Eagles’ Rachel Roeder named volleyball player of the year
February 22, 2011
Issaquah High School senior Rachel Roeder (center) celebrates her Gatorade award with her volleyball teammates, Maggie Reingold (left), Maddy Emerson, Sarah Hanna and Alexa Batiquin. By Laura Geggel
Standing tall at 6-foot-1, Issaquah High School’s Rachel Roeder is a formidable foe on the volleyball court.
The outside hitter has a recorded 469 kills, 252 digs, 67 service aces and 28 blocks this past season while posting a kill percentage of .449; enough to attract the attention of Gatorade in its search for Washington Volleyball Player of the Year.
Gatorade has honored high school athletes since 1985, and announced Roeder’s award in collaboration with ESPN RISE.
The award recognizes Roeder for her outstanding athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court.
At Issaquah High School, Roeder has earned a B average and volunteers as a youth coach, and as an assistant with the Issaquah High School Sports Medicine Program. In her free time, she volunteers at Rotary First Harvest, a food bank in Kent.
The ace player began playing volleyball in seventh grade.
“I was just one of those kids who played every sport,” Roeder said.
As for volleyball, “it just stuck with me,” she said.
Help the Issaquah History Museums
February 22, 2011
Grocery shop at PCC Natural Markets and help the Issaquah History Museums, including Gilman Town Hall, Issaquah Depot and Historic Downtown Issaquah museums.
For every $25 PCC Script card purchased, the museums will receive 5 percent back, a value equal to $1.25. Every time a history museums member puts more money on a card, the museums will receive 5 percent of the recharge total.
Purchase the cards at Gilman Town Hall, 165 S.E. Andrews St., or buy them online.
Rojecki, Ormbrek
February 22, 2011
Brian Ormbrek and Kate Rojecki
Kate Rojecki and Brian Ormbrek, both of Seattle, were married Aug. 28, 2010, at Maplewood Greens in Renton. Susie Sather officiated.
The bride, the daughter of Jim and Lisa Rojecki, of Issaquah, is a 2002 graduate of Liberty High School. Her bridal attendants were Kelly Rojecki McKee, Kiersten Fellrath and Piper Sather.
Kate earned a Bachelor of Science degree in tourism management in 2007 from Central Washington University. She is an e-mail marketing specialist for Holland America Line.
The groom, the son of Ken and Page Ormbrek, of Yakima, and Joan and Andy Hento, of Bremerton, is a 1996 graduate of Eisenhower High School. His groomsmen were Kurt Puterbaugh, Lewis Walbrek and Matt McKee.
Brian earned a Bachelor of Science degree in botany in 2001 at the University of Washington. He is a revenue analyst at Holland America Line.
The couple honeymooned at Maui and the Big Island, Hawaii.
Spartans drop 4A girls league title to the Falcons
February 22, 2011
Skyline High School senior guard Lindsey Nicholson gave the Spartans plenty to cheer about in the first half against the Woodinville Falcons.
By Christopher Huber Skyline’s Megan Weideman goes up for a shot against Woodinville’s Ali Forde during the third quarter of the KingCo 4A championship game Feb. 18.
She hit her first three 3-point shots of the first quarter and a half and at one point helped Skyline get out to an early 18-10 lead.
But Woodinville’s Deidre Miller hit more baskets, and they all counted down the stretch.
By the look of it through three quarters, the 4A KingCo Conference girls basketball title seemed to belong to the Spartans. But Miller’s barrage from beyond the arc aided the Falcons to a 55-47 comeback victory against Skyline for the league championship Feb. 18 at Juanita High School.
Miller, a junior coming off two years on the bench with two consecutive ACL injuries, finished with a game-high 21 points, including five 3-pointers.
“We knew she was there,” Skyline coach Greg Bruns said. “Boy, she knocked down shots.”
Both teams are bound for the state tournament. This year there is a new tournament format with four regionals. The top two teams from each regional advance to the quarterfinals March 3 in the Tacoma Dome. Skyline, 16-8, plays in Region 3 Feb. 25 at Rogers of Puyallup. Woodinville, 19-5 and winners of 11 straight, plays in Region 2 Feb. 25 at Inglemoor.
“I think we came out really prepared,” Nicholson said after the game. “I haven’t shot threes like that in a while.”
Skyline was firing on all cylinders in the first half. The Spartans led 13-8 to end the first quarter and the defense caused all sorts of adversity for the Woodinville offense.
“The Skyline defense was amazing,” Miller said after the game.
Nicholson said ultimately the string of big shots helped motivate the team to finish the first half strong. The Falcons missed handfuls of easy shots and looked like a different team than the one that beat Eastlake to get to the title match.
Bruns added that the Spartans threw in some new strategies the Falcons would not have been ready for.
Eagle gymnasts earn high marks at state
February 22, 2011
Issaquah High School gymnasts A.J. Bowers and Olivia Goree both came away with high places Feb. 19 at the 4A state gymnastics tournament in the Tacoma Dome.
Bowers, in her first year of varsity gymnastics, finished fourth in vault. Goree, a senior, capped her varsity career by finishing fifth on the balance beam and tying for eighth in floor exercise.
While Bowers beamed from the Tacoma Dome podium, Goree wept at the end of her floor performance in the arms of head coach Ryan Fleisher.
Coach Ryan Fleisher (back to camera) and Olivia Goree, Issaquah senior, embrace as Goree finishes her high school gymnastics career with a floor routine Feb. 19 during the 4A state gymnastics tournament at the Tacoma Dome. By Sebastian Moraga
Fleisher, the 2011 4A Washington State Gymnastics Coach of the Year, had high praise for both.
“I thought she did really well,” Fleisher said of Bowers. “To make it to state in your first year on the team, in the toughest league and not let the intimidation factor get to you, she did great.”
Bowers earned a 9.4 on vault. Her performance, Fleisher said, “looked awesome.”
Goree had been a crucial part of the school’s gymnastics program for the last four years, said Fleisher.
As a gymnast, Fleisher ended her high school career the same way Goree did, so she said she understood her tears.
“I finished my program in the same room,” she said. “It was a good cry.”
Goree’s score on beam suffered after she fell.
“It was a little disappointing,” Goree said. “It’s one of my strongest events. It was really hard, since it’s the last time I compete in beam, but I’m still really happy with how I finished.”
Goree earned an 8.825 on beam and a 9.5 on floor. After her performance on beam, she called being at state “an amazing experience.”
“I’m just trying to take everything in and kind of say, ‘This is my last time to show it all off,’ and try to embrace every moment.”
State titles elude 4A swimmers
February 22, 2011
There were no individual championships for Issaquah School District boys swimmers at the 4A State Swimming and Diving Championships Feb. 19 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
But Issaquah High’s Brian Ruggles certainly spent a lot of time on the podium as he placed among the state’s top five in two events and also swam on two relays that ranked among the top eight.
Ruggles finished third in the 100 freestyle in 48.38 seconds, which was a respectable time in most meets. However, Eastlake freshman phenom Edward Kim won the event in an all-America qualifying time of 45.56 and Kentridge’s Chase Bublitz was second in 47.54.
Kim and Bublitz also went one-two in the 50 freestyle where Ruggles ended up fifth in 22.14.
Scavenger Hunt
February 22, 2011
Where's the potato?
In honor of Village Theatre’s new musical comedy “Iron Curtain,” opening March 17, Village Theatre is launching a scavenger hunt.
Village Theatre will post a photo of a potato in seven iconic Issaquah locations for the next seven Tuesdays on its Facebook page.
Figure out where that location is, take your own photo with a potato of your choice (receive extra points for style) and post it to Village Theatre’s Facebook page.
Clues to the potato’s location will be posted every Wednesday through Friday. Those who post their photo in the correct location first will win a pair of free tickets to see “Iron Curtain.” Everyone who posts will be entered to win a pair of season tickets. Get more info at www.villagetheatre.org/iron_curtain_scavengerhunt.php.
Leaders of tomorrow are taking charge today
February 22, 2011
You don’t need to look far to see the impact of Issaquah teens’ service projects.
By Iman Baghai
Beaver Lake Middle School’s annual South African Humanitarian Project, a youth-run initiative, raises truckloads of school supplies for African orphanages each year.
Skyline High School’s Katie Mincin recently organized an Invisible Children Awareness Week that earned more than $4,000 in donations for the global nonprofit.
Beat writer Kim Bussing and classmate Kaileen Dougherty, of Issaquah High School, are holding a Destination Imagination event March 5 at the Pacific Cascade Freshmen Campus, where younger kids have the chance to participate in science fair type activities, acting and the arts.
Last year, Bussing and Dougherty raised $900 for Haiti by selling concessions at the event. This year, they plan to donate the earnings to Seattle Children’s.
Who’s News
February 22, 2011
Together Center announces board of director changes
Barbara de Michele, of Issaquah, has been named chairwoman of the Together Center board of directors. She is the executive director of the Issaquah Community Network.
De Michelle takes over for longtime chairman John Spangenberg, of Kirkland, who has been named chair emeritus.
John Rittenhouse, a manager at Microsoft from Issaquah, is now vice chair.
Also joining the board of directors is Donna Batter, of Issaquah, a fundraising consultant.
Together Center is a nonprofit organization that helps the needy find food, shelter, medical and dental care, child care assistance, youth and family counseling, and more.
Clubs
February 22, 2011
This week
Eastside Welcome Club: 10 a.m. first Wednesday, 836-9224
Elks Lodge No. 1843: 7 p.m. the first Tuesday, 765 Rainier Blvd. N., 392-1400
Issaquah Amateur Radio Club: 7 p.m. first Wednesday, Issaquah Valley Senior Center, 75 N.E. Creek Way, www.qsl.net/w7bi
Issaquah Ham Radio Support Group: 7 p.m. fourth Monday at the Issaquah Police Station, 130 E. Sunset Way, talk-in at 146.56 MHz at 7 p.m., meeting at 7:30 p.m., www.qsl.net/w7bi
Issaquah Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary: 7:30 p.m. fourth Wednesday, 175 Front St. N., 392-6751
Issaquah Emblem Club: 7 p.m. first Wednesday, Elks Lodge, 765 Rainier Blvd. N., 392-1400
Issaquah Quilters: 10 a.m. to noon fourth Friday, Issaquah Depot, 50 Rainier Blvd. N., info@issaquahquilters.com
Issaquah Valley Grange: 7:30 p.m. fourth Monday, Issaquah Myrtle Mason Lodge Hall, 57 W. Sunset Way, 392-3013
Issaquah Valley Rock Club: last Friday, September through June, Issaquah Valley Senior Center, 75 N.E. Creek Way, Information@issaquahrockclub.org
