The Blue Royals Volleyball Academy’s under-12 team is headed to nationals.
The Mukilteo-based club team placed second at the USA Volleyball Puget Sound Regional Championships on April 29-30 in Centralia, which earned the team a nationals berth.
Competing in the 12 Emerald Division, the Blue Royals were a perfect 3-0 in pool play to earn a first-round bye in the Gold Bracket. The Blue Royals then beat Oly Reign 12 Gold 26-24, 25-23 in the semifinals before falling to DaKine Warriors 12 Surf 25-12, 25-13 in the championship match.
Two berths to national tournaments were up for grabs in the tournament. By finishing second the Blue Royals earned a bid to the American Division of the USA Volleyball National Championships, which take place June 14-17 in Minneapolis.
The team consists of Naia Atalig, Melissa Bonilla, Brooklyn Dino, Addison Fodge, Petra Guirges, Sophia Gustafson, Maggie Hou, Kayla Hugo, Analiyah Hurtado, Vera Miller and Clara Sylvester. It is coached By Dale Raymond, Casey Miller and Marina Tukan.
Beard sets provisional national record in hammer throw
Mukilteo’s Kim Beard, who is a freshman at King’s High School, set a provisional U.S. age 15-16 girls national record in the hammer throw.
Beard uncorked a personal-best throw of 168 feet, 1 inch while competing at the collegiate Occidental (California) Invitational on Saturday. The throw not only won the event against a collegiate field, it bested the age 15-16 national record of 167-9 that’s recognized by USA Track & Field. The mark puts Beard at No. 4 on the national U.S. high school rankings this year, and it bested the Washington State freshman record by 21 feet.
Beard’s mark must now be ratified by USATF, which may not happen until December.
Everett’s Hansen receives beach volleyball honors
Everett native and King’s High School graduate Alli Hansen, now a junior on the Grand Canyon University beach volleyball team, had a busy week as she received multiple prestigious awards.
First, Hansen was one of nine players selected by USA Volleyball to be part of its beach collegiate national team. The team will train June 11-17 in Chula Vista, California. Four of those players could be picked to play at the Under-23 Beach Tour Championships on July 7-9 in the Cayman Islands.
Second, Hansen and her partner Abbie Hughes were named second-team All-Americans, making them one of the top 16 pairs in the nation. During the regular season Hansen and Hughes were 15-4 playing on Court 1 as they led the Lopes to a 26-8 record, tying the school record for wins.
Grand Canyon, unfortunately, was eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament last weekend in Gulf Shores, Alabama, falling 3-2 to Stanford. Hansen and Hughes won their match on Court 1, while Lake Stevens High School graduate Samaya Morin and her partner Allanis Navas won on Court 2 for the Lopes. However, Stanford won the other three matches.
Ex-Tip Zellweger named WHL’s top defenseman
Former Everett Silvertips defenseman Olen Zellweger received the Bill Hunter Trophy as the WHL’s Defenseman of the Year for the second straight year.
Zellweger, a 19-year-old from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, spent three-plus seasons with Everett before being traded to Kamloops at the January trade deadline. Zellweger finished the regular season with 32 goals and 48 assists in 55 games. That included 10 goals and 18 assists in 23 games with the Tips prior to the trade.
Zellweger went on to rack up 11 goals and 18 assists in 14 playoff games before the Blazers were eliminated in Monday’s Game 6 of the Western Conference final against the Seattle Thunderbirds. Kamloops’ season isn’t over yet as the Blazers are hosting the Memorial Cup.
Lynnwood’s Dean earns NWAC weekly honor
Lynnwood native and O’Dea High School graduate Dalton Dean, now a sophomore on the Bellevue College men’s golf team, was named the Northwest Athletic Conference Men’s Golfer of the Week for April 24-30.
Dean claimed medalist honors at the Bellevue Invitational with a two-round score of 7-under 137, edging North Idaho’s Josh McCartain by a single stroke.
EdC baseball No. 3 in NWAC poll
The Edmonds College baseball team dropped one spot to No. 3 in the latest Northwest Athletic Conference coaches poll. Edmonds, which is 18-5 in North Region play and 32-11 overall, is well behind first-place Tacoma, but just one point behind No. 2 Lower Columbia.
The Everett softball team fell one spot to No. 8 in the NWAC softball coaches poll. The Trojans are 14-6 in North Region play and 20-10 overall.
If you have an item for the community sports roundup, email Nick Patterson at npatterson@heraldnet.com.
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