How do you elevate a talented team from very good to great?
Dr. Mark Raney thinks he’s found some answers.
Raney, the head coach of the Sultan High School boys soccer team, guided his Turks to a 17-0 start last season. Then, for the second consecutive year, they played deep into the Class 2A state tournament. But after finishing second in 2003, Sultan settled for third in 2004, again falling short of its championship expectations.
The Turks’ 4-2 semifinal loss against eventual runner-up Ridgefield last spring “is still fresh in their minds,” Raney said. “They know now what it’s gonna take to get (a state title).”
For added emphasis, Raney put together a stout non-conference, preseason schedule. He aimed to help Sultan, which returned seven starters (including Brayton Knapp, the school’s all-time leading goal scorer), get used to top-notch competition long before the postseason rolls around.
“I really wanted to expose where I thought we were weak,” Raney explained, “and move players around to get a team that is hitting on all cylinders.”
Sultan aced Raney’s test. The Turks plowed to an undefeated non-conference performance that included victories over a 4A school (Jackson) and two 3A schools (O’Dea and Nathan Hale).
There’s plenty of work remaining, but it seems Sultan might be ahead of schedule. According to Raney, Knapp, goalkeeper Vern Nelson, midfielder Caleb Barnhill, midfielder/forward A.J. Gonzales, and defenders Jacob Howard and Keith Dillenbeck have played particularly well.
“I expected us to come through 3-and-2 in the preseason games,” Raney said, “and we came through 5-and-0.”
Sultan’s jump from the North Cascades Conference to the new Cascade Conference opened the door for a rigorous preseason slate. Besides significantly reducing travel time, the switch gave Sultan the flexibility to play more challenging foes.
Despite its strong start, Sultan has had one slipup. The Turks dropped their Cascade Conference opener, 2-0 against Granite Falls, on March 26. Although Sultan was missing three starters who left to compete in a Knowledge Bowl event, Raney said the loss didn’t sit well with his team.
“That stuck in their craw pretty darn well,” Raney said.
It’s just one more motivational tool for a team aiming for greatness.
Brockman to play in Jordan Classic Snohomish senior Jon Brockman, a 6-foot-8 forward who was twice named The Herald’s All-Area Boys Basketball Player of the Year, will compete in the Jordan Classic on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. The event, which is scheduled to be televised on ESPNU (a new cable channel in the ESPN family) at 5 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, showcases 20 of the nation’s top high school players. Brockman will play for the White team, which also includes Seattle-area players Martell Webster (Seattle Prep) and Micah Downs (Juanita).
Archbishop Murphy seeks girls hoops coach: Archbishop Murphy High School is accepting applications for the position of head girls basketball coach. Archbishop Murphy is a member of the Class 2A/3A Cascade Conference. Call 425-385-3464 for an application.
Lynnwood’s Bonney runs in Arcadia: Lynnwood junior Caitlin Bonney ran the 800-meter event in 2 minutes, 21.18 seconds Saturday during the Arcadia Invitational in Arcadia, Calif. It was the second-fastest time she has achieved in the event and it ranked her sixth in the invite’s non-seeded portion, which included between 30 and 40 runners according to Lynnwood track coach Duane Lewis.
Softball rivalry to continue in college: Shorecrest’s Emily Gould and South Whidbey’s Carolann Lubach have been playing softball against each other since age 11. The senior catchers will remain foes in college as Gould, a catcher, is going to Towson (Md.) and Lubach is headed to Hofstra (N.Y.). Both programs compete in the Colonial Athletic Association.
Volleyball clinic April 22-24 at Kamiak High: The Mukilteo branch of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Snohomish County is offering volleyball clinics for players and coaches April 22-24 at Kamiak High School. The cost is $50. Coaches meet from 6:30-9:30 p.m. April 22 and players in grades 3-6 meet from 9-11:30 a.m. April 23-24. Guests include three-time Olympic coach Bill Neville and Diane Flick, the coach at Western Washington University. Participating coaches can earn up to 10 Washington Interscholastic Activities Association clock hours for an additional cost of $2 per hour. For registration details and more information call Greg Garka at 425-355-2773.
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