday-Friday (January 2-4), they’re invited to join a student-athlete-led soccer camp at Chief Sealth International High School. The camp, to run 9 am-noon each of those three days, is intended:
… to prepare younger students for the level of play that high-school soccer requires. It will cover basics, fitness, and what it’s like being a high-school athlete. The camp will be directed and coached by current Chief Sealth Varsity Soccer players, and supervised by a member of the coaching staff. These player coaches will be able to demonstrate the drills and actively coach and play alongside the kids.
The camp is being organized by Sealth varsity-soccer team member Mori Tsuchiya, and it’s for both boys and girls, with the fee just $10 for all three days, according to the official brochure, which contains many more details. Since the camp is just days away, please RSVP by e-mail to Sealth athletic director Sam Reed at sjreed@seattleschools.org as well as to the student organizer at mori.tsuchiya@comcast.net – you can sign up the first morning of camp, but they want to know you’re coming!
Big international sports event ahead: The Nankai girls’ basketball team from Chongqing, China, is coming to Seattle and will play the Chief Sealth International High School girls on January 12th. It’ll be a cultural celebration as well as a sports event, with a halftime Lion Dance and a pre-game program with Mayor Mike McGinn. Ticket sales ($5 students aged 7 and up, $7 adults, sold only at the door that night) will benefit a Seattle-Chongqing student-exchange program as well as Sealth girls’ basketball. Mark your calendar! Doors will open at 6, program will start at 6:30, then it’s tipoff time at 7.
Two running notes this afternoon:
First – congratulations to Bonnie, whose friend Robin shared the photo, explaining:
Wanted to share that my friend Bonnie hit 1000 miles in 2012 this morning while we ran on Alki. We are super proud of her!
Second – a Sunday event from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and a reminder just sent by West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) co-proprietor Tim McConnell:
We have our 2nd Annual Holiday Light run tomorrow night at 6 pm. We will be going about 3 miles at a very slow pace, starting at the store and looking at some of the better lighted houses in the neighborhood and ending at the Helmstetler house. We encourage people to dress festive and bring a can of food for the West Seattle Food Bank. We will meet in the store around 5:50ish and head out around 6. The run should take about 40 minutes plus however long people want to hang out at the Helmstetler house.
AKA, of course, West Seattle Lights. (Where you’ll find free hot chocolate 6-8 pm Christmas Eve, regardless of whether you’re on foot or on/in vehicle.) P.S. WS Runner is at California/Charlestown, second floor.
(Charli Elliott of WSHS, Zoe Haywood of Sealth; photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
Wednesday night’s West Seattle High School–Chief Sealth International High School girls-varsity basketball game at WSHS took up where the previous night’s boys’ game left off. Both teams played a very up-tempo, aggressive game – here’s Chelle McMonigle amid Sealth double-teaming:
But West Seattle managed to control the ball for most of the game and came away with a 44-21 win. More photos as the summary continues ahead:Read More
Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Lacrosse, anyone?
Students from Hope Lutheran School have been enjoying the sport this fall, thanks to the efforts of students and parents.
Hope Lutheran received a 2012 US Lacrosse Physical Education Equipment Grant, providing 30 sets of lacrosse equipment for the school’s physical education program.
Cara Marion worked with her lacrosse-loving sons Luke and Ben (pictured at right, above) to apply for the grant earlier this year. They learned earlier this fall that their application had been chosen as one of 74 winners in the country — and the only school in Seattle — for 2012.
(New WSHS head coach Keffrey Fazio with his players; photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
A home-court win tonight for the West Seattle High School boys-varsity basketball team against visiting-from-across-town Chief Sealth International High School.
(Sealth’s Trevor Reed, left, and Aaron Knox double-team West Seattle’s Jimi Martin III)
It was closer than the final score suggests – after a 47-47 tie in regulation, the Wildcats won 58-51 in overtime. Game details coming up later; the two schools’ girls-varsity teams face off tomorrow night.
ADDED 1:21 AM: Game details and more photos:
Big week ahead on the home court for West Seattle High School girls’ basketball, reports head coach Sonya Elliott, sharing the getting-ready photo above – and she notes that 2 of their 3 upcoming opponents are from across town:
The West Seattle Girls Basketball team, now 4-2 after a big win against Bainbridge last week, got in a little cross-training in at the local Crossfit West Seattle, preparing for a 3-game home stand starting Monday, December 17th.
West Seattle Girls’ Varsity Basketball Schedule this week:
Monday Dec 17 at 7:00 pm vs Lindbergh @ WSHS
Wednesday, Dec 19 at 7:30 pm vs. Chief Sealth @ WSHS
Saturday, Dec 22 vs Seattle Lutheran at 5:15 pm @ WSHS
8:14 PM: That means four varsity games – and two are in the books. West Seattle High School is hosting Rainier Beach; the boys’ game just ended, RB 84, WSHS 57. (Photo added above – that’s the Wildcats’ Jimi Martin in the air.) Chief Sealth International High School is on the road at Bainbridge; the boys won, 76-54. The girls-varsity teams are playing now; updates later.
11:38 PM: WSHS girls beat Rainier Beach, 53-22; Sealth girls lost to Bainbridge, 59-22. (Photo added above – that’s the Wildcats’ Gabby Sarver.)
NEXT WEEK: Sealth plays Rainier Beach at home – boys 7:30 pm Tuesday, girls 7:30 pm Wednesday – and hosts Cleveland next Friday night, 6:15 pm girls, 8 pm boys. WSHS visits Bainbridge, boys 7 pm Tuesday, girls 7 pm Wednesday.
Bronté Corbray (#1) led the way with 28 points last night as Chief Sealth International High School‘s boys-varsity basketball team beat Eastside Catholic at home, 56-54. The Seahawks are undefeated – 3-0 on the season. Here’s Trevor Reed (#33) on defense:
Tonight it’s the Sealth girls-varsity team’s turn to play Eastside Catholic, 7:30 pm at home. Both varsity teams will be on the road against Bainbridge this Friday night.
At West Seattle High School last night, the girls-varsity basketball team tipped off the season with a win, 45-29 over Foster High School from Tukwila. Top photo, the Wildcats’ Charli Elliott with the ball; next, WSHS’s Lexi Ioane at right, holding off Foster’s Eunyque Patu on the drive:
The next WSHS girls-varsity game is at 7:30 tonight, Highline High School in Burien.
Both of Chief Sealth International High School‘s varsity basketball teams played season openers last night. The boys were at home:
That’s Bronte Corbray taking a shot for the Seahawks, who beat Lakes High School from Tacoma, 57-51.
That’s Sealth’s Abdirahman Diriye up against Lakes’ Terrell Toney. Next up, the boys play Tukwila’s Foster High School at home on Thursday night at 6:15 pm.
Foster will also play Sealth’s girls-varsity team at CSIHS the same night (8 pm); the girls opened their season on the road last night, losing to Auburn Riverside 64-29, per our partners at The Seattle Times.
(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
Not only did he organize Chief Sealth International High School‘s first-ever Nels Enquist Alumni Game – that’s Sealth athletic director Sam Reed refereeing as Tosha Brown (’08) gets post-tipoff air supremacy for the women’s Blue Team. That was the color of victory in both games, each one a “red vs. blue” match.
(Click image for larger view)
But the night was not about who won or lost – but really and truly, about how they played the game. And that they played the game at all. It was in tribute to former Sealth athletic director Nels Enquist, who’s in the group photo above, holding a plaque. As Reed explained in the original announcement of the event earlier this month, “Enquist has dedicated a majority of his life to Chief Sealth and has walked the halls and athletic facilities as a student, coach, teach, athletic director, assistant principal, and now a retiree who still makes (time) to substitute regularly” – more than 40 years of involvement. The event proceeds will go toward alumni projects including dedicating the gym foyer to Enquist and replacing the championship banners in the Sealth gym. And the hundreds who came Friday night got to enjoy some spirited hoops:
That’s Devon Hall (’02) during the men’s game getting blocked by, from left, John Boyd (’82), Jaray Austin (’02), and Jason Hutson (’93). Along with the alumni games, the night included scrimmages with current girls’ and boys’ players, and a ceremony honoring Enquist – more than two dozen additional photos, ahead:
(L to R in front row, Emma, Regan, Anni, Tess; back row, Ci, Allison, Meredith, Megan, Coach Steve, Emily; photo by Izzie Lewis)
Congratulation to those nine intrepid volleyball players, the “Red Hots” from Hiawatha Community Center, and their coach Steve Fredrickson, who tells the story of what happened right before that photo was taken:
Seattle Parks & Recreation held their City-wide Girls Volleyball Jamboree last Saturday the 17th at the Rainier Community Center. The age brackets participating included 10-11, 12-13 and 14-17 years old. Eight Community Centers were represented, including Hiawatha and Alki. The Jamboree was an all-day affair, starting at 9:30 and wrapping up shortly after 7:00 pm. One of the Hiawatha 12-13 teams – The Red Hots – made it all the way to the Championship Match. They ended up taking second place, just falling short to a very good team from Magnuson.
I wanted to give a “supreme shout out” to our ‘red hot’ girls for the great effort they gave throughout the day, along with the other teams from Hiawatha and Alki; West Seattle was well-represented! I would like to acknowledge the girls who made the season happen: Allison, Anni, Ci, Emily, Emma, Megan, Meredith, Regan and Tess. Along with the girls, I would also like to thank all the parents for their support, and to Jack (Tess’s younger brother) for his tireless work shagging balls during practices and line judging at matches.
Just in from Seattle Ski Shuttle, which is operated by the same folks who bring you Mountain to Sound Outfitters and Alki Kayak Tours:
Crystal Mountain is officially opening on Wednesday, November 21, 2012. The Seattle Ski Shuttle will be running our first shuttle of the season that day. Also, starting Friday, November 23rd, we will be operating our regular schedule to Crystal Mountain (Mondays, Thursdays, & Fridays every week)! We will also be running a shuttle to Snoqualmie Central on weekends once the mountain opens up. For more information and to book a seat, go to: seattleskishuttle.com
Another West Seattle sports first is in the books:
(Photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
Wrapped in the West Seattle Soccer Club scarf – since that’s who organized this – the trophy awaited the winner of the inaugural Battle of West Seattle, a girls-soccer match between Denny International Middle School and Madison Middle School, who didn’t play during the season since they’re in different divisions.
Both had excellent seasons, as noted by WSSC – Denny (in blue) took its division; Madison was third in its division. On Friday afternoon, they played on despite a then-driving rain which sent the teams to respective tents at halftime:
Eventually, Madison emerged victorious.
Final score, 2 to 1. There’s a victory photo on the West Seattle Soccer Club Facebook page.
(Editor’s note – the women’s lineups are now added at the end of the story)
ORIGINAL 11/17 REPORT: The field is taking shape for a first-ever event next weekend – the Chief Sealth International High School alumni basketball games! This weekend, Sealth athletic director Sam Reed is announcing the men’s roster (there’s still a spot or two on the women’s side – anyone interested should e-mail kevkat8@yahoo.com ASAP). Friday (November 23rd) is the day, and here’s the rundown so far for the first-ever Nels Enquist Alumni Basketball Game, starting with the lineups:
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