West Seattle, Washington
05 Tuesday
(West Seattle’s #21, Gabby Sarver, with 10 points on the night)
For WSB: photos by Patrick Sand, text by Tracy Record
All the local high-school basketball action Friday night was on the road – topped by the marquee game, West Seattle High School‘s girls-varsity faceoff at Holy Names Academy on Capitol Hill, two division-leading teams with big win streaks going as the game began. When it was over, the Wildcats’ streak had been snapped with a 63-48 loss – but that final score didn’t reflect the intensity of the second half, as WSHS went on a comeback tear before falling back.
The Wildcats’ #10 Charli Elliott (photo above), second-leading WSHS scorer of the night with 13 points, got two of them in the first basket of the game. Then the Cougars went on a 10-point run before WSHS managed to score again – with Elliott sinking a foul shot – and they were up 18-5 at the end of the first quarter. WSHS managed to wrangle themselves plenty of shots, but didn’t convert enough of them to keep pace until late in the second quarter, and they went into halftime down 34-18.
“Whole new half!” shouted a member of the spirited Wildcats’ cheering section as the second half tipped off, and once again, Elliott was the first to score, with a basket shortly after the half began.
That’s Seaview resident and hula hooper Mary Decker, who’s sponsoring a free Community SpinJam later this month and has room for more local hula hoopers to RSVP. It’s at 8 Limbs in The Junction at 2 pm Sunday, January 26th – RSVP via Facebook by going here. Mary says all ages are welcome, adding “when I say all ages, I really mean it. This is not just for kids. In fact, the hoops I make are large and heavy, much easier for an adult to use than those tiny lightweight ones we know from the olden days. Kids can use them too, though!”
The West Seattle High School varsity girls are on a roll, to say the least, with eight wins in a row. At home, they more than tripled the score of visiting Rainier Beach on Wednesday night, 63-18. As you’ll see in the stats, Lexi Ioane (top photo, #30) led the scoring with 20 points; Lydia Giomi was next up at 15 – she’s #12 in the next photo, with #10 Charli Elliott, third in scoring at 10 points:
#4 Maggie Cooper bringing the ball downcourt:
#21 Gabby Sarver:
Big challenge ahead for head coach Sonya Elliott‘s team on Friday, as they visit Holy Names, which has a 9-game winning streak going and beat Chief Sealth on Wednesday night, 72-29..
Big night of basketball at the Seattle Lutheran High School gym:
Bear Creek visited to face the Saints. The girls played first; while the game was tied at the half, 13-all, Bear Creek pulled away and picked up the victory, 42-29. But the night included a special celebration for their coach, Bruce Carlson:
Earlier this month, he got his 500th win with the Saints, in their January 7th win over Shoreline Christian. And then he notched number 501, versus Concrete. His day job is at Menashe and Sons Jewelers (WSB sponsor) but he’s been on the coaching staff since the early ’80s – almost but not quite dating back to the school’s opening.
The night was wrapped up by the Lutheran boys’ varsity game
Bear Creek won that one too, 76-52. Top scorer for the Saints was Abijah Smith, with 23. Next up – Mt. Rainier Lutheran visits SLHS to play the boys at 1 pm Saturday, while the girls are on the road that day vs. Auburn Adventist.
(Photo courtesy West Seattle Girls Softball)
Did you notice light in the sky after 5 pm today? The days are lengthening, and while we wouldn’t say “spring is in the air,” preparation for spring sports is starting to stir. Here’s the official announcement from West Seattle Girls Softball:
West Seattle Girls Softball registration is now open for the 2014 spring season! We are looking for girls ages 6-15 to play fast-pitch softball. No previous softball experience is necessary, as we will teach the basics and help continue to build players’ skills. Practices begin in March and games will run from late April to June.
West Seattle Girls Softball is a local nonprofit organization and is fueled by its dedicated volunteers. WSGS goals are to ensure that its players have the best possible experience playing fast-pitch softball. We hope to build both team sportsmanship and individual sportsmanship all while having fun.
You can sign up or get more information at westseattlegirlssoftball.com; WSGS is also on Facebook.
WSGS says there’s an extra benefit to registering early – you get the lowest price; sign-up fees go up on March 1st.
Before looking ahead to this week’s sports schedules for local high schools, weekend notes: The weekend began with Chief Sealth International High School winning a swim meet vs. – Trisha Montemayor shared the results: “Chief Sealth beat Eastside Catholic 161 to 132, with the boys winning easily 87-60 and the girls pulling out a win by 2 points, 74-72.” The team scores are here; individual results, here.
In Friday basketball, the West Seattle High School girls-varsity team had its second win of the week, WSHS 66, Franklin 34, and the Seattle Lutheran High School girls lost to Crosspoint Academy, 44-36. Friday’s boys-varsity basketball scores were SLHS 67, Crosspoint 60; Nathan Hale 69, Chief Sealth 54; and Franklin 71, West Seattle 38.
For the week ahead:
*The Chief Sealth International High School sports schedule is listed on the school’s Metro League page; competition at home includes a wrestling match tonight against Ingraham, boys’ basketball vs. O’Dea Tuesday night, girls’ basketball vs. Holy Names on Wednesday night; on Friday, it’s varsity swimming vs. Cleveland on Friday (Southwest Pool) and girls-varsity gymnastics vs. Ingraham and Nathan Hale.
*The Seattle Lutheran High School sports schedule is listed day by day on the school calendar here. This week’s home games are on Wednesday – girls’ and boys’ basketball vs. The Bear Creek School.
*The West Seattle High School sports schedule is listed in full in the school’s online newsletter Westside Weekly (see this week’s WSHS WW here). Home games include boys’ basketball vs. Rainier Beach on Tuesday night, girls basketball vs. RB on Wednesday night, and boys C/frosh team vs. Kennedy next Saturday afternoon.
(Photo courtesy West Seattle Totems)
A new round of congratulations today for members of the West Seattle Totems, whose coach Joe Matter shares periodic updates – like this one, including news of state-championship winners and national-level competition ahead:
The West Seattle Totems, the junior rifle team located at West Seattle Stadium, wrapped up a successful December schedule of 4 matches.
The US Army sponsored the Washington State Air Rifle Qualifier in West Seattle, where 19 members of the Totems competed in a 60-shot standing match. Alec Patajo led the field with a 573 out of a possible 600 point to win the state individual championship. The Thunderbirds, consisting of Alec Patajo, Corinne Blair, Casey Iwamoto, and Owen Yeasting, shot a combined score of 2238 to finish 2nd in the state and 11th in the country. Alec will receive an invite to the finals to be held in Ft Benning, Georgia, at the home of the Army Marksmanship Unit. The Thunderbirds missed a team invite by just a few points.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program sponsored the Washington State Three Position Air Rifle Championship, also held in West Seattle. The Thunderbird team won the state title, shooting a 2304 out of a possible 2400 points. The win guarantees an invite to the regional championships to be held in Layton, Utah, in April. The Chiefs, consisting of Sierra Avril, Jack Ellis, Sumner Ames, and Katelynn Brown, shot a 2236 to finish 4th in the event. Alec Patajo shot a 583 to capture the state individual championship.
USA Shooting, the Olympic governing body of the shooting sports, sponsored two matches in December:
Highland Park has no sports bar/lounge where you can go for a big game like today’s Seahawks victory over the Saints – or a small game, for that matter – but the Highland Park Improvement Club transformed itself into a viewing venue – same way it morphs into the pop-up Corner bar one night a month. Members and neighbors gathered to watch today’s game – and yes, there was at least one Saints fan in the crowd:
That’s Mike in the Saints jersey and Jim in the Seahawks jersey. By now, of course, you know who won. The Seahawks stay home to host the NFC Championship next Sunday, 3:30 pm, vs. either Carolina or San Francisco, depending on who wins those teams’ faceoff tomorrow; tickets for the January 19th game go on sale this Monday at 10 am.
Hours till game time … and we’ve collected some West Seattle scenes from “Blue Friday.” First – from left, Sue, Ardeen, and Doree are the “Lunch Ladies” of Denny International Middle School, and they rocked the ‘Hawks spirit – personally as well as decoration-wise:
In true Seattle-sustainability spirit, they made decorations out of old pizza boxes during winter break. For as far as the Seahawks get this season, they’ll keep it going – and by the way, they have a wish list, maybe Russell, Marshawn, or Richard visiting the Denny lunchroom? Of course, other West Seattle schools sported spirit too. Josh shared this photo from Westside School (WSB sponsor):
From K-5 STEM, here’s 7-year-old Brooklyn, whose mom Stacey explains, “She put this outfit together on her own……even painted her nails! Takes after her mom. . Go Hawks!”
Also at STEM, Robin Graham from the K-5 STEM PTA shares this link – kids spotted around Boren today who instead of Owls were “Hawks for a Day.” Meantime, you might call these kids “Hawklets”:
Mindi shared the photo from Munchkin Junction. In The Triangle, The Grove-West Seattle Inn added the Seahawks flag to their roster:
And we have to take one more look at the downtown skyline – from the Russell building’s #12 to the CLink color:
Thanks to Craig Young for the photo. And just as we were about to hit the “publish” button, we received this unique alternative view of the building:
Those are twins Eudora and Guthrie Itano Parson, age 7, whose granddad Steve shared the photo and noted, “This is how we ‘Do’ in Seattle: Our kids learn to live in the rain, they read ‘Books’ and cheer for the Seahawks.” Kickoff is 1:30 pm Saturday.
Close one last night for West Seattle High School, whose athletics staff shares this summary:
The West Seattle HS boys basketball team traveled across town to play Seattle Prep, the #10-ranked team in the state, on Tuesday night.
The Wildcats played hard throughout the game and were prime for the upset on the road, but a few late turnovers cost them the game, falling 60-56.
The Wildcats took the lead in the early stages of the fourth quarter and held that lead until the five-minute mark, but empty possessions let Prep jump ahead for good.
WSHS senior DeAndre Love was game-high scorer with 30 points. He also grabbed eight rebounds and added 5 blocks. Freshman point guard Nate Pryor and sophomore guards Andre Moore and Carter Golgart also played well for the Wildcats.
WSHS travels to Franklin on Friday to play the Quakers in a grudge match after WSHS beat the then-#4 -ranked Franklin team a year ago. Varsity tips Friday at 8 pm.
The WSHS girls face Prep tonight.
(Photo courtesy Erik Nachtrieb)
A new chapter in the saga of West Seattle’s “Archer Addy,” the young champion whose story we brought you back in August. She’s now the subject of an in-the-works series of books, and the team is seeking a young artist to add images to the words:
West Seattleite and author/producer Erik Nachtrieb is looking for a youth illustrator, 8-17 years old, to illustrate for the Archer Addy chapter book series. The first book in the series is completed, in text form, and with the editor.
“The real-life adventures of the Archer Addy book series follow Addison (Archer Addy), a 9-year-old girl determined to enter a man’s sport and become a World Champion target archer in the midst of balancing homework, friends, her sister, and parents. Written on the positive themes of dreams, determination and self reliance, Archer Addy, in her own voice, brings the 8-12 year-old reader into her experiences and inspires them to think differently, try new things, and never give up.”
The Archer Addy series is written from the voice and experiences of Addy, who is a real-life West Seattleite and competitive target archer. We, the Archer Addy Book Team, feel utilizing a child from greater Seattle to illustrate the book would keep within tone and message of the book. We are hoping to find a young person with the same passion and drive for art as the character Archer Addy has for archery.
If you are between 8-18 years old, please have your parents contact us at: 1iOpenProductions@gmail.com. We will then deliver you a few excerpts from the book along with illustration titles from which you can derive inspiration for your drawings.
Further details ahead:
Read More
(Photos by WSB’s Patrick Sand)
9:57 PM: Both games are over now, and both of West Seattle High School‘s varsity basketball teams won tonight against host Chief Sealth International High School – girls 65-31, boys 62-46.
ADDED 1:48 AM: Scenes and notes from the games.
Unless the fog rolls back in sometime soon, you should be able to see this firsthand looking right across the bay. Carolyn Newman sent the closer look above – and then Jeff Pond shared the wider view, below:
You might also remember the building, as we did, for its Valentine show almost six years ago.
And just as we were about to publish those two views – another sign of spirit came in:
Doree, who shared the photo, says she and her fellow “lunch ladies” at Denny International Middle School are going all out to cheer the Seahawks on.
The Duwamish Rowing Club, based in South Park, is the one and only rowing club for this area – West Seattle too – and even though it’s not quite rowing weather yet, you can get ready for the summer with classes about to start at SP Community Center, Tuesday nights and/or Saturday mornings, starting next week – specific dates and times here. SPCC is at 8319 8th Avenue S., just a few miles east of West Seattle, where you can sign up in person at your first class.
Tomorrow morning, among those who have told us they plan to take the (polar) plunge into Puget Sound, you’ll find Kayleen Dunson – the West Seattleite who is Umpire in Chief for the Seattle Metro Area Softball Umpires Association. She tells WSB her first year in that role has been great “We trained more umpires than ever before … sent 20 umpires to work National and/or State tournaments (and one umpire who got to work the World Cup of Softball), and made everything about umpiring more FUN!” They got regional/national media attention, too. But she’s particularly proud of Shani Neamen, a recruit who won the “Rookie Umpire of the Year” award.
Kayleen shares the story:
When Shani Neamen read about the need for Softball Umpires on the West Seattle Blog in January, she decided to give it a try. She joined the Seattle Metro Softball Umpires Association, went through the top-notch training program, and became a certified softball umpire. She had a blast, and did a great job – and in October she was chosen as the Seattle-Tacoma region’s “Rookie Umpire of the Year.”
One day after he and his teammates won the NFL’s NFC West division, Seahawks defense star Cliff Avril is at West Seattle Bowl tonight – playing a different ball game:
As first announced here last month, Avril is leading tonight’s Strikes for Kids “Live United/Bowl United” fundraiser for United Way of King County. And not only is it a great chance to celebrate and help the nonprofit, it’s also a celebration of Seahawks fever:
…old-school Seahawks fever, too:
Then, there’s just plain fun:
Big crowd tonight, which should be good news for United Way; whenever we get a fundraising tally, we’ll update the story.
The West Seattle High School Wildcats boys-basketball team is back from its holiday-weekend road trip, and WSHS staff shares this report:
The West Seattle varsity boys-basketball team traveled and played in the Wenatchee Holiday Basketball Classic this past weekend.
The Wildcats played the host school Wenatchee on Friday night and lost to a very good team 71-65.
Senior DeAndre Love scored 27 points and had a game-high 14 rebounds, also adding 3 blocks.
WSHS then played Eastmont High School Saturday and again played tough, but fell 60-46. Eastmont was a state finalist last year in class 4A and have a team primed for yet another trip to Tacoma.
The Wildcats’ next game is Friday, Jan. 3, at Chief Sealth.
AC Seattle, the Italian/American cultural-exchange soccer club that was based in West Seattle for its debut season last summer, will be back – and is expanding. Its 2013 women’s team (photo above) won the Northwest Conference of the WPSL and the Evergreen Cup; for 2014, AC Seattle tells WSB it will add a men’s team and a summer camp. You won’t find many details on their website yet but AC Seattle says camp registration is open, so they’re taking inquiries at soccer@acseattle.com, which is also the address where soccer professionals are invited to send resumes if they are interested in joining a staff expanding to cover the new team/camp (players too).
You didn’t think Santa Claus went right back to the North Pole as soon as Christmas deliveries were done, did you? Al shares these scenes from the West Seattle Golf Course on Thursday – the day after Christmas.
Keep an eye out for the Easter Bunny next.
(Photo by Greg Slader)
Just sent to us to share with you – another big honor for a local sports standout, whose proud relative writes:
Earlier this month, Sam Hellinger of West Seattle became the first player from West Seattle High School to ever be awarded the Washington State Baseball Coaches Association’s State Player of the Year.
Hellinger, who helped West Seattle get to the 3A State championship game for the first time in its history and who was drafted in the 39th round by the Seattle Mariners in the 2013 June Amateur Draft, was earlier named 3A Player of the Year, Metro League MVP, and was the first West Seattle player ever named to the Seattle Times All-Area Team.
Sam currently attends and plays for the College of San Mateo in the Bay Area (California).
Congratulations to Sam!
West Seattle teenagers interested in running are invited to be part of a new group launching early in the new year. The announcement was shared by Emma:
Starting January 4th, West Seattle Runner will offer a free teen running group every Saturday at 11 am for those in high school and college. This will be a great place to meet other youth who enjoy running, train for races like 5Ks and half marathons, and improve overall fitness.
Lori McConnell, co-owner of West Seattle Runner, wanted to start this group because “As a long distance runner, the owner of a running store, and a therapist for youth and athletes, I saw the need. I have heard from teens that they would like to run more, but in the dark winter, they are limited because they don’t want to run alone. I also want to introduce the joy of running to youth. It is a healthy activity for them to spend time doing, it gives a sense of belonging, and it increases confidence. Also, running is a way to build good mental health and helps with learning. I wanted an opportunity to connect like-minded teens in a social way.”
A Facebook group called “West Seattle Teen Running Group” has been created and will be the central place for future information about this upcoming running group. If you have questions, contact Lori at lori@westseattlerunner.com or call West Seattle Runner at 206-938-0545.
Congratulations to the West Seattle Force, citywide U-17 soccer champions after Saturday’s 2-0 win over the Ballard Huskies in the City Youth Soccer Association finals. The Force is a West Seattle Soccer Club team, coached by Wayne Johnson and Greg Postel.
Victory tonight for West Seattle High School over visiting Auburn HS, according to this staff report:
The West Seattle boys’ basketball team improved to 2-3 on the season with a 66-61 win over the Auburn Trojans of the SPSL on Saturday night. It’s the Wildcats’ second win over an SPSL opponent this year, having beat Kent Meridian earlier.
The Wildcats were powered by senior DeAndre Love with 24 points and 9 rebounds. Also playing well for the Wildcats were senior Malachi Cain and Ruslan Burduzha, both scoring in double figures.
Cain hit three 3-point field goals in the fourth quarter to help the Wildcats pull out a gritty win.
See more stats here, via our partners at The Seattle Times.
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