Sports

Ballard Boys and Girls Club accepting registration for summer athletic camp

bryanz — Mon, 06 May 2013 17:44:41 +0000

The Ballard Boys and Girls Club is accepting signups for full day and half day athletic camps, which has a range of sports including baseball, basketball, tennis, golf, soccer and more.

See below for an overview of the dates and sports offered and respective prices. Kids can be signed up for full or half days.

For more info, visit http://www.ballard.positiveplace.org/athletics.html or contact Billy Rodgers at wrodgers@positiveplace.org or 206-783-5775.

Basketball: $160/week ($120 for Mini)
Boys, Girls, and Mini K-2nd grade
July and August 9:30am-2:30pm

Baseball 7-12yrs Co-ed: $120/week
Fielding, Hitting, Total Baseball, Advanced, and Mini
July and August 9:30am-2:30pm

All Sports 7-12yrs Co-ed: $160/session
Soccer, Basketball, Flag Football, & Much More!!!
July and August 9:30am-2:30pm

Bumblebee Soccer: $120/week
Co-ed Kindergarten-2nd Grade
July and August 9:00am-12:00pm

Mini Tennis: $120/week
Co-ed Kindergarten-2nd grade
June 17th-21st 9:00am-12:00pm

Mini Golf: $120/week
Co-ed Kindergarten-2nd grade
June 24th-28th 9:00am-12:00pm

*EXTENDED CARE AVAILABLE FOR ALL CAMPS

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Photos: Ballard baseball heads to the playoffs

bryanz — Thu, 02 May 2013 17:36:57 +0000

Ballard baseball is heading to the playoffs. With 17 seniors on the roster, they hope to go all the way and make their first ever state tournament berth at the 4A level.

The Beavers finished the regular season with an 11-4 conference record --best ever since joining 4A in 2003 -- and 15-5 overall record, to earn the No. 2 seed in the upcoming KingCo 4A playoffs. Notable wins include Blanchet, West Seattle, 2-game sweep of both Roosevelt and Garfield, and a win at Safeco Field over then undefeated and #1 ranked Kentwood.

In the first round of the KingCo 4A playoff bracket, Ballard will face Bothell, at 1pm, this Saturday, hosted at Woodinville HS.

With 17 seniors on the roster, Ballard hopes to make their first ever state tournament berth at the 4A level.

"It's been a long time coming for this program. This group broke onto the scene last year, and now we plan to reach new heights. Making state has been our goal since day one," said head coach Doug Montgomery. "We're finally getting everyone healthy, we've learned from our mistakes this year, and now it's time to put it all together. We're playing to win, and we're playing for Ballard Pride."

We caught Ballard's home game against Issaquah on April 26, which Ballard won 6-3. See below for some photos that Zachariah Bryan took from that game.

Zachariah Bryan can be reached at zachb@robinsonnews.com

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Ballard High Sports Schedule 4/29-5/4

bryanz — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:45:56 +0000

MONDAY, APR 29, 2013

Fastpitch: JV Non-Conf., 3:30pm, vs. Holy Names @ Gilman Ballfield #1

Soccer: Boys C Team Conf. Match, 3:30pm, vs. Eastlake @ Ballard High School

Baseball: JV Conf. Game, 3:45pm, vs. Skyline @ Whitman Middle School

Baseball: Varsity Conf. Game, 3:45pm, Away vs. Skyline @ Skyline High School

Baseball: C Team Conf. Game, 3:45pm, vs. Redmond @ Loyal Heights (moved from Soundview)

Tennis: Girls Varsity Game, 3:45pm, Away vs. Bothell @ Bothell High School (Rescheduled from 04-08-13)

Fastpitch: JV Conf. Game, 4:00pm, Away vs. Eastlake Rescheduled to 05-03-13

TUESDAY, APR 30, 2013

Golf: Girls Varsity Conf. Match, 3:00pm, Away vs. Eastlake @ Sahalee Country Club

Fastpitch: JV Conf. Game, 3:30pm, Away vs. Redmond @ Hartman Park Baseball Field - Hartman Park Softball Field

Baseball: C Team Conf. Game, 3:45pm, vs. Woodinville @ Soundview Playfield

Tennis: Girls JV Game, 3:45pm, vs. Garfield @ Ballard High School (Date changed from 04-18-13)

Tennis: Girls Varsity Game, 3:45pm, Away vs. Garfield @ Amy Yee Tennis Center (Date changed from 04-18-13)

Fastpitch: Varsity Game, 4:00pm, Away vs. Skyline @ Skyline High School

Soccer: Boys JV Game, 5:30pm, vs. Roosevelt @ Interbay

Soccer: Boys Varsity Game, 7:30pm, vs. Roosevelt @ Interbay

WEDNESDAY, MAY 01, 2013

Soccer: Boys C Team Conf. Match, 6:30pm, Away vs. Issaquah @ Issaquah High School

THURSDAY, MAY 02, 2013

Golf: Girls Varsity Conf. Match, 3:30pm, vs. Newport @ Jackson Golf Course

Fastpitch: C Team Non-Conf., 3:30pm, vs. Chief Sealth @ Gilman Ballfield #2

Fastpitch: JV Conf. Game, 3:30pm, vs. Roosevelt @ Gilman Ballfield #1

Baseball: C Team Conf. Game, 3:45pm, Away vs. Lake Washington @ Lake Washington High School - Kirkland Middle School

Track & Field: Varsity & JV Conf. Meet, 4:00pm, vs. Skyline @ SE Athletic Complex (Rainier Beach HS)

Fastpitch: Varsity Game, 6:30pm, Away vs. Woodinville @ Woodinville High School

FRIDAY, MAY 03, 2013

Fastpitch: C Team Non-Conf., 3:30pm, vs. Nathan Hale @ Gilman Ballfield #2

Fastpitch: JV Conf. Game, 4:00pm, Away vs. Eastlake @ Eastlake High School (Rescheduled from 04-29-13)

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Ballard High School to honor student athletes with inaugral awards night

bryanz — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:48:52 +0000

From Ballard High School

Mark your calendars for the Inaugural Beaver Nation Athletic Awards night Tuesday June 11, 2013 at 7:00 pm in the Ballard High School gymnasium. The event will be a huge celebration for all the Ballard High School athletic accomplishments this year—with a solid emphasis on academics and what it means to be an athlete in life, at school and on the playing field/court. Specifically, the event will:

Summarize the accomplishments of all of our 25+ teams and clubs
Award the top male and female athletes in multiple categories
Honor an outstanding parent, community or business member who goes above and beyond to serve our student-athletes and our athletic programs with the Jim Vatn Award
Honor a coach, teacher or staff member who exemplifies the heart and soul of Ballard High School athletics with the John Nygaard Award (Read our story on John Nygaard's passing here)

Nominations will be accepted from coaches and the community. Go to this link to make your nominations http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QQHQH7C -- Community nominations are open until May 11, 2013. A select committee of Ballard High School coaches, teachers and staff will vote from those nominated.

Please plan on attending the event and helping start a new Beaver Tradition!

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Baseball roundup: Beavers rack up two wins, named a top competitor in state rankings

bryanz — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:33:57 +0000

Ballard High School will be playing their next game today against Newport at home, 3:45 p.m. at Whitman Middle School. On Wednesday, April 24, at 3:30 p.m., they'll face Garfield at Garfield High School.

Ballard Eeks Out Win against Redmond, April 15

Ballard held on to beat Redmond last Monday 4-3. Joe Jacobson started on the mound and pitched 6 innings and gave up only 4 hits. Sophomore Alex Livengood came in to close the game in the 7th and earned the victory as the Beavers came from behind scoring 2 runs in the final inning. Senior second baseman Alex Stamey was awarded the player of the game honor for his defense and for going 2 for 2 at the plate with 1 RBI.

The Player of the Game goes to Senior two-sacker Alex Stamey, who continued his torrid return from a broken hamate bone with a 2-2, 1-RBI performance. Nice work, Alex!

Beavers complete sweep against Roosevelt, April 17

The Roosevelt Roughriders' losing streak continues and the seniors on this team can say they never lost to their cross-town rivals. Ballard took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning but it was player of the game, Ryan Kangas that put his stamp on the series by blasting a 3-run bomb over the right field fence in the 4th inning at Lower Woodland Park. Senior Carl Pearson started the game and pitched 4 strong innings. Seniors Dash Sklenar, Chris Kahn and Robbie Dunbar each came in for an inning for the 6-1 victory.

Player of the Game goes to senior third-sacker Ryan Kangas, who reached base all four plate appearances, going 3-3 with the game-breaking home run in the 4th, scoring 3 runs while knocking in 3. Congratulations, Ryan!

Beavers State Rankings!

The two polls for Washington State High School Baseball both have the Ballard High School Beavers ranked in the state's top tier of teams in 4A Baseball! Though the Washington State Baseball Poll has The Beavers ranked #8 as of April 21, the Internet-based MaxPreps.com has the Ballard Beavers ranked #4 in state. The Beavers are holding on to 2nd place in the Crown Division behind the leader Skyline. The Spartans are ranked ahead of Ballard by one spot in both polls, 7th and 3rd, respectively. The regular season will wrap up with 4 games remaining and its finale will take place at Skyline April 29th.

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Baseball roundup: Beavers triumph at Safeco, suffer hard loss vs. Bothell

bryanz — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 23:23:15 +0000

Beavers Leave No Doubt Beat Kentwood 3-2, April 6

The Ballard Beavers left no doubt that they are a top-10 team after their performance against the undefeated #1 ranked team in State, the Kentwood Conquerors. The Ballard team outplayed the defending State Champions in their first ever invitation to play in the High School Classic at Safeco Field. Coach Doug Montgomery used a 7 man rotation allowing all but one of his varsity pitchers a chance to hold their own against a potent Conquerors lineup. George Chrisafis earned player of the game honors, going 2 for 2 at the plate and for his heads up play. Ballard took the early lead and they were leading most of the game until Kentwood tied things up 2-2 in the 7th inning. The Ballard offence kept their poise as Kentwood walked in the winning run.

Player of the Game goes to George Chrisafis, who went 2 for 2 at the plate, with a walk, the game winning run, and a couple outstanding heads up plays at 1B.

Ballard Loses to Bothell, April 8

A letdown after such a strong win at Safeco, the Beavers bats went silent in a 7-3 loss vs Bothell. Bothell out-hit the Beavers 12-6, but it was also the three errors that cost the Beavers in the road game loss.

Ballard Bounces Back, April 13

The Ballard Beavers bounced back from a tough loss to take down The Inglemoor Vikings in a rescheduled rainout game last Saturday. The game was a see-saw battle that ended in a 7-5 Beaver victory. Senior catcher Frank Airey earned player of the game honors for his base clearing, 3 RBI double in the 4th inning. The game also saw the return of 2nd baseman, Alex Stamey who had been out with a preseason injury. Alex picked up where he left off going 2 for 4 with an RBI of his own.

Player of the Game goes to senior captain & catcher Frank Airey, who had a bases clearing 3-RBI double to take the lead in the 4th inning.

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Former Ballard High football player plays ball in Hungary

bryanz — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:44:31 +0000

On March 1, Carlos Stanley, formerly of Ballard High School, and Kiel Rasp, formerly of Nathan Hale High School and the University of Washington, traveled to Hungary where they are now coaching and playing football for the Békéscsaba Raptors.

While, football is a relatively new sport in Hungary, having just started ten years ago, its popularity has risen rapidly in the country. As of 2013, nearly thirty teams participate in four divisions.

After graduating from Ballard High School in 2009, Carlos Stanley thought his football days were over. He enrolled at Shoreline Community College, but he never lost the desire to play football.

A few years later, Stanley received a call from his former coach, Tim Jolin, an assistant at Ballard from 2002-2008. Jolin had moved with his family to Hungary in 2012 and had started coaching football there.

“When Coach Jolin called me up and asked if I wanted to play in Europe, it was one of the best things to happen to me in a while. I was excited to have another shot at playing football and to develop players who could benefit from my knowledge of the game.”

Kiel Rasp, a standout player at Nathan Hale High School and three-year punter at the University of Washington, also leaped at the chance to play again.

“At UW all I did was punt but I missed the excitement of being a position player," Rasp said. "Coming to Hungary I got the chance to show my athleticism."

The quality of play in Hungary is close to the high school level in Seattle, so Stanley and Rasp became immediate stars. Jolin said that when the two stepped onto the field for the first time during a team scrimmage, the other players were amazed.

“We started with special teams and Kiel boomed a fifty-yard punt. The distance was impressive, but it hung up in the air for almost five seconds. No one in Hungary had ever seen such a kick. And then Carlos ... He played cornerback and the offense threw at him five times. He made three interceptions and the other two throws he broke up. He is a shut-down corner and when he gets the ball in his hands the defense cannot tackle him —- he is too fast.”

Shortly after Stanley and Rasp arrived in Hungary, the Raptors played an exhibition game against the Debrecen Gladiators. Carlos played only one offensive play. He streaked past the defender and caught a pass for an 80-yard touchdown. “We all stood and watched him go,” Jolin said. “It was like the defender was standing still.”

Not to be outdone, Kiel, while playing at the tight end position, took a short pass and raced seventy yards for a touchdown. “He ran through two tackles,” Jolin said. “He is a fantastic athlete and his days playing rugby gives him the mentality to run through contact.”

Stanley and Rasp don’t know what the future will bring for them in football. The season in Hungary ends in July and, after they return home, they will decide whether to pursue another opportunity playing football.

If they decide to continue with football, the odds are good they will find a place. There are hundreds of teams throughout Europe and all of them are looking to sign a few Americans with football experience.

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Ballard High Boys Basketball team honored at awards banquet

bryanz — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:34:48 +0000

By Christopher Duclos

The season has finally come to an end. For the younger players, inspiration, energy and enthusiasm are sparked as they watch their senior teammates get honored.

Seniors not only reminisce on the season that just ended but all the seasons prior in which they suited for Ballard Basketball. Like every team in high school basketball, the ultimate goal was to get to the Tacoma Dome for the state tournament. While the Beavers fell short of that goal in a heartbreaking loss against Newport, there was no shortage of fond memories and proud accomplishments.

The Beavers ended the season with a 9-6 (15-9 overall) record in conference play. The Kingco 4A conference is home to western Washington powerhouse programs such as Bothell and Garfield -- both teams handing Ballard losses on the season.

Pictured above is the Ballard starting five for the 2012-2013 season. This group of seniors started all 24 games together this season for the Beavers, leading their team to the Kingco Semi-Finals in the playoffs.

Starting five heading off to college?:

Seth Berger will attend the University of Massachusetts and play basketball.
Nate Rauda will attend Central Washington and play football.
John Verduin will attend Willamette University and play football & basketball.
Stuart MacGeorge will attend the University of Washington.
Raymond Owens is currently undecided.

2012-2013 Ballard High School Boy’s Basketball Award Recipients

JUNIOR VARSITY:

Most Inspirational – Calvin Czyzewski

Most Improved – Aidan Maifeld

Coaches – Max Marshall, Morris Fortmann

VARSITY:

Captains – Seth Berger, Stuart MacGeorge, Raymond Owens

Most Inspirational – Will Leonard

Most Improved – Raymond Owens, Kemal Deger

Coaches – Johnny Verduin

Defensive Stopper – Nate Rauda

Most Valuable Player – Seth Berger

John Nygaard “Beaver Pride” Award – Stuart MacGeorge

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Ballard High Sports Schedule 3/9-4/13

bryanz — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 21:35:19 +0000

TUESDAY, APR 09, 2013

Golf: Girls Varsity Conf. Match, 3:30pm, Away vs. Inglemoor @ Inglemoor High School - Inglewood Golf Course

Fastpitch: C Team Non-Conf., 3:30pm, Away vs. Cleveland High S @ SE Athletic Complex (Rainier Beach HS) (Location Changed)

Baseball: JV Non-Conf., 3:45pm, vs. O'Dea @ Whitman Middle School

Baseball: C Team Conf. Game, 3:45pm, Juanita @ Soundview Playfield

Tennis: Girls Varsity Conf. Match, 3:45pm, Newport @ Ballard High School (Location Changed)

Tennis: Girls JV Conf. Match, 3:45pm, vs. Newport @ Ballard High School

Fastpitch: Varsity Game, 4:00pm, vs. Roosevelt @ Lower Woodland - Lower Woodland Softball Field #3

Fastpitch: JV Conf. Game, 4:00pm, Away vs. Woodinville @ Woodinville High School - Softball Field

WEDNESDAY, APR 10, 2013,

Baseball: Varsity Bye, vs. TBD @ Ballard

Baseball: JV Bye, vs. TBD @ Ballard

Soccer: Boys C Team Conf. Match, 3:30pm, vs. Interlake @ Ballard High School

Tennis: Girls Varsity Game, 3:45pm, vs. Inglemoor @ Ballard High School (Rescheduled from 03-19-13)

Soccer: Boys JV Game, 5:30pm, Away vs. Eastlake @ Eastlake High School

Soccer: Boys Varsity Game, 7:30pm, Away vs. Eastlake @ Eastlake High School

THURSDAY, APR 11, 2013

Baseball: C Team Conf. Game, 3:30pm, Away vs. Eastlake @ Eastlake High School

Tennis: Girls JV Game, 3:45pm, vs. Woodinville @ Ballard High School

Tennis: Girls Varsity Game, 3:45pm, Away vs. Woodinville @ Woodinville High School

Track & Field: Varsity & JV Conf. Meet, 4:00pm, Away vs. Garfield,Ballard, Roosevelt @ SW Athletic Complex (SWAC)

FRIDAY, APR 12, 2013

Baseball: JV Conf. Game, 3:45pm, vs. Inglemoor @ Whitman Middle School

Fastpitch: C Team Non-Conf., 4:00pm, Away vs. West Seattle @ SW Athletic Complex (SWAC)

Soccer: Boys JV Game, 5:30pm, vs. Redmond @ Interbay

Baseball: Varsity Conf. Game, 7:00pm, Away vs. Inglemoor @ Inglemoor High School

Soccer: Boys Varsity Game, 7:30pm, vs. Redmond @ Interbay

Baseball roundup: After week of ups and downs, Ballard maintains strong league standing

bryanz — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:05:40 +0000

Our Ballard baseball boys have been staying on top of the league with two wins and two losses in the past week, making for 5-2 in the Kingco league. While they have been battling for the lead, they are now at No. 2 in the league, just one win shy of tying for first with No. 1 Skyline -- who, by the way, lost to Ballard.

Next, the Beavers will be facing the defending state champions Kentwood Conquerors this Saturday at 4 p.m. The Beavers and Kentwood will share the honor of playing this game at Safeco Field! The game is free to attend so please support our Beavers! For more information on this special event, please go to the Ballard Baseball website, www.ballardbaseball.com.

For your reading pleasure, here's a roundup of the Beavers' recent games.

Ballard vs. Eastlake, Wednesday, April 3

The seniors on the Ballard Baseball Varsity share something in common: They have never lost to The Eastlake High School Wolves of Sammamish. In Wednesday's thriller at Whitman, Eastlake seemed on their way to ending the streak by scoring 2 runs in the 1st inning and holding the lead until the 5th. In the 5th inning, senior right fielder Stuart MacGeorge and sophomore Alex Livengood produced the game tying RBI's. In the 7th inning, with the bases loaded, senior catcher Frank Airey's 'walk-off walk' RBI ended the game. Senior Ryan Kangas earned player of the game honors by going 1 for 3 at the plate but also for closing the game and earning the victory by pitching 2 1/3 shut down innings.

Ballard vs. Woodinville, Monday, April 1

Last Monday, the Falcons' starting pitcher, Stephen White, held the Beavers to 3 hits in a defensive battle under the lights at Woodinville. The 3-1 loss dropped Ballard down to 2nd place in the KingCo Crown Division standings. Both White and Ballard senior Carl Pearson went the distance in the duel. The 3 base hits came from seniors Ryan Kangas, Stuart MacGeorge and Frank Airey. Airey's single to left field also produced the only Beaver RBI, scoring Ryan Kangas. The best defensive play of the game was when shortstop Ben Welch chased down a grounder and made a major league throw to first. Unfortunately, the field ump wasn't impressed and called the runner safe much to the surprise of the Beaver dug out and everyone else in attendance!

Ballard vs. Skyline, Friday, March 29

Defense, defense and more defense. On Friday, March 29th, the Ballard Beavers regained its lead in the KingCo 4A Crown Division by beating the Skyline Spartans of Sammamish 2 to 1. The combination of senior pitchers Joe 'Big Cat' Jacobson and Dash Sklenar won the pitcher duel over Drew Lunde of Skyline. Jacobson started the game and pitched 4 innings, gave up 5 hits, 1 run, walked 2 and struck out 3. Sklenar pitched 3 innings, 0 runs, walked 2 and struck out 2. Senior shortstop Ben Welch earned player of the game honors thanks to his plate performance and base stealing. Ben had 2 of the Beavers 4 base hits, 2 stolen bases, 1 run and 1 RBI. Jacob Westerman and Rory Graf-Brennen each accounted for 1 hit and senior catcher Frank Airey had Ballard's other RBI.

Ballard vs. Issaquah, Wednesday, March 27

If you were only looking at the statistics, you would be surprised that it was such a low scoring game but equally surprising was that Ballard's 12 hits produced only 2 runs. Issaquah, playing at home, handed the Beavers their first KingCo 4A Conference loss last Wednesday 3 to 2. Sophomore sensation Jacob Westerman led the offense again by going 3 for 3 at the plate and senior Stuart MacGeorge added another 2 of Ballard's 12 total base hits compared to Issaquah's 7. Defensively, another sophomore, Alex Livengood pitched 2 2/3 shutout innings and struck out 3 Eagles batters in relief of Ryan Kangas. The defensive play of the game has to be the catch by senior center fielder Rory Graf-Brennen. Early in the game, Graf-Brennen resembled Willie Mays when he robbed Issaquah's Michell Morimoto with an over the shoulder snag in deep center field.

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For one Ballard resident, coaching a lifelong passion

bryanz — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:00:45 +0000

Coach Kyle Gray might be a successful head basketball coach at Edmonds Community College, but he's also a tried and true, lifelong Ballardite.

Gray, 33, grew up in Ballard. He graduated from Ballard High School. He coaches girls fastpitch at Ballard High School, where is his sister is a senior on the team. And he teaches P.E. at Viewlands Elementary on Holman Rd.

"What I like is all the families around here are pretty tight knit, it’s a great community," he said. "... I always stayed in touch with Ballard throughout the years. Ballard was always home."

Earlier this year, he was named coach of the year for the Northwest Athletic Association of Community College's North Division. His basketball team in Edmonds finished first in the league with the best overall NWAACC record and came just one game short of winning the tournament.

"When we first started, we felt like we had a good team, and as we went on we had surpassed some expectations we had. But at that point we just wanted to win," he said. "It was heartbreaking to fall a little bit short. It was a heckuva season."

It may have been Gray's first season at Edmonds, but he had been working hard for eight years at North Seattle Community College, until the program was cut last year. Several of his long-time players and his whole staff came up to Edmonds with him.

"We were chomping at the bit to get there for a while," he said. "Finally we had a breakthrough season this year."

Of course, he had his dazzling players. Such as Shaquille McKissic and Ricardo Maxwell.

"Those two are probably the most exciting players and the most fun to watch with all the flashy moves and the uptempo styles," Gray said.

But Gray stressed that the system of teamwork, and not just the star players, is what made their team good.

"You just have a good team that fits their roles very well. We had some plays that just made you just drop your jaw ... but at the same time they were playing in a team system and shared the ball.
That’s probably why we were as good as we were," he said.

It seemed as everything fit together perfectly and that the team had finally reached a dream season. So when they finally lost a last-minute nail-biter in the March 5, NWAACC finale against Chemeketa, 84-79, it was a hard loss.

"It was heartbreaking, it’s still heartbreaking," Gray said. "But at the same time we talked about it ... I would rather lose the championship game than lose the third place game. I wish we could’ve finished it out but at the end of the day you look back at the season and it was a special season."

Despite the loss, for Coach Gray, his career doesn't just come down to one season. It's a lifelong passion that has been with him since childhood.

"Sports was always big for us and our family," he said. "It gave us structure, motivated us to stay out of trouble."

While growing up with sports, his coaching career began when he was 18, when he coached at Loyal Heights Community Center with his mom as an assistant. Eventually, after having the chance to play baseball at the community college level (but he loved basketball too much, he said) he got a start on coaching basketball at Ballard High School. From there, he went on to coach at the community college level, teach P.E. and coach the BHS Varsity Softball team.

Coaching for Gray is a way to pass on the benefits of sports to a younger generation, and specifically to students who may not have as many opportunities.

"(I like) the life lessons that sports teaches kids that may not be the best students in the world, (to) create that opportunity for them to not only pursue something they love, but also academics, and teach them life lessons like how to work together for a common goal, and learn ... the ins and outs of what it takes to get something accomplished," Gray said.

In the end, it's not just about winning, but about becoming close and supportive of one another.

"I think I just love the family atmosphere, I know that’s one thing I try to incorporate as a coach," he said. "I’m not old enough to think of my basketball players as sons, but I call them brothers."

All in all, you can bet that Gray isn't about to give up coaching anytime soon.

"I think that you never know what life’s gonna throw at you, because soon enough my wife and I will start a family, and it will certainly take a lot of time," he said. "But coaching is my passion and its something I will do for a long time."

"The journey has been so much fun," he said.

Zachariah Bryan can be reached at zachb@robinsonnews.com

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Basketball: Seth Berger selected for Inaugural West Coast All-Star Classic

bryanz — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 22:03:24 +0000

By Christopher Duclos

Onto the next game on the hardwood for Ballard High School senior forward Seth Berger.

Berger, along with four other Seattle Basketball phenoms, has been selected to participate in the Inaugural West Coast All-Star Classic. The West Coast All-Star Classic Committee announced the roster on March 26. It's made up of the nation’s top 22 high school seniors in basketball.

“This event will be a first for our area,” said Mike Bethea, Rainier Beach Head Coach and West Coast All-Star Classic Committee member. “For years, West Coast kids have had to travel east to showcase their talents and play against their peers. Now, many of the country’s best basketball players will come west where we have some very good players who have flown under the national media radar.”

The selected athletes will also take part in a number of special events throughout Seattle. These events include a visit to Seattle’s state-of-the-art Bullitt Foundation building and an “All-Star Friday Night” that features a Slam Dunk and Three-Pointer competition at Rainier Beach High School. Proceeds of the All-Star Friday night’s festivities will benefit the Rainier beach Foundation.

The showcase hoops event will tip off on Saturday, May 11 at 6 p.m. at Kent, WA’s ShoWare Center. Game tickets will be on sale beginning Friday, March 29 at the ShoWare Center box office, online at www.showarecenter.com, facebook.com/showarecenter or by calling (253) 856-6999 or (866) 973-9613. Tickets for the All-Star Friday Night festivities at Rainier Beach High School can be purchased at the door for $5. For more information on the West Coast All-Star Classic events, please visit the official website at www.westcoastallstarclassic.com.

Christopher Duclos is the sports writer for BNT you can follow him on twitter @thechrisduclos

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Baseball: Carl Pearson shows Garfield 'No Mercy'

bryanz — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 18:49:47 +0000

Carl Pearson was a force on the mound against the Garfield Bulldogs Monday afternoon at Whitman Middle School. The 6'6" senior right-hander dominated by striking out 8 batters and giving up only 3 hits, 1 run and 0 walks in the five inning complete game 'mercy rule' victory.

In high school baseball, when a team is ahead by at least ten runs after five innings, the game is ended. This is the first 'mercy rule' victory for the Beavers since last season's 14-2 play-off victory against the Inglemoor Vikings. On offense, the Beavers shortstop Ben Welch was on fire going 3 for 3, with 2 runs and 2 RBI's. Sophomore Alex Livengood was 2 for 2 on the day. Pearson was named 'Player of the Game' for his performance.

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Baseball: Another extra-inning conference win, Ballard 7 Newport 5

bryanz — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:43:18 +0000

Experienced teams with veteran players know how to come from behind and win games. They don't panic when they are down.

Of the 21 players on Ballard's varsity roster, 16 are seniors. One-half of these players have at least three years of KingCo 4A varsity playing time. The Beavers are playing like veterans and though it is just the first week of conference play, the 5-1 Beavers (2-0 conference) are on top of the league standings.

Though they have played well against Roosevelt and Newport, it has taken 19 innings to win those games. After Wednesday's 9-inning victory against The Roughriders, The Beavers came from behind again to beat the previously undefeated Newport Knights of Bellevue on Friday, March 22.

What makes these wins special is not just the play of the veterans, but also the play of the first year starters. In Friday's 7-5 win against Newport, the first year starters, Freshman CF Joe Eskenazi, Sophomore's 2B Jacob Westerman, DH/P Alex Livengood and Junior LF Davis Lohman combined for 3 runs, 5 hits, 4 RBI's, 2 walks and zero strikeouts!

Newport scored 2 runs in the first inning and held the lead until the 6th inning when Ryan Kangas' RBI double scored 2B Jacob Westerman. Both teams scored a pair of runs in the 7th and single runs in the 8th. In the 10th inning with the bases loaded, Joe Eskenazi's sacrifice fly to center field scored 3B George Chrisafis and SS Ben Welch's RBI single scored Drew Lombardi for the game winning runs as Newport was not able to respond.

Senior 3B/P Ryan Kangas did earn 'double duty' player of the game honors. On offense, Kangas went 3 for 4 at the plate with 2 doubles and 1 RBI. On defense, Ryan earned the victory, pitching the final 3 innings without any earned runs and striking out two batters.

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Sign up for Boys and Girls Club baseball programs

bryanz — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 21:21:59 +0000

From Ballard Boys and Girls Club

Parents,

Tee Ball and Machine Pitch Baseball Registration is underway. We offer four leagues for boys and girls, from Pre K-5th Grade, starting in April. Space is starting to fill up so register today. For more information and to register log on to: ballard.positiveplace.org

ROOKIE TEE BALL

Pre K-K

TEE BALL
K-1st Grade

ROOKIE MACHINE PITCH
1-2nd Grade

MACHINE PITCH
3rd, 4th, 5th Grade

We are also looking for volunteer coaches. Coaches meetings are March 5th or 6th, 6:30pm for tee ball or 7:15pm for machine pitch. For more information contact: Billy Rodgers, Athletic Director at (206) 783-5775 or wrodgers@positiveplace.org

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Ballard High Sports Schedule 3/25-3/30

bryanz — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:23:40 +0000

MONDAY, MAR 25, 2013

Baseball: JV Conf. Game, 3:30pm, Away vs. Garfield @ Garfield High School

Fastpitch: C Team Non-Conf., 3:30pm, Away vs. Bothell @ North Creek Ballfields

Baseball: Varsity Game, 3:45pm, vs. Garfield @ Whitman Middle School

Fastpitch: Varsity Game, 4:00pm, Garfield @ Lower Woodland - Lower Woodland Softball Field #3

Fastpitch: JV Non-Conf., 5:00pm, Away vs. Bothell @ Bothell High School, C – white

Soccer: Boys C Team Conf. Match, 6:00pm, Away vs. Liberty @ Liberty High School

TUESDAY, MAR 26, 2013

Golf: Girls Varsity Conf. Match, 3:30pm, vs. Skyline @ Ballard

Baseball: C Team League, 3:45pm, vs. Roosevelt @ Soundview Playfield

Tennis: Girls Varsity Game, 3:45pm, Away vs. Skyline @ Skyline High School (Location Changed)

Tennis: Girls JV Game, 3:45pm, vs. Skyline @ Ballard High School

Fastpitch: JV Non-Conf., 4:30pm, Away vs. Interlake, @ Interlake High School

Soccer: Boys JV Game, 5:30pm, Inglemoor @ Interbay

Soccer: Boys Varsity Game, 7:30pm, vs. Inglemoor @ Interbay

WEDNESDAY, MAR 27, 2013

Soccer: Boys C Team Conf. Match, 3:30pm, Lake Washington @ Ballard High School

Baseball: JV Conf. Game, 3:45pm, Issaquah @ Whitman Middle School

Tennis: Girls Varsity Game, 3:45pm, Away vs. Bothell @ Bothell High School (Rescheduled from 03-21-13)

Tennis: Girls JV Game, 3:45pm, vs. Bothell @ Ballard High School (Rescheduled from 03-21-13)

Baseball: Varsity Conf. Game, 4:00pm, Away vs. Issaquah @ Issaquah High School

Fastpitch: Varsity Game, vs. Eastlake, @ Lower Woodland - Lower Woodland Softball Field #3
Inglemoor High School

Baseball: C Team Conf. Game, 6:00pm, Away vs. Inglemoor @ Inglemoor High School

THURSDAY, MAR 28, 2013

Golf: Girls Varsity Conf. Match, 3:00pm, vs. Redmond @ Jackson Golf Course

Fastpitch: JV Conf. Game, 3:30pm, vs. Redmond @ Gilman Ballfield #1

Tennis: Girls Varsity Game, 3:45pm, vs. Issaquah @ Lower Woodland - Tennis Courts

Tennis: Girls JV Game, 3:45pm, Away vs. Issaquah @ Issaquah High School

Fastpitch: C Team Non-Conf., 4:00pm, Away vs. Chief Sealth @ SW Athletic Complex (SWAC)

Track & Field: Varsity & JV Non-Conf., 4:00pm, Away vs. Bothell @ Bothell High School

Baseball: C Team Conf. Game, 7:00pm, Away vs. Woodinville @ Woodinville High School - Baseball Field

FRIDAY, MAR 29, 2013

Fastpitch: C Team Non-Conf., 3:30pm, Away vs. Nathan Hale @ Meadowbrook Field

Baseball: JV Conf. Game, 3:45pm, Away vs. Skyline, @ Skyline High School

Baseball: Varsity Conf. Game, 3:45pm, vs. Skyline, @ Whitman Middle School

Soccer: Boys JV Game, 5:30pm, Away vs. Bothell @ Bothell High School

Soccer: Boys Varsity Game, 7:30pm, Away vs. Bothell @ Bothell High School

SATURDAY, MAR 30, 2013

Baseball: C Team Non-Conf., 10:00am, Away vs. Chief Sealth @ SW Athletic Complex (SWAC)

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Baseball: Beavers steamroll Monroe, notch first league win against Roosevelt

bryanz — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:17:03 +0000

By Marshall Airey

Ballard vs. Monroe, March 15

Ballard Beavers Varsity blew out Monroe 7-1 on Friday at Whitman Middle School after pouring on four runs in the fifth inning.

Alex Livengood was solid at the plate for Ballard Beavers Varsity. He went 2-3, drove in one and scored one run. He singled in the second inning and doubled in the fourth inning. For all of his work, he was awarded player of the game.

Starter Carl Pearson got it done on the bump. He pitched three shutout innings. He struck out one, walked none and surrendered no hits.

In middle relief, Dash Sklenar looked sharp on the mound. Sklenar held Monroe hitless over two innings, allowed no earned runs, walked none and struck out four.

Ballard vs. Roosevelt, March 20

Ballard Beavers fought it out in a long, cold, extra inning game against cross-town rivals, The Roosevelt Rough Riders. Though the Beavers were leading most of the game, Roosevelt scored 7 runs in the 7th to take a 9-7 lead. Ballard tied the game in that inning before finally ending the game in the 9th for the 10-9 victory.

Player of the game honors go to Ben Welch with some clutch defensive plays at shortstop and going 2 for 4 at the plate with an RBI double. Sophomore, Alex Livengood hit his first varsity home run and George Chrisafis hit the game winning RBI triple to end the game. Ryan Kangas earned the victory on the mound.

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Ballard baseball off to a good start, Ballard 2-1 non-league

bryanz — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:02:09 +0000

Ballard High School Baseball is well underway, and the team has already chalked up two wins, before losing to Eastside Catholic. Now the team is 2-1.

In their first game on Saturday March 8 against old rival Bishop Blanchet, a team which made it into the final four in the state last year, the Beavers showed up early and strong. In the second inning, they scored two runs, which Bishop Blanchet responded to in the third inning with just one run. But then Beavers ran away with the game in the fourth inning, scoring four runs. Bishop was unable to muster much more, scoring two more runs, and so the rest of the game was sealed for a total of 6-3, Ballard.

A shout out must be given to Sophomore 2nd basemen Jacob Westerman, who gave a stellar performance in his first start for Ballard high School, who was up to plate three times, hit the ball three times and rallied in four runs for the team.

Against West Seattle, Monday, March 11, the game was a lot closer, resulting in a sweat-beading win clinched by Ballard, 2-1.

It started with three innings of no scoring whatsoever. In the fourth quarter, Ballard was able to get one run in, but the excitement was short-lived when West Seattle scored right back in the fifth inning.

It came down to the eighth inning, becoming a battle of pitchers and catchers. Here, the Beavers had the upperhand. Only four hits total were made against Ballard as the senior trio of pitchers took turns on the mound.

And, when it looked as if West Seattle might make a rally, Junior Outfielder Davis Lohman made a diving catch to nip them in the bud. It was also his bunt which helped them stay in the game, which is why Lohman was made "player of the game."

However, Ballard's winning streak came to an end on March 13 against Eastside Catholic, when the Beavers so-far sturdy defense caved and allowed their opponents to rack up the points, resulting in a 4-7 loss.

Everything was already looking grim in the first inning, when Eastside scored three runs in, points which were unanswered until Ballard scored four of their own in the fifth inning. In the sixth inning, Eastside clinched the game with three more runs.

Seniors Chris Kahn and Joe Jacobsen took care of most of the pitching this time around, each facing a double-digit number of batters. Perhaps tired and running out of energy, each got three runs scored against them. Senior Damani Nkeiruka, who faced three batters, had one run scored against him.

But there's still time for the boys to recoup and get better, as all of the games they have played so far are non-league. On Friday, March 15 the boys will be going into another non-league game as they faceoff against Monroe at the Whitman Middle School baseball diamond, 3:45 p.m.

Zachariah Bryan can be reached at zachb@robinsonnews.com

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Senior Phenom Seth Berger selected to participate in Washington’s All State Game

bryanz — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:02:04 +0000

By Christopher Duclos

The season may be over for the Beavers, but not for senior forward Seth Berger.

Berger, along with other top names in high school basketball has been selected to participate in the All State Game Presented by Adidas and Could 9 Sports. The contest selects the best in high school class 4A and pits them against the top names from class 3A. Following the scheduled games, there will be a presenting of awards to the top players of the year, coaches of the year and the prestigious “Mr. Basketball” award. The All state basketball game has a reputation for being a well-attended event, garnering statewide attention and fanfare.

“I am really happy for Seth to have the honor of playing in the All State Game. It is great for him to represent his teammates, school, and community. These are the top players throughout the state, so this is a big honor. Seth had a great senior year and I know he is excited to play at the college level,” said BHS head coach Billy Rodgers.

Berger along with the rest of the Beavers squad saw success throughout the season, eventually leading them to the playoffs. Berger led the team in scoring, burying double digits on the stat sheet on almost all of Ballard’s games. In addition, he was named First Team All League and he led his team to the league playoffs. The last player from Ballard to participate in the All State Game was Salim Gloyd in 2011.

In November of 2012, Berger signed his national letter of intent to attend the University of Massachusetts for basketball. Prior to his signing, many colleges were interested in Berger’s skill set. Rated as a three star player rating according to ESPN, Berger is rated 47th overall in the nation at forward.

The game will be played on Saturday at Curtis High School, in University Place, Washington. There will be a total of three games, which will be played at the following times:

1B vs. 2B - 2:00 PM

1A vs. 2A -4:00 PM

3A vs. 4A -6:00 PM

Doors open at 1 pm. Cost is $10 per adult and $8 for Seniors, HS students, and children under 12.

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Ballard Community Center now has outdoor table tennis

bryanz — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 19:32:02 +0000

Yes, it's what you think. Ballard Community Center has setup table tennis outside. You can check out equipment inside.

So, who wants to play me? (I'm terrible.)

Zachariah Bryan can be reached at zachb@robinsonnews.com

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New Beatiful Bike studio offers RealRyder 'unstationary' cycles

bryanz — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 21:52:41 +0000

In Ballard, RealRyder indoor cycling seems to be taking hold. More than just your ordinary stationary cycle, proponents laud the RealRyder as an evolution, claiming its dynamic method "integrates several muscle groups for a cohesive, total body workout that improves strength, stability and coordination, while increasing cardio capacity and burning extra calories (20 percent more than traditional 'spinning')."

Phew. It's a workout just reading that sentence.

In any case, a new studio called The Beautiful Bike is all about the RealRyder and says it's Seattle's first and only RealRyder indoor cycling studio. (Maybe it was the only one when the press release was written, but there is now a second studio, at CorePower Yoga in the Ballard Blocks building.)

According to a press release, the RealRyder indoor cycles mimic road bicycling by having articulating frames that turn, tilt and lean, delivering an "exhilirating" cardio and full body workout.

"Seattle has always been quick to embrace what is new and revolutionary in exercise, and we’re thrilled to introduce the world’s first unstationary indoor bike to a city that takes its fitness seriously," said Colin Irving, CEO, competitive cyclist and visionary behind the RealRyder concept. "RealRyder equipment was designed to appeal both to the cycling enthusiast who use it for conditioning, as well as amateurs of all ages who ride for health, weight loss, fun, or all three."

Apparently, though not in Seattle, even celebrities are using the RealRyder, including Tobey Maguire, Rihanna, as well as “Entourage’s” Adrian Grenier and Kevin Connolly.

The Beautiful Bike is located at 310 NW 40th St. in Seattle, WA. Studio# D (walk through gate entrance to the right side of building to access courtyard). For class schedules, reservations and additional information, visit www.thebeautifulbike.com or call 206-283-4567.

You can reach Zachariah Bryan at zachb@robinsonnews.com

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A Ballardite's guide to following the Sounders

bryanz — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 15:56:48 +0000

Soccer is back in the Emerald City.

The 2012 season had its bitter moments. From losing to bitter rival Portland to being denied Seattle’s fourth straight U.S. Open Cup by Sporting Kansas City. However, the club has improved a great deal since then, adding experience and a hunger for success. With their season looming, BNT has provided everything you need to know before you support your rave-green in what hopes to be another successful season for the Sounders.

Very recently, the Sounders were able to head down to Tucson and win the Desert Diamond Cup trophy. The Desert Diamond Cup tournament serves as an MLS preseason training opportunity. The club, along with other west coast MLS teams, mixed its starters and reserves to compete against each other. Individually, teams cultivated the tournament to help make their decisions on preseason transactions.

Offseason Transactions

The Sounders did not remain quiet this offseason. Their biggest concern was the club’s financial situations regarding their salary cap. Moves were made in-house as well as internationally to address their monetary constraints.

Their biggest move was the loan-out of the club’s top goal scorer, Fredy Montero, to Millionarios in the Colombian Categoría Primera A. The decision to ship out one of the club’s biggest names came from Montero’s lack of productivity in the post-season. While Montero regularly found the back of the net in the regular season, he often disappeared with no contributions to the club’s offseason. The Sounders wanted to upgrade the striker position with age and experience in order to further the club’s hopes towards the MLS cup.

The club also made trades within the MLS. When the trade window opened, veteran defender Jeff Parke was traded away to Philadelphia. Parke’s departure from Seattle was a mutual decision; it was in Parke’s best interest to play his final years of soccer close to his family on the east coast. In addition, Federal Way native Lamar Neagle was traded back to Seattle after spending the 2012 season for the Montreal Impact. Initially, the Sounders traded Neagle and Mike Fucito to Montreal prior to the 2012 season in exchange for Eddie Johnson.

During the preseason, the club continued to make moves. During training camp an unfamiliar face showed up to train with the Sounders. Chivas USA centerback Shalrie Joseph spent two days in Tukwila training with the Sounders before being signed away from his former club. His signing occupies the 3rd designated player slot that had been vacated by Fredy Montero’s loan out.

During the Desert Diamond Cup, veteran defender Djimi Traore also was signed by the Sounders. Traore, 32, played for 16 seasons in Europe, including seven seasons for the English Premier League’s Liverpool. His signing will add depth and experience to a defense that will be missing Jeff Parke.

The Sounders very recently made a splash in European media by acquiring Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins. Martins confirmed the news on Feb. 28 after General Managers Chris Henderson and Adrian Hanauer flew to Spain to negotiate with Martins’ former club Levante of La Liga. Martins, age 28, is a Nigerian national that has spent years of his career playing for top European leagues; Italian Serie A (Inter Milan), English premier League (Newcastle) and the German Bundesliga (Wolfsburg). Check out his Newcastle United FC highlights here.

Players to keep an eye on

While the new acquisitions of Obafemi Martins, Lamar Neagle, Djimi Traore and Shalrie Joseph are exciting, a fan mustn’t forget current club contributors.

Osvaldo Alonso – Survived another offseason from the possibility of being lured away by a European club. The MLS all-star will continue to be a powerful weapon in Seattle’s defense with his hard-nosed playing style.

Mario Martinez – Martinez made a name for himself quickly after joining the club on loan from Real España late last year. As a regular call-up for the Honduras national team, Martinez provided the assist on the goal that upset World Champions Spain in the Gold Cup. His lone goal in the first round of the playoffs in 2012 lifted the Sounders past Real Salt Lake. During the Desert Diamond Cup tournament he has scored phenomenal goals including this effort in the Finals.

Brad Evans and Eddie Johnson - During the offseason these two Sounders have been featured on the USA men’s national team. Brad Evans contributed heavily after being moved to right midfield when Christian Tiffert came to town to play center forward. 2012 MLS comeback player of the year Eddie Johnson will look to capitalize on his prolific 2012 campaign, scoring 13 goals in 22 matches in 2012.

Steve Zakuani – Steve Zakuani made a loud return to action after coming off a broken leg he suffered during the 2011 season. Zakuani, a flying winger is known for his ball skills, quickness and his knack for taking on defenders one on one.

Where to watch

The Market Arms (21+) – Known best as Ballard’s British Pub, the Market Arms is regularly the sight for soccer – both American and British. The Market Arms offers a fine selection of ales, wines and liquor to go with the viewing atmosphere. Their hours are open 11am - 2am Monday through Friday and 10am - 2am Saturday/Sunday. Sorry kids, 21 and over only.

WingMasters Sports Bar (21+) – Located on 5811 24th Ave NW, WingMasters provides their variety of wings and dipping sauces to go along with a sports bar viewing atmosphere.

Ballard Loft (21+) - This venue boasts their 16 flat screen television sets that can play live sound throughout the restaurant. The Ballard loft is located on 5105 Ballard Avenue NW.

The Wing Dome – How about a venue you can take the whole family to? The Wing Dome will be showing matches throughout the season with their hot wings and cold brews. Located on 7818 Greenwood Ave N.

The 2013 Major League Soccer season is upon us. The Seattle Sounders FC will kick-off the beginning of the season at home vs. the Montreal Impact at 7:30pm.

Christopher Duclos is the sports writer for BNT you can follow him on twitter @thechrisduclos

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Boys Basketball: A sad loss, but season not a bust

bryanz — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:36:23 +0000

Seth Berger dunks, dunks, and dunks some more.

By Christopher Duclos

All good things must come to an end.

The Boys varsity squad met their end when they were knocked out of the KingCo playoffs Tuesday, Feb. 12 with a result of 61-55, Newport.

Emotions ran high as the seniors walked off the court for the last time.

“Although their last game ended with a loss, I remember sitting next to Johnny Verduin's dad, fighting off tears watching all the boys walking off the floor for the final time. But then thinking of all the fun times of the season and my tears were of joy.”

“As far as the season goes for the 2012-2013 Ballard High varsity boys basketball team, it was a proud season for us parents,” Coach Owens said. “The boys advanced to the 4A Kingco playoffs, won the Les Schwab Christmas classic, and most importantly the boys took care of business off the court. They were role models for Ballard high school.”

Other than winning on and off the court, the season had its unforgettable moments. Like when BHS played host to the Austrailian Penrith Panthers for an international exhibition.

The team and all of Beaver Nation were hoping to have a spot at the Tacoma Dome for the state playoffs. However, just because they fell short of that goal does not mean the season was a disappointment.

Before the season began on Sept. 14, 2012, forward Senior Seth Berger signed his letter of intent to play at the University of Massachusetts. But while Seth’s news stood out, the Beavers did not tag themselves with the identity of “Seth Berger and friends.” While Berger did lead the team in scoring, his teammates Johnny Verduin, Stuart MacGeorge (or MacG) and Raymond Owens stepped up and contributed on the score sheet. It was a common sight to see Verduin and Berger show up on the stats sheet together, both amassing double digits in the scoring column.

Seth Berger was named 1st team All League and Johnny Verduin was named 2nd team All League.

“2012-2013 was a great season for Ballard High School Boys Basketball,” Head Coach Billy Rodgers said. “This has been a very special year because of the great leadership provided by our seniors. The kids were a fun group to coach and they improved throughout the season. Making our 5th straight playoff appearance is a big accomplishment, especially with the high quality of play in our league. This year we played the No. 1 team in state three times and the No. 2 team in state once. I can’t say enough about the hard work and dedication of our players and coaches. These guys really worked hard and it showed. When I came to Ballard eight years ago, I knew it would take some time to build a great program. This senior class played a big role in that success.”

Coach Owns offered his thoughts on the 2012-2013 season. “I’m very honored to witness such a show by these student athletes. The season had more ups than downs as far as wins and losses goes. The team’s defense seemed to always keep them in games. Offensively, when the boys’ shots were falling, they could beat anyone in the state. Overall, the guys seemed to always be cheering for each other to do well.”

“I will really miss our seniors (Seth Berger, Thomas Christensen, Kemal Deger, Will Leonard, Stuart MacGeorge, Raymond Owens, Carl Pearson, Nate Rauda, Johnny Verduin). As a Coach you think about these relationships and how special they are. This was a great group of young men … really proud of them,” Coach Rodgers said.

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Basketball: Boys suffer first playoff loss

bryanz — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:29:46 +0000

By Christopher Duclos

It was a classic Seattle basketball game as Ballard traveled to Juanita High to take on their rival, Garfield.

It took the Beavers some time to find their footing against the Bulldogs as they were outscored in the 1st period 17-6. Eventually, the Beavers were able to come back to narrow the lead, coming down to a reachable two-point difference in the 3rd quarter. But the Beavers were still unable to catch up to Garfield. Garfield broke away again in the 4th quarter. As the final seconds ticked down, Garfield kept scoring, leading to a loss for Ballard, 55-41.

Scoring Summary – Johnny Verduin, 12 points; Ray Owens, 11; Seth Berger, 7; Nate Rauda, 7; Nick Brown, 2; Stuart MacGeorge, 2.

The season is not yet over. In order to be eliminated from playoff contention, the Beavers must lose twice. They will play their next game against Newport on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 4:45 p.m. The season will end for whichever team loses that match-up.

Notes:

Johnny Verduin scorred his 700th career point for Ballard against Friday night’s action against Garfield.

Christopher Duclos is the sports writer for BNT you can follow him on twitter @thechrisduclos

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