By Nathan Joyce
MaxPreps.com
Kristi Kingma, a junior at Jackson of Mill Creek, is a talented multi-sport athlete.
But she's chosen what sport will be her future.
The 5-10 Kingma, who averages 19.4 points per game for the Timberwolves, has decided to play basketball for the University of Washington.
"It's my hometown team. I've just always wanted to be a Husky," she told the Seattle Times. "I've gone to [basketball] camps there since I was little. It's been my dream."
Kingma was reportedly being recruited by several Pac-10 schools and Gonzaga.
Kingma is also a two-time All-WesCo South soccer player and scored 32 goals as a freshman and a sophomore. She is also an impressive track athlete (middle distances and jumps), who qualified for the state meet as a freshman and sophomore.
Kingma told the Seattle Times her choice became clear after watching the Huskies host Florida State on Dec. 17.
"I just wanted to be out there so much," she said. "I just knew that's where I wanted to go."
Kingma will be a combo guard or perhaps a wing if she grows a little taller.
Kingma isn't the only Puget Sound player to solidify college plans.
Stephanie Egwuatu, a 5-11 junior at highly ranked Auburn-Riverside, hasn't started a game in high school, but she has a college scholarship. Egwuatu, who averages 8.4 points and 8.0 rebounds, committed to Portland State on New Year's Day.
She is the third player on the team to claim a Division I scholarship. Stephanie Wilber will play at Arizona State and Katie Grad is going to Washington State.
Also, Allie Urban, a 6-2 player from Seattle Prep, has committed to Brown University.
Basketball: MLK Clashes on the Way
As many cities honor the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday with high school basketball showcases, Seattle is no different. There are two days of basketball that will mark the holiday.
The first is the MLK Classic at KeyArena. Among the more interesting matchups: Lynden, which won the Class 2A state football title and is a favorite to win the basketball title, as well, will face Class 4A Foss of Tacoma at 4:30 p.m. Bainbridge (No. 2 in the 3A) and South Kitsap (a top 10 team in the 4A) face each other in the battle of Kitsap County. The programs are the top teams in the county but haven't faced each other in years. The main event pits Federal Way (No. 1 in the 4A by some polls) against Renton (No. 1 last year in the 3A for much of the season). Also, Garfield plays Mount Rainier at 6 p.m. and the Garfield girls play King's at 1 p.m.
On Monday, the King Holiday Hoopfest is set for Edmundson Pavilion at the University of Washington.
The top game in that showcase is Bainbridge vs. Franklin (No. 1 in the 4A and defending state champ) at 6 p.m. O'Dea (No. 3 in the Class 3A) and Lynden play an interesting game at 4:30 p.m. Also on tap, Bothell vs. Curtis at 11 a.m., Garfield vs. Kentwood at 2:30 p.m., and Kentridge and King's wrap things up at 7:30 p.m.
For the girls, Bainbridge plays Roosevelt at 9:30 a.m. and Garfield and Kentwood play at 12:30 p.m.
Football: Twins Headed to Eastern
Tumwater twins Matt and Zach Johnson have always been teammates on the football field.
And it'll be that way in college, too.
The talented twins committed to Eastern Washington University last month. The Johnsons picked EWU over schools such as Washington State and Oregon, in part because they had the chance to play together.
"That had a lot to do with it," Zach Johnson told the Tacoma News Tribune. "It looked like Washington State and Oregon State were going to only offer one of us. We knew it wouldn't be both."
"We waned to play together, but it wasn't like we had to," Matt Johnson told the TNT. "But everyone around us knew it would be a lot better if we went together, and we thought so too."
Zach Johnson was the MVP of the Evergreen Conference on offense, rushing for 1,918 yards and 28 touchdowns. Matt Johnson, limited to five games because of injury, was all-league at safety.
Also, Olympia tight end Michael Fennerty (6-4, 210) committed to Tulsa over Missouri and Cincinnati. Fennerty caught 30 passes for 500 yards and nine touchdowns last year.