Community sports roundup: Locals send curling team to worlds

Published 1:30 am Monday, March 2, 2020

Three-quarters of the men’s senior national championship curling team was made in Snohomish County.

County residents Joel Larway (Lynnwood), Doug Kaufman (Edmonds) and John Rasmussen (Edmonds) were members of the Team Larway squad that claimed gold at the U.S. Senior Men’s Curling Championship held Feb. 19-23 in Fairbanks, Alaska.

The fourth member of the team, which is based out of Seattle’s Granite Curling Club, is Darren Lehto of Seattle. The team, comprised of players ages 50 and over, is coached by Seattle’s Ken Trask.

Team Larway finished 6-1 in round-robin competition, came from behind to beat Minnesota’s Team Pustovar 7-6 in the semifinals, then topped Team Wright of Illinois 8-3 to win the championship.

Team Larway qualified to compete at the World Senior Curling Championships, which take place April 18-25 in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Meanwhile, at the U.S. Men’s Curling Championships held Feb. 8-15 in Spokane, Mountlake Terrace resident Steven Birklid skipped a team that finished 4-5 in round-robin play and just missed out on a playoff spot.

Lake Stevens native Luc Violette, who skipped the U.S. team at the World Junior Curling Championships on Feb. 15-22 in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, finished 4-5 in round-robin play and did not advance to the playoffs.

Parle earns indoor track gold

Edmonds-Woodway High School graduate Yukino Parle, now a sophomore at Boise State University, claimed the gold medal in the women’s 5,000 meters at the Mountain West Indoor Track and Field Championships on Friday in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Parle finished the race in a time of 16 minutes, 59.21 seconds, beating the rest of the field by more than four seconds. It was Parle’s first MWC title.

Limberg excels at C-USA swim championships

Jackson High School graduate Nicole Limberg, now a junior on the Rice University women’s swimming team, had a career meet at the Conference USA Championships on Thursday through Saturday in Atlanta.

Limberg earned her first-ever conference medal when she placed third in the 200-yard breaststroke, her time of 2 minutes, 14.69 seconds being the third-fastest in school history.

Limberg also placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.02, fourth fastest in school history), fourth in the 200 individual medley (2:01.33) and was a member of the 400 medley relay team that finished third (3:41.92). She helped Rice place second in the team standings.

Hofman claims two bronzes at Big East meet

Cascade High School graduate Joseph Hofman, now a freshman on the Georgetown University men’s swimming and diving team, captured two bronze medals at the Big East Championships held Thursday through Sunday in Washington D.C. Hofman placed third in both the 1-meter (511.25) and 3-meter (501.00) diving competitions. Hofman helped the Hoyas take second in the team competition.

Lucien medals at WAC swim championships

Mariner High School graduate Brianna Lucien, now a senior on the Idaho women’s swimming team, earned a bronze medal in the 1,650-yard freestyle at the Western Athletic Conference Championships on Thursday through Sunday in Houston. Lucien’s time of 17 minutes, 5.30 seconds was the fourth-fastest in school history. Lucien also placed fourth in the 400 individual medley (4:23.97).

May earns all-conference diving honors

Glacier Peak High School graduate Connor May, now a junior on the Westminster College men’s swimming and diving team, was named first-team all-conference in the NCAA Division III Presidents’ Athletic Conference. May was the first-team selection in both 1-meter and 3-meter diving.

If you have an item for the community sports roundup, email Nick Patterson at npatterson@heraldnet.com.