PREP NOTES: Basketball game aims to boost cancer awareness

Published 12:01 am Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The Lake Stevens versus Arlington Western Conference 4A boys basketball game on Friday is about much more than high school hoops. It’s about life.

For the second straight year, the Lake Stevens Vikings and the Arlington Eagles will team up on the court for a Coaches vs. Cancer fundraising and

awareness event. Lake Stevens hosted last season’s inaugural Coaches vs. Cancer game. This season’s game is at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Arlington High.

Fans are encouraged to wear pink clothing to raise awareness of breast cancer and support people like Caryn Brown, the wife of Arlington boys basketball coach Nick Brown. Caryn was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2009. She plans to share her story and talk about fundraising opportunities during a pre-game speech.

Arlington will have honorary coaches — all cancer survivors — on its bench, including Walter Roys (Arlington High athletic director Tom Roys’ dad), Tammy Jacobs (Arlington player Blake Petersen’s aunt) and Kaylyn Myers (a freshman guard in the Eagles’ girls basketball program).

Special events planned for the Coaches vs. Cancer game include a pop-a-shot contest and a half-court shot contest. Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.

Coaches vs. Cancer is a nationwide effort of the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Go to www.cancer.org and search “Coaches vs. Cancer” for more details about the program.

Lady Wolfpack Invite on Saturday in Mill Creek

Nearly 30 teams, including top-ranked Sedro-Woolley, have signed up for the annual Lady Wolfpack Invite wrestling tournament. The all-girls event features 12 weight divisions and begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at Jackson High. Championship finals are tentatively set for 3 p.m.

As of Monday afternoon, 38 of the 145 individuals signed up to compete are state-ranked, including Everett’s Justine Palabrica. The junior is Washington’s second-best 103-pounder, according to WashingtonWrestlingReport.com.

NCAA signing day on Feb. 2

The NCAA National Letter of Intent signing period for Class of 2011 high school football, soccer, track and cross country athletes begins on Feb. 2. Many local athletes plan to sign. Check out an updated list of local verbal commitments at http://bit.ly/g5d0EO, and send details about previously unreported commitments and signing-day ceremony plans to mcane@heraldnet.com.

Reader poll: Best local basketball clutch performer?

Last week The Herald published a story about the area’s top clutch performers on the basketball court, as selected by coaches. Here’s your chance to weigh in. Starting today, go to cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/heraldnet/doubleteam and vote for the player you think is the best in clutch situations. Poll results will appear in print on Feb. 1.

New state wrestling rankings

The Lake Stevens Vikings maintain their spot on the No. 1 perch in the latest WashingtonWrestlingReport.com Class 4A team rankings. Lake Stevens wrestlers Steven Walkley (140 pounds) and Andrew King (152 pounds) are both No. 1 in the 4A individual rankings. Other local 4A top-ranked individuals: Mariner’s Alex Coffman (160 pounds) and Marysville-Pilchuck’s Demitri Robinson (145 pounds). See complete team and individual rankings at http://bit.ly/eah9Tl.