State high school wrestling titles will be decided, and a national swimming record could fall this weekend.
1. Federal Way wins SPSL showdown: League MVP
Cole Dickerson, a San Francisco commit, scored eight of his 20 points in a five-minute span in the fourth quarter as No. 1 Federal Way beat No. 3 Curtis in the South Puget Sound League title game.
2. Showdown coming in the dome: Top-ranked Tahoma looks as though it has enough to end Lake Stevens' three-year run as Class 4A state wrestling champs. The Bears knocked off No. 3 Lake Stevens for the regional title, 197.5-172. No. 2 University of Spokane and No. 4 Graham-Kapowsin should also be in the mix at Mat Classic at the Tacoma Dome this weekend.
3. Kamiak swimming going for national record: Garren Riechel of Kamiak in Mukilteo is shooting for a decade-old national record in the 100 breaststroke this weekend at the state swimming and diving championships. The Stanford-bound Reichel won the state title last year in 54.49 seconds. The record, held by Brendan Hansen of Haverford, Pa., is 53.67. "I'd like to think it's realistic," Riechel told the Seattle Times. "It's been my goal for the last four years. I don't want to give myself false hope, but I'm certainly striving for it."
4: Bethel headed to Friday Night Lights: Bethel will open the next two football seasons in Odessa, Texas, against Permian High School. Permian is the high school made famous by the book and movie "Friday Night Lights."
5. Five heads better than one? Emerald Ridge in Puyallup was 0-10 last season and looking to shake things up. So instead of one head football coach, the school hired five co-head coaches. Troy Halfaday (special teams), Brian Anderson (defensive coordinator), Darren Erath (co-offensive coordinator), Adam Schakel (co-offensive coordinator) and Torey Donovan (line and strength coach) will run the program. "Our football program had to be blown up," athletic director Dell Dittus told the Seattle Times. "We need a radical change. A lot was going on that wasn't working."
Top performers
Anrio Adams (Franklin basketball): The sophomore had 41 points as Franklin beat Nathan Hale 99-69.
David Downs (Bellevue Christian basketball): The senior had 21 points and a school-record 18 assists in a 75-55 win over Seattle Academy.
Connor Smith (Wenatchee basketball): The senior had 29 points, 19 rebounds, seven blocks and four assists in an overtime loss to Davis.
Talia Walton (Federal Way basketball): She scored a triple-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 steals as No. 2 Federal Way beat Rogers 45-29.
Upcoming events
It's one of the biggest weekends of the year for high school sports fans. Mat Classic is at the Tacoma Dome, with 26 mats going simultaneously (you'll find the brackets here). At the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall, the state gymnastics meet is held (info is here). Up Interstate-5 in Federal Way, the state swimming and diving championships (info and psych sheets are here).
This week, the basketball playoffs get serious. The Class 4A West Central District tournamnets gets going. The Metro League tournament, the state's top hoops league, plays out. And the state's smallest school, the 1B classification, decides its state field.
Recruiting news
Olympic (Bremerton) running back Larry Dixon, the West Puget Sound's career rushing leader, committed to Army. He’s going to West Point despite a last-minute offer from Hawaii. ... Central Kitsap (Silverdale) had three players commit to NAIA Waldorf College in Iowa. Conner Chesser, Spencer Williams and Preston Nelson all committed.
Nate's notes
February is the worst month for pro sports fans. The Super Bowl is over, so no more football. It’s still a month away from March Madness. The NBA doesn’t get serious until next month, and the baseball season, despite the tease of pitchers and catchers reporting, is still six weeks away. But it’s bliss for high school fans. The state wrestling meet, a 26-mat spectacle, is this weekend, as is the state swimming and diving and the state gymnastics meet. And the basketball playoffs are in high gear. That should get you through the month.
Nathan Joyce has been a sportswriter in Washington for 12 years. He works at the Kitsap Sun in Bremerton.
