This week's happenings from the Washington prep sports scene:
Skyline High's Kasen Williams.
File photo by Juliann Tallino
wide receiver
Kasen Williams was formerly invited to play in the U.S. Army All-American game two weeks ago. He showed why in the KingCo 4A Championship game. Washington-bound Willliams had seven catches for 174 yards and three touchdowns as No. 1 Skyline (8-1) beat No. 4 Bothell (7-2). He also forced a turnover late in the 31-21 win. Skyline quarterback
Max Browne threw for 358 yards and four interceptions. Both teams head into this weekend's Class 4A state preliminary round.
2. No. 1 Bellevue wins league: Top-ranked
Bellevue (8-1) beat No. 7 Liberty (6-3) to clinch the KingCo 3A title 23-20. Bellevue, which has won eight of the last 10 Class 3A state titles, rallied from a 14-0 deficit.
3. No. 3 Ferris wins Spokane clash: The third-ranked
Ferris (Spokane) Saxons (9-0) won the Greater Spokane League title with a 38-13 win over No. 6 Gonzaga Prep (7-2). Prep running back Bishop Sankey broke the GSL's single-season rushing record with 2,369 yards. He had 214 yards on 38 carries. Sankey is chasing the state's single-season record of 2,676.
4. State cross country meets Saturday: Fall sports' first state championship is decided on Saturday in Pasco as the state cross country meets are held. The Spokane area traditionally dominates the boys portion of this event. A Greater Spokane League team has won the big-school team title every year since 1988. Ferris, which is ranked seventh, has won five of the last seven titles.
Eisenhower (Yakima) is ranked No. 1 and
Lewis & Clark (Spokane) is No. 2.
North Central (Spokane) has won four straight Class 3A state titles and is ranked No. 1 again this year.
5. No penalties for officials: Seattle-area football officials who used pink whistles two weekends ago in support of breast cancer awareness won't face penalties. The officials didn't get prior approval for the whistles, and there was talk of fining them two game checks.
TOP FIVE PERFORMERS* Rebekah Kurle, Kennedy (Burien) soccer: The Portland commit scored her 100th career goal.
* Andrew Kraus, Bishop Blanchet (Seattle) football: The running back had 313 yards and three touchdowns on 40 carries in a 24-19 win over Ingraham.
* Nic Cooper, Kamiak (Mukilteo) football: The running back rushed for 305 yards and six touchdowns on just 16 carries in a 51-23 win over Monroe.
* Jeff Lindquist, Mercer Island football: The quarterback passed for 286 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 221 yards and four touchdowns in a 48-23 win over Lake Washington.
* Amy Eloise Neale, Glacier Peak (Snohomish) cross country: The defending Class 3A state champ tied the course record at the Northwest district meet at South Whidbey High, winning in 18 minutes, 5 seconds as the Grizzlies won their third straight team title.
UPCOMING EVENTSPlayoffs are going on this week at nearly every high school you stop at. The district soccer and volleyball tournaments are this week. The state cross country meet is in Pasco.
But what most fans will pay attention to this weekend is the football playoffs kicking off. The Class 4A and 3A state preliminary round games are Friday and Saturday.
The smaller classifications are either playing qualifying-round games or wrapping up the regular season this week. Teams that didn't make the playoffs are wrapping up the season with league crossover games.
This is your last chance this year to see your favorite football team.
NATE'S NOTESAs I mentioned, the football playoffs are here, and it looks like the Bellevue-Skyline dynasty will celebrate a few more state titles. Yawn.
Skyline has won the last two Class 4A state titles and it won a Class 3A title before moving up (and five overall since 2000). That's three straight state titles. Bellevue has won many of the last 10 Class 3A state titles.
It's similar to college football where the same mega-powers are in the hunt for the national title every year.
I'm pulling for upsets this year.
Nathan Joyce has covered high school sports in Washington for 13 years. He works at the Kitsap Sun in Bremerton.
