It’s on: Skyline vs. Issaquah for state title
December 1, 2008
Eagles defense clamps down on Cougars for 31-13 win
Issaquah quarterback Joey Bradley passes the ball amid pressure from a diving Howard McDonald, of Central Kitsap. Photo by Christopher Huber.
Issaquah quarterback Joey Bradley passes the ball amid pressure from a diving Howard McDonald, of Central Kitsap. Photo by Christopher Huber.
As the clock ran out in the fourth quarter, Issaquah High School fans chanted, “Bring on Skyline! Bring on Skyline!”
That’s because they were ready. They had seen their team battle against injury throughout the regular season and as they stood waving their purple-and-gold paraphernalia and shouting for their team, they knew they had a chance for a rematch against their top-ranked league rival.
Issaquah had finished off the Cougars of Central Kitsap and were already mentally preparing for the rare opportunity.
Get ready for another showdown with Skyline. This time it will be at the Tacoma Dome for the 2008 Class 4A state title. Read more
Spartans need three comebacks to survive Saxon scare
December 1, 2008
Gino Simone, Skyline senior defensive back (1) intercepts a pass intended for Ferris receiver Garrett Saiki (20) during the second quarter. By Jim Simpkins/www.crimsonphotography.com
The Skyline Spartans (13-0) managed to beat Ferris High School 24-21 in the semifinal round of the state playoffs Nov. 29 in Spokane.
Despite trailing three times throughout the game and losing a fumble on its first drive, Skyline came up with key plays in the second half to secure its spot in the final against school-district neighbor Issaquah.
It was a back-and-forth game of time-management and big passing plays for both teams.
“Their defensive line was really good,” Skyline head coach Mat Taylor said Nov. 30. “There were some holes in their secondary that we hit. Their offense was equally impressive. They made some big, big-time plays.” Read more
Schools play numbers game in the pool
December 1, 2008
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Austin Briggs, of Liberty, wins the 100-yard freestyle in a district-qualifying time of 52.81 seconds last year in a meet against Issaquah. File
Issaquah
The Issaquah swimming and diving team will have to deal with the departure of a successful senior class, but the Eagles still have some talent set to lead the team this winter.
The top returning swimmer is Jack Taylor, a state qualifier last season in the 500 freestyle, who also helped the Issaquah 200 medley relay team to a 10th-place finish at state. Another returning state qualifier is Kyle Stratiner, who was 14th at state last season in the one-meter diving competition.
Stratiner is one of four team captains, joined by Nathan Balkman, Riley Goodman and Miles Perkins. Read more
Sports Calendar
December 1, 2008
Adult Sports
Issaquah Alps Trail Club
Dec. 6, 9:30 a.m. — Rattlesnake Mountain - Stan’s Overlook; 5 miles. Call 837-1525.
Dec. 7, 9:30 a.m. — Cougar Mountain – Licorice Fern to Redtown. Call 453-8997.
Dec. 13, 9 a.m. — Tiger Mountain No. 2 and No. 3, 8 miles. Call 281-8465.
Dec. 13, 10 a.m. — Tiger Mountain traditional lake plateau look hike past Talus Rocks
Dec. 14, 9 a.m. — Cougar Mountain double loop to Wilderness and Longview Peaks. Call 292-9115.
Youth sports/activities Read more
Returning gymnasts will be key for each school
December 1, 2008
Issaquah
Issaquah has moved up a class, but also has eight returning starters on its gymnastics team as it gets ready for another highly anticipated season. Read more
A typical day on the Yakima River
December 1, 2008
Dallas Cross
I got a call from Jeff, an Issaquah friend, asking if I was interested in fishing the Yakima River from a drift boat with his fishing partner Bob. Being a responsible, professional fishing companion I readily accepted and began checking the fishing reports. The day before the trip, the flow rate of the Yakima was around 1,300 cubic feet per second, low enough to be waded but high enough for good floating.
A report of reasonable caddis and other insect hatches, together with recent reports of fishing success, spurred my enthusiasm and I tied up a couple of dry flies and made sure I had some bead-head nymphs to tempt nonrising trout. So far, it looked great.
After driving over Snoqualmie Pass in the morning, towing the drift boat trailer, we were met with a cloudless day when we arrived at Red’s Fly Shop on the river. Red’s guides were encouraging and expectant of a productive day on the river with their clients.
We arranged for the truck and trailer to be ferried to our pullout point on the river and drove upstream 10 miles to launch. That is when we encountered the rat. It seems Bob had recently put out poison near Read more
Spartans become first-time soccer champs
November 24, 2008
The Skyline girls soccer players shouts for joy as they are presented the 4A state championship trophy Nov. 22 at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood. By Christopher Huber
The Skyline High School girls soccer team’s game plan was to be the aggressor — “make them come to us” — as head coach Don Braman put it before the game Nov. 22.
Woodinville had yet to claim victory over the Lady Spartans in 2008. In fact, the Falcons had fallen to Skyline 2-1 in the KingCo Championship game Nov. 4 and they were ready to win one when it counted.
In the first all-KingCo 4A state girls soccer title matchup, the Spartans executed their game plan and came out on top against the Falcons.
For the first time, Skyline is the Washington state Class 4A champion after defeating Woodinville 2-0 at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood.
“Tonight, the girls were up to the challenge,” Braman said after the game. Read more
Wrestling teams feature lettermen, state veterans
November 24, 2008
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Malcolm Dike (top), of Liberty, works for a pin against Issaquah Chris Widener Dec. 12 in their 171-pound match. File
Issaquah
The Issaquah High School wrestling team enters this season armed with seven returning state participants and 27 returning lettermen.
Leading the way are a pair of juniors — Brandon Pearson and Ty Morton. Pearson placed first in KingCo 3A and second in Region 1 3A a year ago, while Morton was second in the league and third in the region.
They’ll be surrounded in the lineup by captains Dalton Baunssard, Ben Tickman and Kyle Bichich, each of whom are expected to provide Issaquah valuable points in their weight classes.
Joining the Eagles, who were 7-1 in the league and KingCo Tourney champs Read more
Spartans, Eagles remain on collision course for state championship game
November 24, 2008
Nick Washburn (32), Skyline junior running back, skirts the Skyline sideline on a 62-yard run in the third quarter to the Auburn 4-yard line as defensive coordinator Chad Barrett points the way. By Jim Simpkins / www.crimsonphotography.com
Skyline tramples Auburn, 38-2
Early in Skyline’s Class 4A state quarterfinal game with Auburn Nov. 22, the Spartans had a pair of long touchdowns called back because of penalties.
If Skyline was a double-barreled shotgun, that might have proved disastrous.
But this Spartan team? It’s more like an Uzi machine gun.
Utilizing all of its weapons, Skyline overcame those early miscues and an early deficit to easily romp by Auburn, 38-2, at home Nov. 22. Read more
Bellevue ends Liberty’s postseason in 35-7 loss
November 24, 2008
Liberty High School’s magic carpet ride season came to a halt Nov. 22 when the top-ranked Bellevue Wolverines downed the Patriots 35-7 in the Class 3A quarterfinals. Read more
December 1, 2008
Issaquah has moved up a class, but also has eight returning starters on its gymnastics team as it gets ready for another highly anticipated season. Read more
December 1, 2008
- Dallas Cross
November 24, 2008
- The Skyline girls soccer players shouts for joy as they are presented the 4A state championship trophy Nov. 22 at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood. By Christopher Huber
November 24, 2008
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Malcolm Dike (top), of Liberty, works for a pin against Issaquah Chris Widener Dec. 12 in their 171-pound match. File
November 24, 2008
- Nick Washburn (32), Skyline junior running back, skirts the Skyline sideline on a 62-yard run in the third quarter to the Auburn 4-yard line as defensive coordinator Chad Barrett points the way. By Jim Simpkins / www.crimsonphotography.com
November 24, 2008
