It has been three years since nationally ranked Skyline has lost to an in-state rival. It finally happened last week as No. 2 Bothell (9-0) beat No. 1 Skyline 25-20 in the KingCo 4A title game. 
Luke Proulx, Bothell
File photo by Juliann Tallino
Luke Proulx rushed for 49 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries and also caught a 70-yard touchdown pass that helped Bothell hand Skyline (7-2) its first in-state loss since the 2006 season. Skyline has won two straight state championships. It lost earlier this season to national power Oaks Christian of California, a game that snapped a 30-game win streak.
"It's great," Proulx told the Seattle Times. "It hasn't really hit me yet. This is an amazing feeling. It's all I've ever dreamed of this year."
Proulx's touchdown with 1:04 remaining was the winning score. Skyline quarterback Jake Heaps, one of the nation's top-rated signal callers, threw a pair of second-half touchdowns to rally the Spartans.
2. Legendary coach found dead: O'Dea boys basketball coach Phil Lumpkin was found dead on Monday, the school reported on its Web site. Lumpkin, 57, won five state titles with the Fighting Irish. He missed work last week after he was diagnosed with pneumonia. He also spent time in the NBA.
3. State football playoffs kick off: The Class 4A and 3A state preliminary rounds are this weekend. The preliminary rounds are only in place for the state's two biggest classifications. Both are 32-team affairs. The state tournaments kick off around the state on the weekend of Nov. 13-14.
4. Federal Way keeps title: An investigation into an improper grade change found nothing improper and the Eagles will be allowed to keep their Class 4A state boys basketball title. The investigating centered on 6-foot-9 reserve forward J.T. Koontz, who has since transferred to Decatur. He was suspected of playing despite being academically ineligible.
5. Can Spokane keep it going? A Spokane school has won the Class 4A state boys cross country title every year since 1988. Mead has won the bulk of the titles with 14 during that stretch. Will this be the year the streak ends? Jackson of Mill Creek is ranked No. 1 in the nation heading into the state meet this weekend in Pasco.
6. Auburn in trouble: Third-ranked Auburn suffered a loss as three players have been suspended for the rest of the season because of a violation of the district's athletic code. The Seattle Times is reporting that Chris Young, a Washington commit and the team's top running back and defensive back, is one of the players. Young rushed for a school-record 284 yards and six touchdowns on 13 carries as Auburn wrapped up an undefeated regular season with a 52-14 win over Auburn Riverside.
Top performers
Austin Denton (Marysville Pilchuck football): Denton had a career-high 323 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries as the No. 4 Tomahawks beat Oak Harbor 49-28.
Chandler Jenkins (Liberty football): Jenkins had 245 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries as No. 3 Liberty beat Mount Si 38-28.
Shane Moskowitz (Central Kitsap cross country): The Class 4A state favorite won his second straight district title at the Westside Classic, winning in 15:30.8. He said he's making a run at going under 15 minutes at state, something no runner has done since the meet went to a five-kilometer (3.1 miles) format in 1997.
Ruby Roberts (Kingston cross country): The senior won her third straight Class 2A West Central District title (to go along with three Olympic League tiles) and is a favorite to win her second state title.
Nate's notes
This is a great time of year. The football playoffs kick off this weekend, and every sport heads into the postseason. The first state event of the year? Cross country. The state meet is in Pasco, and it could be pretty interesting this year. Spokane schools have dominated the state for the past 20 years and somebody, national No. 1 Jackson, could knock them off. Also, Central Kitsap's Shane Moskowitz is favored to win the individual title, something usually done by a Spokane runner.
In football, Bothell and Skyline could have its rematch in the state semifinals. Too bad the seeding works out like that, a game such as that should be for the state title. Shows how good the KingCo 4A is. Last year, district rivals Issaquah and Skyline met in the state title game. Bothell and Skyline should meet in the semifinals. ... Speaking of football playoffs, is anybody betting against Bellevue? They have two losses, to out-of-state competition, for the first time in a long time, but they rolled over everybody in the KingCo 3A. Bellevue doesn't rebuild, it doesn't reload, it just keeps shooting.
Nathan Joyce has been a sports writer in Washington for 12 years. He works for the Kitsap Sun in Bremerton.
