January 2013

In the 1970’s, with declining enrollment, Chief Sealth High School could no longer support a gymnastics team. The option taken was to merge the team with West Seattle high School. Sealth practiced and competed at West Seattle.

That long absence ended Jan. 25 when Chief Sealth hosted their first home meet in three decades.

Sam Reed, Chief Sealth’s Athletic Director, said that with Sealth’s increased enrollment last year the school began the process of rebuilding, with the goal of returning the team to their rightful location. The results of that effort- student body and family members showed up en mass to support their nimble athletes.
Chief Sealth made a good showing for a team that hadn't played a home meet in almost three decades. Friends and family will no longer have to travel north to see the flexible lady Seahawks compete in a “Home Meet”.

There’s still a long way to go in completing the program. Chief Sealth is still lacking in some equipment and must borrow gear from West Seattle for home meets.

Meet results-
The girl’s gymnastics team of West Seattle won the evening with a score of 147.2.

Roxhill Park, just south of Westwood Village in West Seattle, was home to a spat of illegal activity from Jan. 20 through 25 as nine middle schoolers were robbed at gunpoint, and eight teens were later arrested, possibly in connection with those crimes.

It started at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 20 when two suspects walked up to a group of four students from nearby Denny International Middle School near the park, pulled out a shotgun and forced the victims to turn over their wallets and cell phones. Adding injury to insult, one of the suspects used the butt of the shotgun to strike two of their victims in the head, causing bruises and cuts.

The suspects fled into Roxhill Park.

Two days later, on the 22nd, five Denny middle schoolers were socializing in the park after school (around 3 p.m.) when two suspects wearing red bandanas over their faces approached the group, pulled out handguns and forced their victims to the ground. The suspects stole cash and cell phones and fled.

Tuesday, Jan. 22
Boys basketball
Mt. Rainier 66, TJ 57
Mount Rainier ran past the Raiders in South Puget Sound League North Division boys basketball this past Tuesday.
Caden Rowland led the Rams with 28 points as Jamil Wilson-Jones hit 15 and Lenaburg 12.
Thomas Jefferson was led by the 15 points each of Park and James. Anderson added 11.

Wednesday, Jan. 23
Boys basketball
Evergreen 52, Highline 36
Sainz tossed in 12 points to lead the Wolverines past the Pirates on Wednesday.
Highline was led by the nine points of Koenigshof.
Kennedy 72, Tyee 34
Sierhuis led Kennedy Catholic with 14 points Wednesday as Summer, Reynolds and Alerte topped the Tyee team with 10 each.
Renton 55, Foster 38
Sang scored a team-high 12 points for Foster in last Wednesday's loss.
Girls basketball
Evergreen 32, Highline 29
Evergreen slipped past Highline in a low-scoring game this past Wednesday, paced by the 17 points of Tupa. Munoz scored seven to lead the Pirates.
Wrestling
Kennedy 46, Lindbergh 34
Kennedy Catholic posted a 46-34 win over the Eagles on Wednesday.

Thursday, Jan. 24
Boys basketball

Seattle Public Schools officials used Arbor Heights Elementary in West Seattle as their venue to campaign for a “Yes” vote on two levy renewals in the upcoming Feb. 12 special election.

The levies total over $1 billion, and homeowners can expect a tax increase of around $150 a year, according to SPS.

Arbor Heights, now 65 years old, was chosen because it is the pinnacle example of a Seattle school in dire need of replacement, a project included in the Building Excellence levy and scheduled for 2018 (although officials noted they will try to move it up to 2016 at the earliest if possible). From overcrowded classrooms to wildly inconsistent heating and potable water concerns; staff, students and parents are ready for an upgraded facility and have been for many years.

One of the more accessible rock stars who call West Seattle home, Chris Ballew in his alter ego of Caspar Babypants is seeking help with the completion of song he, "started a long time ago," called "When I was little."

Ballew is better known as one of the members of the band Presidents of the United States of America, whose hits include, "Lump", "Kitty," and "Peaches."

In a story posted on the Seattle Chamber of Commerce site the project is described as being part of a social music experiment.
"The social music experiment is a collaboration between the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Chris Ballew as part of the IN-NW Social Media Conference. While participation in the experiment is open, those who take part may be asked to sign this release."

West Seattle High School will take the community back to the era of Glenn Miller and Harry James as they host their 1st Annual Big Band Dance February 1st from 6-9pm in the Commons.

There will be a swing dance lesson with a local instructor from 6:30 to 7pm. The dance is from 7:00 to 9:00pm with music by the West Seattle High School Jazz Ensemble and the West Seattle Big Band.

Light refreshments will be available for sale.

Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door and can be purchased from students in the Music Department or by sending an email to: wshsmusicdept@gmail.com.

KENT - Benson High School of Portland, Oregon, capitalized on second quarter Kennedy scoring lulls and defensive mishaps to drop the Lancers of Burien 49-34 in a boys basketball game of the King Showcase held at the ShoWare Center on Monday, Jan. 21.

"We had a really rough second quarter, but played hard in the second half," said Lancer head coach Don Hoffman. "It was a good game for us to get ready (for the final stretch run to the playoffs). We'll be better on Tuesday."

Kennedy Catholic's perils began after the teams were tied at 8-8 late in the first quarter.

Benson ran off the last four points of the quarter and fired off 13 consecutive second quarter points after the Lancers opened the frame with a free throw.

Once they gained the 25-9 dominance, the Techmen spread the court and ran off clock time to keep their advantage at double figures that reached an apex of 45-26 before the final buzzer.

Offensive rebounding favored Benson 15-3 which translated into a 14-0 dominance in second chance points scored as well as a disparity of shots taken (20/57 to 16/35).

An excerpt form the "The Christian Athlete" by Dwayne K. Smith serves as the benchmark for excellence in glorifying Christ and excelling in sports.
The excerpt states the following:

I am a warrior for Christ, My number one goal is to glorify Him for He made me and gave me my talents. So I work hard, play hard,and fight to be the best! When I am at my best, people take notice and in me they will notice Christ!

On Jan. 18 as part of Homecoming at the Seattle Christian School gymnasium, family and friends gathered together to honor an athlete who displays these qualities in brief ceremonies to retire her beloved jersey No. 3.

Athletic director Craig Wrolstad went through a list of her great athletic accomplishments and health battles

Former Warrior head girls basketball coach Bob Kickner returned to relate his experience as Collier's coach for her first three seasons at SCS - including the 2009 state championship - spoke about her work ethic and strength of character.

Recommendations that could include disarming Highline Public Schools security officers are on hold until April.

Superintendent Susan Enfield said Jan. 9 that recommendations would be made within a week and a half. But after meeting with local police chiefs and a King County Sheriff’s captain, Enfield decided to hire former Des Moines Police Chief Roger Baker as a consultant to review a whole series of issues around school security.

Enfield said at the Jan. 23 board meeting that after the police chiefs’ meeting, she felt it would be irresponsible not to do a much more thorough review. She estimated new proposals could come by April 1.

A district steering committee studied Highline’s security plan and presented a report at a Dec. 12 board work session.

The session occurred two days before the shootings at a Connecticut elementary school. After the shootings, the possibility that Highline security officers was highlighted in several media reports Board members heard several pleas at their next board meeting not to disarm the officers.

With an official 7 p.m. start (and a senior night ceremony starting at 6:45), Chief Sealth International High School will host their first home gymnastics meet in decades on Jan. 25.

Holy Names Academy and West Seattle High School will visit for the meet. This past summer was the first time West Seattle and Chief Sealth split their teams since the early 90's (they were a co-op team throughout that period).

As Sealth Athletic Director Sam Reed explains:

· Through the 1970’s gymnastics was big, and records show pictures of Chief Sealth hosting meets up through 1977 or 1978.

· When participation numbers began to dwindle, we stopped hosting meets, although practices were held in our upstairs gyms through the early 80’s.