West Seattle, Washington
22 Wednesday
At the Chief Sealth International High School gym Wednesday night, it was the second night for the friendly rivals from West Seattle High School to visit – this time, for girls’ basketball. Above are Sealth and WSHS’s head coaches, Katie Jo Maris and Sonya Elliott respectively. Unlike the boys-varsity game the night before, the Wildcats went home with the win this time – 51-35.
Ahead, toplines and more photos:
The friendly cross-peninsula rivalry between our area’s two major public high schools is back on the court this week. Above, boys-basketball head coaches Keffrey Fazio of West Seattle HS and Colin Slingsby of Chief Sealth International HS, as their teams faced off Tuesday night in the Sealth gym, where the girls play tonight. In the boys-varsity game, the Seahawks topped the Wildcats 66-54, but it was closer than that much of the way:
Game toplines and more photos ahead:
(Seattle Derby Brats in action; photo by Frank Blau)
So almost everybody’s talking basketball today. But roller derby is making news too – not just because the Rat City Rollergirls‘ season is under way, but because of this big event coming to Southgate Roller Rink on Saturday. Manya shares the news on behalf of the Seattle Derby Brats:
On January 26th, at 5 pm, the Portland Rosebuds and the Seattle Derby Brats Galaxy Girls will bout at Southgate Roller Rink in White Center. They are two of the best junior roller-derby teams in the country, and they are also ranked #1 and #3 in the world.
The Seattle Derby Brats were started by a Rat City Rollergirl at Pathfinder School in West Seattle. The ‘brats’ now number 103 girls, ages 8 to 18, drawn from all areas of the Northwest.
The Galaxy Girls evolved as the competitive travel team that bouts other teams in the state and country. If you would like to read more on this sport, there’s a video at seattlederbybrats.com, the second part shows some of the girls in an actual bout.
If you enjoy great action and athleticism, come join us at Southgate Skate Center on Saturday night!
Southgate is at 9646 17th SW, less than a block south of Roxbury.
The big citywide story today is the deal to bring NBA basketball back to Seattle – and elected officials from West Seattle are hailing the deal. From King County Executive Dow Constantine:
The return of our hometown team is now within reach. I was a high school kid in the spring of 1979 when I joined 300,000 fellow fans on the streets of downtown Seattle to celebrate our Supersonics winning the NBA Championship. Those were great days for our community.
Thanks to Chris Hansen and his investment partners Steve Ballmer, Peter and Erik Nordstrom, and the strength of regional partnerships and our collective can-do spirit, we can now look forward to celebrating the day we can say, ‘Welcome home, Sonics!’
ADDED 10:23 AM: From another West Seattle-residing elected official, County Councilmember Joe McDermott, who chairs the council’s Budget and Fiscal Management Committee:
I’m thrilled Mr. Hansen and his partners acquired a team. We are closer than ever to having the Sonics play in Seattle again.
Yet, this is just one step in many left before the new arena will be built. As we agreed last year, an economic impact analysis and a full environmental review must be completed before the arena deal is finalized. The County, City and Mr. Hansen will continue to work together until the opening tip-off.
More to come.
The West Seattle High School cheer squad and their young protégés had a lot to cheer for last night, as both WSHS varsity teams won their home games against Ingraham.
It was a runaway win for the girls – West Seattle 61, Ingraham 26, game stats here, with four Wildcats in double-digit scoring – Lydia Giomi had 16 points, and 11 each are on the books for Charli Elliott, Lexi Ioane, and Gabby Sarver.
(West Seattle 5K 2012 photo by Debra Salazar Herbst)
Just four months from tomorrow – the morning of May 19th – the fifth annual West Seattle 5K will hit the street on Alki Avenue Southwest. Organizers are already signing up both runners/walkers and sponsors. (WSB has been a sponsor each year since the start, and we’re proud to be signing on again this year.) For runners/walkers, there are two incentives to sign up early: First, there’s a discount. Second, the first 100 people to register will qualify for a drawing to win a new pair of running shoes. The West Seattle 5K is a benefit for the West Seattle High School PTSA; registration and sponsorship information is all online at WestSeattle5K.com.
(10/13/2012 WSB photo by Nick Adams – that’s Sealth AD Sam Reed at right, flanked by the orange canisters)
The 2012-2013 school year is only half over but it’s already been a year of milestones for Chief Sealth International High School‘s athletics department – like the Huling Bowl football victory in October, the first-ever Nels Enquist Alumni Game event in November, and just this past weekend, the first “friendship game” between the girls-basketball teams of sister schools Sealth and Chongqing Nankai. The man facing his players while helping them hoist the Huling Bowl trophy in our photo above is Sealth Athletic Director Sam Reed, who has just been honored as the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association‘s District 2 Athletic Director of the Year. The district includes six leagues from around the metro area, representing more than 55 high schools. Reed will be in contention for statewide AD of the Year at the WIAA state conference in Spokane this April. It’s been a big year for him overall even beyond the big events mentioned above and his daily/nightly work at Sealth as AD and activities director – Reed also serves in a variety of capacities beyond Sealth itself, including Metro League president.
In Monday night high-school basketball, both of West Seattle High School‘s varsity teams played host to Bainbridge HS. Head coach Sonya Elliott‘s girls won, 44-35;
game stats are here. But it was a one-point loss for head coach Keffrey Fazio‘s boys:
Final score Bainbridge 51, WSHS 50; game stats are here. The boys-varsity team plays again tonight (Tuesday), visiting Cleveland High School, 7:30 pm; the girls will be there the same time the next night (Wednesday); both host Ingraham on Friday, 6:15 boys, 8 pm girls.
It’s the season for signups. The latest announcement is from West Seattle Girls Softball:
West Seattle Girls Softball registration is now open for the 2013 spring season! 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. We teach the basics and build skills as players continue with the program. WSGS looks forward to giving all girls ages 6-15 who are interested in learning the game a chance to build self esteem and learn about sportsmanship. We try to place players onto teams that will be most beneficial to their needs. No previous softball experience necessary.
Sign up online – and/or get more info – at westseattlegirlssoftball.com; WSGS also is on Facebook, here. (Other local leagues’ registration announcements are in our sports archive, here.)
(Nankai’s Zhang Yuheng with the ball)
Photos by Nick Adams
Story/video by Tracy Record
for West Seattle Blog
It’s not your ordinary high-school basketball game when you make your entrance greeting your opponents as warmly as your teammates …
(Sealth #11: Zoe Haywood)
… hugging them afterward …
… or when the mayor shows up, shows off ball-spinning skills to the home team’s principal, then stays for the whole game…
(Mayor Mike McGinn with Sealth principal Chris Kinsey)
… or when lion dancers take the floor before tipoff.
… or when your band plays two national anthems:
Or, when you’ve crossed an ocean to get to the gym! That’s the big reason why hoopla and hoops mixed at Chief Sealth International High School‘s gym on Saturday night, with the girls basketball team from Sealth’s sister school Chongqing Nankai, in Seattle’s Chinese sister city, joining the Seahawks for a “friendship game.” While it was close in the early going, the Nankai girls pulled away and eventually won 57 to 40. Here’s video of the final minute-plus:
Far more than just the basketball action will put this game in the history books. See why, with more photos and video, ahead:
International high-school basketball tonight – and updates on last night’s games – in this roundup. First, the Sealth and Nankai (China) teams are getting ready for tonight’s international friendship game:
They had a clinic at Sealth this morning, with former Sonics player James Donaldson as a guest expert:
Tonight’s event is more than basketball – there’s also a lion dance and mayoral greeting – tickets on sale when doors open at 6 at Sealth’s gym.
Meantime, Sealth, WSHS, and Seattle Lutheran all played varsity basketball games last night – girls and boys – reports ahead:
(UPDATED SATURDAY with more venues opening early)
It’s “Blue Friday” for Seahawks fans, looking ahead to the division-playoff game vs. Atlanta, less than 39 hours away (but who’s counting … well, maybe the fans in Steph‘s photo, above, are!). We’ve been collecting info on who’s open early if you’d like to watch the game with your fellow fans. Whenever you see this, check out the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and scroll down to Sunday (look for the calendar-page icon) to see the latest listings – mouse over the right side of a line to reveal and click on the plus sign, then use “read more” to get the full scoop. As of this writing, earlybirds (various opening times – see the calendar) that we have heard from include, in chronological order, Pioneer Coffee, Christo’s On Alki, The Bridge, West Seattle Eagles, Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), Beer Junction, Elliott Bay Brewing, Beveridge Place Pub, OutWest Bar, Zeeks Pizza (WSB sponsor), Mac’s Triangle Pub, Pegasus Pizza, Alki Tavern. Who else? Add a comment, or e-mail us at editor@westseattleblog.com (fan photos welcome too, before and/or during the game) – thanks, and of course: Go, Seahawks!
Local Special Olympics athletes are getting a helping hand from Our Lady of Guadalupe’s Knights of Columbus – and just by going to see a college-basketball game, you’ll be pitching in. SO benefits from half the ticket sales in a special promotion for this Thursday’s Seattle University basketball game vs. New Mexico (7 pm) – and some of its athletes will play at halftime. To get in on the special ticket deal, use this link and the code word “unified.”
Just a few weeks into winter, here’s another chance to look ahead to spring – West Seattle Baseball has begun registration for the Spring 2013 PONY Baseball season. Here’s the announcement from Fritz Araya:
West Seattle Baseball, longtime youth-sports organization in West Seattle created from the merger of West Seattle Pee Wee and Southwest Pony Baseball, announces the opening of priority registration for youth baseball for the 2013 season. The following divisions are open for registration.
Shetland (ages 5-6)
Pinto (ages 7-8)
Mustang (ages 9-10)
Bronco (ages 11-12)
Pony (ages 13-14)
The announcement continues ahead:Read More
A one-point win for the West Seattle High School boys-varsity basketball team topped a full Friday night slate, with WSHS and Chief Sealth International High School boys and girls teams all playing on their respective home courts, and Seattle Lutheran High School‘s two varsity teams on the road. First: WSHS boys varsity. Our photo above is from the early going; the game was won in the final seconds, according to this report from Coach Keffrey Fazio:
The West Seattle Boys Basketball team improved their record to 5-5 on the season with a clutch home win last night against number-five-ranked Franklin Quakers, 70-69. Senior LaTrey Newsome made two game-winning free throws with three seconds left to seal the deal for the Wildcats. Newsome finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds. West Seattle was powered by senior Jimi Martin, who finished the game with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Also for the Wildcats, junior DeAndre Love finished with 19 points and seven rebounds. This win is arguable the biggest win in WSHS basketball in 15-plus years.
The Wildcats travel across town to face Rainier Beach on Tuesday (1/8/13) 7pm, and then back home against O’Dea Friday (1/11/13) 6 pm.
Before the boys’ game, the WSHS girls faced Franklin.
They fell, 55-38.
Meantime, the girls varsity at Sealth emerged with a Friday night win, 49-36 over Nathan Hale (stats here), but the boys’ team was defeated, 43-38.
Finally, the Seattle Lutheran games at Tacoma Baptist, both losses for the Saints: 27-21 in the girls game, 46-42 for the boys.
Are you a decisionmaker? Stickler for the rules? Love sports? We might just have the perfect part-time gig for you. A West Seattleite is now our region’s softball Umpire-In-Chief – and shared the announcement, including a recruiting call (they’ll train you!):
West Seattle’s Kayleen Dunson has been appointed the softball Umpire In Chief (UIC) for the entire Seattle-Tacoma region. It’s her job to train the nearly 200 softball umpires in our area who serve both fast pitch and slow pitch leagues. And she’s looking for more umpires to train!
You may have seen Kayleen umpire games at all the local high schools including Seattle Lutheran, West Seattle High, and Chief Sealth, as well as the West Seattle Girls teams that play at Lincoln Park and Fairmount, and the Co-Ed adult slowpitch leagues at Delridge Community Center, and elsewhere.
Kayleen also umpires college softball, including community colleges, and Division III, II and I schools.
“I love umpiring,” Kayleen said. “Not only is it the perfect way to stay involved in the sport I love, but I also see it as my opportunity to give back to a community that I love. Also, it’s a great way to make a little extra money. You get to set your own schedule, work as much or as little as you want, and the training is free – no experience necessary,” she added.
Training sessions for the 2013 season start January 28. All training sessions include both classroom and hands-on experiences to make sure umpires are ready to get out on the field. There’s lots of information at the Seattle Metro Softball Umpires Association (SMSUA) website. Or feel free to contact Kayleen here: umpkayleen@outlook.com.
“We’re hoping to train about 40 new umpires this year and I would love to see some friendly, familiar, West Seattle faces in the crowd.”
This year, something new for West Seattle Little League – online registration. 
Here’s the official announcement, from Laurie Rasmussen:
West Seattle Little League baseball registration has begun!
West Seattle Little League is excited to announce that we will be offering ONLINE REGISTRATION as well as our traditional IN-PERSON REGISTRATION for the 2013 season. To register online go to westseattlelittleleague.com and click the “Register for 2013 season” button. The in-person registration will be held at the West Seattle High School Library on Tuesday, January 15, and Thursday, January 24, from 6 pm-8 pm. West Seattle Little
League’s website has more information regarding registration and the items needed to register your child.If you have any questions, please e-mail playeragent@westseattlelittleleague.com
Winter break often means road trip – and so it is with West Seattle High School‘s boys-varsity basketball players, who just wrapped up a tournament. Thanks to new head coach Keffrey Fazio and staff for this report:
The West Seattle High School Boys Basketball team participated in the 2012 Findlay Las Vegas Prep Championship basketball tournament (12/26-12/28).
The team played four games and finished with a record of 2-2. All four teams that the Wildcats drew were from the state of California. The team was led by 6’4″ senior LaTrey Newsome. He averaged 13 points per game during the tournament.
West Seattle also had strong tournament contributions from senior DiAndre Jackson and junior DeAndre Love, who both averaged 10 points per game during the tournament.
The Wildcats travel home Sunday, and will begin to prepare for a key league game vs. Franklin, Friday, January 4th at 745 pm at West Seattle High School.
Chief Sealth also is at a winter-break tournament, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and we’ll be checking on how that’s going.
Middle-school or 9th-grade soccer player in the house? Next Wednesday-Friday (January 2-4), they’re invited to join a student-athlete-led soccer camp at Chief Sealth International High School. The camp, to run 9 am-noon each of those three days, is intended:
… to prepare younger students for the level of play that high-school soccer requires. It will cover basics, fitness, and what it’s like being a high-school athlete. The camp will be directed and coached by current Chief Sealth Varsity Soccer players, and supervised by a member of the coaching staff. These player coaches will be able to demonstrate the drills and actively coach and play alongside the kids.
The camp is being organized by Sealth varsity-soccer team member Mori Tsuchiya, and it’s for both boys and girls, with the fee just $10 for all three days, according to the official brochure, which contains many more details. Since the camp is just days away, please RSVP by e-mail to Sealth athletic director Sam Reed at sjreed@seattleschools.org as well as to the student organizer at mori.tsuchiya@comcast.net – you can sign up the first morning of camp, but they want to know you’re coming!
Big international sports event ahead: The Nankai girls’ basketball team from Chongqing, China, is coming to Seattle and will play the Chief Sealth International High School girls on January 12th. It’ll be a cultural celebration as well as a sports event, with a halftime Lion Dance and a pre-game program with Mayor Mike McGinn. Ticket sales ($5 students aged 7 and up, $7 adults, sold only at the door that night) will benefit a Seattle-Chongqing student-exchange program as well as Sealth girls’ basketball. Mark your calendar! Doors will open at 6, program will start at 6:30, then it’s tipoff time at 7.
Two running notes this afternoon:
First – congratulations to Bonnie, whose friend Robin shared the photo, explaining:
Wanted to share that my friend Bonnie hit 1000 miles in 2012 this morning while we ran on Alki. We are super proud of her!
Second – a Sunday event from the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide and a reminder just sent by West Seattle Runner (WSB sponsor) co-proprietor Tim McConnell:
We have our 2nd Annual Holiday Light run tomorrow night at 6 pm. We will be going about 3 miles at a very slow pace, starting at the store and looking at some of the better lighted houses in the neighborhood and ending at the Helmstetler house. We encourage people to dress festive and bring a can of food for the West Seattle Food Bank. We will meet in the store around 5:50ish and head out around 6. The run should take about 40 minutes plus however long people want to hang out at the Helmstetler house.
AKA, of course, West Seattle Lights. (Where you’ll find free hot chocolate 6-8 pm Christmas Eve, regardless of whether you’re on foot or on/in vehicle.) P.S. WS Runner is at California/Charlestown, second floor.
(Charli Elliott of WSHS, Zoe Haywood of Sealth; photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
Wednesday night’s West Seattle High School–Chief Sealth International High School girls-varsity basketball game at WSHS took up where the previous night’s boys’ game left off. Both teams played a very up-tempo, aggressive game – here’s Chelle McMonigle amid Sealth double-teaming:
But West Seattle managed to control the ball for most of the game and came away with a 44-21 win. More photos as the summary continues ahead:Read More
Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Lacrosse, anyone?
Students from Hope Lutheran School have been enjoying the sport this fall, thanks to the efforts of students and parents.
Hope Lutheran received a 2012 US Lacrosse Physical Education Equipment Grant, providing 30 sets of lacrosse equipment for the school’s physical education program.
Cara Marion worked with her lacrosse-loving sons Luke and Ben (pictured at right, above) to apply for the grant earlier this year. They learned earlier this fall that their application had been chosen as one of 74 winners in the country — and the only school in Seattle — for 2012.
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