Emerald Downs offers 20 live races this weekend, 10 Saturday and 10 Sunday, complemented by a promising weather forecast. Saturday calls for partly sunny conditions with a high of 59 degrees and Sunday is even better, sunny with a high of 64.
Needing a key stretch of good play to cement itself as playoff contenders, the Kentridge High baseball team got just that last week.
Behind a variety of big performances, the Chargers won four of five South Puget Sound League North Division games last week to improve to 8-3 in league play entering Tuesday afternoon's round of contests. The four wins helped the Chargers move into second place in the standings with three games to go. The top five teams from the North advance to the postseason. Though the four wins didn't guarantee the Chargers of a playoff spot just yet, it put them in strong position to clinch within days.
Staring desperation in the face, the Kentlake High boys soccer team pulled out all the stops Friday night against Kentridge.
Down 2-1 with less than a minute remaining on the clock, the Falcons needed a little bit from everybody on the field to simply scratch out a tie.
In a frantic finish, Kentlake sophomore Gunner Terrio found the back of the net with 15 seconds remaining, helping the Falcons work a 2-2 tie against the Chargers in a South Puget Sound League North Division game at French Field.
"We had all 11 guys (on the field) in their box at that point," explained Kentlake coach Kyle Jones. "It was a big goal. It was a hustle play. The ball was bouncing around the box and (Gunner) did his part."
In the midst of players, Terrio's goal came from roughly six yards out.
Kentlake continued to swing hot bats last week on the fastpitch diamond.
The Falcons played four games in four days and tallied a total of 50 runs en route to picking up four straight victories. The four wins helped Kentlake remain on top of the South Puget Sound League North Division standings, and also assured the Falcons of one of the five postseason berths.
The Tahoma Bears are for real between the baseball lines, and the team proved it for the 12th time this season with a 11-4 win over Kentlake Saturday on the Falcon's field.
Winning Machine, voted Top 3-Year-Old at the 2009 meeting, served notice Sunday that he means business as a 5-year-old in 2011.
The consistent Cat On Base made a smooth transition into older horse company Saturday in the $14,800 Miller-Coors Purse at Emerald Downs.
With Gallyn Mitchell riding, Cat On Base led all the way for a 2 ¼-length victory over long shot Newfound Gold in 1minute, 3.67 for 5 ½ furlongs on a fast track. The winner paid $4, $2.80 and $2.10.
Giuseppe G returned to the races with a flourish Friday evening with a 5 ¼ -length victory in the $13,300 Griffin Place Purse for 3-year-olds at Emerald Downs.
KYLE DOYLE, Kentwood
Grade: Senior.
Sport: Baseball.
Accomplishment: Doyle went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, three RBIs and a home run, leading Kentwood past Mount Rainier 14-3 in a South Puget Sound League North Division game April 13.
Washington Horse of the Year and 2010 Emerald Downs Horse of the Meeting Noosa Beach returned to action in grand style Friday afternoon in Vancouver, B. C.
Kara Ikeda felt a slight twinge in her right shoulder in December, but figured it was nothing more than the usual muscle soreness associated with playing competitive tennis.
Now four months later, the irritation has stuck with Ikeda, a Kentlake junior and one of the top-returning tennis players on the South Puget Sound League North Division circuit this spring.
Wasserman, all-time money earner ($514,722) at Emerald Downs, could bolster his earnings Sunday with a top-five finish in the $21,000 allowance race for older horses at six furlongs.
To keep his stablemate at bay, the 9-year-old Wasserman must finish ahead of Assessment, who is second in the respective standings with $399,105. Trainer Howard Belvoir said both Wasserman and Assessment have been training great in the mornings.
He accomplished just about everything imaginable in nine years as the head volleyball coach at Kentwood High.
He led the Conquerors to two district titles, four South Puget Sound League North Division crowns, and eight state berths.
He even got ejected from one of the first matches he had ever coached in the green, black and silver.
On Tuesday, Bil Caillier added one more item to the list.
Kentwood High track coach Steve Roche called BJ Arceneaux’s performance during last week’s Pasco Invitation a “breakthrough.”
Roche, however, very well could have been speaking about the overall performance of his girls as well.
Arceneaux established a new meet record and a personal best in winning the long jump while Roche’s Kentwood girls also delivered, snagging the team title with 57 points.
“I think (Arceneaux) had a breakthrough with the long jump,” Roche said. “He has always been a great athlete, but never really put it all together until this past Saturday.”
A new name, coach, owner and result.
The Seattle Timberwolves, formerly the Kent Predators, crushed the Wenatchee Valley Venom 51-12 in a professional Indoor Football League game Saturday at the ShoWare Center.
Emerald Downs season opener slide show
Jasmine’s Melody, a 6-year-old Pennsylvania-bred that loves to win races, drew off in the stretch for a 7 ¼-length victory Sunday in the featured $8,700 Chase Secured Birthday Purse for fillies and mares at Emerald Downs.
Veteran speedster Olympic Lights routed six overmatched opponents Saturday by 5 ¼ lengths in the $11,900 American Horse Transportation Purse for older horses at Emerald Downs.
With Robert Skelly riding, Olympic Lights ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1minute, 2.63 seconds on a wet-fast track and paid $12.20, $6 and $4. Charles Essex is the trainer and co-owner with Moon Glow Farms and Dennis Trenkenschuh.
Washington Hall of Fame trainer Jim Penney appears to have great depth this season in the filly and mare division at Emerald Downs.
That certainly was the case Friday evening as a festive opening night throng braved cool and rainy weather to celebrate the beginning of the track’s 16th season.
Repeat?
Kentwood High girls tennis coach Ingrid Bakke would love nothing more from her Conquerors this spring, but she’s well aware of how tough the road ahead will be. And to duplicate last year’s success, when the Conquerors grabbed the league title with a perfect 10-0 mark and went on to win a district title and take second at state is almost unthinkable.
Almost.
“I think all the teams (in league) this year are pretty tough,” Bakke said. “I think we’ll have to have a really special year to repeat.”
