West Seattle, Washington
08 Friday
9:24 PM: We’re at West Seattle High School, where the regular basketball season is wrapping up tonight with crosstown rivals Chief Sealth International High School visiting. The girls’ varsity game has just ended with WSHS victorious, 52-20.
ADDED EARLY SATURDAY: Photos and toplines!
(WSB photos)
The Southwest Lacrosse Titans (WSB sponsor) have begun preseason practices! We stopped by as practice kicked off at Delridge Playfield under the lights Tuesday night.
The Titans tell us that registration is still open, and: “The biggest need is players for the K-2 and girls 3/4 (3rd and 4th grade) teams.” Questions? Lots of info on the Southwest Lacross website, even an FAQ page!
Extra time if you’re thinking of registering someone for West Seattle Little League – the deadline is now extended to February 14th:
West Seattle Little League offers baseball fun for girls & boys from ages 4-12, with special rookie teams for 8-year-olds! The season runs from March – June and includes fun activities like the jamboree and end of the year picnic. Interested to know more details? Check out westseattlelittleleague.com to find information about boundaries and league age. You can also email info@westseattlelittleleague.com with any questions including scholarship information. Look forward to seeing you on the field.
Middle-school volleyball player in your household? Check this out:
The West Seattle High School Volleyball Teams will be hosting a one-day volleyball camp on February 22nd from 10 am-2 pm in the West Seattle High School gymnasium to help middle schoolers get ready for their upcoming volleyball seasons!
Boys and Girls 6th-8th grade are welcome!! The cost of the camp is $35 (paid at the camp on 2/22) and includes 4 hours of fun learning of volleyball skills and strategies as well as a camp T-shirt. Please email West Seattle Volleyball Coach Abby West at abby.west1@gmail.com by February 10th to reserve your spot!
The photo was sent by James Craig, who reports that the Highline Soccer Association‘s 05 Highland Select team – with players from West Seattle, Burien, and Normandy Park – played for the championship in this past weekend’s PacNW premier Winter Classic tournament. “Unfortunately, the ladies lost the finals in a penalty kick as they they were tied 1-1 in regulation. Final score 2-1, good for 2nd place out of 16.”
(Photo courtesy WSHS Cheer)
For the second year in a row, the West Seattle High School cheerleaders are headed to state. They earned the spot by competing this past weekend in two divisions, taking first place in Coed Non-Tumbling – including the second-highest score in their division in the state -and second place in Coed Game Day. Last year, they placed third in state competition. This is the team’s their second year competing under the direction of head coach Jasmyne Everhart (her 4th year leading the program) and co-coach Nadine Nguyen (3rd year with the program), and both years, their athletes have qualified for state. This year’s state championships are set for February 7-8 at Battle Ground High School in southwest Washington.
From West Seattle Girls Softball president Chrysta Torres:
Registration for the 2020 softball season is now open – and there is a $20 discount for registering in January! Practices will begin in mid-March, with games starting in mid/late April. The season will conclude the first week of June.
We invite girls 6-15 with any level of softball experience to join us for a fun season of recreational league fast-pitch softball. We teach the basics and build skills as players continue with the program and work to place players on teams that will be most beneficial to their needs.
We’d also like to thank the local businesses that sponsor our league year after year – we cannot do it without their support.
Ready to register? Find the link here, along with more info about WSGS.
(WSB photos)
The Chief Sealth International High School cheer squad had a lot to cheer about last night: Both the girls’ and boys’ varsity basketball teams won, in a doubleheader played at home. Photos and game toplines ahead:
(WSB photos)
West Seattle High School‘s Unified Basketball program is hosting a big tournament at the school right now – more than 200 student athletes from all over the region! We didn’t hear about it in time to get it into today’s highlights list but you’re invited to go cheer the players until 2 pm.
If you’re not familiar with Unified Athletics, here’s the district explanation:
Unified Sports is a program of Special Olympics that brings together athletes with and without disabilities to break down stereotypes and promote inclusion. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding.
Among those playing while we were there, WSHS and Garfield:
3 courts with games at Unified tournament at WSHS. This is host team v. Garfield. pic.twitter.com/bzHKx7fGeK
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) January 18, 2020
Other schools: Evergreen, Roosevelt – those two are in the video below – Kamiak, Kentridge, Ballard, Auburn, Mercer Island, UW.
Unified Basketball tournament at West Seattle HS until 2 pm. Spectators welcome! pic.twitter.com/IzPs86tL3Y
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) January 18, 2020
WSHS is at 3000 California SW; the gym is at the south end of the campus.
“I have dreamed about this day since I was a little girl!” That’s what Regina Wright-Rogers told the crowd at Chief Sealth International High School last night as her jersey, #34, was retired during halftime of the girls’ varsity basketball game.
She was a superstar player for Sealth in the ’00s, with numerous honors including Metro League Player of the Year and state tournament MVP, and went on to play for the University of Washington (its website details many of her career highlights), following that up with a coaching career.
Rogers-Wright’s parting words last night: “I just want to say to everyone here you can be great, because I am!”
(P.S. The Sealth girls and boys both won their games last night – separate coverage coming up later.)
Chief Sealth International High School also played basketball at home last night, vs. Lakeside. Here’s how the games turned out: The boys’ varsity won 61-59; girls’ varsity lost 45-27. Next up for both is a visit to Bainbridge Island – the Seahawk boys play there at 7:30 pm Tuesday (January 7th), the girls are there at 7:30 pm Wednesday (January 8th).
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
Going into tonight’s home game against Garfield, the West Seattle High School boys had jumped out to a hot start – tied for the Metro League lead with their visiting opponents, both undefeated in league play. It was the toughest test yet for first-year head coach Dan Kriley and his team.
Though they kept the Bulldogs in check for half of the first half, the Wildcats couldn’t keep going at that level and lost 70-46. Scoring leader was #1 Isaiah Watts with 14:
Watts was first to put WSHS on the scoreboard:
First WSHS points, a three by Isaiah Watts. Now Garfield 5, WSHS 3. pic.twitter.com/OOK9yxCkSq
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) January 4, 2020
Next with 13 points, #13 Vladimir Salaridze:
And #3 Sage Nelson (top photo) scored 10 points. The stretch of the game that churned Wildcat fans into a cheering frenzy encompassed the second half of the first quarter and the first half of the second quarter. It started with two baskets by Salaridze – one a dunk – putting WSHS ahead, and seeing them build to an 8-point lead early in the second quarter. But then Garfield launched a comeback, retaking the lead with about 3 minutes to go in the half, and never letting go. The Bulldogs were ahead 28-23 at halftime and 50-39 after the third quarter, during which WSHS got within nine points, but no closer.
The WSHS boys (7-3) play at home again Saturday night, 8:30 pm vs. O’Dea.
8:50 PM: In the first of two big games tonight at West Seattle High School, the girls-varsity basketball team lost to league-leading Garfield, 65-36. Leading the Bulldogs was a former WSHS star, Meghan Fiso, with 27 points. Top scorer for the Wildcats, Jadyn Watts with 11. Photos and details later!
ADDED EARLY SATURDAY: The WSHS girls fought hard on the floor.
(WSHS #21 Julianna Horne)</em>
Rebounding wasn’t too much of a challenge but cold shooting was a problem for WSHS. The Wildcats were down 13-1 at the end of the first quarter, while the Bulldogs already had netted three triples by then.
(WSHS #22 Jadyn Watts)
WSHS showed a lot of ball-handling hustle, though.
Their first non-foul-shot points finally came midway through the second quarter, with a basket by #1 Ciera Jorge. That brought the score to 22-5, and at halftime the Wildcats trailed 28-11. In the second half, they never got close, but there were bright spots, like the aforementioned rebounding hustle, and a strong performance by #21 Julianna Horne (the team’s second-highest scorer for the night, with 10 points).
While head coach Darnell Taylor is back, none of last year’s front line is, so it’s a year to work on gelling,. Next up, they play Holy Names at home tonight (Saturday) at 7.
Now that we’ve turned the corner into a new year, baseball season is in view! Registration just opened for West Seattle Baseball – here’s the announcement:
Please head to the homepage of our website (westseattlebaseball.com) and click on the big registration banner to register. If you have questions that are not answered by the FAQs and matrix on the home page, please contact our Registrar (lisa.lou.smith@gmail.com).
Registration is open until the middle of February, but the cost goes up $10 on February 1, so don’t delay!
A big local high-school-basketball story as we head into the second week of winter break: The West Seattle HS boys, under first-year head coach Dan Kriley, are tied for the Metro League lead. They’re 7-2 overall, 5-0 in league play, exactly the same as Garfield HS – and that’s who the Wildcats play next, this Friday night (January 3rd) at home at 8:30 pm.
Sponsorship for youth sports is a fairly common thing. But you’re probably used to hearing about it in the context of businesses sponsoring teams.
Tonight, meet an individual athlete seeking sponsorship. She’s a West Seattle 9-year-old who’s in the early stage of a promising gymnastics career, already training long hours every day, and piling up state championships. She’s Finley Young, aka “Finley the Fearless” (that’s her Instagram handle). Finley’s mom Jennifer explains, “Our daughter is desperate to continue with her elite gymnastics career. She is seeking a local sponsor to help her with expenses.” She lists Finley’s achievements on this flyer:
Here’s Finley in action, at a recent meet:
Jennifer explains that the costs of competing at the elite level of gymnastics can be up to $10,000 a year. Travel is the greatest cost; Junior Olympic-level coaching and competition fees are next. Gym fees, regulation leotards, summer training camp – it all adds up. So Finley is seeking sponsorship. She incidentally has a role model in the family – older sister Tessa also has won state and regional championships.
However, their mom says, Tessa isn’t interested in long-term training at the elite level; Finley is.
So what’s in it for a sponsor? For one, it’s tax-deductible, through a booster club. And as with other kinds of youth-sports sponsorship, there’s exposure, and gratitude. Contact info is on Finley’s flyer, above or here (PDF).
(WSB photos and video)
It’s a holiday tradition, so the return of the rain didn’t deter dozens from being part of the annual Christmas Light Run this evening, taking off from West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) shortly after 6 pm.
This year’s biggest challenge, as proprietors Lori and Tim McConnell explained pre-run, was redesigning the route a bit, since the highlight of previous years, West Seattle Lights, is no more:
One of the sights they added is the revived Gai Family display. Post-run, the McConnells were hosting everyone for cookies and hot chocolate at the shop. Besides free weekly runs – featured in our West Seattle Event Calendar – they also have a special event the day after Christmas, the next Info Night for their free couch-to-half-marathon Get Fit West Seattle training program – be at the shop 7(2743 California SW) pm December 26th to find out more.
Thanks to Jamie Kinney for the photo! That’s the C-17 Globemaster seen over West Seattle this afternoon on its way to a Seahawks pre-game fly-by. It was from the 62nd Airlift Wing at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in the South Sound.
P.S. One non-aviation-related Seahawks note – next Sunday’s home game vs. the 49ers has been moved from an afternoon start to evening start – 5:20 pm kickoff.
Congratulations to the West Seattle Valkyries! Michelle Waters sent the photo and word that the U19 girls team has made it into the final match of the Seattle Youth Soccer Association citywide-championship tournament after an undefeated season. “Most of these girls have known each other since grade school,” she adds, but this is their last year to play together as many are graduating. “I’d like to recognize all the hard work these ladies have put in” – and their coach Stefan Persson, who Michelle says is in his final year after 10 years as his daughter is graduating too. The team opens tournament play 10 am Saturday (December 21st) at Ingraham High School.
P.S. We featured the Valkyries five years ago when they were part of a national-TV show after getting a surprise visit from soccer star (and now Sportsperson of the Year) Megan Rapinoe!
(WSB photo)
We caught up with the West Seattle Road Runners cross-country-running team earlier this week at Hiawatha as they got ready for a big training session. Once again this year, the Road Runners will be represented at the USATF National Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships in a big way – 19 of them are going to Madison, Wisconsin, for this weekend’s competition. The runners are in the 7/8 and 9/10 age brackets. The Road Runners’ recent achievements include first-ever age-group team titles in regional competitions last month. The program became an official USATF-sanctioned club in 2017 and has been represented at nationals every year. Another achievement: This past September, the Road Runners hosted the first-ever West Seattle Rust Buster meet.
(WSB photos)
Big night for the Chief Sealth International High School girls’ wrestling team – they hosted a tournament for the first time. Visiting schools included Lakeside, Nathan Hale, and Ingraham, whose Melissa Rosas wrestled Sealth’s Joanne Ly in the match we photographed:
Girls’ wrestling is a fast-growing sport, according to the parent who tipped us to the tournament (thanks!). The Sealth girls’ regular season runs through the end of January – see the schedule here.
Another reason to think spring! West Seattle Little League has announced that it’s signup time:
Welcome to the 2020 WSLL Spring Season! Registration is now open!
We are excited to have new families join and existing families return. Little League players can be girls & boys between the ages 4-12. The season runs from May – June & kids get a lot of playing time (best value in sports)!
Check out westseattlelittleleague.com for more information including scholarship opportunities. Get in the game!
High-school basketball begins! Chief Sealth vs. Vashon as afternoon-long, 8-team jamboree at Sealth starts. pic.twitter.com/8aqkTal6x0
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) November 30, 2019
1:53 PM: Ready for basketball? Chief Sealth International High School is hosting an eight-team jamboree through about 5 pm. We were there for the opening game this past hour, Sealth vs. Vashon Island HS. The Seahawks led most of the way, but Vashon tied it up in the late going and won 17-15 on a shot at the buzzer. Here’s the schedule (PDF) for the afternoon; Sealth plays again at 4:30 pm in the closing game, vs. Sultan HS.
ADDED SATURDAY NIGHT: Photos – above, Sealth #23, senior Sean Brown; below, Sealth #22, sophomore Taien Jackson:
Returning as head coach, Colin Slingsby:
Sealth’s first full game of the season is 7 pm Tuesday (December 3rd) at Garfield; their first home game is two weeks later, 7:30 pm December 17th vs. Ballard.
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