West Seattle, Washington
12 Thursday
One of those days where, as the old saying goes, it’s raining cats and Dawgs. Yes, Dawgs, as in the Apple Cup-victorious University of Washington Huskies … and that win meant Washington State University Cougars fan Conor lost his bet. We found him in Morgan Junction, in the wind and the rain, wasting no time making good on it.
Just got word from Greg Whittaker at Mountain to Sound Outfitters/Alki Kayak Tours that his other enterprise is about to start its season:
The Seattle Ski Shuttle will be launching its 2011-2012 Season in coordination with the Crystal Mountain opening tomorrow.
This will be the 3rd year we have made the season opener at Crystal Mountain, and we have room for a limited number of riders to join us.
Call Mountain to Sound Outfitters @ 206-935-7669 to book your space on the ski shuttle, or sign up online @ www.seattleskishuttle.com.
How much snow is there at Crystal, you ask? Check their webcams!
Roxhill Park‘s future “skatespot” is going into the final design phase before construction next year, now that the project team has presented the newest round of design concepts. In case you wanted to be there but couldn’t go, we have the full hour on video in our clip above (if you just want a quick look/listen at the concepts, fast-forward to about 12 minutes in).
More than 20 people attended the meeting at Southwest Library. As with the 2nd meeting last month (WSB coverage here), design firm California Skateparks was represented by its lead designer Colby Carter, who brought two concepts, each with two variations. Votes were requested; “Plan A” was the favorite by far …
… with “Plan B” a fairly strong second, while the other two got a combined total of one vote. One key feature requested: Something unique that can’t be found at any other skatepark in Seattle.
We’ve requested electronic versions of what was shown last night; in the meantime, keep an eye on the official project website for updates. This is to be built at the same time as the Roxhill Park Playground renovations, which get their own final design meeting on November 30th (6 pm, also at SW Library), with completion projected for next fall.
11:11 AM UPDATE: Thanks to Parks project manager Kelly Davidson for the full PowerPoint from last night’s meeting; see it here (from it, we’ve added the Plan A rendering inline, above).
Winter-sports season is about to begin at many high schools, including West Seattle’s Chief Sealth International HS, which announced some big news this past week: After five years, Sealth football coach Asosa Sailiai is out, according to an announcement by athletic director Sam Reed, who says that while he is looking for a new coach who can “take that next step toward competitive success,” he thanks Sailiai for “leaving a much stronger program than the one he inherited,” having been able to, with his staff, “more than triple participation numbers, eliminate significant academic achievement issues within the program and build a junior varsity team that had been absent for some time.” Also this week, Reed congratulated his school’s fall-sports athletes for their achievements – read on for the official recap he shared with the CSIHS community:Read More
The high-school-football postseason continues for two local teams: Seattle Lutheran High School defeated Bellevue Christian, 21-19, Friday night; according to the SLHS Twitter feed, the Saints will play on Tuesday for the chance to go to the state tournament. Meantime, West Seattle High School plays Capital in Olympia tonight (Saturday) at 7. (We’re keeping an eye on other sports too, with the help of our partners at the Seattle Times, but the results aren’t always up to date, so any sports reports you have from SLHS, WSHS, or Sealth, are always welcome – editor@wsb.blackfin.biz – thanks!)
From the WSB inbox – Holy Rosary 7th grader Kyle Joyce asked for help getting the word out about a service project called “Hoops for Help.” Kyle’s doing it with a friend and says, “All the money we make is going to Saint Vincent de Paul.” Specifics: 3 on 3 tournament at Holy Rosary School on November 12th, up to 4 players per team, $5/person, age groups 9-10, 11-12, and 13-14. “Winners will receive cool NBA prizes,” Kyle says. E-mail hoopsforhelp@gmail.com to sign up, including team name, age group, and contact info.
Congratulations to another winning team! From Travis, who also shared the video:
Folks, your West Seattle community has a winner in its presence!!! Its your 7,8,9 year-old West Seattle Wildcats youth football team! There’s even some 6-year-old development players that have seen some good playing time this year during games!
We’d like to take this time to invite you to the Northwest Junior Football League 89ers championship game hosted at Shoreline Stadium next Saturday, November 5th at 9:00 AM. Come get introduced to the West Seattle Wildcats playing for their championship after a great season of youth football. If you have a child you are interested in getting into the great game of football, or you want a winning team from your community to root for, or you just want to see some high-flying offense and hard hitting defense, come and cheer and experience youth football at its finest!
The 89er Wildcats this year have averaged 32 points of offense per game, with an average margin of victory over 20 points.
Travis’s report continues:Read More
(Kenaia, right, at Metro championships earlier this month, where she finished 8th)
(Photo by Desiree Gross)
From Chief Sealth International High School cross-country coach Jason Glover:
For the first time since Gretchen Benson in 1989, a Sealth runner will be heading to the state cross-country meet in Pasco this coming weekend. Sophomore Kenaia Neumann earned her way by placing 16th in the Metro-Kingco district meet at Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah last Thursday. She ran a school record 19:43 for 5k (3.1 miles, for the metrically challenged). The only other time Sealth women have run at state was as a team in 1975. They won the championship that year, making them the only school in state history with a 100% winning record at the state meet.
The championships are next Saturday.
We’ve been checking in on the postseason high-school volleyball at West Seattle High School, under way since 11 this morning. WSHS and Chief Sealth International High School both lost their opening matches; in the next round of play, WSHS won its match. Photos/updates later.
ADDED EARLY SUNDAY: Our summary of WSHS/Sealth results – ahead:Read More
7:20 PM: First final score of the night: West Seattle High School lost a postseason game to Seattle Prep at Memorial Stadium downtown tonight, 42-0. More on that a bit later. Seattle Lutheran High School is on the road vs. Tacoma Baptistin Pierce County, and that game should be just now getting started.
ADDED 9:16 PM: From SLHS’s Twitter feed – the Saints lost 41-0.
High-school volleyball playoffs are under way, and Chief Sealth International High School has a victory to celebrate, beating Holy Names, 3-1, at home tonight. The game started late because of “Viadoom”: Holy Names had to play Bainbridge Island first to determine who would face Sealth, but Bainbridge got delayed by the Viaduct-closure afternoon traffic – we spotted their bus waiting to turn onto the Hanford detour route in SODO, while that stalled truck (chronicled in our afternoon-commute coverage) was backing everything up. Next game for Sealth is on Saturday.
ADDED: Video of the final 22 minutes of the set, all the way till the two teams shook hands at the very end. Meantime, a little more information on what’s next – Sealth will play Eastside Catholic at 11 am Saturday at West Seattle High School where at the same time, different court, WSHS, which beat Sealth in the division-championship tiebreaker, will play Seattle Prep. The winners of those two games will face off at 7 Saturday night.
Fall sports at local high schools have moved into post-season play, and there was a game tonight at Southwest Athletic Complex in West Seattle – Chief Sealth International High School‘s girls-varsity soccer team faced Bishop Blanchet. The Seahawks came out on the short end, 4-0. (Next on deck: Volleyball playoffs, with Sealth hosting a game against a TBA opponent this Thursday night, and West Seattle High School doing the same on Saturday.)
From the WSB inbox: Fred Jensen is taking a swing at forming a new youth-baseball team:
I am trying to form an AA American Legion Baseball team for this year’s High School Juniors and Sophomores for the Spring/Summer 2012 Baseball season based out of West Seattle.
West Seattle hasn’t had a Legion Baseball team in a long time although there are many teams throughout Washington State. Interested people can contact me at either 7040JENSEN@comcast.net or 206-310-9397.
Still a little too warm for snow, but not too warm to be ready for ski season as soon as it arrives – considering that November is just a week and a half away. The first day of Mountain to Sound Outfitters‘ second annual Ski Swap is under way at the VFW Hall across the street (36th/Alaska in The Triangle). Boards, boots, and other gear, too:
And if you need your gear tuned up – that’s what Cody and Erin Wolford from Lokey Sports were up to while we were there:
The swap continues till 6 tonight. If you don’t see this before then – no worries – it’s happening 10 am-3 pm tomorrow, too.
Last night, we published the score. But the annual Huling Bowl football faceoff between West Seattle’s two biggest high schools is more than a game. It’s pageantry. Above, from atop a ladder, Chief Sealth International High School‘s Marcus Pimpleton directs the combined bands. As seen/heard in video (watch for the baton-tossing!):
For West Seattle High School‘s victorious football team – 53-6 – it was also Senior Night:
Stars of the game included two WSHS seniors, Nikko Pablo Emm with most of the scoring, including a 61-yard touchdown run, and receiver George Edwards picking off three Sealth passes, returning one for – that same number! – 61 yards. Sealth QB Maxwell Sharver ran the ball in for the Seahawks’ lone touchdown.
When the Wildcats came off the field at game’s end, they got a rockstar reception, as this video shows, including the traditional trophy-hoisting:
Principals Ruth Medsker of WSHS and Chris Kinsey of Sealth took a moment to pose with the trophy.
The Westside players eventually did too:
All of this followed spirited pre-game activities – we caught up with the WSHS cheer squad, weatherproofing and all:
They, and the team, are off to postseason play.
(GOTR promotional video explaining what “Running Buddies” are all about)
Here’s another situation in which a little bit of your time can make a big difference for local kids: Girls On The Run needs more women to volunteer as “Running Buddies” to mentor the third-through-fifth graders who run their first race as part of the program. We got the word from one of the West Seattle GOTR volunteers, Robbie, who coaches a group at Alki Elementary; she says GOTR is running low on volunteers this year as the sign-up deadline approaches, and is getting out the word in hopes of changing that. “It is a pretty small commitment of time,” says Robbie. “We need them for one practice 5K and then at the race at Seward Park, about 6 hours total.” That race is the 5K in December at Seward Park that’s the culmination of this season – it’s the first-ever 5K for the participating girls. Teen “running buddies” are welcome as well as adults, as long as you’ll be 16 years old by November 14th. Full details on this flyer – and you can sign up through a link you’ll find on this page along with more info on the program.
BIg sports night for principals Ruth Medsker of West Seattle High School and Chris Kinsey of Chief Sealth International High School – they’re watching their varsity football teams in the Huling Bowl at West Seattle Stadium, while their volleyball teams are facing off in the division-championship tiebreaker at Holy Names on Capitol Hill. For updates on both games, check our @wsblive Twitter feed (see it on the web, here). More later!
10:22 PM UPDATE: As commenters have already pointed out, West Seattle took the volleyball match over Sealth, in five sets. West Seattle also won the football game, 53-6. Photos and video to come in a separate story!
In addition to the Huling Bowl football game at 7 pm Friday – with pre- and during-game festivities detailed in last night’s story – there’s one more West Seattle High School–Chief Sealth International High School game of note that night: Volleyball! After Sealth’s win at Nathan Hale in five sets last night, the stage is set for them to face WSHS in a division-championship tiebreaker game – both went 11-1 in division play – at 5:45 pm Friday at Holy Names High School (728 21st Ave. East; admission free).
Who will win the Huling Bowl this year? We find out Friday night. But, as the official announcement reveals, there are more reasons to come cheer the annual West Seattle High School vs. Chief Sealth International High School football game than just the game itself:
Join both schools, past alumni and the entire West Seattle community in this annual contest between area rivals. Festivities include a free pre-game barbecue provided by long-time supporters and named sponsors, Steve and Tom Huling.
School Principals Ruth Medsker of West Seattle and Chris Kinsey of Chief Sealth have upped the ante and backed their school, by placing a friendly wager on the game. They’ve agreed that the winning team’s leader will get to be “principal for a day” at the other school.
The student leadership of each school is getting into the act as well, asking the fans representing each school to participate in a canned food drive during the week and at the entrance into West Seattle Stadium. All of the donated goods will go directly to the West Seattle Food Bank, with the winning school’s community being recognized during the game.
The game is also in the running for Kiro7’s High School “Game of the Week” with voting taking place online at kirotv.com/hsfootball/index.html.
Half-time entertainment includes an exciting joint performance from the two bands as well a light-hearted competition between the two schools’ staff. The game also marks West Seattle’s “Senior Night,” and recognition will be paid to the senior football players from that program in what will be their last home game of their careers.
Pre-game:
• 5:30: Pre-game BBQ starts (provided by Steve and Tom Huling)
• 6:00: Stadium gates open
• 6:55: Sealth Band performs National Anthem
• 7:00: KickoffHalf-time (20 minutes):
• 10 minutes: Sealth and West Seattle band in joint field show
• 5 minutes: Sealth vs. West Seattle staff “punt, pass & kick” competition
A potentially fun side note to this Friday night’s Huling Bowl crosstown matchup between the West Seattle High School and Chief Sealth International High School varsity football teams: As mentioned in last weekend’s football coverage, it’s a Channel 7 “Game of the Week” contender. You have till Thursday to vote in the online poll, which the local game is leading – for now – don’t get complacent!
That’s how the first-ever “Beat the Burn” 5K run/walk began on Alki this morning. The siren you hear, right after the air horn, was from a Port of Seattle fire truck parked yards away – made sense, since the event raising money for the Northwest Burn Foundation was put on by the Port firefighters’ union, IAFF Local 1257. Among those on hand to cheer the 250-plus runners/walkers was Port Commissioner Gael Tarleton (photo center, in red and black):
Participants spanned a wide age range, with youth participating in the 5K though there was a kids’ dash scheduled afterward. Here are the first two finishers – announced as 14 and 57 years old!
Organizers noted the participants’ geographic diversity too – some from the East Coast (we heard a “Silver Springs, Maryland” finisher announcement go by) and, we were told, even a visitor from Croatia! If you missed the event, you can still help the NW Burn Foundation help burn patients … their online-donation link is here.
Today’s two high-school football games brought victories for both local teams: Tonight at West Seattle Stadium, WSHS beat Ingraham 30-13 in its homecoming game. And this afternoon, Seattle Lutheran won at Orcas Island, 28-27. We’ll add WSHS homecoming highlights in a bit. (P.S. Nichole sent words, next week’s WSHS-Sealth faceoff is up for Channel 7 Game of the Week – vote here.)
ADDED: Summary from the WSHS game, ahead:Read More
Another big achievement for the West Seattle triathlete! From her sister, Susan Robinson:
Proud to announce that my sister, Judith Sentz (of West Seattle), participated in the World Ironman Triathlon on Oct. 8th in Kona, Hawaii. The race consists of a 2.4-mile ocean swim, 112-mile bike ride, and a full marathon, 26.2 miles. That’s 140.6 miles!! Judy finished 14th in her age group (60-64) in just over 14 hours. Her family was there to cheer her on. She is an amazing West Seattle athlete!
She qualified for the world-championship event by winning her division in a triathlon in Idaho earlier this year.
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