Archbishop Murphy High School has selected Brad Johnson, a former Everett High assistant, as its new varsity fastpitch softball coach.

During his five years at Everett, Johnson coached the junior varsity and helped guide the previously mediocre varsity to the district and state playoffs.

Margaret Ames, an Archbishop Murphy faculty member with international softball playing experience, will assist Johnson.

Archbishop Murphy won the Northwest A League championship last season and placed eighth at the Class A state tournament, going 22-6 overall. The Wildcats, who were second in the state in 2002, will compete in the new Class 2A/3A Cascade Conference this spring.

Archbishop Murphy lost only one senior from last year’s team. South Whidbey and Granite Falls will be formidable conference foes, but “there shouldn’t be any reason why we shouldn’t go to state,” Johnson said. “That would be my expectation.”

Johnson, a 1991 graduate of Marysville-Pilchuck High, said it was difficult to leave Everett. He hopes to carry over important lessons he learned there, including “how you try to build a legacy…and decide what you want to achieve.”

Everett had never made the postseason before Johnson arrived. He and Everett head coach Kyle Peacocke developed respect for the team, inside and out. “People want to come to Everett now because of their softball program,” Johnson said.

Peacocke said the Seagulls will miss Johnson, but he is excited to see his former assistant get a chance to lead a program. The two are close friends, and they will be able to share strategies since their teams are not in the same conference. “That’s kind of nice,” Peacocke said. “We won’t be competing against each other.”

Not necessarily – Peacocke plans to invite Archbishop Murphy to play in Everett’s softball jamboree this spring.

Koppenberg signs with Idaho: Everett High golfer Jake Koppenberg signed a National Letter of Intent Friday to play for the University of Idaho.

Koppenberg tied for 36th last spring at the 4A state tournament in his junior season, improving on a tie for 37th as a sophomore. He has been a first-team all-Wesco selection since his freshman year.

“I’m really excited to play Division-I golf,” Koppenberg said. “I’ve been dreaming about this the last few years.”

Koppenberg also considered Washington, North Carolina State and Wisconsin. He said the players, coaches and overall atmosphere at Idaho won him over in late September when he visited the campus.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Everett native was on the driving range with his father by age 5. At 11 he competed in his first tournament, eventually getting hooked by the sport’s independence. Koppenberg wants to play professionally someday, and he is determined to keep improving.

“I’ve gotten stronger and bigger. I think the biggest thing that dropped my score down was being more mature on the golf course, knowing different shots and learning how to manage my game.”

Everett golf coach Darrell Olson said Koppenberg’s strengths include powerful drives and a surging short game. He also put in the extra practice required to play at the Division-I level. According to Olson, Koppenberg is the first Seagulls golfer to earn a Division-I scholarship since 1979.

“He certainly worked hard to achieve it,” Olson said of Koppenberg. “He’s been a good example for all the kids to follow.”

Adversity can’t sack Kamiak: The Kamiak High football team was once on track for an undefeated season. Then two forfeits and a 34-7 loss Oct. 22 against Edmonds-Woodway made the stunned Knights refocus.

“It was something that brought us down to earth,” Kamiak defensive back Thomas Callandret said Saturday. “Because we were kind of undefeated, Kamiak tough guys.”

Kamiak has responded with three consecutive victories, outscoring its opponents 132-53. The Knights (8-3 overall) face another test in a Class 4A state quarterfinal 7 p.m. Saturday at Skyline (10-1).

“It brought us together as a team,” Callandret said of the late-season gut checks. “It had our whole team thinking ‘Man, we have something to prove now. We have to let everyone know that we don’t take all this laying down. We’re gonna fight for everything.’”

Stanwood softball player picks E. Illinois: Stanwood High fastpitch softball player Tasha St. Clair signed last week with Eastern Illinois University.

“Tasha is wonderful,” Eastern Illinois coach Lloydene Searle said Monday in a phone interview. “She’s gonna be a good impact player for us.”

St. Clair’s combination of speed and contact hitting ability will likely have her playing center field and batting at the top of the lineup, Searle said.

“She’s a great slap hitter,” Stanwood coach Mike Chandler said. “She does a great job reading the ball. She’s just kind of a natural player.”

Eastern Illinois is located in Charleston, Ill. and competes in the Ohio Valley Conference.

King’s track athlete named a prep All-American: King’s High track and field standout Michael Davis has been named a high school All-American in the javelin by Track &Field News.

Davis launched a 212-foot, 5-inch throw last August at the Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore. It was the fifth-best prep throw of the 2003-04 season.

Davis, a junior, won the Class 1A state title last spring with a top throw of 187 feet, 8 inches. His heave was nearly 19 feet longer than the second-place finisher, and it would have ranked him No. 1 in the 4A state meet.