By Nathan Joyce
MaxPreps.com
Carly Stowell, a standout 14-year-old basketball player, died Thursday in Raleigh, N.C., before competing in a club basketball tournament.
Stowell played for the Seattle-based Emerald City Legends. She collapsed at the team's hotel and was unable to be resuscitated by her mother or paramedics, reported Hoopgurlz.com, a Seattle-based Web site that covers girls basketball.
Stowell was a point guard as a freshman at Kentlake High School and earned co-team MVP honors while helping the Falcons to the Class 4A state tournament. She was second team all-league.
"By the end of the season, she had taken control," Kentlake coach Scott Simmons told the Seattle Times. "To be honest, we wouldn't have gotten to the state tournament if it wasn't for her."
The team decided to continue play in Stowell's honor, playing with the No. 21 written on their arms.
Baseball: Timberwolves' Win Streak Snapped
The top-ranked Jackson Timberwolves of Mill Creek went undefeated last season en route to a Class 4A state title. That win streak continued well into this season.
Shorecrest finally put an end to the streak, beating Jackson 3-2, to halt the win streak at 35 games.
Pierce Rankin picked up the win for Shorecrest in his first start. Rankin, normally a shortstop, outpitched Jackson ace Geoff Brown. Both players are headed to the University of Washington. Brown struck out 14 and took a no-hitter into the sixth.
Rankin also had the big hit with a two-out, two-run single in the sixth.
"It's a huge win for us," Shorecrest coach Alan Bruns told the Seattle Times. "After dropping four in a row, we talked to the guys about rising up to meet the challenge. I was proud of the guys. They played flawless baseball. This is definitely something we can build on down the road."
Basketball: Gonzaga Grabs Another Gray
Before he started his junior year in high school, Gonzaga got Bainbridge guard Steven Gray to commit to its basketball program. The 6-foot- 4 Gray went onto become the state player of the year this season, leading the Spartans to a second-place finish at the Class 3A state tournament.
Gonzaga is grabbing another Gray early. Bainbridge sophomore Brittany Gray, a 5-foot-11 forward earned honorable mention All-State last season.
Gray was also considering USC and UCLA. She can't sign a letter of intent until Novemebr 2008.
Foootball: Huskies Land Lineman Schaefer
Drew Schaefer, a 6-foot-5, 275-pound lineman from Eastlake of Sammamish, committed to the University of Washington.
Schaefer also had an offer from Washington State, and had drawn interest from Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State and Arizona State.
"I just feel that the best players in Washington should play for their home state and their home school," he told the Seattle Times.
Schaefer was first-team All-KingCo last year playing both the offensive and defensive line. He told the Times he wants to play guard or tackle in college.
He is the second player to commit to UW for 2008. Another lineman Senio Kelemete from Evergreen of White Center has also verbaled.
Track and Field: An 800 Upset at Pasco Invite
Prosser's Nectaly Barbosa has the nation's second-fastest time in the 800 this season. So it would seem that he should run to an easy win at the Pasco Invitational, the state's biggest regular-season meet.
But Barbosa, who had previously set a meet record in the 1,600 at 4 minutes, 8.86 seconds, was upset by a rested Abdi Hassan of Nathan Hale in Seattle.
Hassan outkicked Barbosa in the final 50 meters winning in 1:51.90.
Barbosa was named outstanding male athlete of the meet after leading Prosser to the boys team title. Fife's Angela Jensen was named female athlete of the meet after sweeping the hurdles and taking fifth in the 100. Evergreen of Vancouver won the girls title.