PREP NOTEBOOK: New wrestling coach excited to be at Monroe
Published 4:05 pm Monday, September 14, 2009
New coaches often need time to get used to their surroundings. Mike Pine doesn’t have that problem.
Pine was hired in July to be Monroe High School’s head wrestling coach. Part of the appeal for Pine, who previously coached Sultan High, was convenience. He already lives and teaches in Monroe.
“This just kind of gave me an opportunity to kind of do everything in the same community,” Pine said. “Beyond that, I’m looking forward to this because I’ve got a good group of kids that are excited about wanting to be better.”
Pine replaced former Monroe coach Jeff Boyle, who resigned after two seasons. Monroe finished eighth (1-7) in the nine-team Western Conference North Division this past winter. The team sent two wrestlers — both seniors — to the state championships.
Monroe’s returning grapplers have lofty goals, coach Pine said. “I hope we make them competitive and just build on that,” he said.
This is Pine’s fourth head coaching job. He previously coached Sultan, River Ridge and North Thurston. Pine guided Sultan to co-league and sub-regional championships in 2008-09, his only season as the Turks’ head coach. He was a Sultan assistant for two years before that.
“He just has had a lot of success where he’s been and seems like a good fit for our program,” Monroe High athletic director Brett Wille said.
Before he started coaching, Pine was a state-champion wrestler at Elma High. He later competed at Grays Harbor Community College and Central Washington University.
Local verbal commitments
The following local Class of 2010 athletes have verbally committed to play in college: Glacier Peak’s John Froland (Northwestern University football), Glacier Peak’s Marjorie Heard (University of Washington basketball); Jackson’s Erin Feeney (Western Washington University basketball), Marysville-Pilchuck’s John Crenshaw (Seattle University soccer), Shorecrest’s Michael Harris (University of Washington soccer), Everett’s Annie Sittauer (University of Washington soccer), Archbishop Murphy’s, Lindsey Bos (University of Washington soccer), Archbishop Murphy’s Alexa Hughes (Marshall University soccer), Jackson’s Megan Bolmes (Eastern Washington University soccer), Edmonds-Woodway’s Cheyenne Smith (Western Washington University soccer), Lake Stevens’ Sandra Osborn (St. John’s University soccer), Lake Stevens’ Annie Thomas (Seattle Pacific University soccer).
Do you know about any other local verbal commitments or scholarship offers? E-mail them to mcane@heraldnet.com.
Reader poll: M-P best in North
The Marysville-Pilchuck football team will win the Wesco North title this season, according to an online poll. The Tomahawks received 33 percent of votes submitted by Herald readers; Lake Stevens (19 percent) was No. 2 and Arlington (16 percent) was No. 3. To participate in prep sports polls, go to cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/heraldnet/doubleteam.
Glacier Peak versus California team in Seattle
This weekend the Glacier Peak football team (2-0) will play an out-of-state opponent for the first time. The Grizzlies, No. 7 in the Tacoma News Tribune Class 3A rankings, play Miramonte High (Orinda, Calif.) at 11 a.m. Saturday at Seattle Memorial Stadium during the 2009 Nike CBA Football Classic. Miramonte (2-0) has outscored opponents 63-14 this season.
Mike Cane, Herald Writer
