Storylines from the Washington prep sports scene:
1. Spokane running dynasty ends: A team from the Greater Spokane League had won 22 consecutive big-school boys state cross country titles entering the state meet on Saturday in Pasco.
Eisenhower (Yakima) ended that streak by claiming the Class 4A state title. Eisenhower was the last non-GSL school to win the title back in 1987. The Cadets also won the girls title. Spokane schools still had a good day as
North Central (Spokane) won its fifth straight Class 3A boys title and GSL runners won the 4A and 3A individual boys titles. Complete results can be found on
wiaa.com.
2. Top-ranked Skyline football avoids upset: Skyline (Sammamish), which has won three consecutive state titles, narrowly avoid an upset bid from Central Kitsap (Silverdale). CK, the fourth-place team in the Narrows League, led 7-2 at halftime against the KingCo champs in the Class 4A state preliminary round. The Spartans rallied to win 16-14. The first round of the state tournament is this weekend.
Click here to view MaxPreps' Washington football playoff brackets.3. Skyline pretty good in soccer, too: The
Skyline (Sammamish) girls soccer team is ranked third in the nation, according to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. The undefeated Spartans are looking for a third straight Class 4A state title as tournaments begin around the state on Tuesday. Brackets can be found on
wiaa.com.
4. And Skyline is good in swimming: The Spartans, the defending Class 4A state champs, won the KingCo 4A title behind the performance of Katie Kinnear, a junior transfer from Eastlake. Kinnear broke her own meet record in the 50-yard freestyle (23.16 seconds) and had an All-American time in the 100 butterfly (55.33) and helped the Spartans to two relay titles. The state meet begins Thursday in Federal Way.
5. Mead tries to continue dynasty: Mead (Spokane) has won six of the last seven Class 4A state volleyball titles. The Panthers head into this weekend's state tournament in the Tri-Cities as Eastern Regional champions after beating Richland 3-1 in title match. Kuulei Zalopany had 17 kills and 15 digs in the championship match. Brackets can be found on wiaa.com.
TOP FIVE PERFORMERS* Kenji Bierig, Lewis & Clark (Spokane) cross country: The senior notched the second-fastest time in meet history by winning the Class 4A state title in 15 minutes, 9 seconds.
* Scott Carlyle, Sehome (Bellingham) cross country: The senior runner won his second state straight state title in 15:30.8 and led the Mariners to their second title in three years.
* Maddie Meyers, Northwest (Seattle) cross country: The junior won her third straight Class 1A title by breaking the meet record set in 2005. She ran the course in 17:33.9, a record which stood until...
* Amy-Eloise Neale, Glacier Peak (Snohomish) cross country: The sophomore repeated as Class 3A state champ by winning a meet record time of 17:31.8 and leading her team to the team title.
* A.T. Turner, Pierce (Tacoma) football: The running back had 349 yards and six touchdowns on 22 carries in a win against Olympic.
RECRUITING NEWSRunning back/linebacker
Zack Berg of
Edmonds-Woodway has committed to Wyoming.
UPCOMING EVENTSIt's the busiest weekend of the fall season. The first round of the state football tournaments kick off around the state. The first round of the state soccer tournament is Tuesday and Wednesday. The quarterfinals are on Saturday. And the state volleyball and swimming and diving championships are also this weekend.
It's one of the busiest — and thanks to football — the best weekend of high school sports this state has to offer.
NATE'S NOTESHas any school dominated a season the way Skyline dominates the fall? The Spartans won state title in football, girls soccer and swimming and diving last year and they are poised to do it again.
The east side of Lake Washington has truly become a stronghold of high school talent.
Nathan Joyce has covered high school sports in Washington for 13 years. He works at the Kitsap Sun in Bremerton.
