Issaquah Eagles avenge loss to Newport Knights, 54-51
February 5, 2013
Cory Nevin (right), Issaquah High School junior wing, trying to put back a rebound from his first shot, is fouled by Newport senior forward Isaac Dotson during the first quarter of their Feb. 1 basketball game. By Greg Farrar
In the early stages of the season, Issaquah High School boys basketball coach Jason Griffith predicted that it may take a while for his young squad to jell, but when it did, the product that the Eagles put on the parquet would be entertaining.
On Feb. 1, when the Newport hoopsters hit the hardwood at the Eagles Nest, Issaquah did not disappoint in that regard, as it eventually found the chink in the Knight’s armor and was able to win, 54-51.
Issaquah was seeking vengeance for a 48-47 loss to Newport on Jan. 11, when the Eagles experienced a middle-quarter sag, a problem they have been struggling to remedy all season.
The Eagles bolted out of the gate quickly in that game, outscoring the home team 16-7 in the initial frame. In the second and third quarters, Issaquah scored only 14 points.
Issaquah boys basketball team roughs up Roosevelt
January 8, 2013
The Issaquah boys basketball squad reached the midway juncture in its campaign recently and was able to stay in the hunt by staving off a physical Roosevelt contingent on the road Jan. 4, winning 53-49 to escalate its KingCo 4A mark to 4-2.
“I was really pleased with the way our players adapted to Roosevelt’s physical style of play,” Issaquah head coach Jason Griffith said. “In our league, you have to be able to adjust to the several different styles and looks that your opponents throw at you. They enter the games with the idea of imposing their will on you. The Roughriders aren’t any different in that they play hard and make you earn everything you get.”
Issaquah Eagles rally for 59-51 win against Ballard Beavers
January 1, 2013
Just before the holiday break, the Issaquah High School boys basketball squad hosted a heavily favored Ballard squad and racked up a KingCo 4A triumph, bashing the Beavers, 59-51.
In the second half, Issaquah rallied to outscore Ballard, 36-23, and sail to an easy victory that escalated its league record to 3-2. Ryan Sexton and Ty Gibson combined for 29 points, most of which came in the second half.
Eagles eke out victory over winless Spartans
December 18, 2012
Ty Gibson (5), Issaquah High School sophomore guard, collides with Skyline junior guard Jonah Eastern, who goes to the floor as Nels Thorsrud (left) looks on during their Dec. 14 matchup. By Don Borin/Stop Action Photography
Thousands of prep basketball fans jammed into Issaquah High School’s gymnasium Dec. 14 to witness the annual pre-holiday KingCo 4A hoopfest between winless Skyline and the 4-1 hosting Eagles, who pulled out a 49-48 nail-biter in regulation.
Skyline, seeking its initial victory, appeared to be well on its way to doing just that as the Spartans held a 24-19 advantage at intermission, behind the shooting of Jonah Eastern, who wound up being the leading scorer with 20 points.
“I told our guys in the locker room at the break, that if they wanted to win this game, they were going to have to earn it. It was apparent from the way that the Spartans were playing, that Skyline wasn’t going to just hand over the triumph to us. That is what this rivalry is all about, though. These battles with Skyline are almost always barnburners,” Issaquah head coach Jason Griffith said. “Ty Gibson, Jake Henke and Cory Nevin, among others, all really stepped up tonight in the fourth quarter especially, doing a better job of executing our sets and attacking the basket.”
Gibson and Henke were the top point getters in the showdown, combining for 32 points.
Issaquah Eagles stand tall, tested on basketball court
December 4, 2012
If there is one thing even the casual observer notices right away about the Issaquah High School boys’ basketball squad, when its players come jogging out onto the hardwood for warmups, it is the fact that it looks like a basketball team.
In basketball, as in other sports, sometimes the intimidation-through-imagination factor is worth its weight in gold, but with the Eagles you don’t have to peruse a roster to easily surmise you could be outrebounded by these guys — it is clearly visible and obvious the Eagles possess great overall team height.
Coach Jason Griffith guided the Eagle hoopsters to the promised land as a crescendo to the 14-10, 2011-12 outing and is heading into his third campaign as the man at the helm for the Issaquah program.
Issaquah basketball player signs with Azusa Pacific
May 8, 2012
Issaquah High School senior Nick Price has signed with Azusa Pacific University in Southern California.
Price averaged 19.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.5 steals per game for the Eagles.
“Nick led us back to the final 16 for the first time in six years,” Issaquah head coach Jason Griffith said. “His overall game really improved his senior year and that resulted in our team experiencing some success.”
Azusa Pacific University is a private Christian university that competes in the Golden State Athletic Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Retiring Sports Editor Bob Taylor shares milestones from a long career on the sidelines
March 6, 2012
Kasen Williams, then-Skyline High School senior, makes his winning triple-jump leap of 45 feet, 5 1/2 inches, during the KingCo track and field championships May 13, 2011, at Juanita High School. File
I kind of know how Bill Gates must have felt when he made his first million. When I joined The Issaquah Press news staff May 22, 2000, I struck it rich, too!
Five days after being hired at The Press I covered my first Issaquah School District state championship team. Actually, it was inevitable that an Issaquah team would win when Issaquah and Skyline met for the 3A state baseball title in Tacoma’s Cheney Stadium. Issaquah won 5-3.
Mount Rainier ends Issaquah boys basketball team’s season, 82-72
February 28, 2012
Brian Watson, Issaquah High School sophomore guard, puts up a shot for three points during the fourth quarter, as the Issaquah student section looks on decked out in costumes. By Greg Farrar
The Issaquah High School boys basketball team had been here before.
With a trip to the Tacoma Dome and the state championship tournament on the line, the Eagles were only able to put up eight points in the first quarter against an explosive Mount Rainier team during their KingCo 4A quarterfinal match Feb 24.
(Nick) Price is right for KingCo 4A all-league team
February 28, 2012
A year after getting almost ignored by KingCo Conference 4A coaches on the all-league team, Issaquah High School senior Nick Price was not overlooked this season.
Price earned first-team all-KingCo honors this time when the all-league team was announced. Once again, Price has impressive statistics. He ranked third in KingCo scoring by averaging 19.7 points per game. Price also helped lead the Eagles to the KingCo 4A title game and a Class 4A regional berth.
“I was real happy for him,” Issaquah coach Jason Griffith said.
As a junior, Price earned honorable mention despite being the top scorer in the Crest Division. This time, he was one of three candidates for the league’s Most Valuable Player award.
“He was unanimous all-KingCo. His play and leadership was respected by all coaches,” Griffith said.
Skyline High School girls’ hoop season ends in defeat
February 22, 2012
NEW — 10:15 a.m. Feb. 22, 2012
The Skyline High School girls basketball team looked like it was headed for an upset when the KingCo Conference entry had an 10-point halftime lead against host Stanwood.
However, third-ranked Stanwood rallied in the second half to post a 61-50 victory in a Wesco/KingCo loser-out playoff for a Class 4A Regional berth.
Skyline, which won the KingCo Crest Division title this season, finished with a 17-8 record.
It was a game where the team’s had the same mascots — both are Spartans.
The Skyline Spartans, sparked by Megan Wiedeman, jumped to a 16-10 first-quarter lead. Wiedeman scored seven of her game-high 13 points in the quarter. Skyline pushed its lead to 31-21 at halftime.
