” An experienced core of state meet veterans forms the nucleus of one of the largest-ever turnouts for track, giving rise to optimism that this year’s team will win many of its dual meets.New head coach Andy Grimm replaces Richard Christopher.Grimm is quick to emphasize the contributions of his two paid assistants, Jim West and Dean Tarbill, plus four volunteers: Pat Logan, Sarah Dunstan, Steph Miller and Charlie Hamilton.The staff is working with more than 80 athletes.Team-wise, the girls are very strong, says Grimm. We’ll score in every event.Because the unaccustomed depth is primarily comprised of freshmen, sophomores and juniors, prospects for future years are appealing as well. “
“Steve Nelson may be new to the BHS fastpitch program, but he’s hardly a stranger to many of its players.A 10-year coaching veteran, he’s worked with several elite area youth teams which have included current players – in particular, senior Brooke Hilton.When he discusses this year’s team and says that its strength is pitching, he’s referring primarily to Hilton, who joined the team last year as a transfer from Utah.She’s also a member of the Kitsap Angels, the 18-under Gold Level team that Nelson helps to coach.She’s one of the best pitchers in the Northwest and unquestionably the best thrower that Bainbridge has ever had, he says. She already has several scholarship offers, and more are on the way.While Hilton could pitch virtually every game – Nelson says that the pitching motion in fastpitch is natural and therefore places little strain on the arm – he’s not going to rely on her totally.I want to build a program, not a one-year wonder, he says. “
“More players with more ability. And the timing couldn’t be better for tennis coach Mike Anderson. When Bainbridge moves to Metro next year, his team will play 11 matches each time rather than the current seven in the Olympic League. This year we’re already looking ahead, he says. We have a deeper team, so more kids will get some varsity success and we’ll be a step ahead when we get to Metro. “
“The boys’ soccer team opened the season with a pair of wins, defeating Sequim 4-1 in Thursday’s home opener after dominating Klahowya 4-0 on Tuesday.The Sequim game began with Mitka von Reis Crooks slamming home a pass from Brian Oldenkamp 40 seconds after the opening whistle. “
“The Spartan boys soccer team has made the state playoffs the past four years, and coach Alex von Reis Crooks doesn’t see that changing.What will change, of course, is the move to Metro League next year.We’ll miss all the old rivalries, von Reis Crooks says. Many of those rivalries are heightened by the somewhat parallel universe of select soccer teams, in which island players associate frequently with fellow Olympic League players as teammates and opponents.For the Spartans’ last year in the Olympic League, von Reis Crooks sees a good-looking group. “
“One might expect a rookie coach to feel butterflies about taking over a program that’s won seven consecutive state titles. Especially when graduation took more than half the team’s goals with it.But new boys’ lacrosse coach Ryan Painter doesn’t seem at all apprehensive.There are over 100 kids in Bainbridge who play lacrosse, and I can name every one, he says.He’s coached lacrosse at Woodward for three years – a job he still holds – and I have the respect of the kids, so it’s easy to fit in. “
“Speed. Defense. Pitching.This year’s Mariner mantra also applies to the Spartan baseball team, which coach Mike Reese describes as a group of very talented baseball players with a lot of good young arms.Last year’s team was 15-3 in the Olympic League, 17-4 overall. Lost to graduation were pitchers Jamie Hawkins and Thomas Henshaw, along with several big bats.This is one of the fastest teams I’ve seen in seven years of coaching, Reese says. Now we have to get on base and use our speed to our advantage. They’ll need all the advantages they can get, as they open with three tough games right out of the gate: A visit to South Kitsap today. Perennial power North Kitsap in the home opener Tuesday. An away game with Port Angeles a week from Tuesday.This is a young team, Reese says. They need to understand what it takes to win. So we’re going to go up against good teams, because that’s the kind of team we’ll meet in the playoffs. “
“New girls’ water polo coach Jeff Clark hopes to work the same magic on this year’s varsity as he did with last year’s JV squad, which won the state championship.Nine girls from that JV squad, which finished 13-2, join five returning varsity players for what should be a very competitive season.The varsity finished second in the state tournament to a strong Mercer Island squad, losing the championship game to conclude a 17-4 season.Clark, who replaces long-time coach Steve Killpack, is himself a former Spartan player.He’s working with a turnout of 42 girls, which provides three teams: two at the varsity level – blue and gold – and JVs. “
“No band. A handful of students. The dance team set to perform at halftime. And the scoreboard showing a 25-4 first quarter edge. Sounds a lot like a Tuesday night game with Klahowya. Unfortunately, the scene was the Tacoma Dome, not the Spartan gym, and it was Bainbridge on the short end of the score. Blanchet scored seven points in the first minute and romped to a 61-40 thumping on Thursday in the 3A girls basketball tournament. The Spartans opened the tournament with a tense 50-42 win over Rainier Beach the previous day.Even Thursday’s most positive accomplishment was lessened, as the official scorer somehow missed one of freshman Alice Russell’s six blocked shots and credited her with five.Yesterday afternoon, the team met defending champion Meadowdale in a loser-out game. If the Spartans won, they play today at 1:30 for fourth place.In retrospect, Bainbridge might have been better off losing last Friday’s classic come-from-behind game to White River for the district championship. The Spartans No. 1 seed coming out gave them the privilege of joining three of the state’s four top-ranked teams – Blanchet, Bellevue, Meadowdale – in the tournament’s upper bracket, and the Spartans’ first-round opponent was a physical Rainier Beach team that not only extended them to the limit but also wound up hobbling leading scorer Emily Pierce. “
“The White River Hornets tried to trash Spartan freshman Alice Russell’s 15th birthday party Friday.But Russell and her teammates blew out the candles as they overcame a 12-point deficit with less than five minutes left, to defeat the fifth-ranked Hornets 58-54 and win the District 3 girls’ basketball championship at Pacific Lutheran University.Fab Rezayat sank 11 of her career-high 18 points – including a game-tying trey with 50 seconds left – in the fourth quarter, while Emily Pierce drained four free throws in the final 17 seconds as the Spartans (now 17-5) earned the No. 1 seed to the state tournament that opens today.This is the best birthday present I could have had, Russell said. I’ve never experienced something like this before. “
“Emily Pierce sank four free throws in the final 17 seconds as the Spartans defeated sixth-ranked White River 58-54 and qualify as the #1 seed from District 3 for the 3A State tournament, which begins Wednesday at the Tacoma Dome. The Spartans were down by 12 points with less than five minutes to play but Pierce and Fab Rezayat powered the comeback. Rezayat drained a three-pointer with 50 seconds remaining to tie the score 54-54 as she scored 11 of her career-high18 points in the final five minutes. Pierce had 19 points to lead all scorers, while Alice Russell had 10 points and three blocked shots to celebrate her 15th birthday.Christine Schwager added eight and Morgan Zajonc chipped in three.The girls’ basketball team will open 3A tournament play at 10:30 Wednesday morning against Seattle’s Rainier Beach (19-8) at the Tacoma Dome. If they win, they will play the winner of Blanchet (23-3) and Aberdeen (19-4) Thursday at 3:30. If they lose to Rainier Beach, they will play the loser of the Blanchet-Aberdeen game at 9 a.m. on Thursday. To view the complete bracket with records and gametimes, see www.wiaa.com. “
“Many of the Bainbridge faithful who made the long drive to Pacific Lutheran University Tuesday, for the first-round girls’ basketball playoff game against Franklin Pierce, were squirming as the first quarter ended. The Spartans had gone scoreless for the final four minutes, and an 8-0 lead turned into a 9-8 deficit on a Cardinal hoop with 10 seconds left.But Courtney Kimball opened the second quarter with a trey, and the Spartans never trailed again en route to a 56-30 thumping. “
“Stephanie Hylen got off to an excellent start at Friday’s 3A WIAA Gymnastics Championships, scoring 9.0 on floor and 8.6 on vault. But uncharacteristic errors dropped her scores in bars (7.325) and beam (7.75) from levels she’d maintained for most of the season and she finished with an all-around score of 32.675.Senior Melissa Borgen, the only other Spartan entrant, scored a 7.95 in the vault. My hand slipped a little on the bars, but I don’t dwell on it, Hylen said. Part of gymnastics is presentation. “
