9/28/09 Prep Swimming Results

Wenatchee 125, Eisenhower 58

Saturday at Wenatchee

200 Relay: 1, Wenatchee 2:08.12; 2, Eisenhower (Briehton Stuart, Emilie Pleger, Laura Ruiz, Beth Klingele), 2:08.76.

200 Free: 1, Wenatchee, Cass Peterson, 2:15.20;

200 IM: 1, Eisenhower, Pleger, 2:26.49.

50 Free: 1, Wenatchee, Sam Bennett, 26.49; 2, Eisenhower, Ruiz, 27.44.

DIving: 1, Wenatchee, Ashley Wood, 129.25; Cecily Wilson, 117.30

100 Fly: 1, Eisenhower, Ruiz, 1:03.83

100 Free: 1, Wenatchee, Sydney Gavin, 1:03.09; 2, Eisenhower, Klingele, 1:04.57

500 Free: 1, Wenatchee, Peterson, 6:01.50.

200 Free Relay: 1, Eisenhower (Pleger, Ruiz, Klingele, Stuart), 1:58.63.

100 back: 1, Wenatchee, Wood, 1:15.98

100 breast: 1, Eisenhower, Pleger, 1:13.04

400 free relay: 1, Wenatchee, 4:21.64.

CWU falls to No. 1 Seattle Pacific

SEATTLE — The Central Washington women’s soccer team held No. 1 Seattle Pacific without a goal until the 53rd minute, before falling 2-0 on Saturday night at Interbay Stadium.

Amanda Johnson and Jocelyn Charette accounted for the Falcons goals.

The Falcons are now 9-0-0 overall and 3-0-0 in the GNAC. Central Washington falls to 3-6-1 overall and 0-2-1 in the GNAC.

Ellie Eckroth led Central with two shots on goal in the defeat.

Central falls to Anchorage in 5

ELLENSBURG, Wash. — Kady Try had 18 kills and 21 digs in Central Washington’s five-set loss to Alaska Anchorage on Saturday night at Nicholson Pavilion.

Anchorage prevailed 17-25, 25-23, 27-25, 19-25, 15-13.

The loss dropped Central Washington to 9-6 overall and 1-3 in the GNAC. Anchorage improves to 10-5 overall and 2-1 in the GNAC.

Seahawks-Bears photo gallery

Photos from Sunday’s game between the Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears at Qwest Field in Seattle. All photos by The Associated Press.

Huskies Off and Running

UW begins defense of NCAA title with games in Selah ||

SELAH, Wash. — This weekend’s games won’t show up in the standings, but Saturday’s doubleheader may be more meaningful than any early counters the University of Washington fastpitch team plays starting in February.

“We’re finally into 2010. It’s been great, but we need to put 2009 behind us,” Washington coach Heather Tarr said between the games with Boise State at Carlon Park.

This was Washington’s first game action since the Huskies won the NCAA championship in June. Since then, the team has enjoyed months of celebrity and celebration, creating enough distractions for even the most dedicated players to lose some concentration.

But, thanks to an NCAA rule that allows teams four weeks of practice and games in the fall, the Huskies have been able to restore their focus to the field.

“It’s tough coming off such a high,” said senior pitcher Danielle Lawrie, who was the prime factor in the Huskies title run that culminated in a two-game sweep of Florida in the best-of-3 final. “We had the summer to wind down and now we start fresh.”

PHOTO GALLERY Click here for more photos

“The summer by went by so fast, but we’ve worked hard to keep our bodies healthy,” sophomore outfielder Kimi Pohlman said.

While the Huskies head into their title defense brimming with confidence, thanks in large part to 12 returners, they also understand the effort that will be required — beginning with these four weeks.

“We have all the tools,” Lawrie said. “But we can’t come into this situation and not work hard. If everyone comes to play and puts in the work, we can get back there, and it starts now.”

“We really try to take advantage of the whole fall build-up,” said Tarr, who calls this weekend trip to Yakima an important team-building experience that included a rafting trip on the Tieton River on Friday, Saturday’s games, and conducting two youth clinics today.

“This is a great weekend,” Tarr continued, crediting Bill Harris for making the trip so beneficial. “(Today) is the best part of what we’re doing because we get to share our knowledge (at the clinics).”

Sharing knowledge amongst themselves is perhaps the most important part of Washington’s preseason.

Even though the Huskies have plenty of experience returning, they also know it’s crucial to get their six freshman integrated into and comfortable with the system.

That’s something Pohlman knows quite well from last season, when she said she struggled in the fall before eventually finding her footing and, along with fellow freshman Niki Williams, playing a vital role during Washington’s title run.

“They have to understand it’s a gradual process,” she said. “I had to figure a lot of stuff out by myself, and so will they, but we also have to let them know that we’re here to help them and that they can come to us.”

“We paved the road last year and now we have a new route to pave because we have different people,” Lawrie said. “We have to fit all those pieces together in the right places to make the best team and move forward.

“Everyone knows what their job is, and we have to let the freshmen know they can play a big part in this team.”

One of those freshmen made a fast impression with Lawrie on Saturday, with Shawna Wright catching all seven innings of the reigning national player of the year’s one-hit, 11-strikeout shutout performance in the opening game.

“That’s the first time I’ve thrown to her and she did a great job,” Lawrie said. “It gives us confidence when the younger players step up like that and is a good indication of what this team can do.”

Another indication that this team can again contend for a title was Saturday’s 13-0, 14-1 sweep of the young Broncos (they just started their program last season and have 16 freshmen on their 20-player roster).

“That’s what we’re working for; that’s where our sights are set,” Pohlman said. “We just have to keep working hard to do the best we can.”

“I’m confident (we can repeat) … and I think it’d be even sweeter than last year,” Lawrie said, “but we can’t take anything for granted.”

UW fastpitch photo gallery

Photos from Saturday’s fastpitch doubleheader between the Washington Huskies and Boise State Broncos. All photos by Andy Sawyer of the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Central slams Idaho State

Wildcats defeat first FCS foe since beating Eastern in 2006 ||

POCATELLO, Idaho — Once the feeding frenzy had ended and they got back to playing more conventional football Saturday, Central Washington did what it does best.

The Wildcats, opposing an old friend and a supposedly superior foe, produced rock-solid defense and opportunistic and time consuming offense.

And they won, for the fifth time in as many games this season, pinning a not-as-close-as-the-score 33-22 defeat on former CWU coach John Zamberlin and Idaho State.

For fifth-ranked Central, the triumph before 4,980 fans in Holt Arena was significant on several fronts.

It gave the Wildcats a realistic chance to run the regular-season table, which the program last did in 2002, under Zamberlin, and finish with a regional ranking high enough to net a first-round playoff game at home.

Six-regular season contests — two each against each of CWU’s three GNAC foes — remain, with none of the opponents possessing the talent or reputation of ISU.

Or defending Division II national champion Minnesota Duluth, for that matter, which the Wildcats beat on Sept. 3.

It also marked the program’s first defeat of a Football Championship Subdivision squad since 2006, Zamberlin’s final Central season, when CWU beat Eastern Washington at Cheney.

And it virtually assured that the Wildcats, who fell three spots in the national poll last year after a narrow loss at perennial Big Sky Conference power Montana, will retain its lofty ranking — for this week, at least.

Asked if Saturday’s win ranked with the Duluth victory, coach Blaine Bennett said, “It’s really hard to compare the two. The Duluth game got us into the top five in the D-II rankings. And in the Northwest, it’s always important when you go on the road against a Big Sky team and not only play them tough, but win.”

And win despite five turnovers.

That’s where Central’s celebrated defense loomed large, limiting the Bengals to two turnover-inspired touchdowns while coming up with six takeaways itself.

Special teams had also had a hand in the mayhem, blocking a third-quarter punt that set up Central’s only second-half score.

West Valley’s Taylor Tanasse was credited with the block, though he later said a teammate got it. The senior defensive end did, however, force Idaho State quarterback Kyle Blum into intentionally grounding a pass from his own end zone, which computed to a safety that opened the scoring.

It also ignited stunning sequence of events which, during a frenzied 4:33 spanning the end of the first quarter and the start of the second, left the Wildcats with a 26-0 lead.

On the possession following the safety, CWU drove 56 yards for a 5-yard Ryan Robertson to Johnny Spevak touchdown pass.

The second play of the second quarter saw the Wildcats’ Prince Hall force Blum to fumble, and fellow linebacker Buddy Wood recovered and returned the ball 5 yards for his second touchdown in as many games.

The play typified Central’s defense. It sacked Blum five times for 37 yards in losses, held ISU to minus 33 yards rushing — the worst total in school history — and allowed only 215 offensive yards despite giving up 45 on a blown coverage to start the game and a 67-yard score on a desperation pass with 1:35 to play.

On State’s next play, Blum was unable to corral an errant shotgun-formation snap and Tanasse recovered. Robertson hit Spevak for an 18-yard score on the following snap.

Hall, having dropped deep into coverage, then intercepted Blum and returned the ball 25 yards to the Bengals 12, setting up Garrett Rolsma’s 28-yard field goal.

With 11:06 left in the half, CWU led 26-0 and some among the ISU fans vented their frustration in the form of boos.

The Bengals (0-4) abruptly righted themselves, however, with some help from Central.

The second of four Robertson interceptions — the redshirt freshman also completed 26 of 43 throws for 192 yards and three touchdowns — put Blum in position for a 20-yard scoring strike to J.D. Ponciano.

Randall Eldridge’s fumble two plays later was followed by a 26-yard Blum-to-Kelvin Krosch TD, and suddenly the crowd was hopping.

The home fans’ mood was further buoyed when, on the next play from scrimmage, Robertson was picked by Michael Wright to give ISU possession at the Central 28.

On second down, however, Blum’s deep throw was intercepted by Central’s Courtney Smith, and the half ended with the Wildcats up 26-14.

“That was huge,” Zamberlin said. “We have the momentum, and if we score again we’re down by less than a touchdown.”

Robertson’s fourth pick started the third quarter, after CWU had driven to the Idaho State 36, but the punt block followed. And on second and goal from the 8, Robertson found Justin Helwege for Central’s final score.

ISU’s Jarrett Huk missed a 34-yard field goal later in the period, and the Bengals had no other threats until Blum, on fourth and 11, made the Wildcats pay for another blown coverage with a 67-yard bomb to Krosch with time running out.

After Blum’s 2-point toss to Ponciano made it 33-22, ISU tried an onside kick that was caught by Spevak, and Central exhausted the remaining 1:34.

In addition to rolling up 22 first downs to Idaho State’s 10, the Wildcats also compiled an advantage of nearly 16 minutes in possession time.

CWU also prevailed despite being penalized 16 times for 124 yards.

Wildcats deal a blow to former mentor

POCATELLO, Idaho — John Zamberlin’s a tough guy. He played linebacker for six seasons in the NFL, after all.

But Saturday, he took a figurative but nonetheless ferocious slug to the gut, and how quickly or fully he will recover is yet unknown.

Idaho State, which last lost to lower-level football team 20 years and 20 such victories ago, lost 33-22 to Central Washington in a game that no one on either side will ever forget.

Certainly not Zamberlin, who while elevating CWU from an NAIA power to NCAA Division II prominence claimed two such triumphs.

Not Central coach Blaine Bennett, whose declaration of the Wildcats as the preeminent D-II program on the West Coast continues to gain credence.

And not Buddy Wood or Johnny Spevak, each of whom was recruited by and played for Zamberlin at Central.

“We didn’t, honestly, get into the thing about playing against our old coach,” said Spevak, who scored two touchdowns.

“It was great to see Coach Z again, but it was really great to win,” said Wood, who scored one.

Zamberlin, in his third year of trying make Idaho State competitive, said merely, “Credit to those guys. They played well.”

On a warm and sunny afternoon in which only 4,980 fans chose to enter 12,000-seat Holt Arena, the classic conflict that drives such games played out to the obvious distaste of Zamberlin.

Central, 4-0 already and ranked fifth among D-II teams, wanted to win.

Idaho State, 0-3 and on no one’s Football Champion Subdivision radar, needed to win.

Desperately.

Blowout losses at Arizona State and Oklahoma, followed by a 44-17 Big Sky Conference-opening defeat to defending champion Weber State, were damaging enough to Zamberlin’s fight to gain his program credibility.

This defeat was crippling.

Asked if it stung to have lost to a lower-level team for the first time since 1989, Zamberlin said, “Sure it stings. It stung losing at Oklahoma and it stung losing at Arizona State. It better sting, or you’re in the wrong business.

“So sure it stings. It sucks, it hurts.”

Especially when the Bengals had to cash on a desperation 67-yard scoring strike in the waning minutes to avoid a worse scoreboard fate.

“Certainly, there’s no disrespect meant here,” Bennett said, “but until that last touchdown we had a pretty substantial victory.”

And Central had done so despite what one might expect of a D-II team playing a level up on the road.

The Wildcats threw four interceptions, lost a fumble and were flagged for 16 penalties worth 124 yards.

But they countered with six takeaways of their own, sacked ISU’s quarterback five times for 37 yards in losses and converted 7 of 15 third downs compared with the Bengals’ 0-for-11.

Bennett, whose football pedigree comes clearly from the offensive side of the ball, has delighted in a defense which, anchored by Wood, Alabama transfer Prince Hall and others, has been dynamic.

“We probably have one of the best teams Central has ever had, from a talent standpoint,” Bennett said. “We have a lot of speed and we have a lot of players who can make plays.

“As a coach, with this defense, it’s almost like I can just sit back and watch. Sometimes I think I should just buy a ticket and sit upstairs.”

He would clearly have enjoyed the view from there Saturday. Just as much as John Zamberlin hated it.

9/27/09 Prep Soccer Roundup

YAKIMA, Wash. — A good defense beat a good offense, and that was the difference for East Valley’s girls soccer team Saturday afternoon.

Adrianna Jones’ goal in the 10th minute and a stout defensive effort the rest of the way led the Red Devils to a 1-0 victory over Prosser in a showdown of CWAC unbeatens on EV’s homefield.

Goalkeeper Hollie Thierolf made two saves in the shutout, the team’s fourth straight. Ashlee Betancourth assisted on Jones’ goal, her 10th of the season.

“We played tough defense all day and never lost our focus,” said EV coach Gary Mellick, whose team improved to 5-0 in conference and 5-1 for the season. “Up against an offense like Prosser’s, it was a great effort for the defense.”

Prosser, which had scored five opponents 33-4, moved to 4-1 and 5-1.

First half: 1, EV, Adrianna Jones (Ashlee Betancourth), 10:00.

Second half: No scoring.

Saves: Hollie Theirolf (EV) 2, Jamie White (P) 13.

SELAH 3, ELLENSBURG 2: At Selah, Kylie Ott scored twice for the Vikings, including the game-winner in the 56th minute.

Ellensburg scored both its goals in the first half and held a 2-1 lead at halftime.

First half: 1, Ellensburg, Hadli Farrand, 21:00; 2, Selah, Kylie Ott, 26:00; 3, Ellensburg, 39:00.

Second half: 4, Selah, Monik Martinez, 53:00; 5, Selah, K. Ott, 56:00.

Saves: Courtney Cable (S) 2, Lianne Day (E) 6.

WAPATO 5, TOPPENISH 0: At Wapato, Bertha Valencia scored two goals and assisted on another in the second half to help the Wolves break open a 1-0 halftime lead. Hanna Cordova had a goal and assist for Wapato.

First half: 1, Wap, Miriam Ambris (Hanna Cordova), 30:00.

Second half: 2, Wap, Bertha Valencia, 46:00; 3, Wap, Jocelyn Espinoza, 50:00; 4, Wap, Cordova (Valencia), 55:00; 5, Wap, Valencia (Janet Macias), 60:00.

Saves: Toppenish 18, Wapato 6.

CBBN

EISENHOWER 4, PASCO 3: At Marquette Stadium, the Cadets continued to make the dramatic look routine, rallying from a 3-1 second-half deficit to earn their third straight win.

Quick-strike goals from Katy Allen and Mollie Cunnington in the 50th and 51st minutes pulled Ike into tie, and then Allen got the game-winner with just two minutes left in regulation. Briana Mares delivered a low crossing pass from the left that Allen managed to poke in after numerous players converged on the ball.

“It was like a rugby scrum,” said Ike coach Tyler Suhm. “The ball was bouncing around in there and Katy got a toe on it. It was another great finish for us.”

The Cadets, who bested West Valley in a shootout on Tuesday, improved to 4-2 in conference and 5-2 overall.

First half: 1, Ike, Ashlyn Keller (Briana Mares), 5:00; 2, Pasco, Missy Everson (PK), 25:00.

Second half: 3, Pasco, Kaylie Winston, 42:00; 4, Pasco, Maryann Johnson (Everson), 44:00; 5, Ike, Katy Allen, 50:00; 6, Ike, Mollie Cunnington (Liz Figueroa), 51:00; 7, Ike, Allen, 78:00.

Saves: Darci Cline (E) 3, Chantal Avila (E) 4, Mahaley Sapp (P) 5.

WEST VALLEY 8, SUNNYSIDE 0: At West Valley, Ashley Richardson popped in two goals and Sandy Hanses contributed a goal and two assists for the Rams, who moved to 4-1 in conference and 6-1 overall.

First half: 1, WV, Liz Rodriguez (Sandy Hanses), 7:00; 2, WV, Kari Erwin (Lindsay Burns), 10:00; 3, WV, Loegan Silliman (S. Hanses), 16:00; 4, WV, S. Hanses (Burns), 17:00; 5, WV, Ashley Richardson (Haley Curtis), 25:00.

Second half: 6, WV, Richardson (Breanna Ashbaugh), 50:00; 7, WV, Ashbaugh (Kelsey Dolquist), 55:00; 8, WV, Curtis (Erwin), 61:00.

Saves: Rozalyn Pratt (WV) 2, Perla Ponce (S) 14.

RICHLAND 3, DAVIS 0: At Davis, Bria Caldwell assisted on the first goal and scored the second as the Bombers remained unbeaten in conference.

First half: 1, Rich, Kirsten Calmus (Bria Caldwell), 4:00.

Second half: 2, Rich, Caldwell, 59:00; 3, Rich, Serena Robertson (Martha Sanford), 75:00.

Saves: Olivia Diaz (R) 3, Jessica Mungia (D) 10.

SCAC

HIGHLAND 7, WAHLUKE 1: At Highland, Alyssa Wickenhagen booted in four goals, lifting her season total to 23, and Suzy Jimenez added two goals and two assists as the Scotties improved to 4-0 in league and 8-0 overall.

First half: 1, Highland, Alyssa Wickenhagen (Caitlin Long), 6:00; 2, Highland, Long (Suzy Jimenez), 8:00; 3, Highland, Al. Wickenhagen (PK), 13:00; 4, Wahluke, Sari Munoz, 26:00; 5, Highland, Jimenez (Long), 35:00.

Second half: 6, Highland, Al. Wickenhagen (Jimenez), 42:00; 7, Highland, Jimenez (Erika Dow), 62:00; 8, Highland, Al. Wickenhagen, 79:00.

Saves: Karina Angel (H) 2, Tori St. George (H) 1, Yolanda Solis (W) 12.

NACHES VALLEY 4, ROYAL 1: At Naches, Kellie Bernhardt’s second-half hat trick sparked the Rangers, who led 1-0 at the break. Brittany Anderson assisted on two of Bernhardt’s goals.

First half: 1, NV, Shyiel Molano (Carli Kass), 4:00.

Second half: 2, NV, Kellie Bernhardt (Brittany Anderson), 47:00; 3, NV, Bernhardt (Chelsea Robles), 55:00; 4, Royal, Maria Garcia (Yumi Garcia), 68:00; 5, NV, Bernhardt (Anderson), 73:00.

Saves: Kelsey Taylor (NV) 1, Stephanie Garcia (R) 21.

Prosser’s Gant wins Bulldog Pentathlon

ELLENSBURG, Wash. — Prosser’s Mackenzie Gant edged teammate Hailey Rankin by roughly two seconds to capture first place in the Bulldog Pentathlon swimming event Saturday at the Central Washington University pool.

Gant’s total time was 6 minutes, 47.07 seconds, with Rankin next at 6:49.30.

West Valley’s Keely Hausken was third (6:55.24) and Sunnyside’s Marisa Broersma fourth (7:06.77).

Broersma’s effort was highlighted by state-qualifying time in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:12.13.

TOP 10 RESULTS

1, Mackenzie Gant, Prosser, 6:47.07; 2, Hailey Rankin, Prosser, 6:49.30; 3, Keely Hausken, West Valley, 6:55.24; 4, Marisa Broersma, Sunnyside, 7:06.77; 5, Anna Eifert, Eastmont, 7:08.28; 6, Sammy Poston, WV, 7:09.77; 7, Lisa Garrigues, Naches Valley, 7:21.51; 8, Hanna Rankin, Prosser, 7:23.48; 9, Willa Maddaugh, Pullman, 7:28.64; 10, Emily Gonseth, Selah, 7:31.83.

NOTE: Broesma state-qualifying time in 100 breaststroke at 1:12.13.

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