The District I All-Star baseball team won the Big League state championship Sunday with an 11-2 win over West Seattle in Olalla.
The victory gave the District I squad – which includes the Mill Creek, Snohomish, South Everett and Pacific Little League organizations – a two-game sweep of the best-of-three championship series.
John O’Connell, Blake Vigoren and Andy Bennett each homered in the championship game. Vigoren hit a grand slam to highlight a five-run fourth inning that blew open a close contest. Pitcher Kyle Daniels earned the win.
The rest of the roster includes Michael Ames, Matt Bonneywell, Nate Cosman, Dan Delay, Kyle Eisen, Willy Lemmon, Greg Michaelson, Darryl Marlo, Joe O’Connell Greg Olson and Tyler Young.
The team is managed by Don Eisen. Coaches are Zac Cainglit and Brian O’Connell.
The District I team advances to the regional tournament, which opens Thursday in Olalla.
Sky Valley claims title: The Monroe-based Sky Valley Juniors All-Stars baseball team (ages 13-14) defeated Marysville National 3-2 on July 9 to capture the District I tournament championship.
Sky Valley, which completed district play with a 5-0 record, advanced to this week’s state tournament in Kirkland.
The roster includes Tyler Gardea, Tyler Layson, Anthony DiMaggio, Zach Beebe, Cody Elledge, Tanner Rutz, Nate Accetturo, Jacob Reppert, Damian Dickgieser, Douglas Bennett, Hunter Wexler, Weston Wyckoff, Brandon Rozsnyai and Cassey Neisinger.
The team is managed by Rick Wyckoff and coached by Tom Layson and Duane Rozsnyai.
Pacific League All-Stars win district crown: The Pacific Little League 11-year-old All-Star baseball team won the District I Tournament on July 11 in Mill Creek.
Pacific posted a 5-0 record in the tournament, including a win over Mill Creek in the championship game. Pacific advances to the state tournament, which opens Sunday in Shoreline.
Members of the Pacific team are Kyle Steg, Matt Hirsch, Ryan Budnick, Max Bennett, Ethan Coffey, J.J. Peterson, Alex Hull, Christopher Jenkins, Riley Bykonen, Conor O’Neill, Chris Tanner, Tyler McGuire and Brad Rice.
The manager is Will Budnick. Coaches are Bill Hull and Tim Jenkins.
Track and Field
Locals headed to nationals: Five athletes from Snohomish County qualified for the USA Track and Field Junior Olympic Championships with their performances June 8-9 in Salem, Ore.
The top three placers in each event advanced to the national meet, scheduled for July 26-30 in Baltimore.
Amy Eloise Neale, 10, of Snohomish, competed in the midget division and qualified for nationals in three events. She won the 1,500-meter run in 5 minutes, 1.74 seconds, placed second in the 800 (2:30.16) and finished second in the 3,000 (11:12.71)
Three other members of the Snohomish Track Club also earned trips to nationals: Valan Calvo (first in the young women’s pole vault, 11 feet, 5.75 inches), Alicia Fliger (third in the young women’s hammer throw, 135-10) and Michael Johnson (third in the young men’s hammer throw, 153-7, and third in the discus, 138-9).
Joining that group in Baltimore will be Kjirsten Jensen of Arlington. She qualified by placing second in her division in the shot put (34-10.5) and third in the discus (110-8.5).
Gymnastics
Gymnastics Plus claims two gold medals: Athletes from Gymnastics Plus in Snohomish brought home five medals – including two golds – from the National Tumbling and Trampoline Championships held July 7-14 in Schaumberg, Ill.
The gold medals went to Meridith Hackel, 18, of Snohomish, who placed first in the Level 9 double mini trampoline with a score of 60.30, and Rhiannon Ballard, 15, of Snohomish, who captured first place in the Level 7 trampoline with a score of 24.80.
It marked the fourth straight year Gymnastics Plus has won at least one gold medal at nationals, club officials said
Earning silver medals were Kerry Hansen, 15, of Snohomish (Level 7 trampoline) and Jake Ballard, 13, of Snohomish (Level 5 trampoline).
Brianna Larsen, 12, of Mukilteo, captured a bronze medal in Level 6 tumbling.
More than 1,600 competitors took part in the national championships, including six teams from the state of Washington, Gymnastics Plus officials said.
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