Sports Briefs

E-W graduate plays in NCAA III hoops tourney

Morgan Harter, a 2004 graduate of Edmonds-Woodway and three-year letter winner on the University of Puget Sound women’s basketball team, recently played in the Division III NCAA basketball tournament.

The UPS Loggers defeated nationally-ranked McMurray State (Texas) and George Fox (Oregon) to advance to the Sweet Sixteen tournament in Decorah, Iowa. The Loggers upset the Howard Payne (Texas) to advance to the Elite Eight. Washington U (Missouri) then defeated UPS 57-48. The Loggers finished the season 24-7.

Meadowdale senior helps 3A boys to win

Meadowdale’s Milan Moncrief scored nine points to help the 3A boys beat the 4A boys 99-94 during the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association all-state games March 17 at Key Arena. Jackson’s Jamie Eisinger scored 12 points for the 4A boys.

In girls action, Brittany Eskridge (Jackson) and Rachelle Kloke (Stanwood) scored six points apiece to contribute to the 3A/4A West team’s 50-45 win over the 3A/4A East in the Washington State Coaches Association all-state game at Jefferson High in Auburn.

Ex-Maverick throws for provisional mark

Western Washington University freshman Monica Gruszecki recorded a national provisional qualifying mark in winning the women’s javelin at the Joe Peyton Invitational March 10 at Baker Stadium on the campus of the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma.

Gruszecki, a Meadowdale graduate, had a meet-record throw of 146 feet, 10 inches on her first attempt, and surpassed 140 feet on multiple throws during the Vikings’ first outdoor meet of the season.

Attaining a provisional mark means Gruszecki has a chance to compete at the 25th annual Women’s NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 24-26 at the Irwin Belk Complex at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C. Gruszecki’s result at the Joe Peyton Invitational will be ranked against other provisional qualifers, and if her name is high enough she will be invited to nationals.

Warriors to play in all-star football game

Rosters for the Class 3A/4A East-West All-Star Football Game were released on March 16, and 11 student-athletes from Western Conference schools are set to play for the West.

Edmonds-Woodway’s Casey Hamlett and Eric Greenwood and Mountlake Terrace’s Isaiah Aiemalefoa will suit up for the West team.

Oak Harbor head coach Dave Ward will coach the West, aided by Wildcats assistants Mike Fisher and Tom Mueller, as well as Paul Christianson of Shorewood.

The annual big-school East-West game, which features dozens of the state’s top seniors, is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, June 30 at Everett Memorial Stadium.

Last year in the 42nd version of the summer gridiron contest, Stanwood graduate Aaron Boehme rushed for a touchdown and caught a TD pass to lift the West to a 17-0 victory in Everett.

Wipf, Follis top locals at Seattle charity climb

Alex Wipf of Edmonds and Laura Follis of Mill Creek captured top honors among Snohomish County climbers at the 21st annual Big Climb for Leukemia on March 18 at the Columbia Center in Seattle.

Wipf, 17, placed first among local men by scaling the 1,311 steps in 8 minutes, 51 seconds. Follis, 43, reached the 73rd-floor finish line in 11:32, first among local women.