Tonight (5/15): Capital soccer opens state playoffs
The boys soccer state regionals get started tonight when the 3A Narrows League champion Capital Cougars take on Mount Vernon at Tumwater Stadium. The Cougars went undefeated in the Narrows and lost three games overall this season while Mount Vernon had to fight just to get to the regionals. They split a pair of shootouts to open districts but then easily dispatched Sedro Wooley 3:0 in a loser-out game on Thursday.
First kick tonight in Tumwater is at 6:00 PM.
Four questions for Olympia Rise’s Chris Reynolds
This fall, Olympia will welcome it’s second minor league basketball team to town when the Olympia Rise will compete in the wide ranging ABA. I caught up with Rise General Manager Chris Reynolds to learn a little bit more about the South Sound’s newest team…
What are your expectations for the Rise both on the court and business-wise in the first season?
“Our goals for the first season is to first put together a competitive team. We expect to use ths summer to find the best 12-15 players to run with the RISE for the 2012-13 season. The ABA has more than 80 plus teams in the league and we do not just want to be another team in the ABA. We expect to compete for the Pacific Northwest Championship, be nationally ranked our 1st year, and make it to the ABA Playoffs in 2013.
Our plan is to get involved with the community as much as possible. As we are providing our players a platform to excel in their own basketball career, we also want to make sure we are giving back to the community. We have already teamed up with the Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Thurston County and plan to do many things with the youth over the summer and during the season.
The Olympia RISE is a product of Reynolds Sports Entertainment Inc – A Washington State Not for Profit. As we will be giving back to the community, we also will need support from the community to make sure our program succeeds.”
Tell me about the name, why the Olympia Rise?
“To be honest the name evolved into the RISE from nowhere! It just popped into my head. As we searched for the perfect market to bring a new ABA team, the mascot name only change once. I had considered starting the team in Oregon, naming the team the Oregon Reign. But decided to bring the team home to Lakewood, WA area where I was raised. After doing a little research, I came across the IBL team the Olympia Reign, so the name needed a change. The new team name became the Lakewood RISE. After initiating the purchase of the market, I was beat to the punch by another new owner. We were back in search of a new market. The Olympia market was available along with others north of Seattle and east of the mountains. We decided on the Capital city and the Olympia RISE was born.”
You’ve had at least one tryout. How did that go? Find any keepers?
“We actually did not have the first tryout. We had scheduled the tryout on the same date as the first ABA league meeting, so we cancelled. Our first tryout will be June 17th at River Ridge High School from 1pm to 5pm.
We have unofficially signed one player so far. Central Washington University’s and former 2011 GNAC Tournament MVP, GNAC newcomer of the year, Jamar Berry. Jamar has just returned from overseas playing pro ball in Germany.”
We also have our eye on a few other players from Evergreen State, St Martin’s, and Western Washington University. I have a good feeling that we will have a good squad for our Inaugural Season.
I’ve followed the ABA for years but for most in the area, this is a completely new league. What can you tell readers about the league? Special rules? What will the competition be like?
“The original ABA was founded in 1967, competing with the well-established National Basketball Association, until the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.
The ABA is known for its Red, White, & Blue balls and players like Dr.J. and a few NBA team suchas the San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, & New (York) Jersey Nets.
The new ABA was brought back, I believe in 2001 by now Commisioner Joe Newman and now has over 80 plus teams across the United States. The ABA is now the largest professional league in the United States. The ABA is also the league that has the most diversified group of team owners.
There are a few rules that will need to be learned and some getting used to, such as the 3D Rule
3D Rule – To sum this up, if a ball is stolen within the backcourt, the 3D rule is in effect. Basically when the 3-D Rule is on, an additional point is added to the point value of the field goal. (i.e. two point (2pt) baskets count as three, three point (3pt) baskets count as four).
There are a few more like the…
Back Down Rule
6th Foul Rule
Overtime Rule
The ABA rules can bee seen at www.abalive.com
As for competition…
The ABA has former NBA players, former International players, for collegiate athletes, and other talented community player on select rosters. Majority of the players are attempting to reach the next level or attempting to maintain that competitive nature. As for the Pacific Northwest Division, we will have to see. Majority of the teams are new to the league or are in their second year of building. The Seattle Mountaineers will be the only vetern team of the league. I believe the division is wide open for the taking!”
Thanks Chris for you responses. Oly Sports will have coverage of the Rise throughout their inaugural season at The Evergreen State College.
Baseball alumni update: Conley still dealing
Olympia High School graduate and second round pick Adam Conley has been impressive in his first full season in professional baseball. Conley has made seven starts for the Greensboro Grasshoppers, single-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins, and has posted a 3-0 record with a 2.23 ERA. More impressively, Conley has only given up earned runs in three of his seven starts and his ERA is only that high because of one bad outing on April 28th against the West Virginia Power when he gave up six earned runs in 3 1/3 innings. Otherwise, Conley has given up just three earned runs and has struck out 43 batters in 36 1/3 innings.
In Appleton, River Ridge alum Seth Harvey has emerged as the Wisconsin Timber Rattler’ primary closer saving seven of the 13 games in which he has appeared. He is 2-0 on the season with a 2.40 ERA and has struck out 22 batters in 15 innings and has allowed just three walks for the Milwaukee Brewers’ single-A affiliate.
Olympia’s Kramer Champlin has pitched in eight games of relief for the Lansing Lugnuts, single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, and has posted a 2-1 record with a 3.72 ERA. In 19 1/3 innings, Champlin has struck out 17 batters and walked five. Unfortunately, he has also given up 21 hits and has allowed an earned run or more in all but three of his eight games and is currently on the seven day disabled list.
Two more alumni kick of their seasons this week in the independent Frontier League. Joash Brodin is in his fourth Frontier League season with the brand new London Rippers. The switch hitting first baseman out of North Thurston travels to Marion, Illinois to take on the Southern Illinois Miners on Friday night.
And Tumwater’s Ryan Bean recently signed to pitch for the Florence Freedom. The Freedom open at home against the Traverse City Beach Bums on Thursday. Bean was a 17th round draft pick of the San Francisco Giants in 2010 but was released in Spring Training.
Photo credits:
Adam Conley – Dano Keeney/MiLB.com
Kramer Champlin – Flickr user whitecapwendy
Saturday scoreboard: Reign Slammed; Cougars qualify; Blazers come close to title
International Basketball League
Bellingham Slam 130, Olympia Reign 101
After playing just three minutes last night, former Saint Martin’s forward Jeremy Green scored 28 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead the Bellingham Slam to a 130-101 trouncing of the Olympia Reign. Nicholas Moore led the Reign with 17 points and 11 boards and Giovanne Woods added 16 points and four assists.
Bellingham was in control nearly the entire game for the second time this season. Ike Ohanson’s field goal with 5:59 remaining in the first quarter gave the Reign the lead at 14-13. Paul Hafford answered back thirty second later to make it 15-14 and the Slam never trailed again. A Marcus Whitaker three pointer with 3:32 left in the first half cut the Slam lead to six but an 11-4 run to close the half gave the Slam a 58-45 lead.
The Reign cut into the lead to start the second half knocking it down to five at 58-53 at the 9:43 mark of the third quarter, but the Slam then went on a 44-19 run to finish the quarter up by 30 at 102-72 and never looked back.
Six Reign players scored in double digits – Woods, Moore, Mike Ward, Nate Menafee, Whitaker and Ohanson – but nobody scored more than 16. Meanwhile, Bellingham had five double digit scorers including Green, Hafford’s 25 and 19 each from Zach Henifin and Morris Anderson.
Former Saint Martin’s star Blake Poole scored just two points for the Slam and played less than two minutes in the second half.
Boys soccer
Capital 1, Kennedy 0
Bryce Joling scored in the 56th minute to lead Capital to a 1-0 win over Kennedy in the 3A bi-districtplayoffs. The win sends the Cougars to state with a playoff game likely at Tumwater Stadium on Wednesday.
High school baseball
Timberline 8, Columbia River 1
Kelso 7, Timberline 4
Centralia 13, Tumwater 0
Timberline’s 8-1 morning victory over Columbia River put the Blazers in the district title game against Kelso. But the Hilanders scored seven runs in the first three innings and held on to knock off the Blazers 7-4. The Blazers still qualified for state despite the loss. Tumwater was not so lucky. Their season ended with a 13-0 loss to Centralia.
Today (5/12): Reign and racing
The Olympia Reign continue their weekend home series tonight when Saint Martin’s Blake Poole and Jeremy Green and the Bellingham Slam come to town. The Slam are 5-1 on the season and knocked off the Reign in the season opener, 133-104.
Game time at the Skookum Creek Events Center at Little Creek Casino is at 7:00 PM. Tickets are just $7 for adults.
Racing continues at South Sound Speedway with Super Late Model 100s, Mini Stocks, Bumblebees and FSCRA. Qualifying starts at 5:00 PM and racing starts at 6:30. Tickets are $16 for adults.
Friday scoreboard: Rams win district title; Reign win in OT
High school baseball
North Thurston 5, W.F. West 4 – More from The Olympian
Tyler Ridgeway threw the game-tying run out at the plate to seal North Thurston’s first district title since 2002 with a 5-4 win over EvCo regular season champ W.F. West. Riley Stordahl pitched a complete game for the Rams and Spencer Dorsey went 3-for-3 with two triples and two RBI. The Rams move on to the state regionals as a #1 seed. They play at 10:00 AM back at Bearcats Stadium in Chehalis.
International Basketball League
Olympia Reign 121, Salem Soldiers 118 – Overtime
High school softball
Tumwater 9, Black Hills 2
South Kitsap 5, Olympia 4
Also tonight (5/11): Reign host Soldiers
The Olympia Reign return to the Skookum Creek Events Center at Little Creek Casino to face the Salem Soldiers. The Reign are 1-4 on the season while the Soldiers are 1-1.
The Soldiers’ Chehales Tapscott leads the International Basketball League in scoring with 30 points per game and Cory Largent is fourth with 22.5 ppg. The Reign are led by River Ridge grad Giovanne Woods and former Evergreen guard Mike Ward who are each scoring 18.4 points per game.
Tip-off is at 7:00 PM.
Today (5/11): Rams baseball plays for district championship
The North Thurston Rams baseball team plays for the 2A District IV championship today against W.F. West at Bearcat Stadium in Chehalis. The two teams met three times in the regular season and the Bearcats took all three games, 10-0, 6-5 and 8-0. The Rams went 12-6 in the EvCo regular season and got to this point in the playoffs by beating RA Long 5-1 and Centralia 5-1. The Bearcats went 17-1 and beat Tumwater 5-0 and Aberdeen 13-5. First pitch is at 5:00 PM and the game can be heard on KELA 1470 AM or online here.
The Narrows League softball tournament continues at SERA in Tacoma this afternoon. Timberline and Capital play a winner-to-districts, loser-out game at 12:30 PM. The Cougars and Blazers played twice in the regular season with Capital outscoring Timberline 29-4 in two wins. The winner goes on to play Yelm at 3:00 PM for the #2 seed.
In 4A fastpitch action, Olympia has already qualified for districts but will face South Kitsap at 3:00 PM to determine the #3 and #4 seeds.
Thursday scoreboard: Tumwater wins district championship
Boys soccer
Tumwater 5, Mark Morris 1
Aberdeen 5, North Thurston 1
Austin Snyder and Connor Sigmon each scored two goals to lead Tumwater to a 5-1 victory over Mark Morris to win the 2A District IV championship. Kile Linher added another goal for the T-Birds who now move onto state.
North Thurston’s season came to an end on Thursday night with a 5-1 loss to Aberdeen.
High school softball
Timberline 11, Lincoln 1
Central Kitsap 4, Olympia 1
Timberline survived to play another day with an 11-1 win over Lincoln in the 3A Narrows League tournament. They move on to play Capital on Friday in another loser-out game.
Olympia’s 4-1 loss to Central Kitsap drops them into a seeding game tomorrow against South Kitsap for the #3 seed into districts.
Today (5/10): District soccer championship in Tumwater
The 2A District IV championship comes to Tumwater Stadium this evening when Tumwater hosts Mark Morris at 7:00 PM. The T-Birds are undefeated and are coming off of a 9-0 win over W.F. West in the first round of the playoffs and beat Washougal 3-0 in the second round. The Monarchs knocked off Centralia 1-0 on Saturday and North Thurston 2-0 in the second round on Tuesday.
North Thurston travels to Aberdeen in a loser-out game at Stewart Field. The Rams upset top seed Hockinson 3-0 in the first round but was tripped up by Mark Morris 2-0 on Tuesday. Aberdeen lost their opener 2-1 to Washougal but beat up on W.F. West 5-0 in the second round. The Rams and Bobcats split their two meetings this season and both games came down to penalty kicks. First kick is at 7:00 PM.
The 4A Narrows League fastpitch tournament opens today at SERA in Tacoma. Olympia gets a first round bye and will play the winner of the Central Kitsap/Stadium game. First pitch is at 3:00 PM.
The 3A Narrows League also gets underway today at SERA. Timberline takes on Lincoln at 3:00 PM in a loser-out game. The winner will take on Capital on Friday. The Blazers and Abes split their two games this season. Lincoln won the first meeting 13-3 while Timberline took the second, 11-1.
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