November 2015

On a cold, and foggy evening, the Menashe family kicked off their annual Christmas lighting display located at 5605 Beach Dr. SW. on Sunday, November 29, 2015.

Josh Menashe, the mastermind behind the display, and his crew helped bring this display to life in about a week's worth of time. "This year we have some new things like a brand new electric train set in the far corner, candy-cane streetlight fixtures, a candy cane tunnel leading down the driveway and so much more" Josh said.

Thousands of people from all over the area flock to see this display as it's the biggest one in West Seattle.

If you’ve seen the steamy windows at the new Boxing Gym West Seattle lately, you know that the athletes inside are hard at work jumping rope, doing combination drills, and hitting the speed bags. With the rise of MMA and professional female athletes like Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm in fight sports, there is a renewed interest in boxing as a high intensity fitness workout, and this is the first gym in West Seattle dedicated to the sport.
The Boxing Gym West Seattle aims to make the sport of boxing accessible to all individuals for personal expression and self-discovery.

Lee Torres provides an inclusive learning environment where all are welcome to access one’s personal strength and power. While a boxing gym may seem intimidating, what you’ll find is a warm, welcoming group of people of all fitness levels who are eager to help you do your best, and remind you to have fun. Members include mason workers, stay at home moms, and Microsoft employees, and many have said that boxing is an excellent way to cross train to round out other workouts and fight programs.

A number of Olympic champions, including Missy Franklin (Centennial, Colo.), Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md.) and hometown favorite Nathan Adrian (Bremerton, Wash.), are expected to highlight the field at number of Olympic champions, including Missy Franklin (Centennial, Colo.), Michael Phelps (Baltimore, Md.) and hometown favorite Nathan Adrian (Bremerton, Wash.), are expected to highlight the field at USA Swimming’s 2015 AT&T Winter National Championships, set for Dec. 3-5 at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
Tickets are on sale now for the three-day event, which consists of daily prelims at 9 a.m. PT and finals at 6 p.m. PT, on Thursday, Dec. 3 through Saturday, Dec. 5. Tickets can be purchased online now with all-session passes costing $60 for adults and $45 for children 12 and under. Single-day and single-session tickets also are available.
In addition to Adrian, Franklin and Phelps, fellow individual Olympic gold medalists Natalie Coughlin (Vallejo, Calif.), Anthony Ervin (Valencia, Calif.), Matt Grevers (Lake Forest, Ill.) and Allison Schmitt (Canton, Mich.) also are expected to compete in Federal Way.

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

Evergreen High School of White Center came up big in this year's All-Seamount League cross country balloting.
Dan Matthias of the Wolverines was named as the Boys Coach of the Year and senior Marques Chacon as the boys Athlete of the Year.

Joining Chacon on the first team was senior twin teammate Matthew Chacon.

Lindbergh won the boys title and Hazen took the girls title this year, with Marcus Phills of Hazen named as the Girls Coach of the Year and Lindbergh junior Feven Fessehatzion as the Girls Athlete of the Year. The Sportsmanship award went to Renton.

Among the first team girls selections along with Fessehatzion were Kennedy sophomore Karianna Bolma and Tyee senior Alexis Sata.

Other first team girls choices were Hazen senior Kate Lilly, Hazen freshman Shannon Gifford, Lindbergh senior Christian Villanueva, Hazen freshman Keara Daley, Lindbergh junior Lauren Wick, Hazen junior Daniela Reyna and Renton sophomore Kelis Barton.

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

Kennedy Catholic senior Angela Gagliardo was named as the Seamount League girls swimming Athlete of the Year and her coach, Sean Prothero, was named as the Coach of the Year.

Hazen won the league title this year, however, and Lindbergh landed the Team Sportsmanship award.
Making the swimming first team along with Gagliardo were Highline senior Reva Zacharias, Highline freshman Emily Zacharias, Kennedy senior Angelica Gil, Hazen senior Kristen LeBar, Lindbergh sophomore Avery Knittle, Hazen junior Ashtin Luedtke and Lindbergh senior Rachel Andean.

The first team diver is Kennedy junior Madeline Kemp and the second team diver is junior teammate Maddie Terry.

Second team swimming selections were Highline freshman Stella Fosberg and Kennedy senior Theresa Tran along with Hazen senior Clarissa Mitchell, Hazen junior Emilie Nelson, Renton freshman Naima Pai, Lindbergh junior Colette Garcia, Hazen senior Hannah Atchison and Lindbergh senior Victoria Yackel.

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

Ryan Fike was selected as the Coach of the Year for boys tennis in the Seamount League after leading Kennedy Catholic to first place in the league standings.

The Team Sportsmanship award, meanwhile, went to Foster and Renton senior Oscar Cruz was named as the Athlete of the Year.

Three Kennedy players were named to the first team in senior Haydon Clifton, sophomore Brendan Stoll and freshman Francis Viloria, while one Highline player made the first team in junior Finn Fosberg.
Other first team picks were Cruz, Hazen senior David Vaisar, Hazen senior Justin Nguen, Hazen senior Sonlam Nguyen, Lindbergh junior Donovan Dang, Lindbergh senior Jeremiah Bayna and Lindbergh junior Patrick Tiamzon.

Kennedy and Foster landed two players each on the second team and Highline had one make the squad.
Honored from Kennedy were senior Ben Xu and sophomore Hayden Wood, while the Foster picks were junior Aaron Anonuevo and freshman Mehtaab Buttar. Chosen from Highline was Drew Sagmoen.

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

Kennedy Catholic captured both top Seamount League golf awards this fall, with Alyssa Nguyen named as the Girls Athlete of the Year and Evan Golando as the Boys Athlete of the Year.
The Lancers also won both the boys and girls league titles.

Foster, meanwhile, earned the Team Sportsmanship award and Todd Morris of Hazen was named as the Coach of the Year.

Joining Nguyen on the girls first team were Kennedy teammates Makenzie Milton, Addie Hedge and Emily Porter along with Hazen's Isabell Deak.
Joining Golando on the boys first team were teammate Ryan Sheardown, Highline's Noah Voges and Hazen's Nick Yee and Zach Dea.

The boys second team had three Lancers in James Navarro, Nicholas Fieghner and Grayson O'Niel. Also on the second squad were Jack Madsen of Highline and Hazen's Tyler Learn.
The girls second team included Jacquelin Kemp of Highline and Kennedy's Maddy Milton. Three Hazen players made that team in Kayla Smith, Emma LedBetter and Analicia Hernandez Giron.

By Peggy Sturdivant

“Everything hurts,” is what the illustrator Jan Harvey-Smith was saying as I let her hide her cold-ravaged face behind the seasonal middle children’s book “Frankenstein Meets Santa” in the accompanying photo. Both parents of identical sets of twins they have teamed to create a book for the holidays.

As in the photo M.J. McDermott is the more public face, generally in front of weather graphics as the morning meteorologist for Q13. Jan Harvey-Smith is mostly behind the scenes as Master Scenic Artist for Pacific Northwest Ballet, especially busy this fall with an entirely new set for the annual production of The Nutcracker.

Before Jan dragged her less-than-well self from Whittier Heights to our meeting at Java Bean I asked M.J., why take on the additional work of writing and self-publishing a book? Her reply, “What are you supposed to do when you still have your health?” (Which struck me as slightly ironic once Jan made a brief appearance).

Dates: NWAA presents Joy! - Dec. 12, 7 pm; Dec 13, 2 pm
Place: Highline Performing Arts Center – Burien
Tickets: $20-25 (17 & under free with a paid adult ticket) www.northwestassociatedarts.org or 206-246-6040

Burien, WA – For the first time ever, all seven ensembles of Northwest Associated Arts join together in song for the South Sound’s most fun-filled Christmas Concert, Joy! Music of the season from Spain, South Africa, France, Latvia, and England are presented along with countless familiar holiday tunes. Ensembles combine their talents and include almost 200 singers ages 8 to 88; ChoralSounds, SilverSounds, three Youth Choruses and two smaller ensembles unite for two unforgettable performances. Show times are December 12 at 7 pm and December 13 at 2 pm. These family-friendly concerts feature bright costuming, creative choralography and a renewed focus on excellent choral singing. Prime reserved seating tickets are $25 and festival seating is $20. Youth age 17 and under are admitted FREE with a paid adult attendee.

By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

Kennedy Catholic dominated the Seamount League in football this year, posting an undefeated record in taking the championship.

The Lancers also dominated in this year's All-Seamount League selections.

Senior Iziq Ifopo of JFK was named as the Athlete of the Year as well as landing the Offensive Lineman of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year awards.

Bob Bourgette was named as the league's Coach of the Year after his final season of guiding the Lancers before retiring.

Evergreen of White Center earned the Team Sportsmanship award, while Foster senior Alvin Noa was named as the Defensive Back of the Year and Hazen senior Kaleb McGee as the Offensive Back of the Year.
Ifopo was also named to the first team as a defensive tackle along with Lindbergh senior Korey Solo and as an offensive tackle along with Lindbergh junior David Baginsky.

McGee, meanwhile, was honored as a first team running back along with Kennedy sophomore Tre'Shaun Harrison and Foster junior Camet Soe.