They have the potential and plenty of talent, too.
Now, second-year Kentlake High wrestling coach Jeremy Williams wants to see it all come together for the Falcons on the mat.
“We definitely want to be in the top three in dual (meets) in the league,” Williams said. “We know Tahoma and Auburn have tough teams, and Kentwood does as well. But we have a lot of guys who have potential and aspirations to make it to state.”
It would be wise not to assume that Tahoma’s wrestling team is in a rebuilding year despite graduating nine seniors, including three-time state champion Nick Bayer, from a team that finished second in the state last year.
There was good news and bad at the end of the Tahoma High girls basketball team’s first game on Dec. 2.
Good news was Tahoma beat Auburn at home, 55-46, but the bad news was Lauren Hamberg, one of four returning varsity players, suffered a season ending knee injury.
Change is sweeping across the Kentlake High girls basketball courts this winter.
“We’re very green in the post this year,” deadpanned sixth-year coach Scott Simmons. “We’re no longer big.”
They were on the brink last year.
So close they could see the pinnacle.
Good. At times, even great.
But when the season ended, the Kentwood High girls basketball team still wasn’t where it wanted to be.
A trio of Kentlake High fastpitch players have committed to play college ball in the past week.
Center fielder Erin Crowley, the Falcons leadoff hitter this past season, will play at Seattle University, while infielder Jessie Richardson will head to Bradley University and shortstop Erika Smyth will play at the University of Minnesota.
One of the sharpest sprinters last season at Emerald Downs continued his winning ways in California as Taif scored a 1 ½-length victory over Court Mischief in a $32,492 allowance race at Golden Gate Fields on Dec. 2.
Carsen Dean is excited about the Tahoma boys swim and dive team’s prospects this year.
“Based on how the past few weeks have been going, we’re working a lot harder,” Dean said. “A lot of people are returning. We have a really good relay. We have people who are solid for each event.”
Tanner Keeling-Garcia can fly in the water and in the skies.
Keeling-Garcia, a junior on the Kentlake boys swim and dive team, is on the verge of getting his private pilot’s license but is also one of the Falcon’s strongest swimmers.
Seattle University head baseball coach Donny Harrel has announced seven student-athletes signed national letters of intents including Kentwood High’s pitcher Kyle Doyle and Tahoma High’s catcher Brian Olson.
The 4A girls soccer season ended with two of South Puget Sound League North Division teams at the top of the state championship bracket with Kentwood taking the crown in a shootout over Tahoma.
Kentlake also came out firing this year making it the first round of the state playoffs.
Daniel Landram is keeping it simple this winter.
The Kentlake High guard doesn’t care how many points he scores this basketball season. Nor does he care about how many rebounds he collects or assists he dishes out.
Landram has just one goal.
Nerves. Excitement. Passion.
First-year Kentwood High boys basketball coach Brian Davis is feeling it all these days.
Except, interestingly enough, pressure. Kentwood enters the season as the Class 4A defending state champs, and has finished either first or second in the South Puget Sound League North Division in three of the last four years.
Christian Behrens was trying to get back on defense as former Kentwood standout Josh Smith, who is now at UCLA, was on a breakaway during a league game in January.
Behrens planted his left foot and heard his knee pop.
“It was completely torn and I had to have surgery in mid-February,” he said.
After missing the rest of his junior season recovering from a torn left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), there was no way Behrens was going to lose any time on the court his senior
The 6-year-old Washington-bred mare Reba Is Tops capturing the $61,000 Raise Your Skirts Stakes at Hollywood Park Friday, Nov. 26. The turf sprint specialist improved her career record to 12-6-3 from 26 starts with earnings of $361,229.
South End Stunnerz caused three turnovers that quarterback Mark Nelson turned into touchdown passes and the Stunnerz went on to rout Bad Newz Kennelz 34-13 in the B league flag football championship game played at Lake Wilderness Park Saturday.
Coaches have voted for the top athletes in their respective fall sports with many local prep stars making the lists.
In football, Kentwood, Kentlake and Tahoma players all made the South Puget Sound League on offense and defense.
I hate shootouts.
Can’t stand ’em. In fact, I can’t think of a more ridiculous way to end a game, particularly a state championship game. However, I am able to come up with several alternatives in other sports that would be the equivalent.
Kentwood and Tahoma battle for the 4A girls state soccer championship 4 p.m. today at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood.
Tahoma beat the 2009 state champion, Skyline, 1-0 in the semifinal game.
Kentwood battled Skyview in the late game. The Conks won 2-1 after two overtime periods and nine shots in the shootout.
It will be a South Puget Sound League, 4A North Division party Saturday when Tahoma lines up against Kentwood for the girls 4A state soccer championship 4 p.m. Saturday at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood.
Tahoma won its semifinal game beating Skyline 1-0 Friday at Harry Lang and Kentwood took its step next beating Skyview 2-1.
