It began as a vision three years ago.
The Kentwood High boys soccer team was coming off a wildly successful season in the South Puget Sound League North Division from the season before, a run that included a state berth. Yet head coach Aaron Radford had a decision to make. One that the success of the upcoming seasons would hinge upon.
Stick with the senior veterans on the varsity roster or go with the youngsters coming up?
No Flies On Doodle, winner of four stakes at Emerald Downs, heads an overflow list of 14 older fillies and mares nominated to the $50,000 Hastings Handicap to be run Sunday, May 15.
Seattle Timberwolves Slide Show
Elusive Noise made it two straight victories Saturday with a gate-to-wire triumph in the $21,000 Caliber Concrete Purse for 3-year-old fillies on Kentucky Derby Day at Emerald Downs.
Kent Reporter Preps of the Week | May 6 edition
Last May, Safeco Field represented something something special for Kentwood High pitcher Avery Kain.
Shortly after throwing a two-hit, complete-game masterpiece in an 8-0 Class 4A state championship against Richland at the home of the Seattle Mariners, Kain took stock of his surroundings and was succinct with his feelings.
Tahoma beat Puyallup today 6-4 at Curtis High School for the South Puget Sound League title and grabbed the No. 1 seed in the West Central District III/ Southwest Division 4A baseball tournament.
It took a photo finish and a stewards’ inquiry to render a decision Friday evening at Emerald Downs, but Gdanz Express ultimately prevailed in the $13,300 feature race for 3 year olds.
Turnabout is fair play, just ask the Kentlake High fastpitch team, which beat Tahoma 5-2 on Thursday night.
This came little more than 24 hours after Tahoma beat Kentlake 6-5.
"I don't think we ever had a doubt it would turn out differently," said Kentlake catcher Brittany Styger.
Several members of the local handicapping fraternity along with Emerald Downs’ personnel were polled for selections for the 137th Kentucky Derby. If their consensus is right, Arch Arch Arch will be wearing a garland of roses Saturday in Louisville.
The Seattle Thunderbirds junior hockey team selected left wing Ryan Gropp from Kamloops, British Columbia, with their first round pick, sixth overall, in the Western Hockey League Bantam Draft Thursday at the BMO Centre in Calgary, Alberta.
The Kentridge High girls tennis team turned the tables on Kentwood last week during a pivotal match between two of the area’s top teams.
The Kentridge High baseball team didn’t need a miracle.
But after graduating 13 seniors from last year’s team, the Chargers certainly needed a shot of confidence to contend this spring in the rugged South Puget Sound League North Division.
“Nobody thought we were going to be anybody at the start of the season,” third baseman Kyle Leady said. “Our goal was to be a somewhat competitive team, put up decent numbers and not be embarrassed like everybody thought.”
Seattle Thunderbirds junior hockey defenseman Ryan Button signed a three-year entry level contract Wednesday with the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League.
Quarterback Houston Lillard threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead the Tri-Cites Fever to a 63-33 win over the Seattle Timberwolves in a professional Indoor Football League game Saturday in Kennewick.
The Seattle Thunderbirds office is once again putting a team together for the Kent Relay for Life on June 3 and 4.
Dream Sweeper, the longest shot in the race, wore down No Flies On Doodle and scored a 1 ½-length victory Sunday in the $21,000 Industry Sign and Graphics Purse for fillies and mares at Emerald Downs.
Rescue Plan, a front-runner most of his career, rallied from last place to score an exciting victory Saturday in the $10,900 Coors Miller Purse for older horses at Emerald Downs.
Hayjax, racing for the first time since October, blitzed a good field of 3-year-olds Friday in the $9,800 Dreyers Purse under the lights at Emerald Downs.
With Joe Crispin aboard for his third win of the night, Hayjax ran 5-½ furlongs in 1:03.08 on a fast track and paid $9.20, $3.40 and $3.20.
IAN BUCKLES, Kentridge
Grade: Senior.
Sport: Baseball.
Accomplishment: Buckles went 2-for-4 with a home run and picked up the win on the mound last week in a 4-3 victory over Kentlake in a South Puget Sound League North Division game.
Favorite class: Sports Medicine.
