Blog
Monday, April 19, 2010
By: Nathan Joyce
MaxPreps.com
1. Washington sweeps Northwest Shootout: Ryan Nicholas of Gonzaga Prep (Spokane) had 16 points as the Washington boys rallied past Oregon 116-109 to win the Northwest Shootout at the University of Porland for the fourth straight year.
Nicholas is a Portland signee. The Northwest Shootout pits the top players from Washington and Oregon. Mead (Spokane)‘s Jasmine Redmon scored 18 as the Washington girls also won for the fourth straight year, 86-73.
2. Winston signs with Washington State: Lakes basketball star Andre’ Winston Jr. signed a letter of intent to play at Washington State, the school announced Monday. Winston set a record for most points in a state tournament last month. He was the state tourney MVP as the Lancers finished third. He had originally signed with James Madison in Virginia, but he was granted his release.
3. WIAA could add lacrosse: The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s representative assembly is meeting on Friday, and adding lacrosse as a sanctioned sport is on the agenda. Lacrosse, which is sanctioned in 17 states, is a club sport in Washington. Adding lacrosse had been voted down twice before.
4. Union wins softball showdown: Union, the top-ranked Class 3A team in the state, beat Class 4A No. 1 Kelso in a Greater St. Helen’s League showdown, 3-2. Alexis Cline had a two-run double for the winning run, and Mariah Dawson struck out 17 for Union.
5. State record falls at Pasco Invite: Derek Eager from Tahoma of Maple Valley broke his state record in the javelin by almost 11 feet, unleashing a 229-foot, 5-inch throw at the Pasco Invitational on Saturday. The Pasco Invite is the state’s most prestigious regular-season track and field meet. Eager also won the discus and was named Outstanding Male Athlete of the Meet. You can see complete results here.
Top five performers
Kelli Suguro, Kentridge (Kent): The pitcher/shortstop broke the school record for hits. The former career record was 117, set in 1997.
Brittany Jeans, Stanwood: The senior struck out 20 and walked one in a one-hitter against Oak Harbor. Stanwood won 1-0.
Scott Kim, Hanford (Richland): The junior shot a 6-under 66 to win the 28-team tournament at the Apple Tree Golf Course in Yakima.
Maddie Meyers, Northwest: The sophomore from Seattle collected a rare double, winning the 800 and 3,200 at the Eason Invitational. Meyers won the 3,200 in a state-best 10:38.44.
Caylee Coulter, Central Kitsap (Silverdale): The freshman threw a no-hitter in her first start, striking out seven and walking none in a mercy-rule shortened win over Lincoln, 15-0.
Recruiting news
Snohomish junior offensive lineman Dexter Charles committed to Washington. … Enumclaw’s Riley Carel, the Class 3A state player of the year, and Skyline’s Cory Hutsen signed letters of intent to play basketball at Seattle Pacific. … Seattle University inked three state hoops products: Bremerton’s Jarell Flora, Decatur’s Jordan McCloud and Rainier Beach’s Lonnie Pearson. … Tumwater middle blocker Cara Olden has committed to play volleyball at Portland State.
Nate’s notes
Spring sports move fast in this state. Although spring break is just fading in the rear-view mirror, the playoffs are upon us. Baseball and soccer teams will start wrapping up their regular season next week. As May hits, so too does the busiest month of the season for high school sports fans. So, it could be the last time to see your favorite team, or athlete play. Make some plans and get out to the field/track/court.
Nathan Joyce has covered sports in Washington for 12 years. He works at the Kitsap Sun in Bremerton.
Avery Bradley to test the NBA waters
Texas star from Bellarmine Prep won’t hire agent, may return
Similar Stories
DOUG PACEY; Staff writer Tacoma News Tribune
Published: 04/09/1012:05 am
Former Bellarmine Prep basketball standout Avery Bradley will test the waters of the NBA draft.
Bradley, a freshman at Texas, will not retain an agent and could return to school.
“I will continue to go to class and complete the spring semester here at Texas,” Bradley said in a statement. “I will schedule workouts with different NBA teams over the next month around my class schedule.”
According to two Web sites – DraftExpress.com and NBADraft.net – Bradley projects as a late-first round selection. If NBA executives and scouts tell Bradley that he would, in fact, be a first-round pick, it might push him toward leaving school because players drafted in the first round sign are guaranteed two-year contracts.
Bradley, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard, ranked second on the Longhorns this season in scoring, averaging 11.6 points per game. He was voted to the Big 12 all-freshman team by media and was named All-Big 12 honorable mention by league coaches.
The draft is June 24, though Bradley has until May 8 to withdraw his name if he chooses to remain at Texas.
Tacoma Invitational
More than three dozen high school teams will converge at Lincoln Bowl on Saturday for the Tacoma Invitational track and field meet.
Some of the state’s top athletes will be at the event. Among those expected to compete are Federal Way sprinter Trenton Pinson, Emerald Ridge hurdler Kayla Stueckle, Franklin Pierce sprinter Germe Poston, Central Kitsap distance runner Shane Moskowitz and Auburn Riverside miler Kenny Krotzer.
The meet begins at 10 a.m.
Northwest Shootout
A handful of South Sound basketball players will play in the Northwest Shootout later this month that pits Washington against Oregon.
Lakes guard Andre Winston Jr. is the only local on Washington’s boys team. He’ll be joined by Bellevue’s Aaron Bright, Chelan’s Joe Harris, Ephrata’s Patrick Simon and others.
Auburn Riverside’s Mercedes Wetmore and Kara Jenkins, along with Kentlake’s Riley Butler, are on the girls team.
Players are selected by each state’s coaches association. The games will be played on April 17 at the Chiles Center at the University of Portland.
Coaching hires on hold
Filling the vacant head football coach positions at Kentlake and Kent-Meridian has been put on hold. Dave Lutes, athletic director for the Kent School District, said no hirings will take place while the budget for the 2010-11 school year is being prepared.
Lutes said both schools have conducted interviews, but can’t move forward. The “worst-case scenario” would be waiting until May 15 to announce the new coaches, he said.
Doug Pacey: 253-597-8271
doug.pacey@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/preps
Monday, April 05, 2010
By: Nathan Joyce
MaxPreps.com
In honor of Opening Day, here are the 10 best baseball players who played their high school ball in Washington:
1. Ryne Sandberg: “Ryno” went from Spokane’s North Central to the Hall of Fame in 2005. Sandberg is generally recognized as one of the best second basemen of all time. He hit .285 with 2,386 hits and 282 home runs in 17 seasons, mostly with the Chicago Cubs. He was a 10-time All-Star, nine-time Gold Glove, won seven Silver Slugger awards and was in the NL MVP in 1984. He also won the Home Run Derby in 1990. He currently manages the Triple-A Iowa Cubs as he pursues his dream of managing in the majors.
2. Tim Lincecum: The diminutive pitcher played at Liberty (Renton). He’s won the last two National League Cy Young awards for the San Francisco Giants and enters the season with a 40-17 record with a 2.90 ERA.
3. Earl Averill: The Snohomish outfielder began his major league career by hitting a home run in his first at-bat. Averill was a six-time All-Star for the Cleveland Indians in the 1930s. He hit .318 in 13 seasons with 238 home runs. He was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975. The Averill Youth Complex sits on Second Street in Snohomish.
4. Ron Santo: A graduate of Franklin in Seattle, Santo had a distinguished 15-year major league career. He was a nine-time All-Star and won five Gold Gloves at third base. He played most of his career with the Chicago Cubs and hit .277 with 342 homers. Santo’s struggles with diabetes have resulted in the amputation of both legs. He is in his 19th season as a Cubs broadcaster.
5. John Olerud: The Bellevue first baseman had a decorated career. He was the 1988 Baseball America College Player of the Year after earning All-American honors at first base (.464, 23 HR, 81 RBI) and pitcher (15-0, 2.49 ERA). Over 17 major league seasons, Olerud had 2,239 hits and 255 homers. He was a two-time All-Star (1993, 2001) and won two World Series rings (1992-93) with the Toronto Blue Jays. He won three Gold Gloves (2000, 2002-03) with the Seattle Mariners.
6. Fred Hutchinson: The pitcher who attended Franklin has become an important figure in his hometown. Hutchinson compiled a 95-71 record with a 3.73 ERA for the Detroit Tigers from 1939-53 (he spent four years in the Navy during World War II). He earned a spot on the 1951 AL All-Star Team. He became a successful manager after his playing days and led the Cincinnati Reds to the World Series in 1961. He died of cancer in 1964. A year after his death, his brother, Dr. William Hutchinson, founded the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in his honor. That same year, the Hutch Award, which is awarded in Seattle, was created for the player “who best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire of Fred Hutchinson.”
7. Randy Myers: The Evergreen (Vancouver) grad had 347 career saves over 14 seasons with seven teams. Myers was a four-time All-Star and two-time Rolaids Relief Man of the year (1993, 1997). He also earned the National League Championship Series MVP in 1990. That year, he was part of the famed “Nasty Boys” bullpen trio that helped the Cincinnati Reds to the World Series title.
8. Ron Cey: The third baseman who graduated from Mt. Tahoma (Tacoma) was a six-time All-Star, playing mostly for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was the 1981 World Series MVP for the Dodgers. He hit .261 with 316 homers in 17 seasons.
9. Grady Sizemore: Sizemore graduated from Cascade (Everett) and was a regular with the Cleveland Indians by 2005. He is a three-time All-Star (2006-08) and has won two Gold Gloves in center field. Entering the season, he hit .275 with 129 homers.
10. John Lester: A product of Bellarmine Prep (Tacoma), Lester has become a heart-warming baseball story. Lester recovered from a 2006 case of lymphoma and pitched a no-hitter with the Boston Red Sox in 2008. Lester has become one of baseball’s top pitchers (he enters the season with a 41-16 record with a 3.66 ERA) and is favored by some analysts to win the Cy Young this season.
Ambidextrous pitcher Vettleson an even better hitter
The Central Kitsap outfielder can pitch with both hands, but pro scouts are flocking to see what he can do with a bat.
Monday, March 22, 2010
By: Nathan Joyce
MaxPreps.com
SILVERDALE — Drew Vettleson is known in baseball circles as an oddity. The Central Kitsap senior pitcher can throw with both hands, an extreme rarity.
Vettleson’s ambidextrous pitching dates back to when he was young. His parents played slow-pitch softball with their son in tow. His mom is lefthanded and his dad is righthanded. He would pick up either of their gloves and start throwing.
He’s primarily a righthander and can throw in the low 90s. He also throws a curveball and a changeup.
When he was playing Little League, he started pitching lefthanded, too. He’s more of a crafty-lefty type when he switches hands, relying more on changing speeds to get batters out. He’ll often switch to lefty in the middle of a game to save his right arm. It also messes with hitters timing.
“It’s something I really cherish because it’s a special thing,” Vettleson said.
There’s only one pro to throw with both hands. Pat Venditte is in the New York Yankees organization. He heard about Vettleson and gave him a call to talk baseball. Venditte has a special glove that he can switch hands between batters. Drew has to take the glove he’s going to use for that inning, although some showcase events will allow him to bring both.
Vettleson can catch the ball about as well with both hands. He’s even gone out to play the outfield lefthanded. It amazes his dad, Jerry Vettleson, who tells him to strengthen his left arm in case of injury to the right, that he can catch and his throwing footwork are the same.
But as impressive as Vettleson’s ambidextrous act is, it has no bearing on why he’s one of the state’s top baseball prospects.
“As a player, my thing has been hitting, and I want people to know that: I’m a hitter,” Vettleson said.
The baseball world knows. Without a doubt. Vettleson is a hitter.
Professional scouts know it so well, they are a regular occurrence at practices this spring.
“It’s going to be kind of a zoo,” Central Kitsap coach Bill Baxter said. “I’ve never had a scout at practice before.”
That fact tells you something. Central Kitsap has had some high-profile players in recent years. Caleb Brown, who is at Washington, constantly played before scouts. Nate Roberts has landed at Seattle U. Daniel Zylstra is playing at Oklahoma State.
Yet no scouts came to practice to watch them.
Scouts are so interested in Vettleson’s potential, they often came out to watch him play basketball — just to get a better sense of athleticism.
Baseball Northwest lists him as the top player in the state in his class, and has for several years. He was the Narrows League Bay Division MVP after hitting .382 with four home runs and leading the Cougars to the state tournament. He also threw two no-hitters. He was named first-team All-State by the Washington State Baseball Coaches Association.
He’s talked with every major league team about his signability in June’s draft and several have made home visits to gauge his character (no troubles there). He’s worked out for the Seattle Mariners and Kansas City Royals. He’s hit for the Los Angeles Angels, Cleveland Indians and Florida Marlins.
Scouts have been telling him he will go in the top three rounds. Three high school players taken in the third round last year had seven-figure signing bonuses and a fourth just missed.
Even if he’s not playing minor-league baseball this summer, he still has a scholarship to Oregon State. He committed to the Beavers last spring. Oregon State said they would use him as a righthanded closer as well as an outfielder.
“It’s something I’m up in the air (about) right now,” said Vettleson, who spent his summer playing at elite showcase tournaments. “I would be comfortable going pro. I want to go to college also.”
“My wife Kim and I are taking it all in,” Jerry Vettleson said. “We’re trying to keep him on a level field.
“…I know this is what he’s always wanted. And I’m not going to hold him from it.”
Drew gives his father a big dose of credit for the spot he’s reached. Drew and Jerry began working on his swing when he was just 6 years old.
Jerry worked with his son to ensure his swing was fundamentally correct from the beginning. No need to go reinventing it a few years later. But still, scouts think his swing is unorthodox, but they say they don’t want to change it because it’s so effective.
Vettleson holds his hands back and away from the body, but he has really quick hands that generate a lot of power with a 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame.
“My dad always told me to swing hard,” Drew said. “He said you’re not going up there to hit a single, you’re going up there to drive the ball.”
“He doesn’t get cheated on any swing he takes,” Jerry said.
Bellevue hires Chris Beake as defensive coordinator while Mora will be involved as well
Originally Written by: Mason Kelly
Seattle Times
Bellevue football coach Butch Goncharoff confirmed Saturday that the Wolverines have hired Chris Beake to become the Wolverines’ defensive coordinator.
“It’s very exciting, because Bellevue is a national program,” Beake said. “It’s a great opportunity for me personally just to kind of come and do some things I’ve learned over my career on defense and implement them and run things myself.”
Beake last worked as an assistant on offense and special teams for the Seahawks under Jim Mora. Prior to joining Seattle’s coaching staff, he coached linebackers for the Falcons from 2004-06 and spent six seasons with the 49ers.
“I interviewed a lot of guys,” Goncharoff said. “I just liked him. I liked him as a person. I think he gets it and he’s not just all about football, it’s about developing kids. There’s just something about him that clicked with us.”
Mora will also be a part of the staff, but his role has yet to be determined.
“Jim will be involved,” Goncharoff said. “I don’t know in what capacity yet. It’s great. He’s an outstanding guy in whatever capacity we get him, even if it’s only for spring ball or summer. It’s great to have him around. He’s a great resource for us.”
Beake replaces Wes Warren, who left to become the linebackers coach, special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator at the University of Montana Western.
“We’ve definitely gone through some change,” Goncharoff said. “There will be a lot of people changing spots. When you have success you definitely can become complacent. We want to change and continue to get better, so it’s not negative, it’s positive. It is nice to have it done.”
Bellevue still has several coaching positions left to be filled.
