West Seattle, Washington
05 Friday
9:47 PM: In the last of their regular-season games, it’s a crosstown doubleheader tonight with Chief Sealth International High School‘s varsity basketball teams hosting their counterparts from West Seattle High School. The women’s game is in the books, and though they were tied at 39 at halftime, the Wildcats pulled away for the win, 74-68.
2:11 AM: Adding photos (a few more to come later). Above, Sealth’s #4, senior Labrea Denson, was the night’s top scorer, with 28 points. Seahawk Sydney Thomas was next with 20. Leading the Wildcats was #20, Grace Sarver, with 13 points:
WSHS’s Jenna McPhee was next with 12. This game wrapped up the regular season; postseason play starts next week.
Spring registration opened today for the West Seattle Soccer Club. WSSC’s Tim McMonigle says this is for players born in 2006-2012 (U6-U12), and registration is open until March 1st. With 1,500+ players expected on the fields, SSC also is seeking volunteer coaches. The 8-game season runs April 2-June 11th; more info is here, including the link for signing up.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
Today is the official “signing day” for athletes to commit to colleges, but since school’s out, West Seattle High School had its celebration a day early, on Tuesday afternoon. Cake and all!
Below, from left, the signers were Tommy Irwin, who’ll be playing soccer at Pacific Lutheran University; Izzy Turk, playing basketball at Point Loma Nazarene University; Kate Veenhuizen, soccer at Seattle Pacific University; Jordyn Matthews, soccer at Bellevue College:
Proud parents, grandparents, and other supporters looked on. One WSHS athlete who couldn’t be there had already had his own signing event last November anyway – Nate Pryor, for Seattle University basketball.
It’s almost postseason time for high-school basketball teams. So we’re checking in with all three local high schools’ varsity teams.
(#11, WSHS sophomore Jasmine Gayles)
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS: The Wildcats were second in the Metro League standings going into their Friday night home game against the third-ranked team, Rainier Beach.
(#20, WSHS sophomore Grace Sarver)
Beach went home with the win, 73-63. Next up for the WSHS girls, a road game at Cleveland, 7:30 pm Wednesday.
WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL BOYS: No game this weekend but they’re also visiting Cleveland next, 7:30 pm Tuesday. The Wildcat boys are #2 in the Metro Sound Conference.
On Friday night, Chief Sealth International High School and Seattle Lutheran High School each had home games for both varsity teams: Read More
Registration is open for another local youth-sports league! Thanks to Megan Simmons for sharing the announcement:
West Seattle Girls Softball is a local nonprofit recreational league for all girls ages 6-15. No previous softball experience necessary. Registration is open through February. Practices begin in late March. Season wraps up by the end of the school year. Go to westseattlegirlssoftball.com to register.
Thanks to Kathleen Collins for the photo! It’s from High Point Community Center last night, when the young athletes of the High Voltage Track and Field Club got to meet Olympic track-and-field medalist Tori Bowie (top row, center). Bowie, 26, was a triple medalist at last year’s Summer Olympics – gold in the 4x100m relay, silver in the 100m dash, bronze in the 200m dash. She lives in Florida; her visit to Seattle also included receiving an award from Casey Family Programs.
A new year means new youth-sports seasons ahead! Tracy Holloway from West Seattle Little League sends the news that league registration is now open:
Happy New Year from West Seattle Little League! We are excited to open registration for all divisions for the 2017 season. Registration is easy and takes only a few steps:
Step 1: Check your child’s league age
To check your child’s league age on the league age table, click here. Your child’s league age determines which division they are recommended to register with.Step 2: Log in to the West Seattle Little League website
If you have not played with the league before, create a new account. If you are a returning WSLL member, please use your login credentials from the previous season. If you forgot your credentials, please use the “Forgot Password” link.Step 3: Register your child
Click on the green “Register Now” button in the upper right of the home page. Please note the following during the registration process:*If you do not live within the boundary for WSLL, you will be waitlisted and should email the player agents below with your school enrollment form in order to finish registration.
*If your child played for WSLL in the 2016 season, you do not need to furnish a birth certificate. If your player is new to West Seattle Little League or did not play in the league during the 2016 season you will need to upload a copy of the player’s birth certificate.
*All players will need to provide three proofs of residency to verify player address boundaries.
Deadline is January 31st. Other key dates, and contacts if you have questions, are on the WSLL home page.
Congratulations to the West Seattle Fury for what you could call a three-mendous achievement! “Their parents and families are all very proud of them and it is a proud moment for the West Seattle Soccer Club too,” says team manager Curtis Allan, who shares the story and photos:
The West Seattle Fury youth-soccer team just finished the fall season as league, city, and state champions, a rare recreational “treble” for the local boys’ team.
The Fury are led by head coach Todd Fraser, who started coaching his son Riley‘s coed U6 team back in 2006. The team has changed names a few times since then, but a core group of players has remained together throughout the years. The team is made up of players from all over West Seattle’s varied neighborhoods, but they are united by a common love of playing soccer. Nine of them currently attend Chief Sealth International High School, two each attend West Seattle and O’Dea, one Vashon, one Garfield, two at Denny International Middle School, and one is homeschooled.
The Fury finished the regular season on November 20th alone atop the table with a 9-1 record. It was their first time as uncontested Division Champions.
On Saturday December 17th they beat the McGilvra Marauders 2-0 in Shoreline to win the Seattle Youth Soccer City Tournament. It was their first ever win after finishing 2nd, 3rd, and 5th over the past three years.
Qualification for the Washington State Recreational Cup began in October. The Fury won all of their group stage matches and became District 3 Champions in Tacoma on November 19th.
On December 3rd they hosted the SnoKing Tornados in the quarterfinals, winning 4-0 at Delridge Playfield. Four different boys scored a goal.
On the morning of December 11th they arrived for the Rec Cup festivities at Starfire in Tukwila. With WSSC president Jamie Foulk and VP of players Tom Gass looking on from above, the Fury won their semifinal match 3-0 over the Bremerton Blue Sharks. Omar Barrera had a first half brace, while his brother Jorge added another in the 52nd.
That set up a sunset showdown with two-time state champions and heavy favorites Northshore Goal Rush. Despite going down a goal twice, the Fury battled back each time to tie with goals from forward Omar Barrera. Then in the 65th minute, the ball fell right to the left foot of their youngest player, Sebastian Vargas, who blasted it into the net for a 3-2 lead. Despite an attacking onslaught from the Northshore team over the last 25 minutes, the Fury held on to win the U17 State Championship for West Seattle.
The West Seattle Fury are:
Todd Fraser, head coach
JD Webster, assistant coach
Curtis Allan, team managerFraser Furious 4-3-3
#7 Jake Webster, F (captain)
#2 Omar Barrera Gonzalez, F
#11 Riley Fraser, F
#8 Nico Salazar Brown, F
#5 Gerald Aguila, F/CM
#19 Aidan Ritchie, F/MF
#9 Sebastian Vargas, LM
#6 Jorge Barrera Gonzalez, CM
#16 Shuai Lavielle, RM
#4 Gabriel Barajas Castro, MF
#10 Liam Zaknich, RM/F
#14 Isaac Ajeto, LM/LB
#12 Isaac Renz, FB/CB
#18 Kai Bretl, CB (def. captain)
#17 Noah Webster, CB
#13 Lance Allan Angeles, RB
#15 Logan Webster, LB/LM
#1 Jackson Visser, GK
As mentioned in our daily highlights list, the West Seattle High School boys-varsity basketball team plays for the second night in a row tonight, again at home, hosting Rainier Beach at 7 pm. Last night, they beat Bishop Blanchet, 65-33. That was one of four home games on the peninsula – the WSHS girls also faced Blanchet last night, losing 64-60. The Chief Sealth International High School girls, meantime, beat Holy Names, 64-56, while the Sealth boys fell to O’Dea, 85-79.
8:19 PM: We’re getting texts about what people think are gunshots or fireworks – pretty sure it’s the latter, as Seattle Sounders FC just won the Major League Soccer championship in Toronto. Congratulations to the Sounders – including Zach Scott, the West Seattleite who announced months ago that he would retire after this season – and fans!
Pure joy. #MLSCup pic.twitter.com/85rpxTS7aJ
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) December 11, 2016
8:28 PM: Speaking of West Seattleites, the congratulatory statement from King County Executive Dow Constantine:
They fought, and they won. Congrats to the Sounders for bringing the MLS Cup to Seattle. Our team’s march to the championship was an inspired comeback — from last place to the Championship. Toronto played a great match but the Sounders, led by Coach Schmetzer, had destiny on their side.
Fans across the region welcome the 2016 Sounders in the Parthenon of champs including the 1979 SuperSonics, 1991 Huskies, 2004 and 2010 Storm, and 2013 Seahawks. We love you Sounders, we do.
ADDED: Tuesday will be the big day – details still in progress. From the Sounders’ statement:
… Media and fans should be advised that Sounders FC is set to hold its MLS Cup Champions March and Rally on Tuesday, December 13 at midday.
Full details regarding timing, locations and the march route are being made available in the coming days in conjunction with the City of Seattle and other civic constituents.
ADDED SUNDAY MORNING: Fans are also invited to cheer the Sounders’ arrival at Boeing Field today – from the team’s announcement:
The team is expected to arrive at approximately 3:15 p.m. PT, and both media and fans are invited to come to Boeing Field’s King County International Terminal to welcome the victorious Rave Green home. Please note that the team’s arrival time is subject to change based on travel delays. … Fans are being asked to gather outside the main terminal, where the team will exit to greet the crowd upon arrival.
High-school basketball season starts next week, and all three local high schools got a jump on it today.
The occasion: Chief Sealth International High School‘s 16th annual Basketball Jamboree. 13 teams participated, each playing two opponents in two-quarter games. We dropped in for the last two varsity games (JV had a full slate too) – above, West Seattle High School vs. Seattle Lutheran High School; below are the two teams’ #2 jersey wearers, Saints sophomore Simon Solomon and Wildcats junior Kendall Green:
West Seattle went home with wins in both of its games, including the day’s closing faceoff with host Sealth:
Below are Sealth’s Peyton Dickerson (with the ball) and West Seattle senior Yusuf Mohamed:
All three local schools have season openers in the week ahead, according to their online calendar:
*WSHS hosts Mountlake Terrace at 7:15 pm Tuesday
*Sealth hosts Rainier Beach at 8:30 pm Friday
*SeaLu plays at Friday Harbor next Friday.
High-school basketball season is about to start – and you can get a pre-season look at all three local schools’ teams tomorrow during the 16th annual Chief Sealth International High School Jamboree. CSIHS head coach Colin Slingsby just sent the schedules. Along with Sealth, West Seattle HS and Seattle Lutheran HS are among the 13 teams playing; Coach Slingsby explains, “Each team plays two 10-minute stop-clock quarters against different opponents.” The varsity schedule, starting at noon in the Chief Sealth gym (2600 SW Thistle), is here (PDF); the JV schedule, starting at 11 am in the Denny International Middle School gym next door (2601 SW Kenyon), is here (PDF). Admission is $6 adults, $4 students.
Thanks again to everyone who has been sharing youth-sports-success stories this week – this one is from Perry:
On Saturday, Denny International Middle School defeated Washington Middle School to become the Ultimate Frisbee A Division Champions! They worked incredibly hard over the past 2 Saturdays to defeat 3 of the 4 teams that placed ahead of them in the standings.
Congratulations to coaches Joe and Branden and all the players!
WSB sports coverage is archived here, newest-to-oldest.
More youth-sports success: The photo is courtesy of Kasey, who reports that “the Hiawatha Mad Dogz placed third at the 10/11-year-old 2016 Seattle Parks and Recreation Volleyball Jamboree this past Saturday.” That’s out of 15 teams, says Coach Al, who reports “the girls played their hearts out.” In addition, he says, “We finished our season in 1st place in the South Division with a 6-1 record. … What’s even more exciting than what this team of mostly first-time-playing-10-year-olds was able to accomplish this season is the fact that most of them will be back next season to pick-up where we left off, I’m VERY optimistic and excided of what the girls will be able to accomplish then!”
The photo and report are from Brian Callanan:
The High Point Pink Panthers took third place in the All-City volleyball tournament for 12- to 13-year-old girls!
We had girls from Our Lady of Guadalupe, Denny, Pathfinder, and Madison schools represented. Go, Panthers! Coached by Brian Callanan, Holly Branch. and Chris Edwards.
(October 2016 WSB photo of Coach Burggraff and family, including son Andrew Burggraff, class of ’17)
It is truly the end of an era at West Seattle High School, as longtime head football coach Tom Burggraff retires. Thanks to assistant coach Jeff Ursino for sharing the story:
After a career of service spanning back 26 years, Tom Burggraff has announced his retirement
as Head Football Coach at WSHS. Coach first made his announcement to his team in the WSHS locker room following the team’s season-ending playoff loss in Regionals.Coach Burggraff began his coaching career as an assistant with the State Champion Ingraham Rams in 1988. In 1992 Tom took over a WSHS (Indians) football team that had only one winning record in modern memory, and hadn’t seen anything resembling a playoff or title game since the 1960s. It took two years to get the first win, but his teams slowly improved their records to eventually build a perpetually competitive team, including a 7-2 team in 1999, and culminating in the 2006 team that was the first (and still only) WSHS football team to make it to the State Playoff 16-team bracket (with a victory over Eastside Catholic and an 8-win season).
Tom stepped aside after 2007, leaving behind a well-coached and athletic core of players who had much success over the next 3 years under coach Davis Lura (2008-2010). Tom was quickly drawn back into coaching by Bob Dowding at Seattle Lutheran (Bob had coached under Tom at WSHS before SLHS added a football program). In 2012-13, Bob was done coaching at SLHS, and the WSHS program had begun to flounder. With his son coming in as a Class of 2017 Freshman, Tom again took over a building project at WSHS in 2013.
It took two years of very hard work to rebuild a complete coaching staff, but by 2015 WSHS boasted a mix of old and new faces with well over 100 years of experience, and even in the face of a competitive division saw the team rebound to a 5-5 record, and a return of the Huling Bowl Trophy to WSHS.
This 2016 season saw the 2A WSHS team play through the SPS divisions at 5-1 and into the 3A playoffs matched up against the reigning State Champions, Eastside Catholic. The 2016 team finished with a 6-4 record, with each of those losses against teams ranked in the top-10 in state.
Tom is stepping aside after the 2016 season, after a coaching tenure of uncommon duration in Seattle Public Schools. The program will miss his ability to prepare teams to deliver their best possible performance, as well as his willingness to manage the extra challenges that come along with coaching in SPS. Tom also had a long tenure as a Head Track Coach at WSHS, including the team that finished second in State in 2008.
The 2016 football team graduates several key players with the class of 2017. This is the school’s 100th graduating class, and Coach Burggraff has worked at the school for over a quarter of that century. He will continue to teach Social Studies at the school. There is a good core of returning players, and the WSHS tradition will surely live on under the next head coach. The school has not announced when that selection process will begin.
(Family-provided photo, added November 14)
Back in August, we reported on a big night on the field for NFL player Aaron Grymes, a West Seattle High School alum who had signed with the Philadelphia Eagles earlier in the year. We also mentioned at the time that the Eagles were due here in Seattle to face the Seahawks on November 20th. With that game just nine days away, Grymes is getting a spot on the Eagles’ 53-man roster, according to this Philadelphia Magazine report shared with us by his aunt Kim Gearon. The cornerback might have gained that status sooner, the Eagles’ head coach told the magazine, but was waived after the injury he suffered in that August game, following his attention-getting play. But before the Eagles’ trip to Seattle, Grymes, 25, is on the roster in time for their game this Sunday against Atlanta. He told CSN Philly that whatever his first play turns out to be, “It’s going to be nervewracking.”
The family of West Seattle High School Athletics star Nate Pryor – parents Maria and Tony, and sister Shoshana – looked on proudly late today as he signed his National Letter of Intent – he’ll be playing basketball on a full scholarship at Seattle University. WSHS head basketball coach Keffrey Fazio was beaming too:
And so were teammates:
Pryor is a senior point guard; you can see his stats here. He verbally committed to Seattle U last year, and now it’s official.
(WSB photos)
Chief Sealth International High School has played its final football game of 2016 – the annual Chris Kato Cup game vs. Cleveland, in honor of the late Shuzo Chris Kato, former Sealth principal and Cleveland vice principal. Read More
Play, and help, one week from today:
Contact Fred Lisko to sign up by Tuesday. Here’s more about the program he’s fundraising for (and leading).
No sun? No problem! Smiles were bright as the 2016 West Seattle Monster Dash 5K runners got Halloweekend going this morning at Lincoln Park. It’s a fundraiser for local Cooperative Preschools. First, this group gathered for warmups and a photo:
Tony’s Market was there to offer mini-pumpkins:
It’s not the Monster Dash without The Monster:
The event also features a fun run for kids and a costume contest; this is its fifth year!
With the Seahawks on the road, the biggest football event in the city happened at West Seattle Stadium this afternoon.
Hundreds came to watch as the Snoop Youth Football League and its founder, music and TV star Snoop Dogg, joined with Seattle Parks and local football organizations to present the first West Coast Clash. (Above is a play from the opening game, the Ravens vs. the Cowboys.)
As promised, Snoop was on the sidelines as the second game sent his Diamond Valley Steelers from Pomona, California, up against Seattle’s Rainier Ravens.
Snoop has been coaching youth football for more than a decade, as chronicled in an online documentary series earlier this year. He was being tracked by a Netflix crew during today’s event.
The celebrity coach wasn’t the only draw at today’s event – youth football-and-cheer leagues are popular in neighborhoods around the city, including ours.
Also spotted at WS Stadium today – Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins, who is also, as the Seattle Globalist noted earlier this year, a youth football coach.
By the way, final score of the big game, per this online broadcast, Ravens 24, Steelers 7.
(WSB photos)
At Southwest Athletic Complex last night, what began with a celebration of Chief Sealth International High School seniors ended with the varsity football team’s first win of the year.
Final score – Sealth 44, Franklin 8. Star of the game was #8, sophomore Donnie McMillan, with four touchdowns:
Two interceptions resulted in TDs – first, in the second quarter, #3, junior Lavontae Maxwell picked off a pass from Franklin’s #1, freshman QB Milton Hopkins, and ran it back.
Then at the start of the second half, Sealth’s #5, junior Diego Jackson, also picked one off Hopkins and ran it in:
Sealth’s #11, freshman Bishop Jackson, also had a TD. All of Franklin’s scoring came in the last minute, a TD with a 2-point conversion.
As mentioned above, it was Senior Night for Sealth – congratulations to the seniors on head coach Luther Carr III‘s roster: Kyler Gaither, Colby Gemmill, Angelo Hererra, Yafiet Kidane, Basilio Leon-Roman, Chase McNelly, and Anh Trinh.
| Comments Off on HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL: West Seattle women win @ Chief Sealth