West Seattle, Washington
05 Tuesday

(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:

(Photo courtesy Gil White)
This Thanksgiving weekend, instead of going over the hills and through the woods to Grandma’s house, a West Seattle five-year-old will be going over the hills … and other challenges … of a Bicycle Motocross (BMX) race course in Tulsa, Oklahoma. And Hudson White won’t “just” be racing – he’ll be going for the #1 plate at the Grand Nationals.
Hudson’s already pretty close, with the #4 plate, according to his dad Gil White, who shared this video of Hudson from the Canadian Grand Nationals last month – Hudson is on the white bike:
We asked Hudson’s dad how his son got involved. Dad says he too was a BMX racer in his childhood days. So that led to a little interest after he himself became a dad:
We happened by the North SeaTac track on a race day in October 2011 and stopped to watch. While watching the other kids race, Hudson said, ‘I can do that,’ and he’s been doing it ever since.
Hudson joined Sonic BMX, a local developmental BMX team under the tutelage of Carmel Schimmel (a West Seattlelite) and Jamie Stenson, and he competed well enough on the National circuit to be currently ranked #4 in the 5 & Under age group. The trip to the Grand Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is the granddaddy of all nationals – if you’re in contention for a national plate, you attend. In Hudson’s age proficiency, he anticipates competing against approximately 25 racers. Numerically, Hudson is still in the hunt for the #1 plate since points awarded are worth double.
Hudson is a pretty active kid; between attending school, Mandarin classes, baseball (he played on the West Seattle T-ball Menashe team) and riding his bike, he finds time for his other passion – Legos. He’ll tell you he wants to build things when he grows up. Probably the Lego influence. His favorite activity at school is recess – go figure.
The sport of BMX has been a great life lesson for Hudson – he’s been able to comprehend that some days he may not have it and finish last, or he may have it and finish first – either way, we drive home and follow the same routine – stop for ice cream. As he prepares for the Grand Nationals and a run at the #1 plate – the question is, will he have it? – I guess we’ll have to wait and see. However, you can bet we’ll have ice cream in Tulsa.
Good luck to Hudson! By the way, Gil notes that BMX “is an Olympic sport and a really fun activity for people of all ages – locally, 41-45 years (of age) tends to be some of the more competitive races. The Pacific Northwest has a tradition of really good riders and well-run tracks nearby.”
Know any first-through-eighth-grade boys and/or girls who are interested in basketball? One week from today, they are invited to a pre-season Skills and Drills Clinic presented by the West Seattle High School boys’ basketball team – here’s the announcement:
Now is the time to get a tune-up on your HOOP skills before the upcoming basketball season!! Drop your kids off for THREE HOURS of HOOPS and have them bring a friend!
Special guests: WSHS Head Coach Donald Watts, and SEATTLE SONICS LEGEND “SLICK” WATTS
Who: Boys and Girls, Grades 1st-8th
When: Saturday, November 17th, 2 pm-5 pm
Where: West Seattle High School Gymnasium: 3000 California Ave SW
Cost: $45 – register at: wsbasketballboosters.comPlease contact our WSHS Basketball Booster President Pierre Newsome at 206-227-5386, e-mail jpnewsome@comcast.net, for any questions!
The night after Thanksgiving – in other words, two weeks from Friday – Chief Sealth International High School plans its first-ever alumni basketball games. And the school is looking for more alums to be part of the big event. Here’s the announcement shared by athletic director Sam Reed:
– November 23, 2012 will be the date for the inaugural Chief Sealth alumni basketball game. In what hopes to become an annual event, the Nels Enquist Alumni Basketball Game will feature a number of former Seahawks in celebrating the school’s rich basketball history.
Both a men’s and women’s game is scheduled for that Friday evening at the Chief Sealth International High School gym, and will be played in succession with the traditional intersquad scrimmage for the current boys and girls teams that kicks off their respective seasons.

Thanks to Michelle for the report and photo trumpeting this good news about the Northwest Junior Football League‘s new “midget”-class champs:
On Saturday, the Westside Wildcat Midgets (ages 8-11) played a brilliant game to beat Mukilteo in the championship game of the season. They play in the Northwest Junior Football League, for the Westside Wildcat franchise, with home field at Hiawatha Community Center.
Here’s the bracket showing what they went through to finish on top. Congratulations!

(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
At West Seattle Stadium on Friday night, it was Senior Night for the Seattle Lutheran High School football team — our area’s last regular-season game of this year’s high-school-football season. While they didn’t come away with a win against visiting Tacoma Baptist – which went home the winner, 46-8 – it was a memorable night, with much to cheer for:

Eleven more game photos by WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams, ahead:

The postseason has come to an end for West Seattle’s two biggest high schools, after one last round of play.

Both Chief Sealth International High School (above) and West Seattle High School (top) played their final games of this postseason Thursday night in Bellevue. Neither won, but both had seasons to be proud of. WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams was at the games at Sammamish High School, and we have a few last looks at the hard-hitting athletes:
You’re invited to play poker, enjoy dinner, and vie for prizes this Saturday night, at a fun(draiser) presented by the West Seattle Basketball Boosters. Just announced:
Come join the West Seattle basketball community and friends for a “Texas Hold ’em Poker” fundraiser to sponsor our players and their efforts to travel to a 2012 holiday basketball tournament in Las Vegas in December. All proceeds go to travel costs. Dinner is at 4 pm, and the poker tourney starts at 5 pm. Ticket includes dinner, poker chips, and a chance to win prizes, such as Husky football tickets, Safeway and Starbucks gift cards, and more!
November 3rd (this Saturday) 4 pm-10 pm at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, 3050 California Ave SW (map)
For more details, visit our website at wsbasketballboosters.com – buy tickets online there, or at the door for $50
Questions? Please contact our West Seattle Basketball Booster President Pierre Newsome at (206) 227-5386 or e-mail jpnewsome@comcast.net. West Seattle Basketball Booster Club is a Non-Profit 501-c(3)
Results from postseason play in two sports on Saturday:
VOLLEYBALL: Busy day for local teams in tournament play at Chief Sealth International High School. First, West Seattle High School lost at 11 am to Seattle Prep, 3-0 , then faced Sealth at 1 pm – that ended with the Seahawks winning, 3-0. WSHS subsequently won over Lakeside at 3 pm, 3-1, while Sealth went on to play Eastside Catholic at 5 pm, falling 3-0. (Added Sunday morning – per the Sealth Athletics Facebook page, the Seahawks “will be back in action next Thursday (5:30 pm) at Sammamish HS vs. Bellevue in the 1st round of the District II tournament.”)
FOOTBALL: WSHS lost to Bainbridge at Memorial Stadium on Saturday night, 47-20.

(WSHS senior Brennan Newquist scoring one of the Wildcats’ first two TDs)
Toplines ahead:Read More

Congratulations to more local martial-arts participants! Kris Wilder, owner/head instructor of West Seattle Karate Academy, shares the report and photo:
Several members of the West Seattle Karate Academy traveled to Puyallup to compete in the Washington State Isshinryu Karate Tournament. From left to right, Issac (Bronze in individual kata and Gold in Synchronized kata), Sprocket (Silver in individual kata), Sadie (Silver in individual kata and gold in synchronized kata), Wyatt (Gold in synchronized and silver in individual kata), Brandon (Bronze in individual kata and a Gold in synchronized), center, Master George Shin, and left, Kris Wilder. A good time was had by all the competitors and parents alike.
More high-school postseason sports today – both West Seattle HS and Chief Sealth International High School are in the volleyball tournament that continues starting at 11 am today at Sealth, and WSHS is at Memorial Stadium at 5 tonight for football.
Friday night, there was soccer, volleyball, and football. In soccer, Sealth lost to Seattle Prep, 4-0 (here are the stats, via WSB partner The Seattle Times). That game was played up north at Ingraham, as was WSHS vs. Holy Names – (update) a 5-1 loss for the Wildcats. In volleyball, Seattle Lutheran High School defeated Chief Leschi, 3-0 (Times game stats here).
At Memorial Stadium downtown, the Sealth football team faced Seattle Prep.

Final score: Prep 51, Sealth 8. Game notes ahead:Read More

That banner just went up this afternoon, for a brand-new business we first heard about only hours earlier – Morgan Junction CrossFit, opening Monday in the California/Juneau space that previously was home to Seattle Wushu Center. Its owner is Zach Filer, a coach/trainer already well-known in West Seattle – his seven years as a coach includes three years at CrossFit West Seattle in The Admiral District.
WSB researcher Katie Meyer talked with Filer by phone this afternoon and reports that he just got the keys to the place a week ago and has “really been doing a lot of work” inside since then, including putting in new flooring and adding walls, with painting ahead this weekend as well as bringing in equipment. He is also a Kettlebell Sport coach and leads seminars and competitions (here’s his bio), and recently coached a world-record-setter. Filer told Katie he’s planning 7 classes a day, between 5:45 am and 8 pm, but hasn’t yet settled on which days of the week, though next Monday is definitely Day 1 – as he wrote on his own website. The business website’s a work in progress but you’ll find info soon at morganjunctioncrossfit.com.

Congratulations to Chief Sealth International High School cross-country team member Kenaia Neumann, #1058, who is headed to state competition after yesterday’s district meet, in which Sealth’s girls’ and boys’ teams both competed. Thanks to Lynn for the photo, which also includes coaches Jason Glover and Greg Adams. Lynn also notes that this will be Kenaia’s second consecutive year of going to state – which is set for November 3rd in Pasco.

Thursday night’s spotlight local match in high-school-sports playoffs – volleyball, with Chief Sealth International High School up against Eastside Catholic in the Sealth gym, host to the division tournament. Sealth came out strong – here’s our video of the first game, which the Seahawks won, 25-19:
But EC took three consecutive games after that, and won the night – 25-20, 25-18, 25-16.

Sealth stats are here; they play again Saturday morning.
And the post-season is on! Tuesday morning, we featured this week’s post-season schedule for West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School. Now the first big game is history: Sealth scored a soccer shutout at home against Blanchet on Wednesday afternoon, 1-0, with Darienne Gibson scoring the goal and Blanchet being kept away from the goal by goalkeeper Nicole Roed, according to the Sealth Athletics Facebook page. Cross-country and volleyball are scheduled today.
Congratulations to all the high-school athletes in West Seattle who have just completed the regular season of fall play. Now, many move on into the postseason – and here’s the schedule information we have for this week so far, compiled via school reps and the Metro League website. In most cases, this is division competition to determine how the district playoffs will go:
VOLLEYBALL
Chief Sealth International High School (Metro Sound Division #2) plays Thursday at 7:30 pm (opponent TBA)
West Seattle High School (Metro Sound Division champs) plays Saturday at 11 am (opponent TBA)
FOOTBALL
Sealth plays Seattle Prep 5 pm Friday @ Memorial Stadium
WSHS plays Bainbridge 5 pm Saturday @ Memorial Stadium
SOCCER
Sealth hosts Blanchet at 6 pm this Wednesday
(updated) WSHS plays Holy Names at 7 pm Friday at Ingraham
CROSS-COUNTRY
Both Sealth teams qualified for the district meet, this Thursday at Lower Woodland
SWIMMING
WSHS and Sealth in qualifying meet 3:30 pm Friday at Helene Madison Pool
Please let us know about changes/additions! Our coverage so far this season (and preceding seasons) is archived here.

(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
No high-school football tonight – this week’s games were played last night. It was Senior Night at Southwest Athletic Complex last night as Chief Sealth International High School played its last regular-season home game of the football season. Here’s Sealth’s Clint Hewitt, bringing his family flowers:

While the Seahawks lost to visiting Ingraham, 39-34, they are going to postseason play. The rain made umbrellas a popular accessory on the sidelines. It also made for a tough game and slick field:

That’s Sealth’s Greg Tauti clearing the way for Marquise Givens. More game scenes from WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams, ahead:
Read More

For our area’s two public-high-school football teams, Thursday was football night this week, as the regular season came to an end. And it coincided with the return of major rain. Above, hardy West Seattle High School fans headed north last night to cheer on the Wildcats against Nathan Hale; final score, Hale 36, WSHS 13. Even the school flag was turned into something of a rain shelter:

From the field, here are the stats, published by The Seattle Times (WSB partner) – Daniel Sullivan is credited with both WSHS touchdowns.

We’ll update when the brackets are in for postseason play. (P.S. WSB coverage of last night’s Sealth-Ingraham game is coming up a bit later this morning.)

Thanks to Lynn for sharing the news that, after a Thursday meet, both Chief Sealth International High School cross-country teams have qualified for the district meet. It’s scheduled next Thursday (October 25) at Lower Woodland. Lynn also shared the photos, showing both teams at/toward the start of Thursday’s races.

She says it’s been at least seven years since the Sealth boys’ team has qualified for districts. Congratulations!
Might be some mountain snow this weekend. Not enough for skiing/snowboarding, but definitely time to think about it. Tomorrow’s the start of the annual ski/snowboard swap event sponsored by Mountain To Sound Outfitters – it’s dropoff day if you have gear to sell, noon-6 pm Friday at the VFW Hall at 36th and Alaska in The Triangle. Then it’s time to shop, 10 am-6 pm Saturday and 10 am-3 pm Sunday, also at the VFW. The full M2SO announcement with details is in our calendar listing.
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