Adam Dondoyano, Issaquah senior wide receiver, takes in a pass during practice with teammates Aug. 27 at Issaquah Stadium, where they return for their home games this year. By Greg Farrar

Issaquah High School football teams have been able to put up the points and pile up the yards with the best teams in recent years.

That will likely be the case again this fall. However, the Eagles believe they have a stronger defense, which could determine their success.

“I really think defense is our strength,” said senior middle linebacker Nik Landdeck. “We’ve got guys who like to hit. We’ve got a lot of speed on defense, especially in the secondary. Our ‘D’ line is going to be pretty darn good, too.”

Issaquah’s defense gets its first test Sept. 3, when the Eagles travel to Vancouver and play Heritage in the season opener.

Landdeck, a returning 4A All-KingCo Conference first-team selection, is slightly biased when it comes to defense. He’s a four-year starter at linebacker and really relishes the roll of being a hard-hitting tackler. He has averaged more than 100 tackles in each of the last two seasons.

“Sometimes, it feels like I’ve been in high school for 30 years,” he said.

Opponents probably feel like Landdeck has been around a long time, too. Teammate Adam Dondoyano said Landdeck is definitely the leader on defense.

“You always know he will bring it in every game. He deserves all the awards he’s received,” said Dondoyano, who was a second-team all-league cornerback last season.

Defense wasn’t always a strong point for the Eagles last season, especially against powerful league foes Bothell and Skyline. Nevertheless, Issaquah produced an 8-4 record and reached the state playoffs for the fourth straight year. Issaquah was impressive in the preliminary round of the playoffs, shutting down Kentwood 42-10.

But Landdeck and other starters weren’t satisfied with the season and went to work almost right after the final game, a 30-9 loss to Bothell in the quarterfinals.

“We got in the weight room and started working hard. We’re bigger and stronger this season,” Landdeck said.

Other defensive standouts for Issaquah are outside linebacker Austin Richert and tackle Jay Deines. Both earned all-KingCo honorable mention last season.

Issaquah coach Chris Bennett said he likes the potential of the secondary with the return of Taylor Wyman, Blake Miller, Spencer Warren and Dondoyano. Richert and Landdeck give Issaquah a pair of aggressive linebackers.

Eric Lemke (6-foot-4, 235 pounds), Jeff Crocker (6-6, 240), Paul Goertz (6-2, 270), and Deines (6-5, 255) will provide the Eagles with a big, strong front four.

Issaquah’s offense should be powerful again. Among the headliners is wide receiver Evan Peterson, who had a record-setting season as a junior.

Peterson, who earned first-team honors, led 4A KingCo with 71 receptions for 1,219 yards and caught a league-high 17 touchdown passes. For the entire season, Peterson hauled in 90 passes for more than 1,500 yards and scored 19 touchdowns.

“He had a phenomenal year,” Bennett said, adding that Peterson isn’t preoccupied by the number of receptions he gets or the post-season honors. “He is the ultimate team guy. He will gladly give up half his catches if it helps the team win.

“He’s not worried about the records.”

Dondoyano, who earned second-team all-league honors as a receiver, Jake Bakamus and Warren are other reliable receivers. Junior Ethan Kalin, a backup last fall, succeeds Ryan Bergman, who led 4A KingCo in passing yardage and set several individual school records. Bergman graduated last spring and now plays for Western Oregon University.

Kalin, 6-foot, 230 pounds, doesn’t look like the prototype high-school quarterback.

“I’ve heard players on other teams say, ‘What’s a guard doing back there at quarterback?’” said Kalin, a lefthander.

But Bennett said, “Ethan throws the ball well. He has great arm strength. He’s a gamer, and has done well in preseason passing camps.”

Issaquah won’t rely on just throwing the ball. Wyman, a pleasant surprise last fall, was one of the league’s top running backs. He became the Eagles’ primary running back early in the season, when standout Grant Gellatly went down with a hamstring injury. Wyman churned for 839 yards on 137 carries last season.

“He really came into his own last season and we expect him to be even better this season. He has worked hard in the weight room,” Bennett said.

Landdeck also plays on offense, starting at fullback.

Gellatly, now a freshman at Cornell, will be missed. However, there is another Gellatly at Issaquah. Jack, a freshman and the youngest of four brothers, figures to be an impact player for the Eagles this fall.

Lemke, a junior, could be one of the top tight ends in the league. Deines, Crocker, Goertz and Richert will also start on the offensive line.

Landdeck said the team’s major goal is to return to the Tacoma Dome, site of the state finals. He started on the 2008 team that lost to Skyline for the championship.

“That was a fun season. It was quite a run,” Landdeck said. “We want to get back to the Tacoma Dome this year, but this time, we want a better outcome.”

Skyline senior wide receiver Kasen Williams makes a ‘W’ with his hands Aug. 27 after choosing to play at the University of Washington in 2011. By Christopher Huber

Kasen Williams sat in a blue chair, his right hand hovering over five hats on a folding table.

He dangled the hand over the Washington hat. He let it linger on the Louisiana State hat. He waved it over the Florida hat. Then, he surprised everyone.

“Dad, can you help me out?”

As Williams, Skyline High School’s 6-foot-3, 200-pound wide receiver, waved his arms to excite the crowd, his father Aaron stepped forward.

He unzipped a green-and-white Spartans jacket and revealed the same No. 2 jersey he wore at Washington. At that moment, with about 1,000 players, parents, coaches and friends cheering, it became clear Kasen Williams would follow in his father’s footsteps and play for the Huskies.

“I thought it would be a good idea, have him cover it up and then take it off and I could put it on,” said Williams, who caught 74 passes for 1,209 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior. “It’s kind of like following in his footsteps and it’s kind of like a transition from Skyline to the UW.”

Williams knew his father had his old jerseys and said he thought incorporating them into his announcement would be a new twist on the trend of players picking hats.

He never expected the reaction the move received.

“I wasn’t expecting them to get that crazy,” said Williams, rated the top prep receiver in the country by CBS College Sports recruiting analyst Tom Lemming. “I knew what a lot of people were expecting and I saw a lot of the kids come down and put up the dubs and everything.”

When asked what he thought of Aaron’s old-school jersey, Williams said with a laugh, “It’s kind of cool. I could see myself rocking this in a throwback game or something.”

After narrowing his finalists to five schools recently, Williams picked the Huskies over California, Notre Dame, Florida and Louisiana State. He said he hopes to wear the No. 2 in college as a tribute to his father. The number is currently retired in honor of Chuck Carroll.

The Huskies have now landed two of their top three recruiting targets, also getting a commitment from Gig Harbor tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins on Aug. 16. Quarterback Brett Hundley from Chandler, Ariz., will take an unofficial visit to UW this weekend.

Washington coach Steve Sarkisian can’t comment directly about recruits, but he did tell 950 KJR, “We vowed to put a fence around the state of Washington” and “it’s pretty evident we are doing that.”

While Williams matured throughout high school, he was able to watch former teammates Gino Simone (Washington State), Jake Heaps (Brigham Young University) and his sister Kiara, who plays soccer at Arizona State. Their experiences helped him through the recruiting process.

“I think they (the Williams family) just did it perfectly,” Skyline coach Mat Taylor said. “His family exposed him to as many options as they could. He was exposed to 10-12 different universities. I know it’s the right decision for him.”

When asked to describe the recruiting process, Aaron Williams used the word painful.

“I was listening (to pitches from universities) and getting mad, because it sounded good,” Aaron said with a laugh. “If I was going through this, I could see myself going here or going there. That’s the part that was painful, because a lot of those schools sounded really good.

“If I was a kid in this situation, I would seriously look at going.”

But in the end, Williams chose to stay home.

“Beautiful,” said Aaron, who played at Washington from 1979-1982. “To keep him close to home, be able to go and watch practice, is going to be awesome. Having a son follow in your footsteps playing football is fantastic, and now that he’s going to the same school, it’s just incredible.”

Now, Kasen Williams is preparing to live up to the legacy, a challenge he’s excited to begin.

“He did something amazing at the U-Dub, and what I want to do is match that,” Williams said. “I want people to look back and say Kasen was just as good as his dad, if not better.”

Mason Kelley: 206-464-8277 or mkelley@seattletimes.com. Comment at www.issaquahpress.com.

It has been 22 years since the Liberty High School Patriots last won a state football title, but this year, they have their thumbs on the reset button.

The team has buckled down, and with quarterback Trey Wheeler, running back Chandler Jenkins and receiver Jake Bainton each back for his senior season, the goal of winning the 3A state championship is in reach.

“There’s very much a sense of urgency from everybody,” Wheeler said. “We’ve all pushed each other to work as hard as we can.”

However, the team has a difficult schedule ahead of it this year. In its opening game Sept. 3, it hosts 4A state champion Skyline. It will also host 4A district rival Issaquah Sept. 10.

The Patriots will also need to prepare for Mount Si on Sept. 24, Juanita on Oct. 1 and Bellevue on Oct. 29. Head coach Steve Valach said the key to success isn’t in worrying about other teams, but in the Patriots being the best team it can.

“If we are, then I think we’re going to win a lot of games,” he said. “If not, and we play somebody who’s just as good or better than us, then those are games that we’ll probably have some regrets in.”

Of course, that isn’t to say the team doesn’t have its eye on taking down Skyline, the juggernaut from Sammamish. Liberty has a countdown in its locker room that ticks away the seconds until the 7 p.m. kickoff Sept. 3.

“We know what our best is, and if we put out our best, we know we can beat any team,” Bainton said.

With the loss of graduating seniors, such as linemen Alex Kaser and Coleton Langdon, and linebackers Cameron Talley and Troy Solly, new players will need to step up for the team to thrive.

“The great thing about having senior leadership is pretty obvious,” Valach said. “The hard part is when they graduate, you feel the void. We’re going to miss all of them.”

Senior middle linebacker Brandon Ryberg looks to help fill the holes on defense, and his unwavering work ethic has drawn attention from teammates and coaches. Others to watch include sophomore lineman Kevin Aherns, sophomore receiver Anthony Avery and receiver and senior receiver Anthony Lemmon.

“You don’t really know until the lights come on and the first snap goes off,” Wheeler said about who could be the team’s next great player. “We’re working hard, training hard, and expecting a lot from the guys who are stepping up to fill those spots.”

Wheeler, Jenkins and Bainton have already taken leading roles this year. Wheeler has worked to improve his decision-making abilities, Bainton has worked to become more explosive and Jenkins has continued to give maximum effort on every play.

Last season Jenkins and Bainton each earned first-team all-3A KingCo Conference honors.

Jenkins was second in KingCo rushing with 1,024 yards, and ran for 11 touchdowns. He also tied for third in the league in receiving, with 34 catches for 447 yards, and caught nine touchdown passes. Jenkins tied for the league-lead in all-purpose yardages with 1,695 yards and was second in league scoring with 126 points.

Bainton was selected as the league’s special teams player of the year. He was second in KingCo receiving, with 41 catches for 675 yards, and caught 10 touchdown passes. On defense, Bainton lead the league in interceptions with five. He also topped the league in punting, averaging 38.4 yards a boot.

Wheeler passed for 2,385 yards and 29 touchdowns last season. He directed the Patriots to playoff victories against Camas, O’Dea, Lindbergh and Lakes.

Valach, now in his 12th season as the Patriots’ head coach, said the three leaders understand that the team’s success is more important than individual performances, and each works to make those around him better players.

The team’s motto this year is “finish,” and it will need to if it hopes to be crowned champion in the Tacoma Dome.

“It’s come down to our seniors this year,” Bainton said, adding that he and his teammates learned tremendously from last year’s seniors. He said they learned from the best.

“We’re going to come out and give it our best this year,” Bainton said. “No regrets.”

Skyline sophomore quarterback Max Browne delivers a pass during the team scrimmage Aug. 27. By Christopher Huber

The fact that Skyline High School sophomore quarterback Max Browne has some big shoes to fill might be a gross understatement.

But he and his teammates aren’t letting the fact that all-state quarterback Jake Heaps, who directed the Spartans to three state championships, isn’t here to lead the team to another title get to them.

And even though Skyline lost a handful of its core varsity squad to graduation, Browne and the Spartans carried over their energy from the 2009 championship season with the same goal in mind this season — make it to the Tacoma Dome.

“I’ve never seen as much energy,” head coach Mat Taylor said after the Aug. 27 team scrimmage. “They’re really just gearing up for week one.”

In the practice game — played in front of Spartan team friends and family — Browne had a chance to work with the receiving corps, which includes University of Washington-bound senior Kasen Williams, and standouts Michael Ford and Jordan Simone.

Ford earned all-4A KingCo Conference first-team honors last season as a cornerback. Simone is the younger brother of Gino Simone, now a starting wide receiver at Washington State University.

Williams, a four-year starter, has been one of the top receivers in the state since his freshman season. He caught 74 passes for 1,209 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior.

Browne took the reins as the primary quarterback immediately after Heaps moved on to Brigham Young University. The tall, lanky Browne — he’s 6-foot-5 — is clearly a sophomore, but by the way he throws the football and carries himself on the field, he seems ready to take on a tough 4A KingCo Conference this fall.

Leading up to the season opener at Liberty, Browne has been working well with his receivers, Taylor said, adding that he had a lot of time to prepare for the position. He spent the 2009 season shadowing Heaps and asking questions. Plus, he came up through the Spartan Little League system.

“He’s really making a name for himself this year,” Taylor said.

Browne not only hopes to follow Heaps’ success but also the success of older brother Mitch. In 2000, Mitch Browne set Skyline’s single-season record for passing yardage with 3,216 and led the Spartans to the 2000 3A state title.

While Browne has showed command of his passing game and alertness on the field, the learning curve will be steep as Skyline faces the state’s top two 3A teams from 2009 in Liberty and Bellevue. Following those games, Skyline takes on Lake Oswego, traditionally one of the top teams in Oregon.

If Browne wants to continue to make a name for himself, the key this year for Skyline will be to develop an offensive line focused on protecting him and giving him time to throw the ball. Skyline lost its top seven linemen to graduation, Taylor said.

“The biggest thing is we gotta get a little creative,” he said.

Among the notable starters who look to be a force on the field in 2010 are senior running back Kai Jandoc (5-8, 180 pounds), senior defensive back and wide receiver Teran Tioga (6-1, 175), senior running back and linebacker Alex Carey (6-0, 190), senior tight end and defensive end Conner Cree (6-5, 230), and senior two-way linemen John Harrington (6-3, 220) and Chris Torres (6-1, 230).

Cree, who earned all-KingCo honorable mention last season on defense, hasn’t received as much attention as Williams. However, like Williams, Cree is a UW recruit. Prior to choosing Washington, Cree had built up interest up and down the Pacific Coast and had offers from Washington State, Boise State and Wyoming, among others.

Last season, Cree averaged nearly four tackles a game. Taylor said Cree is very athletic and strong, and can run the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds. Cree began his high school career as a wide receiver and outside linebacker. However, after growing and bulking up a bit, he was shifted to the line.

Ben Vavra, Adam Bolen, Joe Beattie and Brandon Fischer are other players who will play key roles on both sides of the line.

While Skyline is known for throwing the ball a lot, the Spartans also utilize the running game. Jandoc was the Spartans’ No. 3 running back last season, rushing for 250 yards on 50 carries and scoring three touchdowns. He will be more of an impact player this season. Junior Connor Gilchrist and Carey will also see significant action in the offensive backfield.

Bottom line, Skyline is much the same team as the past three years, Taylor said. It’s a team that expects to win, an invaluable trait in team sports, he said.

“One game at a time, these kids expect to win,” Taylor said.

Skyline 2010 schedule

(All games start at 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted.)

-Sept. 3 — at Liberty

-Sept. 11 — at Bellevue (Seattle Memorial Stadium)

-Sept. 17 — vs. Lake Oswego, Ore.

-Sept. 24 — vs. Issaquah

-Oct. 1 — at Redmond

-Oct. 8 — vs. Newport

-Oct. 15 — 5 p.m., at Jackson (Everett Memorial)

-Oct. 22 — vs. Eastlake

Christopher Huber: 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com. Comment at www.issaquahpress.com.

Skyline High School star Kasen Williams has announced his plans to attend the University of Washington.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior receiver was expected to pick the UW, and follow in the footsteps of his father, Aaron, who played receiver for the Huskies from 1979 to 1982.

Williams made the announcement at Spartan Stadium after a scrimmage Friday evening.

Williams recently narrowed his list to a final five that included Florida, Notre Dame, California, Louisiana State and Washington. In a radio interview earlier this week, he said his list was down to two schools but would not reveal the names.

Williams will be a key piece to the Huskies’ 2011 recruiting class, which already includes Gig Harbor tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who made his announcement Aug. 16.

As a junior in 2009, Williams finished with 1,209 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. The Spartans open the season at Liberty on Sept. 3.

Jason Houck, of Issaquah, crosses the finish line first during the 17th Beaver Lake Triathlon on Aug. 21 in Sammamish. By Christopher Huber

Jason Houck took his night shift with the King County Sheriff’s Office off Aug. 20 to rest up for the early-morning start of the Beaver Lake Triathlon the next day. He needed to save his energy to perform at his peak. Plus, he had to work the night after the race, too.

The 32-year-old Issaquah resident said he is well-conditioned to run a sprint triathlon like the Beaver Lake event, but with its relatively short length — quarter-mile swim, 13.8-mile bike and 4.3-mile run — the triathlon posed some challenges.

“For a shorter race, it’s got a good set of hills,” Houck said as he caught his breath at the finish line.

Despite taking a spill on his bike along Duthie Hill Road and losing his lead by four or so places, Houck managed to come away with the overall win in the 17th Beaver Lake Triathlon on Aug. 21. It was his first time competing in the race.

Houck finished with a time of 1 hour, 10 minutes and 3 seconds. That’s 1 minute and 21 seconds faster than Gregory Gallagher, the 2009 winner.

“It feels great. It’s the first race I’ve ever won all out,” Houck said. “It’s a local race, so I wanted to try it out. It’s a challenging course for its length.”

Kara Nielsen, 31, of Seattle placed first overall in the female division. She finished in 1:17:20. She was behind after the swim, but took the lead during the bike leg and held it through the running portion. Upon finishing, she noted the challenge of pedaling and running with cold, wet feet.

“It was good,” she said. “My feet were totally numb.”

And, like many racers, Nielsen had a tough time biking up Duthie Hill.

“The hill always hurts, but it hurt a little less this year,” Nielsen said.

Among the top finishers were Skyline High School graduate Baraka Poulin, 24, who finished fifth overall with a time of 1:13:09. Skyline freshman Joseph DeMatteo, won his age group (13-14) with a time of 1:30:32. It was his first ever triathlon, he said before race day.

In the women’s division, Issaquah resident Kenda Super, 34, finished seventh overall with a time of 1:28:00. Randy Golob, 46, also of Issaquah, took fourth place in the males Master division, finishing with a time of 1:15:39.

Mathieu Signoretty, 20, of Sammamish, finished 10th overall with a time of 1:15:32. That was good enough for second place in his division. Tammy Wales, 49, also of Sammamish, finished 10th among all women racers. She crossed the finish line in 1:29:02. She ran it more than a minute faster than last year, according to the official race results. The 2010 triathlon was her sixth, she said.

“It was cold,” she said after crossing the finish line. “That run is longer and definitely a more up-and-down challenging run.”

Wales said she was impressed with the high level of competition at Beaver Lake this year.

“There are so many high-level racers here,” Wales said.

Of the 382 racers who signed up, 362 finished the race this year, compared with 417 who finished in 2009. All in all, Wales and other athletes said they appreciate the competitiveness of a local event — the sunny weather helped, too.

“This is my favorite, because it’s six miles from my house,” Wales said. “I’m just happy it’s not raining.”

Christopher Huber: 392-6434, ext. 242, or chuber@isspress.com. Comment at www.issaquahpress.com.

Of the group, only Issaquah High School graduate Colin Curtis has played in the major leagues this year. The New York Yankees called up Curtis in June from Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, of the International League. The left-handed hitting outfielder played in 22 games with the Yankees, batting .256 with a home run and eight runs batted in.One of Curtis’ highlights during his stay with the Yankees came July 21 when he hit his first career home run. The blast came off Scott Shields, of the California of Anaheim. Curtis was called upon to pinch hit for Brett Gardner when the later was ejected from the game while batting with a 0-2 count.

Curtis was sent back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre July 31, when the Yankees traded for veteran players Austin Kearns and Lance Berkman. It took Curtis a few games to adjust to the AAA league. However, he has been hot since Aug. 14, going 13 for 30 with six doubles and four RBIs. Curtis, who began his professional career in 2006, is hitting .276 on the season for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Another Issaquah graduate who recently had a noteworthy accomplishment was left-handed pitcher Matt Wickswat, who is playing for the Class A Kannapolis Intimidators in the South Atlantic League. Wickswat teamed with two other pitchers Aug. 20 for a 1-0 no-hit victory against the Hickory Crawdads. The no-hitter was the first for Kannapolis, in North Carolina, since 2003. Wickswat worked the first five innings, striking out five and walking just one batter to pick up the victory.

Signed by the Chicago White Sox as a nondrafted free agent in 2008, Wickswat faced just one batter over the minimum. After giving up a one-out walk in the second-inning, the 24-year-old pitcher retired the next 11 hitters he faced. Wickswat left after the fifth inning after reaching his innings limit for the game.

“I was able to throw my fastball and get ahead of batters with it, and my defense helped me out,” said Wickswat, who picked up his first win since July 11.

Wickswat improved his record to 7-5 and lowered his earned run average to 3.88. He has also been used in the bullpen and has one save.

Julian Sampson, a Skyline High School graduate, has been pitching out of the bullpen lately for the Williamsport Crosscutters, of the Class A New York-Pennsylvania League. On Aug. 21, Sampson hurled three innings and struck out four in a 5-2 loss to Batavia. On Aug. 15, he also had three strikeouts in one and one-third innings of work when Brooklyn 2-1 edged the Crosscutters.

Sampson, who began his career in 2007 after being drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies, has a 2-2 record with one save and 32 strikeouts in 30.2 innings this season.

Michael Lee, another Skyline graduate, has been pitching for the Salem Red Sox, of the Class A Carolina League. He has a 9-6 record with two saves. Lee has pitched as a starter and a reliever. He has a 5-3 record as a reliever.

One of the highlights for Lee came Aug. 5, when he struck out five hitters in six innings and earned his ninth victory of the season as the Red Sox defeated the Frederick Keys 7-3.

However, one of the lowlights came Aug. 17, when Lee was placed on the disabled list. No further details were available.

Brad Decater, a former Skyline infielder, is playing his first season of professional baseball. He was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the June Amateur draft. After signing, Decater was sent to the Bluefield Orioles, who play in the rookie Appalachian League. Decater’s best game to date came Aug. 8 against Princeton when he had two hits and drove in a run.

Bob Taylor: 392-6434, ext. 236, or bobtaylor@isspress.com. Comment at www.issaquahpress.com.

The Lake Sammamish Triathlon, at Lake Sammamish State Park, is the final local triathlon of the year. The event begins at 7 a.m. As of Aug. 23, registration for the race was still open. Sign up for the triathlon at www.signmeup.com/67401 or www.buduracing.com. Get more information by calling 206-920-3983.

The course consists of a 400-meter swim, a 14-mile bike ride, and a 3.1-mile run through the park along Issaquah Creek.

The Lake Sammamish Triathlon has the standard age group categories as other triathlons, including Clydesdale (men 200 pounds or heavier), Athena (women 150 pounds or heavier), junior age groups, friends and family, and relay teams. The friends and family category is a noncompetitive category.

All finishers will receive a medal.

A portion of the registration fees goes to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The mission of the foundation is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research.

Stop at the clay pit to play in the gooey clay and take in a wide-open view of the surrounding forest during a hike in the Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park. Photo by Christopher Huber

If you’ve ever been to a jungle in Latin America, taking a hike in Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park will likely remind you of that experience.

Actually, the park, located in the Issaquah Alps on Cougar Mountain, feels a lot like the rainforest in Monte Verde, Costa Rica, minus all the noisy bugs, giant tarantulas or the strangler fig trees.

Especially after a light drizzle, the forest emanates a freshness only found in the Pacific Northwest. And with well-maintained trails throughout, hikers should enjoy every step of the way.Anyone with a few hours on his or her hands should consider exploring the park from the Sky Country trailhead, elevation 1,188 feet. The network of trails throughout the wilderness area leads to numerous historical sites, such as Anti-Aircraft Peak, and geographic features like waterfalls, caves and high-up vistas. But if you want an easy-going, relatively quick trek, head to the mineshaft and clay pit

From the Sky Country trailhead, take narrow Old Man’s Trail to begin. A few minutes in, outside noises will fade away, but for the occasional bird chirping. Take a right onto the Cave Hole Trail — signposts help hikers navigate easily — and follow it for about one-tenth of a mile. Then, you’ll take a left onto the Bypass Trail and walk among the tall ferns and mossy trees for another two-tenths of a mile.

Hang a right onto Fred’s Railroad Trail. After about a half-mile, you’ll hit the East Fork Trail. Turn left and the trail eventually takes you around Jerry’s Duck Pond. (Psst, geocachers, there’s a cache hidden near the pond.) Take a left at the sign for the Mine Shaft Trail.

The grate-covered opening to the Coal Creek Mineshaft is located at the end of the short trail, in a small clearing. See if you can hear your voice echo down the mineshaft, or whether it’s just bouncing off the trees.

To return to the car, continue on the trail for about 100 yards and take a left on the Clay Pit Road. If you want to explore some more, go right on the road and you’ll momentarily reach the clay pit. The wide-open view of the surrounding forest and blue sky is wonderful, but be careful not to slip on the slick clay — it accumulates on your shoes and you’ll lose traction.

About the park

With more than 36 miles of trails, Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park is considered the gem of King County’s 25,000-acre park system. In 2005, the park was ranked No. 19 in the Trails.com Top 100 trails in North America.

There’s something for everyone on Cougar Mountain. It offers ample space and variety for the avid trail runner, but much of the terrain is flat enough for families with children to enjoy the scenery. Recreational strollers should be able to navigate the trails. And although much of the park’s trails prohibit horses, there are 12 miles of trails open to equestrians.

At approximately 3,100 acres, Cougar Mountain Wildland Park connects to Squak Mountain State Park by the Cougar-Squak Corridor and creates a 5,000-acre protected public land area. It’s located in the Issaquah Alps, between Issaquah, Bellevue and Newcastle.

Many animals, such as bobcats, black bear and a variety of birds, call the park home.

Cougar Mountain played an important role in the area’s history. The lush forestlands provided rich gathering and hunting grounds for American Indians. As people settled in the area through the mid-20th century, the mountain provided resources in coal mining and logging, according to the King County Parks Web site.

The park was even home to two Nike missile sites, in the 1950s and 1960s, which were designed to protect the Puget Sound region from Soviet bombers. King County took over ownership of the land and turned it into the protected wildland park it is now.

Getting there

From Interstate 90 westbound, take Lakemont Boulevard Southeast (Exit 13). Head south (turn left) for about two and a half miles on Lakemont Boulevard Southeast. Turn left onto Southeast Cougar Mountain Way.

Go six-tenths of a mile and then turn right onto 166th Way Southeast. Follow the road through the gate and look for the parking lot on your right. The Sky Country trailhead is at the back of the parking lot, at the King County Parks kiosk stand. Be sure to grab a map.

Athletes prepare to enter the water to swim the first leg of the 2009 Beaver Lake Triathlon. By Greg Farrar

The 17th annual Beaver Lake Triathlon is Aug. 21 at Beaver Lake Park in Sammamish. Bullock will be among the 500 or more competitors at the popular event. The majority of the racers come from Sammamish and Issaquah.

“This pretty much is the top local race for Issaquah and Sammamish triathletes,“ Bullock said.

The first wave of racers will hit the lake for a quarter-mile swim at 7:45 a.m. In addition to the triathletes, there will be a crowd of at least 500 or more spectators.

Beaver Lake Triathlon director Sharon Freechtle said registration for this year’s race is going well. She said that there will likely be several registrations Aug. 20, the final day triathletes can sign up for the event. Prior to last year, the Beaver Lake Triathlon often drew more than 600 racers each year. However, an Ironman race at Lake Stevens on the same day last year drew many elite racers who usually competed at the Beaver Lake Triathlon, which is classified as a sprint race.

“When we started the Beaver Lake Triathlon 17 years ago, we had the only triathlon going on about this time of the year. Now, there are so many triathlons. Almost every weekend there is a triathlon somewhere,” Freechtle said.

Some racers rank among the nation’s top triathletes and use the Beaver Lake Triathlon as a tune-up for the upcoming Ironman Canada race Aug. 29 in Penticton, British Columbia. Some people will be entering their first triathlon ever and others, like Bullock, will be concluding their season.

Bullock has already competed in four races this season, including two half-Ironmans.

“I’m doing it mainly for fun,” Bullock said. “The BLT is such a nice venue.”

In addition to the swim, the race includes a 13.8-mile bike ride around the Beaver Lake community. The route includes scenic views of the Cascades, Mount Si and the Snoqualmie Valley. It also includes the challenging Duthie Hill Road. The final leg of the triathlon is a 4.3-mile run over hills and through woods.

“It’s really a challenging course. It’s harder than the normal sprint race,” Bullock said. “The run is a little bit longer than most sprint triathlons, and isn’t totally flat like some courses. The bicycle part is really challenging. I like the stair-step hills, and going down Duthie Hill is definitely a fast ride. Some people hit up to 50 mph.”

In preparation for the Beaver Lake Triathlon and other races, Bullock rides the bicycle course at least 25 times a year. He has also been training with V02 Multisport, which has a triathlon team and training center in Bellevue. Coach of the team is Ben Bigglestone, the 2007 Beaver Lake champion.

Bullock, who is entered in the men’s 52-54 age division, said he hopes to finish among the top three racers in his division this year. He started racing in triathlons nine years ago.

“For the last seven years, I have been competing at a serious level,” said Bullock, who has done the rigorous Ironman Canada race three times.

“I think triathlons are a great outlet for a positive and healthy lifestyle,” he said. “It’s an event where you can compete at any age.”

Freechtle notes that this year a 72-year-old woman from Federal Way is entered in the race. The youngest contestant is 13 years old.

“I think it’s great for older people to enter triathlons, because it encourages younger kids to do it, too,” Freechtle said.

Joseph DeMatteo, 14, and a freshman at Skyline High School, is among the younger racers. DeMatteo will compete in his first triathlon.

“I’ve been swimming at a local club, biking around my area and running with my cross country team,” DeMatteo said regarding his preparation for the race.

Like his older brother Anthony, who graduated last spring from Skyline, DeMatteo is an all-around athlete. He competes in cross country, wrestling and track. Anthony was an all-state linebacker on Skyline’s 4A state championship football team last fall, a standout in wrestling and an all-league player in baseball. He is playing football at Central Washington University this fall.

Tammy Wales, of Sammamish, is another local triathlete who has been training hard for this year’s Beaver Lake Triathlon.

“I really like this race, because it’s almost in my back yard,” said Wales, competing in her sixth Beaver Lake Triathlon.

The 49-year-old started doing triathlons 10 year ago. Her first race was the annual women’s Danksin Triathlon in Seattle.

“The Danskin just got too big over the years. I love the BLT because the field is smaller, but it still gets some elite racers,” Wales said.

The elite field is assigned to 20 triathletes with the fastest overall times.

In training for the Beaver Lake Triathlon, Wales often meets neighbors who are entered in the event.

Many of the competitors have some kind of athletic background. Wales, for example, competed in gymnastics and track in high school.

“I used to ride a bike a lot, too,” Wales said. “The only thing I really didn’t do a lot of was swimming. It’s still the one part of the triathlon that I really don’t like.”

Individual options include a variety of age divisions — Clydesdale, Athena, and family and friends. The Clydesdale division is for males weighing 200 pounds or more and the Athena division is for females 150 pounds or more. Family and friends is for people who want to participate with a friend or family member who would normally be in a different wave or less competitive wave.

In addition to individual competition, the Beaver Lake Triathlon has team competition.

Sometimes, families form teams, or high school athletes compete as a team. This year, Eastside Fire & Rescue will send a team to the event. The team of firefighters is there for more than just the competition. EFR is taking donations for Ryan’s Solution, a nonprofit effort by a firefighter aimed at ending teenage abuse of prescription medicine.

“The event really has a nice community feeling,” Wales said. “At the race, you have your family and friends rooting for you. I hope the BLT never ends.”

Bob Taylor: 392-6434, ext. 236, or bobtaylor@isspress.com. Comment at www.issaquahpress.com.