Athletes provided memorable year

Published 10:20 am Monday, March 3, 2008

Sports fans have a lot to contemplate as 2005 comes to a close.

The sports landscape in South Snohomish County underwent some major changes as several longtime coaches departed.

But as always, the athletes were the ones who provided the most vivid moments of triumph, despair and inspiration.

Here is a recap of the most memorable personalities and teams from the last 12 months.

Keane, Dennis wrap up high school swim careers

In the final high school meet of their storied careers, Meadowdale’s Jonathan Keane and Edmonds-Woodway’s Tony Dennis again demonstrated why each will be long remembered by their coaches and teammates.

Keane advanced to the finals of the 100- and 200-yard freestyles, while Dennis made the 200 freestyle consolation finals and the finals of the 500 freestyle at the Class 4A state swimming championships Feb. 19 at the King County Aquatic Center.

The Meadowdale senior finished sixth in the 100 freestyle with a time of 47.86 and seventh in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:46.20.

“Today I didn’t perform as well as I wanted to or as well as I was hoping to, but overall I was pleased with the effort I gave,” Keane said. “I didn’t leave anything on the table, so as a senior I feel good about that.”

Meadowdale coach Wally Nagel was pleased with Keane’s times.

“His times were better,” Nagel said. “As a coach, that’s all I want for him: to get the best times he can get and do the very best he can for that day.”

While the meet marked the end of Keane’s swimming career, it was merely a point of transition for Dennis, who plans to swim in college.

Dennis’ final high school meet was a bit of a letdown as he struggled in both events. The Edmonds-Woodway senior placed eighth in the 500 freestyle in a time of 4:53.44 and finished 14th in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:49.56.

“I had some pretty lousy swims, especially my 500,” Dennis said. “I just didn’t have it today.”

For Edmonds-Woodway coach Matt Delaney, Dennis’ success throughout his four-year career far outweighed the disappointment of Saturday’s meet.

“He’s had a wonderful four-year career here,” Delaney said. “It was nice to be able to come down and be in the finals of the 500 freestyle … he’s had a great effect on all the guys on his team. I’ve been more than pleased to coach him for all four years.”

The meet marked the final appearance, at least in terms of being a head coach, for Nagel, who announced he was stepping down after 35 years at Meadowdale.

In his best estimation, Nagel said that he probably has been to the state meet 30 out of the 35 years.

“I’ve had a couple of state champions,” he said. “That’s the culmination for every coach — to have somebody make it that far.”

EdCC women place eighth at NWAACC tourney

The Edmonds Community College women’s basketball team made the most of its first appearance in the NWAACC tournament in 14 years.

The Tritons shook off a disappointing first-round loss and won their next two games before losing to Lower Columbia College 58-54 in the fifth/eighth place game March 6 at Three Rivers Coliseum in Kennewick.

Four Edmonds players scored in double figures in the losing cause. Sophomore center Alissa Brasel led the Tritons with 14 points and 13 rebounds. The Edmonds standout earned second-team, all-tournament honors.

“We know we’re as good or better than most teams,” Edmonds coach Eric Cole said. “I think we ended up being the best defensive team in the tournament.”

Longtime Tritons mens

hoops coach retires

The coach never cut a player in his life. He had some quit on him, though, because they couldn’t commit to the team concept. One time that called for all 57 players to cut their hair short. This was back in the ’60s when long hair was in style.

Keith Kingsbury, in his first job as basketball coach at Jane Adams Junior High School in Seattle, figured if the kids were really serious about playing for him, they’d get their locks shorn. All but four did.

They ended up playing for another team that contested Kingsbury’s squad in a game. “They really wanted to beat us,” remembers Carl Nicholes, who went along with the short hair edict.

Game time came and Kingsbury’s squad got off to a 28-0 lead. When the other team finally scored, he leaped off the bench and shouted, “Whose man was that?”

Forty years later, Keith Kingsbury is still leaping off benches when something stirs his emotions. Well, maybe he doesn’t leap, but he still gets on his feet pretty quickly for a guy that’s 64 years old.

Take one night at Bellevue Community College. The game wasn’t a minute old when Kingsbury, the coach of the Edmonds CC men’s team, stood to remind a referee of something as he passed in front of the Tritons bench.

They would have another conversation later in the game. With the Tritons leading by 10 points and about 30 seconds to go Kingsbury whispered in his ear, “Let’s get the hell out of here.”

As he walked off the floor with the 568th victory of his career as the Triton coach, he delightedly said to the mother of one of his players, “We had fun, didn’t we?”

As he made his way to the locker room, one would have thought the Tritons had just won the league championship. Several men, ranging in age from their mid-30s to 60-something, greeted Kingsbury with a handshake or a pat on the back. Some were old coaching cronies, some were former players of his. When you’ve been coaching as long as he has, when you’ve touched the lives of as many players as he has, you can’t go anyplace in the state without someone coming up and asking, “How ya doin’ coach?”

For the kids who have come through Edmonds CC and played for Kingsbury, what most of them wanted was an opportunity to go on and play at a four-year school. In his 32nd and final year as the Tritons’ head coach, Kingsbury has done all he can to help them fulfill their goals.

He has sent 98 kids on to the next level, and he can tell you who each kid is because he has a list of them..

“The best recruiting tool I can give a kid,” he said, as he reached into a drawer and pulled out four sheets of paper containing the players’ names, their high schools and the four-year college they attended. What he is most proud of is that the majority — 55 percent — earned a degree.

If he could clone himself and send Keith Kingsburys to look after each kid, every one of them would graduate from a four-year school.

“He tries to integrate life with basketball,” said former Triton T.J. Williams of Lake Stevens who went on to graduate from Eastern Washington University. “One of his main philosophies is he wants you to be successful in life.

“Don’t get me wrong, he cares about basketball. But he cares more about his players being successful.”

Mountlake Terrace boys

finish third at state

The hardest part was yet to come for Mountlake Terrace.

Less than 24 hours after a heartbreaking semifinal loss to eventual champion Bethel, the Hawks regrouped and easily dispatched South Kitsap 64-43 in the third/sixth place game at the Class 4A state boys basketball tournament March 12 at the Tacoma Dome.

Mountlake Terrace’s victory really was never in doubt as the Hawks jumped out to a commanding 13-0 lead and never once trailed in the game.

The third-place finish was Mountlake Terrace’s highest at the state tournament since 1977, when the Hawks took first place.

But amidst the celebration on the court and in the locker room, Mountlake Terrace coaches and players were dealing with a flood of emotions.

The game marked the final appearance in uniform for six seniors — Mike Boxley, Leigh Swanson, Adrian Blake, Luke Hammond, Christiaan Hammond and Andrew Mundt.

This fact was not lost on Luke Hammond.

“It chokes me up,” the senior guard said of his final game with his fellow seniors. “Those are my brothers. Everyone else on this team is family … it’s hard. These are my guys and I love them all.

“It’s been the best experience of my life — playing basketball with these guys.”

The six seniors helped lead the Hawks to their third straight state tournament appearance and two Western Conference South Division championships.

“To coach six seniors like that, I’m very fortunate,” Mountlake Terrace coach Nalin Sood said. “I’m blessed to have these guys and they’re forever part of the Terrace basketball family and they’re going to be forever part of Washington state basketball for what they’ve accomplished down here.”

Bonney takes second

in 300 hurdles

Caitlin Bonney achieved her goals at the Class 3A state track and field championships.

The Lynnwood junior was hoping for a top-three finish in the 300-meter hurdles. Bonney took second place in the event June 4 at Edgar Brown Stadium in Pasco.

Bonney was also shooting for a personal record and her time of 44.60 seconds was the fastest of her career.

“I accomplished both (of my goals),” Bonney said of her performance. “I felt really good about the meet and the races.”

WF West senior Jamie Carver won the race in 43.60. Bonney’s strategy going into Saturday’s finals was to go out fast and try to stay with the fleet-footed Carver. Bonney clocked in with a 46.05 in the preliminaries.

“I was hoping to go out faster than I had in the prelims,” Bonney said. “It worked out pretty well. I went out really fast and set myself up for a good race.”

Meadowdale girls basketball coach resigns

The coach who led the Meadowdale girls basketball team to a pair of state championships is stepping down.

Karen Blair submitted her letter of resignation as Mavericks coach.

Blair cited the actions of a few disgruntled parents and a lack of support from Meadowdale’s administration and the Edmonds School District.

“I just said, ‘I can’t do this anymore,’” said the 40-year-old Blair, who compiled an overall record of 255-39.

At the time of her resignation, Blair and the Meadowdale girls basketball program were on probation.

The two-year probation was a result of a district inquiry into concerns over how the girls basketball program was run. The action was recommended by Edmonds District Athletic Director Terri McMahan and approved by the District 1 Executive Board, a member of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association.

In June 2004, Blair was reprimanded by her supervisors for violating school board policy by driving two of her players to a college basketball tournament in Eugene, Ore., without district permission, according to documents obtained by The Herald.

The probation surrounds improper advertisements that showed players wearing Meadowdale uniforms and letter jackets printed in the annual team guide in the programs, sold at games in January. The programs also included references to car dealerships that “generously supported” a player when she was traveling with an elite basketball club, according to the documents.

“Rules related to sponsorship and amateurism are not new, Karen, and it is difficult to understand how advance approval from an administrator did not cross your mind when creating this program,” McMahan wrote to Blair after seeing the program.

McMahan reported what she described as a flagrant violation to Greg Erickson, president of the Western Conference.

Meadowdale High School was required to contribute all proceeds of the program sales, which amounted to $163, to the District 1 sportsmanship fund.

E-W graduate plays in College World Series

Ever since she was a little girl, Tracie Adix dreamed of one day playing in the Women’s College World Series.

Adix’s dream was realized when the 2003 Edmonds-Woodway High School graduate helped lead DePaul University to its first World Series berth since 2000.

Adix drew the starting assignment against eventual champion Michigan in a first-round tournament game June 2 at Don E. Porter Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla.

“At first it wasn’t as nerve wracking as I thought it would be,” said Adix, who finished the season with a 24-9 record and 1.86 ERA. “When we were warming up, it didn’t really set in until I started the game. With all those people there, the camera and everyone, it was a little stressful in the first inning. After that I kind of relaxed and got into a better rhythm.”

Adix had some high expectations going into her first appearance at the World Series and the experience surpassed all of them.

“You watch people on TV and now you’re playing on the field that they played on,” Adix said. “It was just a good feeling to be there. You had little girls asking for your autograph. It definitely was a surreal feeling.”

Mountlake Terrace coach

enters Hall of Fame

For Roger Ottmar, even the smell of the gym is sweet.

He spent 50 consecutive winters playing or coaching basketball, and after retiring in 2000 as Mountlake Terrace High School’s boys basketball coach, that familiar scent has continued to draw him back.

Ottmar’s dedication to the game was rewarded July 27 with his induction into the Washington State Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

“It’s a very humbling experience when you look at the list of people inducted before me,” Ottmar said.

Mountlake Terrace’s current boys coach, Nalin Sood, nominated Ottmar for the honor. Ottmar coached Sood when he was a player at Terrace, and then invited Sood to join his coaching staff.

Ottmar is one of six coaches in this year’s Hall of Fame class.

“For me, it’s unbelievable that this is happening,” Ottmar said.

For Sood, the longtime coach was a shoe-in.

Ottmar was Mountlake Terrace’s head coach for 23 years, from 1977-2000. He outlasted seven different principals at the high school, and led the Hawks to the Edmonds School District’s only undefeated boys basketball season in 1999-2000, when the team finished the regular season 20-0.

While certain years stand out as being more successful on the court, “I have memories from each year,” Ottmar said.

Sood said Ottmar leaves a lasting impression on the students he coaches.

“For me as a player and as a student-athlete, he was a tremendous role model,” Sood said. “I owe a lot to Roger — I owe my career to Roger Ottmar.”

Longtime coach, official

passes away

Larry Link touched hundreds of lives throughout his coaching and teaching career in the Edmonds School District.

Many of those people gathered to pay tribute to their former teacher, coach, colleague, mentor and friend at Mountlake Terrace High School following Link’s death on Aug. 6.

Link, a member of the Mountlake Terrace High School Athletic Hall of Fame, was the head wrestling coach for 13 years. He also was an assistant football coach and taught social studies at the high school. Link also taught photography and was the yearbook adviser.

Link, 62, retired from teaching and coaching in 1997 and later went to work for Horizon Airlines as a gate agent. Link, however, still was a familiar face at district track meets where he was a starter.

Mountlake Terrace teacher John Traxler remembered how Link helped him straighten out his life during a particularly rocky period.

“At the time when I first met him my parents were getting divorced,” Traxler said. “He talked me into trying out for the football team and from then on he and I were very close all through school.”

Traxler later would come back to Mountlake Terrace to teach and coach the boys and girls swim teams. Link encouraged Traxler to get into coaching.

“I always wanted to be the type of coach he was — tough — but the kids knew that he was tough for a reason,” Traxler said. “That’s how I remember him — sort of rough — but you always knew you were loved.”

Traxler also tried to emulate Link in the classroom and learned the importance of having high expectations for his students.

“You really need to let the students know that you have those because you care and because you want them to be successful,” Traxler said.

E-W cross country teams

run hard at state

Both of Edmonds-Woodway’s cross country teams had reason to be pleased following the Class 4A state championships.

Junior Kate Southcote-Want improved both her time and placement from a year ago. The Edmonds-Woodway junior took 13th in the girls race with a time of 19 minutes, 2 seconds. In 2004, Southcote-Want finished 22nd in 19:19.

“I basically just ran my race and didn’t get sucked into the fast start,” Southcote-Want said. “State always starts pretty quick and I didn’t get sucked into that. I kind of stay relaxed at the start and really picked people off later on and moved up.”

“She had a very good run,” Edmonds-Woodway coach Regina Joyce said.

Southcote-Want’s biggest strengths are her competitiveness and her demeanor.

“She doesn’t get flustered or overwhelmed,” Joyce said. “She’s unflappable. She’s very focused and very grounded.”

The Edmonds-Woodway boys pulled off a surprise, finishing sixth in the team competition. Sophomore Yonathan Yilma placed 33rd (16:30) just ahead of Meadowdale’s Chris Kratz (16:30).

“I was very pleasantly surprised. I thought we could be top 10 if everyone held it together,” Joyce said. “It was just a solid team performance.”

Only 54 seconds separated Yilma and the Warriors’ fifth runner.

“It was a nice tight pack,” Joyce said.

This was Edmonds-Woodway’s first appearance at state since 2002.

“The guys made up their minds during summer that they were going to state,” Joyce said. “It was a case of them being really focused on what they were doing and working together. They’re a pretty tight team.”

Mountlake Terrace football team ends on upbeat note

As the Mountlake Terrace football team prepared to square off against Monroe, both teams were intent on ending their season with a .500 record.

The Hawks, however, were battling for a little something more. They wanted to prove that football mattered at their school.

By fighting their way to a 14-7 come-from-behind victory over the Bearcats in a Nov. 4 crossover game, the squad improved their overall record to 5-5 and laid the foundation for a respectable program.

The victory gives the team its best season since 1986.

“I’ve been playing with these guys since I was seven years old,” senior running back Carroll Powel said. “We came this far together for my last year. This is great, man.”

“Last game, I told myself I wasn’t leaving that field without a win,” said senior defensive back Anthony Rutherford, who started at quarterback in the first half for an ailing Tony Ellersick. “I told myself that again today and had to put the pedal to the metal.”

Meadowdale junior happy

with state effort

Meadowdale’s Lisa Keane says there was room for improvement in both of her races at the Class 4A state swimming championships.

Still, the Meadowdale junior was by no means unhappy with the results in her third straight trip to the state meet.

Keane advanced to the finals of the 100-yard butterfly, where she finished fourth overall with a time of 59.69 at the Nov. 12 competition at the King County Aquatic Center. She also placed 14th in the 100 breaststroke in 1:10.50.

“Neither of my swims were particularly impressive,” Keane said. “Each of them, I think that if I were to swim them again, I probably could have swum faster. But they were good enough and I moved up in both, so I was happy with that. There’s definitely room for improvement.”

Keane was seeded sixth in the 100 butterfly and dropped time by 0.66 seconds in the finals. At 50 yards, Keane was in sixth place and by the finish she moved up two spots.

“That’s usually one of my strongest points in my swim,” Keane said. “I try to kick as hard as I can at the wall and finish strong because a lot of people die off there. I felt like I had a good finish.”

Warriors fall to Cascade

in first round contest

Edmonds-Woodway’s second straight appearance in the Class 4A state football playoffs ended in disappointment.

The Warriors’ offense struggled to get on track and the defense didn’t have an answer for the Cascade ground attack as the Bruins coasted to a 48-17 victory in a first-round game Nov. 11 at Edmonds Stadium.

In its first postseason appearance last year, Edmonds-Woodway lost to Evergreen in a first-round state contest. Warriors coach John Gradwohl sees the two losses as a potential motivational tool for the returning players.

“We obviously want to do better at state than we’ve done the last two years, but hopefully that is something we can use as a motivator for the years to come,” Gradwohl said. “They (Bruins) outplayed us … They did a good job offensively. They beat us to the punch. We didn’t adjust well. Best of luck to them. I think they’ve got a real strong football team.”

Gradwohl praised his senior class, which he noted made significant strides since its freshman year.

“I’m real proud of these guys and the job they did,” Gradwohl said. “When you don’t win a game as a freshman and you only win one as a sophomore and you’re still around as seniors to reap the benefits, that says a lot about the kids’ character.”