Shelton hung with Sumner for the first 35 minutes and found themselves down by just 11 points at the half and well into the third quarter. But Connor Wedington and Josh Riley proved to be too much for the Highclimbers and the Spartans pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 34-3 win at Highclimbers Stadium.
Wedington tallied 157 yards on the ground including rushing touchdowns of nine, 61 and eight yards and added an interception of Shelton quarterback Tyler Giraldes. Josh Riley broke the game open at the end of the third quarter with a 50 yard touchdown run that put the Spartans up 21-3. Kolby Nikolaisen finished off the game by ripping the ball out of the hands of a Highclimbers running back and waltzing into the end zone to put Sumner up 34-3.
Both Wedington and Nikolaisen had long touchdowns called back on penalties. Wedington went for a 53 yard scamper that didn’t count and Nikolaisen intercepted a pass and took it to the house minutes before getting the fumble recovery that did make it into the score book.
Willy Ruiz rushed for 141 yards for the Highclimbers while Tyler Giraldes threw for 82 yards. Cody Bragg’s 25 yard field goal in the first quarter were the only points that Shelton could muster. Kyle Kimball intercepted a pass from Sumner QB Luke Ross and Giraldes hit Skylar Ross for 30 yards on the next play. But penalties derailed the drive near the goal line before Bragg’s field goal cut the Sumner lead to four points at 7-3.
Shelton fell to 1-1 in their two non-conference games and will open 3A Narrows League play against Foss at Mount Tahoma Stadium next week. Sumner moved to 2-0 and will face Enumclaw at home on Friday night.
In other action:
Black Hills 42, Rochester 7
Olympia 41, Capital 7
River Ridge 19, North Thurston 13
Tumwater 48, Timberline 10
Yelm 41, Foss 8
Rainier 34, Kittitas 6
Tenino 39, Castle Rock 20
After falling behind 3-0 in the 51st minute, Abby McFaul scored in the 68th minute and again in the 73rd minute before Saint Martin’s completed the comeback with a 79th minute equalizer by Hannah Frakes. But Jade Poon scored the overtime game winning golden goal in the 96th minute for Cal State-Stanislaus.
South Puget Sound Community College announced today that they have dropped softball from their roster of sports offered and will be adding a volleyball program beginning in the fall of 2016.
The announcement ends a tumultuous period in SPSCC softball history. Success came for the program in the 90’s and they were the runners-up for the NWAACC championship in 1992.
But more recently, the team practiced on a neglected campus field that was more often than not a mess due to the weather and they played most of their games across town at The RAC. The 2012 season was cancelled due to a lack of players and since returning in 2013, the Clippers posted a 3-56 record and were outscored 740 to 217. This season came to an abrupt end after an 0-10 start.
While I hate to see a program get the axe, this move makes sense. With the cancellation of the 2015 season, the softball team was left with no coach, no players and no facility. The team was only a team in theory making it very easy to drop. SPSCC will save money on field rental and equipment with the volleyball team and they can likely charge admission to games.
My only reservation comes from the fact that the two established college volleyball teams in town have found very little success historically and if the Saint Martin’s and Evergreen teams have not been able to recruit from a traditionally strong group of local high school players, what makes anybody think that SPSCC can?
Here is the full press release from South Puget Sound:
——————————-
SPSCC Athletics to Launch Volleyball Program
For the first time in 23 years, South Puget Sound Community College Athletics is adding a new intercollegiate sport: volleyball. SPSCC Clipper Volleyball will take to the court for the first time during the fall 2016 season.
“When I was hired, I was given the task of helping to lead a rejuvenation of the department; to not just field teams but to field quality teams in both character and in talent,” SPSCC Director of Athletics Nick Schmidt said. “No one can dispute the quality of talent in Thurston County. With that success came numerous players moving on to college outside of our local area; now we will be able to provide an avenue for those players to stay home.”
Last year, five Thurston County high schools made their respective state volleyball tournaments, with Tumwater winning the 2A state championship and Capital finishing as the 3A runner-up.
Clipper Volleyball will be the eighth team competing in the Northwest Athletic Conference West Region, replacing Clark College, which moves to the South Region at the beginning of this competition year. Schmidt said a coaching search will begin soon, with the ultimate goal of hiring a coach in late fall 2015. That will allow the new coach time to start recruiting in January and play a direct role in all elements associated with starting a program.
“Wanting to make the ‘right hire’, I’ll be consulting with people in the local volleyball community, NWAC and NCAA as we begin the search process,” Schmidt said. “I want to make sure we bring on someone who will not only be a great leader and role model to our players, but someone who can also lay the foundation for a successful program.”
This move follows the decision of SPSCC Athletics to discontinue its intercollegiate softball program, effective immediately. Schmidt served notice to the NWAC Executive Board of the decision on Aug. 5.
“While the overall history of our softball program should never be forgotten, recent history unfortunately left it in an extremely unstable situation,” Schmidt said. “This move will reenergize Clipper Athletics as well as bring more athletic events to campus, allowing us to better engage the students and supporters of SPSCC. I won’t rule out eventually bringing the program back, but it was time that we moved in a new direction.”
For more information about SPSCC Clipper Athletics, visit spscc.edu/campus-life/athletics. Follow Clipper Athletics on Facebook by clicking here or on twitter at @spscc_athletics.
High School Volleyball 4A State Tournament
Olympia vs. Skyline – Marcus Pavilion – 3:15 PM
3A State Tournament
Capital beat Ferndale, 3-0, at 8:00 AM
North Thurston lost to Soutridge, 3-0, at 8:00 AM
North Thurston vs. Bellevue/Lakeside – Marcus Pavilion – 3:15 PM (loser-out)
Capital vs. Eastside Catholic – Marcus Pavilion – 5:15 PM
2A State Tournament
Tumwater vs. Steilacoom – Pierce College – 11:45 AM
Girls Soccer 4A State Quarterfinals
Olympia vs. Skyline – Ingersoll Stadium – 7:00 PM
High School Football
Tumwater vs. Fife – Tumwater Stadium – 7:00 PM
Evergreen’s Kortney Darby scored 20 points and Alix Hernandez added 11 but Northwest University went on a 20-7 run over the final seven minutes to pull away from the Geoducks 79-64 in a non-conference basketball game against a conference opponent. Tomas Ogbaslassie scored 22 points in the win for the Eagles.
College Volleyball
Montana State-Billings 3, Saint Martin’s 0 – Box Score
Liz Mills scored 18 points and Krista Stabler added 16 in Saint Martin’s 66-58 exhibition win over Carroll College on Thursday night at Marcus Pavilion.
A three pointer by Mike Robinson with 10:54 left in the first half gave Carroll their largest lead of the game at 19-13. But Saint Martin’s battled back and the two teams took a tie into the locker room at 33.
SMU struck first in the second half on a layup by Krista Stabler but Katie Estey’s three a minute later gave Carroll the lead at 36-35, the last lead that Caroll would hold. They would tie it up at 41 but a 6-0 run capped off by Brooke Paulson’s jumper with 11:04 left put Saint Martin’s up for good. Mills twice gave SMU a nine point lead, once at the 4:10 mark and again with 1:14 left to play.
Elin Johansson scored 11 points and pulled down seven boards in her debut at Marcus Pavilion. Mills added seven rebounds to her game high 18 points and Stabler led the way with six assists.
Bailey Snelling scored 17 points for Carroll including 13 in the first half. Cassidy Hashley added 11 points and seven rebounds. The Saints of Carroll hit nine three pointers while the Saints of Saint Martin’s went 0-for-7 from long distance.
The Saints return to Marcus Pavilion on Wednesday, November 5th to take on Northwest Christian at 6:00 PM.
Men’s Basketball
University of Washington 88, Saint Martin’s 65
Seattle, WA
1st
2nd
Final
Saints
27
38
65
Huskies
44
44
88
Timberline alum Donaven Dorsey scored 11 points in his University of Washington debut and the Huskies knocked off Saint Martin’s 88-65 in an exhibition game at Hec Edmundson Pavilion in Seattle. Dorsey went 4-for-7 from the field and pulled down two rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench.
Tyler Copp led the Saints with 14 points and Tyler Idowu added 10 points including a couple PAC-12 level slam dunks. Isaac Bianchini hit three three pointers for nine points and Riley Carel had seven points, seven rebounds and five assists in the loss.
Next up for Saint Martin’s is another Divison I exhibition on Saturday when they travel to Missoula to take on Montana.
College Volleyball
Western Washington 3, Saint Martin’s 0 – Box Score
Bellingham, WA
1
2
3
Vikings (11-4 GNAC, 18-6 overall)
(3)
25
25
25
Saints (4-23 GNAC, 1-14 overall)
(3)
17
9
14
SMU: Brenna Peterson – 12 assists
Girls Soccer 4A Bi-District Tournament (winner to state, loser out)
Olympia 1, Todd Beamer 0
3A Bi-District Tournament (loser out)
Prairie 3, Capital 0 – Capital eliminated
Auburn Mountainview 3, North Thurston 0 – NT eliminated
2A District 4 Tournament (loser out)
Black Hills 3, Tumwater 2 – Tumwater eliminated
High School Volleyball 2A District 4 Tournament (double elimination)
Tumwater 3, Mark Morris 0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-20)
Woodland 3, Black Hills 0 (25-14, 25-21, 25-14)
Mark Morris 3, Black Hills 1 (25-13, 24-26, 25-12, 25-18) – BH eliminated
High School Football (week 10, non-playoffs)
North Thurston 44, Yelm 28
Women’s Basketball
Saint Martin’s vs. Carroll College – Marcus Pavilion – 7:00 PM
Girls Soccer 4A Bi-District Tournament (loser out)
Olympia vs. Todd Beamer – Mount Tahoma Stadium, Tacoma – 7:30 PM
3A Bi-District Tournament (loser out)
Capital vs. Prairie – Mount Tahoma Stadium, Tacoma – 5:30 PM
North Thurston vs. Auburn Mountainview – Harry Lang Stadiu, Lakewood – 7:00 PM
2A District 4 Tournament (loser out)
Tumwater vs. Black Hills – Tumwater District Stadium – 7:00 PM
High School Volleyball 2A District 4 Tournament (double elimination)
Tumwater vs. Mark Morris – RA Long HS, Longview – 4:00 PM
Black Hills vs. Woodland – Mark Morris HS, Longview – 4:00 PM
Loser of Tumwater and Black Hills matches – RA Long HS, Tumwater – 8:00 PM
Willie Spurr’s goal in the 99th minute gave Evergreen their fourth straight shutout win as the Geoducks knocked off Corban 1-0. Angel Guerra recorded four saves in goal for the Geoducks and they moved into a tie with the Warriors for third place in the Cascade Conference at 8-4-1. Juan Oropeza recorded his fifth assists of the season on the Spurr goal.
SPSCC Goals: Fernando Aguilar (8th and 26th minutes)
Fernando Aguilar scored twice in the first half to knock off Southwestern Oregon 2-0 in the final game of the season for the Clippers. Alan Caro made six saves in the win.
Northwest Nazarene 4, Saint Martin’s 1 – Box Score
Nampa, ID
1st
2nd
Final
Saints (3-10-0 GNAC, 3-17-0 overall)
0
1
1
Crusaders (12-1-0 GNAC, 13-3-1 overall)
0
0
0
SMU Goal: Kyle Witzel (90th minute)
Women’s Soccer
Saint Martin’s 2, Western Oregon 0
SMU Soccer Field
1st
2nd
Final
Wolves (4-6-4 GNAC, 6-8-4 overall)
0
0
0
Saints (3-10-1 GNAC, 3-13-2 overall)
0
0
0
SMU Goals: Jessica Christian (58th minute), Kari Inch (76th)
On senior day at Saint Martin’s, the Saints got second half goals from two seniors, Jessica Christian and Kari Inch, and won their season finale 2-0 over Western Oregon. The Saints bid adieu to nine seniors who finished 3-13-2 overall this season.
Women’s Basketball
Evergreen 86, Walla Walla 44
CRC Gymnasium
1st
2nd
Final
Wolves
21
23
44
Geoducks
43
43
86
LaNiecia Weatherspoon, Sadee Jones and Brittany Gray each scored a double-double to lead Evergreen to an 86-44 win over Walla Walla in the Geoducks 2014-2015 season opener. Weatherspoon scored 20 points with 10 boards, Jones racked up 19 points and 10 rebounds and Gray also notched 19 points and led Evergreen with 14 rebounds. The Geouducks outrebounded Walla Walla 54-28.
Evergreen went up two sets to none and looked like they might stay in the hunt for a CCC playoff spot, but Corban rallied to win three straight sets and knock off the Geoducks 3-2. The loss drops the Geoducks to 4-12 in Cascade Conference play and out of the playoff hunt.
Girls Soccer
River Ridge vs. Fife – South Sound Stadium – 5:00 PM
Timberline vs. Stadium – South Sound Stadium – 7:00 PM
Capital vs. Central Kitsap – Ingersoll Stadium – 7:00 PM
Tumwater vs. Black Hills – Tumwater Stadium – 7:00 PM
The regular season wraps up tonight in the 2A EvCo with the league title on the line at Tumwater Stadium at 7:00 PM for Tumwater and Black Hills. The T-Birds sit at 5-0 in league play, one game ahead of the Wolves for first place. The two teams met two weeks ago with Tumwater taking a 1-0 victory.
High School Volleyball
Capital vs. Shelton – Capital HS – 7:00 PM
Black Hills vs. WF West – Black Hills HS – 7:00 PM
Olympia vs. South Kitsap – Olympia HS – 7:00 PM
High School Volleyball
North Thurston @ Capital – Capital HS – 7:00 PM
River Ridge vs. Franklin Pierce – River Ridge HS – 7:15 PM
The 3A Narrows League’s two top teams meet tonight when North Thurston travels to Capital at 7:00 PM. The Cougars sit at 9-0 in league play with the Rams one game behind them at 8-1. Thurston’s only league loss came at the hands of Capital, a three game sweep on September 18th.
Oly Sports 