Tonight (2/21): win or go home, Rams
It’s a loser-out, winner-to-regionals double dip for North Thurston tonight in Chehalis.
First, the girls take on Lacey rival and #1 seed out of the EvCo River Ridge for the third time this season. The Rams won the first game at River Ridge 45-42 and the Hawks took the second game 53-39. To get to this point in the 2A District IV playoffs, the Rams beat Woodland, lost to W.F. West and barely got by Tumwater. The Hawks beat Hockinson, lost to Mark Morris and beat Woodland to set up tonight’s game.
Following the girl’s game, the North Thurston boys take on Washougal for the second time in these playoffs. In the opening round the Rams held onto a 75-72 victory. They then were beaten by Mark Morris and ended Tumwater’s season to get to tonight’s game. Tip-off is set for 7:45 PM.
Monday scoreboard: Oly falls just short
Boy’s basketball
Curtis 37, Olympia 36
In a hard fought, defensive battle, Olympia came up just a little bit short in the 4A Bi-District title game on Monday night at the ShoWare Center in Kent. The Bears came back from a 22-13 deficit at halftime but missed a three pointer that would have won it as time expired. Alex Johnson led the way for the Bears with 17 points but 4A Narrows League MVP Dominick Franks was held to just seven points and no other Bear scored in double digits. Darius Johnson-Wilson had 13 points for Curtis. Olympia moves on to play either Bothell or Lake Stevens in the 4A regionals at Auburn High School on Friday.
Girl’s basketball
Auburn Mountainview 44, Timberline 31
Emerald Ridge 54, Olympia 43
Sasha Weber had 13 points for Timberline but it wasn’t enough to take the third seed out of the 3A Bi-District. Instead the Blazers get the #4 seed and will play 19-4 Shorecrest at Juanita High School on Saturday at 6:00 PM. With their loss to Emerald Ridge, the Olympia girls get the #8 seed out of the 4A Bi-District and will have to travel to Spokane for a Saturday night game against either Gonzaga Prep or Chiawana.
Today (2/20): President’s Day Playoffs
The Olympia boy’s basketball team plays for it’s first district title tonight against Curtis at the ShoWare Center in Kent. Curtis is 19-6 on the season and the two teams met in the state tournament last season with Curtis getting the better of the Bears, 64-49. Tip-off is set for 6:00 PM. The News-Tribune has the full preview
In girl’s basketball action, Olympia plays Emerald Ridge at 4:00 PM at Stadium High School and Timberline plays Auburn Mountainview at 4:00 PM at Clover Park High School. Both the Bears and Blazers have already qualified for the state regionals regardless of what happens today.
Sunday scoreboard: Saints softball sweeps, baseball gets first win
College softball
Saint Martin’s 7, Western Oregon 1
Saint Martin’s 10, Western Oregon 3 – More from SMUSaints.com
The Saint Martin’s softball team went 4-0 this weekend sweeping Western Oregon in two doubleheaders. ON Sunday, freshman Sam Munger threw a four hitter in the opener and junior Taylor Bakos threw a complete game giving up three runs. Senior Megan Antonovich hit her first home run of the season and two doubles in the doubleheader.
College baseball
Saint Martin’s 7, Central Washington 6 – More from SMUSaints.com
Junior 2B Mario Sanelli drove in the go ahead run in a three run top of the ninth inning and freshman Josh Moss pitched a scoreless ninth inning to close out Saint Martin’s first win of the season, snapping an 11 game skid. Sanelli drove in four runs in total, CF Adam Hudspeth went 3-for-3 and LF Travis Shaw went 3-for-5 in the consolation game of the Inland Cellular Tournament hosted by Lewis and Clark State in Lewiston, Idaho.
Saturday scoreboard: too much for one headline
Men’s basketball
Alaska-Fairbanks 72, Saint Martin’s 70 – More from AlaskaNanooks.com
Northwest 86, Evergreen 51 – More from Evergreen athletics
SPSCC 104, Grays Harbor 59 – Box score
Brok Pendleton had 20 points and Roger O’Neill added 12 but Saint Martin’s couldn’t get the job done in the end and lost to the Nanooks 72-70. Fairbanks ended a 13 game losing streak with their win and the Saints have now dropped eight straight games. Evergreen got 19 points from senior Patrick Lewis on senior night and actually led 15-3 early in the first half, but the Geoducks were outscored 83-38 the rest of the way. Evergreen finishes the season 1-26. South Puget Sound got 35 points from Deshawn Hayes and another double-double from Anye Turner in their thrashing of Grays Harbor.
Women’s basketball
Saint Martin’s 66, Alaska-Fairbanks 58 – More from SMUSaints.com
Evergreen 66, Northwest 62 – More from Evergreen athletics
SPSCC 69, Grays Harbor 58 – Box score
Two seniors on senior night helped Saint Martin’s knock off the Nanooks. Megan Teade had 12 points and Andrea Schutt had 11 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Jordyn Richardson led the way with 17 points. Evergreen earned their first trip to the playoffs since the 2007-2008 season with their win over Northwest and Concordia’s loss to Eastern Oregon. Jessica Edge had 17 points to lead the way for the Geoducks. South Puget Sound had four players score in double digits, including 20 points from Aisha Jones and 17 points from Alychia Colon in their victory over Grays Harbor.
Boy’s basketball
Olympia 63, Mt. Rainier 59
North Thurston 70, Tumwater 63
With their win, Olympia advances to the district title game at 6:00 PM on Monday night at the ShoWare Center in Kent. And with their win, North Thurston advances to a loser-out, winner-to-state regionals game on Tuesday night against Washougal
Girl’s basketball
Olympia 47, Central Kitsap 44
North Thurston 52, Tumwater 51
River Ridge 43, Woodland 38
Prairie 75, Timberline 47
Olympia earned a state berth with their victory over Central Kitsap. It is the first time they’ve been to the regionals since 2003. North Thurston and River Ridge’s victories set up a loser-out, winner-to-state regionals game between the two on Tuesday night. Timberline loses in the semifinals but they are already bound for state.
College baseball
Lewis and Clark State 12, Saint Martin’s 6 – More from LC State athletics
College Softball
Saint Martin’s 14, Western Oregon 9
Saint Martin’s 6, Western Oregon 5 – More from SMUSaints.com
Indoor Soccer
Kitsap Pumas 7, South Sound FC 6 (shootout)
Roller Derby
Oly Rollers 123, San Diego Derby Dolls Wildfires 102
Tonight (2/18): Geoducks, Saints, Rams and T-Birds
It’s senior night for The Evergreen State College tonight when they host Northwest University. The women will honor their lone senior, Mele Rich, and will then try take care of business on their end in their quest to make the CCC playoffs. The Geoducks need to beat the Eagles and hope that Concordia loses to Eastern Oregon. The College of Idaho beat Concordia on Friday night to give the Geoducks a chance. Tip-off is at 5:30 PM in the CRC Gymnasium.
The Geoduck men will honor three seniors – Marcus Buren, Larry Green and Patrick Lewis – and then take on the #10 ranked Eagles. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 PM.
It’s also senior night for the Saint Martin’s women when they host Alaska-Fairbanks at Marcus Pavilion. The Saints will honor five seniors – Megan Teade, Emily Lashua, Marelle Moehrle, Andrea Schutt and Kelsey Baker. They then take on the Nanooks, who are in last place in the GNAC at just 2-14, half a game worse than the Saints. Tip-off is at 7:00 PM.
In college softball action, Saint Martin’s is scheduled to play a doubleheader against Western Oregon at noon, but weather will probably force it’s postponement.
The Tumwater and North Thurston girls and boys play a 2A district IV loser-out doubleheader at River Ridge High School. The Rams boys and girls are 4-0 against the T-Birds this season. Tip-off is for the girl’s game is set for 5:45 PM with the boy’s game to follow at 7:30 PM.
In out-of-town playoff action, the River Ridge girls play a loser-out game against Woodland in Longview, the Olympia girls also play a loser-out game against Central Kitsap in Tacoma, the Timberline girls play a district semifinal game against Prairie in Lakewood and the Olympia boy’s play a semifinal against Mt. Rainier in Auburn.
Geoducks scoring margin and national rank
It has been a historically bad season for The Evergreen State College men’s basketball team. The poor Geoducks are just 1-25 this season and haven’t really been close except for their one win over PLU in November. They lost their best player and lost two other starters before the new year and have played with just seven players for most of the conference season.
It got me wondering, is Evergreen the worst college basketball team in the NCAA or NAIA this season? The answer, thankfully, is no based on scoring margin average. The following is a breakdown of all the teams in the NCAA or NAIA that have one or less wins ranked by how much they lose by on average…
1. Bluefield State – NCAA Division II – 1-21 – Outscored by 614 points/27.91 points per game
2. Franciscan University – NCAA Division III – 0-23 – 614/26.7 ppg
3. Principia College – NCAA Division III – 0-23 – 523/22.73 ppg
4. Millikin University – NCAA Division III – 1-23 – 537/22.37 ppg
5. Dillard University – NAIA Division I – 1-21 – 471/21.41 ppg
6. Huston-Tillotson – NAIA Division I – 0-26 – 532/20.46 ppg
7. Evergreen – NAIA Division II – 1-25 – 561/20.03 ppg
8. Lock Haven University – NCAA Division II – 0-22 – 414/18.18 ppg
9. Binghamton University – NCAA Division I – 0-25 – 407/16.28 ppg
10. Nyack College – NCAA Division II – 0-26 – 419/16.11 ppg
11. Elmira College – NCAA Division III – 1-23 – 351/14.62 ppg
12. Macalester College – NCAA Division III – 1-23 – 348/14.5 ppg
Evergreen mercifully wraps up their season on Saturday night against NAIA Division II #10 ranked Northwest University at the CRC Gymnasium. Tip-off is at 7:30 PM.
Friday scoreboard: Hawks, Timberline, Oly boys to state, Saints roughed up again
Boy’s basketball
River Ridge 52, Mark Morris 46
Olympia 53, Evergreen 50
Brad Wallace had 19 points and Howie Harper had 16 to lead River Ridge to it’s fourth straight 2A District IV championship. Next stop for the Hawks: the state tournament. Olympia is also heading to the state tournament following another close call, but first they face Mt. Rainier on Saturday in the district semifinals.
Girl’s basketball
Timberline 59, Kennedy Catholic 26
Olympia 59, Spanaway Lake 55
Toutle Lake 37, Northwest Christian 30
Timberline qualified for the state tournament with their 37 point dismantling of Kennedy Catholic. Sasha Weber had 17 points for the Blazers. The Olympia girls survived to play another loser-out game on Saturday against Central Kitsap. And Kami Bates career at Northwest Christian comes to an end with the Navigators loss to Toutle Lake. Bates scored 13 points in the loss.
College baseball
Central Washington 12, Saint Martin’s 3 – More from Wildcatsports.com
Western Oregon 19, Saint Martin’s 2 – More from WOUWolves.com
Tonight (2/17): Hawks for district title, Blazers play for state, Bears and Navigators play for their season
The River Ridge boys play for the 2A District IV title tonight against Mark Morris at Saint Martin’s Marcus Pavilion. The Monarchs are the #1 seed out of the 2A Greater St. Helens League and have already knocked off Black Hills and North Thurston to get to the title game. The Hawks were the #1 seed out of the 2A EvCo and beat Tumwater and W.F. West in the playoffs. Tip-off is at 8:oo PM after the girl’s title game between Mark Morris and W.F. West at 6:oo PM.
That’s the only game in town but the playoffs roll along just a short drive away…
The Olympia boys travel to Auburn to take on Evergreen (Vancouver). Evergreen is the #2 seed out out of the 4A Greater St. Helens League and are coming off a 74-71 win over Kent Meridian. Tip-off is at 6:00 PM at Auburn High School.
With a win tonight over Kennedy Catholic, the Timberline girls will advance to state. Kennedy Catholic is coming off a 51-24 win over Auburn Mountainview in the first round. Kennedy is coached by former Evergreen State College men’s head coach John Barbee. Tip-off is at 8:00 PM at Clover Park High School.
The Olympia girls play a loser-out game against Spanaway Lake at Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma. The Sentinels are coming off a 67-55 loss to Mt. Rainier. Tip-off is at 6:00 PM.
And in a loser-out 2B District IV playoff game, the Northwest Christian girls plays Toutle Lake in Rochester at 6:3o PM. Toutle Lake beat South Bend, lost to Napavine and beat Willapa Valley in the playoffs so far.
Also going on as we speak are Mat Classic XXIV at the Tacoma Dome, gymnastics state championships at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall and state swimming championships at King County Aquatic Center. All three tournaments feature Olympia area athletes. For more info, go to Meg Wochnick’s blog over at The Olympian.
Thursday scoreboard: Saints get blasted, Carras ends career in style
Women’s basketball
Alaska-Anchorage 74, Saint Martin’s 42 – More from SMUSaints.com
One player can only do so much. Saint Martin’s Chelsea Haskey had 20 points but no other Saint had more than four points and #11 Alaska-Anchorage easily won to clinch a share of the GNAC title. The Saints were only down by one point halfway through the second half but a 21-5 run by the Seawolves sealed their fate and dropped the Saints to 2-13 in conference this season. The Saints did hold Haley Holmstead to just four points but Hanna Johansson led the Seawolves with 17 points and Kaylie Robison chipped in 14.
Men’s basketball
Alaska-Anchorage 81, Saint Martin’s 59 – More from GoSeawolves.com
Saint Martin’s led at the half, 39-38, but were outscored by 23 points in the second half and moved to 1-16 all-time against the Seawolves in Anchorage. Jeremy Green and Ryan Votaw each scored 13 points for the Saints and Alaska-Anchorage was led by Travis Thompson’s 21 points and Taylor Rohde’s 17. The Saints drop to 4-13 in the GNAC. By the way, Alaska-Anchorage has a player named Boomer Blossom. Easily my favorite name I’ve seen this season.
Boy’s basketball
Raymond 62, Northwest Christian 58
Northwest Christian’s season comes to an end with the loss to Raymond, but Zach Carras gave a masterful performance to finish his career scoring 39 points. But again, only one player can do so much. No other Navigator scored more than five points on the night. Raymond was led by sophomore Darol Ratsavongsy’s (also another great name) 27 points.
Oly Sports 