Kentlake High’s fastpitch team was in an unusual position halfway through its game against Kentridge Wednesday night — it was not winning.
Heading into the bottom of the fourth the Chargers had taken a 2-1 lead after Rianna Bidon’s single up the middle drove in Kayla Andrus.
Shortly after throwing a two-hit, complete-game masterpiece in an 8-0 Class 4A state championship contest against Richland at the home of the Seattle Mariners, Kain took stock of his surroundings and was succinct with his feelings.
“It’s pure bliss,” the 6-foot-6 pitcher said at the time. “Just awesome.”
A little less than a year later, on the same field where Kain enjoyed the finest athletic experience of his life, came possibly the most difficult ordeal he has ever faced.
While playing first base in a nonleague game against Issaquah on April 2 at Safeco, Kain reached his long frame out to take a throw from third. It was a play he had been part of thousands of times before without a problem. One he could perform falling out of bed at 6 in the morning. All Kain had to do was stretch, wait for the smack of the ball on leather and listen for the “out” signal from the umpire.
The Kentwood High boys soccer team did it once to open the season.
Last week, the Conquerors did it again, knocking off powerhouse Thomas Jefferson 1-0 in a pivotal South Puget Sound League North Division game.
The Reporter’s Preps on Deck
Preps of the Week | Kentwood, Kentlake, Tahoma
Home runs were the story of the game Tuesday for Tahoma in a 9-0 win over Kentwood.
Led by first baseman Lisa Maulden’s pair of homers, the Bears bats heated up for the first time since its season opener in March, as catcher Shelby Carter and Jordan Walley also went yard.
Jasmine’s Melody, a 6-year-old Pennsylvania-bred that loves to win races, drew off in the stretch for a 7 ¼-length victory Sunday in the featured $8,700 Chase Secured Birthday Purse for fillies and mares at Emerald Downs.
Veteran speedster Olympic Lights routed six overmatched opponents Saturday by 5 ¼ lengths in the $11,900 American Horse Transportation Purse for older horses at Emerald Downs.
With Robert Skelly riding, Olympic Lights ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1minute, 2.63 seconds on a wet-fast track and paid $12.20, $6 and $4. Charles Essex is the trainer and co-owner with Moon Glow Farms and Dennis Trenkenschuh.
The city of Maple Valley Parks and Recreation’s adult coed volleyball league wrapped up the 2011 season recently with the annual post-season tournament.
Emerald Downs season opener slide show
Washington Hall of Fame trainer Jim Penney appears to have great depth this season in the filly and mare division at Emerald Downs.
That certainly was the case Friday evening as a festive opening night throng braved cool and rainy weather to celebrate the beginning of the track’s 16th season.
The Northwest’s premier racing venue springs into action Friday when Emerald Downs begins its 16th season of Thoroughbred racing at 6 p.m.
The 82-day meet continues through Sept. 25, with first post 6 p.m. Fridays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Thursday racing will be added July 14 to Aug. 25.
The Northwest’s premier racing venue springs into action Friday when Emerald Downs begins its 16th season of Thoroughbred racing at 6 p.m.
The 82-day meet continues through Sept. 25, with first post 6 p.m. Fridays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Thursday racing will be added July 14 to Aug. 25.
The Northwest’s premier racing venue springs into action Friday when Emerald Downs begins its 16th season of Thoroughbred racing at 6 p.m.
The 82-day meet continues through Sept. 25, with first post 6 p.m. Fridays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Thursday racing will be added July 14 to Aug. 25.
The Northwest’s premier racing venue springs into action Friday when Emerald Downs begins its 16th season of Thoroughbred racing at 6 p.m.
The 82-day meet continues through Sept. 25, with first post 6 p.m. Fridays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Thursday racing will be added July 14 to Aug. 25.
Brittany Styger and Ryne Shelton of Kentlake, Saibra Rubadue and Breanna West of Tahoma are the Preps of the Week for April 15
Repeat?
Kentwood High girls tennis coach Ingrid Bakke would love nothing more from her Conquerors this spring, but, she’s well aware of how tough the road ahead will be.
And to duplicate last year’s success, when the Conquerors grabbed the league title with a perfect 10-0 mark and went on to win a district title and take second at state, is almost unthinkable.
Kara Ikeda felt a slight twinge in her right shoulder in December but figured it was nothing more than the usual muscle soreness associated with playing competitive tennis.
Now four months later, the irritation has stuck with Ikeda, a Kentlake junior and one of the top-returning tennis players on the South Puget Sound League North Division circuit this spring.
Kentlake beat Jefferson 21-0, Kentwood beat Kentridge 11-1 and Tahoma beat K-M 10-0 on Tuesday.
Sis’s Sis, Emerald Downs’ champion 3-year-old filly last year, is among five older fillies and mares entered in Friday’s $21,000 allowance feature at 5 ½ furlongs. Sixty-six horses are entered on the eight-race card with trainers Howard Belvoir and Tim McCanna leading the way with six and five horses, respectively.
In an effort to enhance live, race day exposure, Emerald Downs will add new elements to its TV coverage throughout the 2011 season.
During selected races, Director of Publicity Joe Withee will complement his prerace analysis with a brief interview with a race entrant’s trainer or owner, as their horse warms up before post time. The interview will be done live, immediately after the post parade. Withee said the new coverage would give racing fans a fresh take on the upcoming race.
Summit Gymnastics Boy’s Artistic Team had a good showing at the Washington state Men’s Gymnastics Championships on March 19.
The meet was at Mount Rainier High School in Des Moines. Athletes competed in six events including vault, pommel horse, parallel bars, high bar, floor and rings.
