Two local youth football teams earned themselves a trip to Canton.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame World Youth Championship’s Northwest Regional took place the past weekend at Archbishop Murphy High School and the Tulalip Youth Center, and two Snohomish County teams won their brackets to qualify for the national championships on Dec. 7-16 in Canton, Ohio.
Tulalip Heritage claimed the under-12 regional championship. Tulalip Heritage earned a spot in the championship game by beating Bellingham 39-6 in the semifinals Saturday at the Tulalip Youth Center, then won the title by beating Sedro-Woolley 34-12 Sunday at Archbishop Murphy.
Marysville Pilchuck won the under-11 title. Playing in a three-team round robin, Marysville Pilchuck edged Stanwood 18-12 Friday at Archbishop Murphy, then wrapped up the championship by beating Oregon’s South Valley 34-6 Saturday at Archbishop Murphy.
The other bracket winners were: U8, Heir Academy from Puyallup; U9, Bonney Lake; U10, Bellingham; Peewees, Bellevue; U14, Skyline from Sammamish.
Belk, Billen earn all-Big Sky honors
Kamiak High School graduate Henderson Belk and Mariner High School graduate Curtis Billen, both seniors on the Eastern Washington University football team, were named third-team all-Big Sky Conference. Belk, a tight end who was recognized as a fullback, has 10 catches for 215 yards and two touchdowns this season. Billen is the Eagles’ long snapper.
Belk and Billen helped Eastern go 9-2 during the regular season and win the Big Sky title. The Eagles host Nicholls in the second round of the FCS playoffs on Saturday.
Schultz assists, moves into soccer final four
Edmonds-Woodway High School graduate Madison Schultz, now a junior on the North Carolina women’s soccer team, had an assist as the host Tar Heels defeated UCLA on penalty kicks after going 2-2 through regulation and two overtimes Saturday, thus advancing to the NCAA final four. Schultz assisted on Dorian Bailey’s second-half goal that gave North Carolina a 2-0 lead, as her shot was saved into Bailey’s path. It was the second straight game Schultz had an assist.
Schultz and the Tar Heels, who are hosting the final four, face Georgetown in the semifinals Friday.
Baker qualifies for Grand Prix final
Jean-Luc Baker, an Edmonds native, and his partner Kaitlin Hawayek have qualified for the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in ice dancing.
Baker and Hawayek finished fourth at Internationaux du France this weekend in Grenoble, the last of the Grand Prix of Figure Skating’s six events. The top six teams from the Grand Prix qualified for the final, and Baker’s and Hawayek’s fourth-place finish in France, combined with their win at the NHK Trophy in Hiroshima, Japan, put the pair into fifth place in the standings. This is the first time Baker and Hawayek have qualified for the Grand Prix Final.
The final takes place Dec. 6-9 in Vancouver, B.C.
McCoy, Rutledge, Black honored by NWC
Three Snohomish County natives were named to the all-Northwest Conference football team.
Two Glacier Peak High School graduates, both of whom play for Whitworth University, made the list. Andrew McCoy, a junior defensive lineman, was named to the second team, while Iain Black, a sophomore linebacker, was an honorable mention.
Everett High School grad Murdock Rutledge, a sophomore quarterback for the University of Puget Sound, made the second team.
If you have an item for the community sports roundup, email Nick Patterson at npatterson@heraldnet.com.
