Another season-ending loss for a local team this afternoon: The Seattle Lutheran High School girls’ winning season has come to a close, with their regional-playoffs loss to Mount Vernon Christian, 36-24, at Mount Vernon HS. Here are the Saints’ full-season results. (Thanks to Mike Jensen for all the updates!)

P.S. The SLHS boys are playing their regional game at 8 tonight at Renton HS, vs. Columbia Adventist Academy (from Battle Ground in SW Washington).

(WSB video: Introduction of the starting lineups)

12:04 PM: We’re at the Everett Community College gym, 38 miles from home, where the regional playoff game between the West Seattle High School girls and defending state champ Lynnwood HS has just tipped off. It’s a loser-out game – winner goes to the state tournament. In case you couldn’t make it up here, we’ll be updating live.

WSHS scores first – basket by #30 Lexi Ioane. Lynnwood ties it at 6:40 to go in the first quarter, 2-2.

12:07 PM: Two more baskets, after many trades of possession, and Lynnwood’s up 6-2 with 4:33 to go in the quarter. WSHS is defending tough, two-on-one under the Royals’ basket. They’ve fouled Lynnwood twice, resulting in one foul shot, and it’s now 7-2.

12:11 PM: Another basket by Ioane, quickly answered by two from Lynnwood, and it’s 11-4. Shortly afterward, Grace Sarver nets a basket, and it’s 11-6:

Lynnwood followed (they’re the home team, by the way, for this game), bringing it to 13-6. The Wildcats are doing a good job of rebounding but shooting is a bit of a challenge.

12:15 PM, END OF FIRST QUARTER: With a basket almost on the buzzer by Lynnwood, at the end of the first quarter, they lead 15-6.

12:18 PM: The Wildcats’ first basket of the second quarter is by #3 Izzy Turk, and it’s now 15-8.

12:23 PM: Lynnwood’s now up 21-11 after two unanswered baskets, and WSHS calls a time-out. 4:13 to go in the half.

12:27 PM: It’s been a tough few minutes for the Wildcats, now down 28-13, with the most recent two points on two foul shots by Ioane.

12:32 PM: The Lynnwood girls are slowing down to run out the rest of the half – and then a steal by WSHS. The Royals smothered Ioane as she attempted a shot, and she was fouled. Shooting two, she gets both, and it’s 31-15 with a minute left in the half. … Less than half a minute later, WSHS’s Gabby Sarver gets her third foul, and Lynnwood gets another point out of that, 32-15.

HALFTIME, 12:35 PM: That’s the score at halftime – Lynnwood 32, WSHS 15.

*************

SECOND HALF, 12:46 PM: WSHS opened with the ball but couldn’t convert and Lynnwood scored first, now up 34-15. When players moved back under the WSHS basket, a struggle for the ball ensued, and Lynnwood gets possession on the jump ball. The Royals called a timeout first.

12:52 PM: WSHS continues to have trouble shooting and hasn’t scored yet, more than halfway through the second quarter. Lynnwood’s now leading 36-15 and has just been fouled – making both shots, 38-15 now. Grace Sarver then scores a quick basket, the Wildcats’ first of the second half, 38-17.

Shortly afterward, #10 Jenna McPhee is fouled. She gets the second of two shots, score now 38-18. Two foul shots for Lynnwood bring it to 40-18.

12:57 PM: With two minutes to go, the Wildcats pick up two points from Turk, who was fouled. 42-20 now. On a subsequent possession, they lose control of the ball by their basket, so it goes back to Lynnwood, now trying again to slow things down, with a minute to go in the third quarter – and then a three-pointer, so they’re now up 45-20.

Grace Sarver, fouled shortly thereafter, gets the second shot, and it’s Lynnwood 45, WSHS 21.

END OF THE THIRD QUARTER, 1 PM: Lynnwood 47, WSHS 21.

1:03 PM: Kelsey Lenzie scores first for the Wildcats in the fourth quarter, with a three-pointer, and it’s 48-24. Lynnwood gets two fast baskets after that, 52-24, and draws a foul, missing the shot.

1:07 PM: Just over six minutes to go in the game, and both Sarvers now have four fouls. Lynnwood just got two foul shots, up by 30 now, 54-24. #32 Lydia Giomi, often the Wildcats’ leading scorer, just now got her first 2 points, on a layup. Lynnwood answered again quickly, and it’s 56-26.

1:11 PM: Another ferocious fight for the ball, and WSHS gets possession. Basket by Rilcy Newsome follows, 59-28 Lynnwood with three minutes in the game. The Wildcats are still battling, but time’s running out.

Giomi is fouled and makes the second shot (above), 59-29 with two minutes to go. Shortly afterward, Lynnwood calls a timeout.

1:15 PM: Right after that, Jenna McPhee steals, and Lenzie gets a three-pointer, 59-32. One minute to go, and Ioane gets another basket. 59-34, half a minute to go.

1:19 PM: That’s the final score, and the WSHS girls’ excellent season comes to an end. We’ll add game stats shortly. (added) Here they are:

WSHS scoring leaders – Ioane 10, Turk 7, Lenzie 6
WSHS rebound leaders – Giomi 9, Turk 6, Ioane 5

First-year head coach Darnell Taylor‘s team went to 21-0, undefeated in the regular season plus the first offseason game, before their first loss (see the schedule/results here). Today’s game was their only double-digit loss.

Thanks to Lynn Ogdon-Perrine for the update on the Chief Sealth International High School wrestlers who went to the state tournament in Tacoma this weekend: Daron Camacho (left) placed third in the 195 class, Joe Kereti (right) placed eighth in the 220 class. With them in the photo (by Buiford Martin) is Coach Maurice Dolberry. Full results are here.

(Photo by Mike Jensen – both teams during the pre-game anthem)

11:56 PM SATURDAY: The two schools that played for the Tri-District boys-basketball championship tonight are less than 5 miles apart, but they played on a court more than 110 miles from home. Shorewood Christian from just east of Arbor Heights goes home with the win over Seattle Lutheran from just north of The Junction, 65-57, at Lummi Nation High School in Bellingham. Both will play in the 1B regional round, opponents/locations TBA, Friday or Saturday.

10:30 PM SUNDAY: The bracket for regional games is set – Seattle Lutheran will play Columbia Adventist at 8 pm Saturday (February 27th) at Renton High School (400 S. 2nd); same location for Shorewood Christian’s 2 pm game Saturday vs. Naselle. All regional games are winner to state, loser out.

(UPDATED SUNDAY with details of WSHS’s next game)

(WSB photos: WSHS #20 Grace Sarver)

4:58 PM: As we left the Bellevue College gym following the West Seattle High School girls’ 48-44 loss to Mercer Island this afternoon, WSHS principal Ruth Medsker pointed something out:

The team is exactly where it was at this point last year – taking fourth place in the district playoffs.

The next game, in the “regional round” to winnow the field for the 3A state tournament, is must-win. The Wildcats have at least six days to rest up for it, after the grueling past two weeks of tournament play, which have been rocky, with their only three losses of the year, following an undefeated regular season and a long list of Metro League honors.

Today’s game ended in nerve-wracking fashion for WSHS fans. Things looked a little gloomy at the end of the first quarter, down 20-7. They got within two points and then went into the locker room at the half down 28-24.

Midway through the third quarter, they pulled even at 28-28. But shooting trouble and multiple traveling violations didn’t help their case and they were down four points again at the end of the third. They stepped up the defense to keep the Islanders from pulling away, but even the foul shots weren’t going in. Nonetheless, the battle continued, and within 18 seconds left they were just one basket down, 46-44. Mercer Island took the ball from there, and to keep them from running the clock out, there was nothing to do but foul, and both shots went in. WSHS couldn’t convert after that, and the game ended 48-44.

Today’s top scorers: #32 Lydia Giomi with 22, #30 Lexi Ioane with 10, #20 Gabby Sarver with 5, #21 Grace Sarver with 4, #3 Izzy Turk with 3.

The Wildcats’ next game will be listed here when the regional field is set.

12:16 AM UPDATE: According to the bracket, WSHS will play the defending 3A state champions, undefeated Lynnwood, at regionals, time/location still TBA.

4:49 PM SUNDAY UPDATE: Time and place now set – WSHS will face Lynnwood at 2 pm NOON next Saturday (February 27th) at Mountlake Terrace HS EVERETT COMMUNITY COLLEGE (2000 Tower).

12:11 PM: First of today’s three district-playoff games involving local high-school basketball teams is over: The Seattle Lutheran girls finished fifth in the Tri-District playoffs with a 51-42 victory over Mount Rainier Lutheran. The Saints are now off to regional competition, the last step before the state tournament, next game TBA, next Friday or Saturday – we’ll update when we have that info.

12:50 PM: Photo added – shared by Mike Jensen via Twitter.

ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT: As Mike reported in comments, the girls will play Mount Vernon Christian in Mount Vernon on Saturday (February 27th) at noon.

4:31 PM: The buzzer has just sounded in the gym at Bellevue College, and it brought an end to the West Seattle High School boys’ season, with an 71-40 loss to Rainier Beach. The Wildcats’ season under head coach Keffrey Fazio will be remembered for highlights including its early 8-game winning streak (see the season schedule/results here).

7:51 PM: Photos added. #22 Yusuf Mohamed led WSHS scoring with 13 points, followed by #5 Abdullahi Mohamed with 7, #24 Carter Golgart and #4 Chaaka Trahan with 6 each, and #2 Kendall Green with 5. WSHS brought a spirited cheering section:

You might notice some familiar faces – from the WSHS girls’ basketball team, which plays Mercer Island tomorrow for third place in the district playoffs, 1:15 pm at Bellevue College.

One more high-school basketball playoff game involving a local team tonight: The Seattle Lutheran High School girls lost their second consecutive Tri-District Tournament game, falling to Neah Bay, 43-35, at Evergreen Lutheran in Tacoma. They play Mount Rainier Lutheran for fifth place in the tournament at 10 am Saturday.

(WSB photo: WSHS #30, Lexi Ioane, and #4, Kelsey Lenzie)

6:11 PM: A formidable opponent for the West Seattle High School girls’ basketball team this afternoon at Bellevue College – top-ranked Bellevue HS. While the Wildcats hit halftime with a five-point lead over the Wolverines, an intense third quarter ensued, and Bellevue pulled ahead, ending with an eight-point victory in the district-playoff game, 58-50. West Seattle will play next for third place in districts, 1:15 pm Saturday vs. the winner of tonight’s Mercer Island-Bishop Blanchet game. We’ll add more from today’s game later.

ADDED 9:56 PM: Scoring for the Wildcats – 17 points for #30 Lexi Ioane, 10 for #3 Izzy Turk, 9 for #20 Grace Sarver, 8 for #32 Lydia Giomi.

We now know their Saturday opponent will be Mercer Island.

(Photo by Daven Camacho)

We’ve been featuring local athletes who are headed to state competition, and here are five more! Thanks to Lynn Ogdon-Perrine for sharing news of the Chief Sealth International High School wrestlers set for state matches this Friday and Saturday. Above, Regional and Metro champions from Sealth, from left: Daron Camacho at 195 weight class, Hameed Maktoof at 152 weight class, and Joe Kereti at 220 weight class. Next photo features Antonio Chiles (left), who placed 3rd at Regionals and is headed to state at 182 weight class:

(Photo by David Perrine)

Lynn says Gonzalo Cruise also placed 3rd at Regionals and heads to state at 120 weight class. The state tournament is this Friday and Saturday at the Tacoma Dome. Good luck to all!

Two more playoff games tonight for local high-school basketball teams:

SEATTLE LUTHERAN GIRLS VS. TULALIP HERITAGE: This game ended with a loss for the Saints, 48-37, in Mount Vernon. The SLHS girls’ next game will be at 6 pm Thursday vs. Neah Bay, at Evergreen Lutheran in Tacoma.

WEST SEATTLE BOYS VS. BELLEVUE: This was a rollercoaster game for the Wildcats, eventually losing 64-57. They went into the locker room down 36-10 at the half but rallied to a one point lead early in the fourth quarter, leading to raucous cheers from the bench:

(WSB photos)

The defense toughened up in the second half, too, as head coach Keffrey Fazio‘s boys kept battling:

#22 Yusuf Mohamed was the scoring leader with 14, followed by #4 Chaaka Trahan with 11.

The next game is a must-win – 3 pm Friday vs. Rainier Beach, again at Bellevue College.

(WSB photos: WSHS players from left, #32 Lydia Giomi, #3 Izzy Turk, #21 Gabby Sarver)

4:26 PM: We’re in the gym at Bellevue College, where the West Seattle High School girls have just made it into the district-playoff quarterfinals with a win over Juanita, 73-66. Top scorer: WSHS senior Lydia Giomi, with 32 points. The Wildcats’ next game will be at 3 pm Thursday, against the winner of tonight’s Lakeside-Bellevue game.

(#30 Lexi Ioane)

5:55 PM: We’re back at HQ now and adding photos.

The scoring was rounded out by #30 Lexi Ioane with 12, #21 Gabby Sarver with 10, #3 Izzy Turk with 8, #20 Grace Sarver with 6, and #10 Jenna McPhee with 5.

Head coach Darnell Taylor‘s Wildcats led by as many as 20 points during the course of the game, but Juanita kept battling back. At halftime, the Wildcats were up 38-28, and added 7 unanswered points at the start of the second half, with the 50-30 lead not long after that. Juanita then scrapped its way to within five points, 52-47, but WSHS kept fighting and took the win.

The Seattle Lutheran High School boys are in the Tri-District basketball championship game. That’s after a 76-65 victory tonight vs. Neah Bay at Mount Vernon Christian (thanks to Mike Jensen for the updates). The Saints will face crosstown rival Shorewood Christian in the championship game next Saturday (February 20th), 7:15 pm, at Lummi Nation High School in Bellingham.

TOMORROW’S PLAYOFF GAMES: The SLHS girls play Tulalip Heritage, 6:15 pm in Mount Vernon. And both West Seattle High School teams play district games at Bellevue College (3000 Landerholm Circle SE) on Tuesday – the girls at 3 pm vs. Juanita and the boys at 8:15 pm vs. Bellevue.

Another local swimmer to cheer for in state competition starting later this week! Thanks to West Seattle High School head swim coach Blake Hurd for the report:

This last weekend a West Seattle Junior, Seryozha Dahl, completed in the Boys Swimming 3A District 2 Championship Meet on Mercer Island at Mary Wayte Pool. Entering the meet, Seryozha was ranked 3rd in the 200 Individual Freestyle for session #2 with a time of 1:48.26, ranked 6th overall amongst the entire meet. Seryozha finished the 2-day meet with a time of 1:48.96 for a 9th place overall.

Seryozha’s best performance, however, was in the 500 Individual Freestyle. Again entering the swim meet highly ranked, 1st not only in session #2 but in the entire meet with his best time of 4:52.51, finished prelims on Friday with a new personal best of 4:49.00. Even with his best time, Seryozha finished prelims in 3rd place going into finals, with only .16th of a second behind prelims first place time of 4:48.84. Seryozha dug deep again and in the third race in a row in 2 weeks achieved another personal best time of 4:48.04 in the 500 Freestyle, taking 1st at Boys Swimming 3A District Campionship.

Seryozha Dahl advances into Boys Swimming 3A State Championship Meet next Friday and Saturday in Federal Way at King County Aquatic Center. He’s ranked 9th overall in the 200 Individual Freestyle and 1st overall in the 500 Individual Freestyle. Good Luck Seryozha!

Honorable mentions for West Seattle Swim Team: Senior Jimmy Nguyen competed in both the 50 Individual Freestyle and 100 Individual Backstroke. Freshman Jackson Espeut competed in the 100 Individual Freestyle. After a year of absence, West Seattle had 2 Relay teams competing in the District Championship Meet. The Relays consisted of Freshmen Jackson Espeut and Cameron John, Sophomore Kit Lui and Senior Jimmy Nguyen for the 200 Medley Relay, and Junior Seryozha Dahl joind Cameron, Jackson, and Kit for the 200 Freestyle Relay. Go, Wildcats!

As noted in this morning’s reader report on other local swimmers headed to state, the competition starts Friday at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. Any other local athletes headed to state competition? editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

While their school’s in Burien, these swimmers all live in West Seattle, says Brent Lindblom, who sent the photo with word they’re all headed for state competition:

Congratulation to the Kennedy Catholic High School Varsity Swim Team members advancing to the WIAA Boys State HS Swim/Dive Championship:

From left to right: Coach Sean Prethero; Junior Ian Olufson, swimming the 200 Free Style, 500 Free Style and 400 Free Style Relay; Senior Jeff Kasahara, swimming the 100 Breast Stroke and 400 Free Style Relay; Freshman Ty Lindblom, swimming the 500 Free Style and 400 Relay; Ben Kinerk, swimming the 400 relay. Assistant Coach Marley Prethero.

Championships are next Friday and Saturday, February 19th and 20th, at King County Aquatic Center at 650 SW Campus Dr., Federal Way, beginning at 12:00 Friday. There is a cost of admission and program fee. GO, LANCERS!!!!

Anybody else from this area headed to state competition? We’d be happy to share that news too – editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)

6:12 AM: Good morning – no incidents in/from West Seattle so far. Two reminders:

FAUNTLEROY WAY SPEED LIMIT: The stretch between SW Alaska and California SW is now 30 mph, with signage installed on Saturday as SDOT said it would be.

FERRY SUBSTITUTION: M/V Tillikum is taking the place of M/V Sealth on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth state-ferry run today; its capacity is 87 vehicles, while Sealth’s is 90.

7:06 AM: Crash partly blocking the right lane in NB 1st Ave. So. Bridge.

7:35 AM: WSDOT says that has cleared.

8:35 AM: If you’re headed southbound on 35th from the Triangle or anyplace northbound, you will be diverted at Alaska. A power pole is about to fall over – apparently just rotted through its base, according to SPD, which has the road blocked for about half a block at Alaska until City Light can take care of it. Thanks to the person who texted us about the closure (206-293-6302, any time)!

8:43 AM: Added the photo above. Talked to another officer who said the pole rot was part of the problem – the pole getting backed into by a delivery truck was the other part. No ETA on how long for a fix; we’ll check back. The southbound 21 is affected, Metro has tweeted:

9:28 AM: Thanks to Joe and a text tipster for noting that the NB 21 is also being diverted right now – Joe says the City Light crane is on site so the road is blocked both ways at the scene just south of Alaska.

10:01 AM: Metro says northbound is back to normal, southbound remains blocked.

ADDED LATER, SIDE NOTE: For the record – we checked with City Light regarding the ongoing replacement of poles before something like this takes them out. From Scott Thomsen of SCL:

We do have an effort underway to steadily replace old poles that have deteriorated over time.

We have identified about 5,500 poles that currently need to be replaced. This is a backlog that built up as the result of deferred maintenance following the 2000-01 West Coast energy crisis and, more recently, other work associated with new service installations in one of the nation’s fastest growing cities filling the schedules of our crews.

We identify 500 to 600 more poles each year that add to the list of those needing to be replaced. We expect to replace about 1,400 poles a year to steadily eliminate that backlog over several years.