There’s something to be said about possessing a winning tradition.
Few athletic programs in the state have as much of it as the Kentlake High fastpitch team. Since the school opened in 1997, the Falcons have advanced to the state tournament nine times and either won or challenged for the South Puget Sound League North Division title in nearly each of those seasons.
Tahoma fastpitch squad beats Kentlake 5-2. This is the first time the Bears have beaten the Falcons in fastpitch.
For the longest time coaches and trainers have been teaching athletes that they need to work hard and push themselves in practice so that when it’s time to compete, their performance level is at its highest potential peak.
Tahoma’s fastpitch teams prepares on Monday for big division games against Auburn Riverside Tuesday and Kentlake Wednesday.
• Zach Wright
Pitcher – Kentlake – Senior
Notable: UW-bound ace has 88-90 mph. heat to go with deadly change-up.
It’s going to be a wire-to-wire, day-in, day-out battle. While Kentwood is the early favorite, Kentlake, Kentridge, Federal Way and Tahoma all could be on top come late April.
The Tahoma High baseball team is back on the field and ready for another season.
The boys have played two nonleague games, losing to Sumner 10-5 Monday and beating Emerald Ridge Tuesday 6-2.
The Bears finished third in state last year and the team will be looking for that magic formula that got them that far again this year.
Leading the defense in the infield will be senior Taylor Smart at shortstop. He will be playing at University of Nevada, Las Vegas next season, but for the spring he will be anchoring the hole for the Bears.
Tahoma’s winning ways to start the season continued on Thursday with a 10-0 victor over Kent-Meridian in the South Puget Sound League North Division opener.
Senior Katie Myers, sophomore Jordan Walley and freshman Lauren Walters combined in the circle for the Bears to pitch a no hitter against the Royals. They collected eight strike outs in total, according to Coach Tom Milligan.
Tahoma bounced back from a non-league loss at Skyline on Monday with a big 4-3 victory over Emerald Ridge on the road on Wednesday.
Kiley Dunn, a junior third baseman for the Bears, started things off with a two run triple with two outs.
Tom Ingles isn’t coming to town.
With head football coaching vacancies at Kent-Meridian and Kentlake, rumors had been swirling for a while that Ingles, who led Kentwood to state titles in 2001 and 2002, would be returning to Kent. Ingles left Kentwood for Puyallup High in 2003 after using the Kent School District’s retire-rehire process in consecutive years. Teachers in the district are only allowed to use the retire-rehire process twice, which helps explain why Ingles exited for good in 2003 despite the fact that he openly stated on many occasions his preference to remain at Kentwood.
Sure, there are openings in the district, but …
“They’d have to change the board policy before I came back,” said Ingles, who stepped down from his post at Puyallup High in January after six seasons.
“I’ve been approached. When I left Kentwood, it was because of the retire-rehire policy and that hasn’t changed. It’s not that I am not interested in either (the Kent-Meridian or Kentlake) job, but things would have to change.”
Which still leaves us with openings. However, word was spreading late last week and early this week that the position at Kentlake had been filled, though athletic director Bruce Rick couldn’t confirm (nor deny) the hire.
They know the season rides on their shoulders.
As always, Kentlake High’s interchangeable pitching aces Zach Wright and Doug Christie remain unflappable, calm as ever with the road that lies ahead. The Falcon flamethrowers don’t have time these days for panic. Never have. Never will.
They graduated their No. 1 pitcher and No. 2 broke his leg in January and is out for the baseball season.
Strangely, things are still looking pretty good these days for the Kentwood High baseball team despite graduating Alexander Lee and losing Kent Hagen in January.
Students from Pacific Martial Arts Academy will learn the meaning of character as they participate in a Kick-A-Thon fundraiser at…
2010 slow break basketball standings | Maple Valley Parks and Recreation
Kentwood boys basketball 4A championship | Video
Kentwood won its second boys basketball 4A state championship on March 6 at the Tacoma Dome. Photos by Charles Cortes from the semi-final game against Wilson from March 5 and the title game against Jackson on March 6.
The City of Maple Valley Parks and Recreation’s spring adult kickball league is now forming.
Teams play with 10 defensive fielders, half of which must be female. Teams will play eight league games on Sunday afternoons and the season runs from April 11-June 27. Teams receive one free kickball when registered.
The Kentwood boys basketball team will face Jackson at 7 p.m. in the Tacoma Dome for the state 4A title.
Erick Walker will be covering the game and posting a story following the action.
The Kentwood boys basketball team will face Jackson at 7 p.m. in the Tacoma Dome for the state 4A title.
Erick Walker will be covering the game and posting a story following the action.
The Kentwood boys basketball team is one game away from the state title game.
Kentwood v Wilson boys basketball state tournament semifinal | Live updates
The Conks play Wilson at 8:30 p.m. at the Tacoma Dome in the semifinals.
