Hoo-ray for Hazen
April 4, 2013
Drill team wins repeat state title
Contributed
The Hazen High School drill team poses with its state championship trophies at the Yakima SunDome March 22. Hazen placed first in 3A pom and second in 3A military.
Hazen High School is home to a burgeoning dynasty, even if its leader, drill team coach Kristin Sargent, may be too humble to admit it.
That’s what it’s called when a team wins back-to-back state championships and has placed at the state competition every year since 2008.
Liberty rugby player represents the USA
April 4, 2013
Ian Wright has Olympic dreams
Liberty rugby player Ian Wright is used to donning the blue-and-green uniform of the Liberty Rugby Football Club.
The Liberty High School senior temporarily traded in the Patriots’ colors, though, for the familiar red, white and blue of USA Rugby, when he represented the country at an international competition in February.
Contributed
Liberty Rugby Football Club player Ian Wright attempts to evade a defender as he runs across the pitch. Wright was selected from a pool of more than 120 elite athletes to join the USA Rugby High School All-Americans.
Wright was selected from a pool of more than 120 elite athletes to join the USA Rugby High School All-Americans. Only 24 athletes were chosen to fill two teams that competed at the Las Vegas Invitational Sevens Tournament, going up against squads from Canada.
Newcastle teen races in Head of the Charles Regatta
December 6, 2012
It may be hard to believe that the mere sight of a waterway can bring tears to a person’s eyes.
But for a rower, it is nearly impossible to remain emotionless when standing at the foot of the iconic Charles River in Massachusetts, and it wasn’t any different for Newcastle teen Justyn Jacobs, who competed on the river in late October.
“They always say that when you see the Charles, you are going to cry because the river, the bridges, the Boston skyline behind it, is just breathtaking,” she said. “I couldn’t even have dreamed of something like that.”
By James Conlu
Members of the Sammamish Rowing Association, including Newcastle resident Justyn Jacobs, compete at the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta in October. Jacobs, a senior in high school, will row for Oregon State University next year.
The Charles River plays host to the marquee competition in the rowing community, the Head of the Charles Regatta. College teams, Olympians and top junior rowers, like Justyn, gather at the river yearly to compete in the sport’s pinnacle event.
5K Run/Walk will award $3,000 in scholarships
November 1, 2012
Proceeds from the 2012 Newcastle Days 5K Run/Walk will be used to award $3,000 in scholarship funds for college-bound students.
In all, three $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors who live in Newcastle or attend Hazen or Liberty high schools.
Scholarship applications will be available beginning Jan. 1, 2013.
Interested individuals can email Newcastle5K@hotmail.com to receive application notifications and details.
The 2012 Newcastle Days 5K Run/Walk drew almost 250 participants.
Liberty’s Jenny Adams loses in straight sets at district tennis match
July 3, 2012
After qualifying for districts in a grueling match at the KingCo district tournament, Liberty High School sophomore Jenny Adams’ tank was on empty. But despite being miles away from the nearest gas station, she got out and pushed.
“She started off really strong,” Liberty tennis coach Mike Salokas said. “Strong in strokes, and strong in conditioning.”
After being up 3-2 in the first set, Adams quickly started struggling to keep up. She lost the first set, 6-3, and the second, 6-1, to Shea Wojciehowski, of Lakeside High School.
“Yeah, pretty much I just got really tired,” she said, “because last week was really competitive for me. But I definitely think I could have won if I wasn’t so wiped out.”
Because she’s only a sophomore, this was Adams’ first year of a more strenuous schedule.
First-round loss leaves room to grow for Liberty High School’s youths
May 31, 2012
Two unearned runs in an error-riddled bottom of the first inning proved to be an insurmountable lead as the Liberty High School Patriots’ fastpitch team lost to Everett in the first round of the 3A state tournament May 25.
Everett starting pitcher Lexi Levin took control after that, surrendering only one run in the top of the fourth on a steal of home.
Although the quick exit from the state tournament was not what Liberty had in mind, head coach Brian Hartman said he knows that the return of Liberty to the state tournament is a return to normalcy.
“It’s a big deal,” Hartman said. “The program’s kind of back where it belongs. I think we’re about ready to start another streak here. We had a 12-year run here. It’s fun seeing everyone here. It means you’re back playing with the elite. You’re one of the top programs in the state and that’s where we expect to be.”
Hartman said he thinks the several-year layoff and relative post-season inexperience was evident in his young team.
“I saw a team that hadn’t been to the state tournament in a few years,” he said. “They looked a little bit nervous to start the game, we made a few errors, definitely wasn’t our best game of the year. But we had a chance to beat a team that was 21-1. Like I told a few other people, I’m the happiest coach in the world to be here. There are a few other teams sitting at home right now that aren’t here. I’m proud of them. I’m disappointed that we lost, but Everett’s a great team.”
Hartman said he knew his team had some opportunities, but just weren’t able to string enough hits together off Levin.
Hazen drill team comes up big at state championship
April 5, 2012
The Hazen High School drill team was able to bring home a little hardware from the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s Dance and Drill State Championships after taking first place in several categories at the March 24 event.
The team placed first in 3A military, first in 3A pom and fourth in 2A/3A kick categories.
Hazen beat Decatur and Shorewood high schools for first-place in military, and Shorewood and Capitol for first in pom.
Liberty High School placed sixth in the 3A military category.
Hazen coach Kristin Sargent, in her fifth season of leading the squad, said the team’s success is the result of hours of practice, sweat, tears and sisterhood.
“Being a Hazen Driller is being part of a family,” she said.
The team — consisting of 29 girls that include sophomores, juniors and seniors — compete in three separate categories: military, pom and kick.
‘Building a culture’
March 2, 2012
Liberty Rugby offers camaraderie, international competition opportunities
By Greg Farrar Jason Piutau, a Liberty High School junior, receives a pass during a practice drill with the Liberty Rugby Football Club, one of six Division 1 programs in the state.
As one of only 16 high school rugby clubs in the state, the Liberty Rugby Football Club has grown accustomed to traveling long distances to find adequate competition.
In fact, the team welcomes it.
A different team from yesterday
October 9, 2011
Mike Salokas Liberty High School tennis coach
Allow me recreate a scene from Sept. 20’s tennis match — Liberty versus Juanita.
On court No. 3, the final exhibition match was nearing completion and the thankful end of a one-sided match was concluding. Juanita coach Justin Ochsner and I are amid obligatory congratulations while I am packing supplies and equipment.
Suddenly, Justin and I hear commotion coming from court No. 1. Players from both teams run there in such haste the Juanita coach and I fear something terrible is occurring.
Local athlete prepares for Ironman World Championships
October 9, 2011
After losing several months of training time due to a car versus bicycle collision a year ago, Newcastle resident Cindy Bigglestone will compete with seven other Eastside triathletes in the Ironman World Championship this month.
Cindy Bigglestone, of Newcastle, races the running leg during Ironman Canada in Penticton, British Columbia on Aug. 28 to qualify for the Ironman World Championship Oct. 8 in Kona, Hawaii. Contributed
This year’s world championship will be Oct. 8 in Kona, Hawaii.
Cindy, who was unable to start training until February for the event, qualified for the championship Aug. 28 at Ironman Canada with the help of her husband and coach, Ben Bigglestone.
