THE ISSAQUAHPRESS
SPORTS
B4
Wednesday September 4, 2013
Coach Kathy Gibson takes ‘a break’ By Sandy Ringer Seattle Times reporter In one breath, she called it one of the most difficult decisions she’s ever had to make. In another, she called it a “no-brainer.” So, for now, Kathy Gibson has stepped down as head girls basketball coach at Issaquah after 15 seasons. “I’m pretty sure I’ll be back someday,” she said. “Right now, this is what I’m going to do. I don’t think my career is over by any means, but I’ve got to take a break.” Gibson’s reasons are simple — she wants to BY GREG FARRAR be able to watch her Kathy Gibson, Issaquah girls basketball coach, consoles senior two oldest children play Melissa Richardson after the Eagles’ supposed 3A state cham- basketball. She coached pionship loss to the Chief Sealth Seahawks in 2006. Sealth daughter Quincey the past was later stripped of its title. four seasons at Issaquah.
Quincey is now at Linfield College in Oregon, where she hopes to play — and Kathy wants to be able to be in the stands. “As a head coach at the high-school level, I know how much time I put in,” she said, “and I would not be able to go watch my daughter play, and I want to be able to do that. “So, like I said, it was such a hard decision because I’m so proud of what I’ve done at Issaquah and, Mount Si for that matter. Gosh, lots and lots of great memories, so that part was really hard to let go and cut the cord from that program,” she added. “But at the same time, it was really a no-brainer … If I’m going to be a head coach at the high-school level, I’m going to do it 100 percent.” And it’s not just Quincey,
either. Ty Gibson was a starting guard for the Issaquah boys team as a sophomore last season, earning All-KingCo honors, and Kathy wants the flexibility to get to his games, as well — including a tournament in California. Gibson has been one of the most successful coaches in KingCo, compiling a 382-148 record that included several league titles, mostly at the 3A level. The Eagles made eight trips to state during her tenure, taking home six trophies. Most notable was their appearance in the 3A championship game in 2006. Issaquah was a heavy underdog to top-ranked Chief Sealth, then the defending champion, and nearly pulled off a stunning victory before a
Eagles hope big offseason translates on the field
By Christina Corrales-Toy newcastle@isspress.com
It’s never a guarantee that offseason success will translate to the gridiron come fall, but as summers go, the Issaquah High School football team had a pretty stellar one. In June, the Eagles won the University of Washington 7-on-7 passing tournament, defeating Skyline on their way to the top, and finished second in a separate 7-on-7 event. “It’s really helpful work,” Issaquah coach Chris Bennett said. “You do well in those things when you have good quarterback play and solid receivers.” The 2013 Eagles possess one of the best receiving
EAGLES’ SCHEDULE ‘Unless noted, all games are at 7 p.m. 4Sept. 6 at Interlake 4Sept. 13 vs. Mount Si 4Sept. 20 vs. O’Dea 4Sept. 27 vs. Newport 4Oct. 4 at Roosevelt 4Oct. 11 vs. Garfield 4Oct. 18 at Ballard, 5 p.m. 4Oct. 25 vs. Skyline corps he’s had, Bennett said, led by Jeff Shipley, speedster Derek Chapman and Tommy Nelson, who received MVP honors at the UW passing tournament. “The receiving corps can probably go six deep in
By Neil Pierson npierson@ sammamishreview.com
BY GREG FARRAR
Patriots eye rekindled tradition By Christina Corrales-Toy newcastle@isspress.com No one was unluckier than the Liberty High School football team last year. An already thin-in-numbers squad was hit with injury after injury in 2012. As the injuries piled up, so too did the losses in a tough KingCo 3A/2A Conference, on the way to a 3-7 record. Luckily, things are already looking up for the Patriots as they prepare for the 2013 campaign with a much larger turnout than last year, which should help with depth, longtime Liberty coach Steve Valach said. “We have about 25 more kids than last year,” he said. The theme of the Patriots’ offseason was “Football is back,” focusing on the idea that Liberty wants to get back to its winning
BY GREG FARRAR
Jack Neary, Issaquah High School senior quarterback, throws a series of passes to his receivers during a drill Aug. 21 at team practice.
Spartans seek a third straight title
Marquel Ellis (right), Liberty High School sophomore linebacker and running back, listens to coach Steve Valach set up a play.
PATRIOTS’ SCHEDULE All games are at 7 p.m. 4Sept. 6 vs. Eastside Catholic 4Sept. 13 at Hazen 4Sept. 20 at Interlake 4Sept. 27 vs. Juanita 4Oct. 4 vs. Lake Washington 4Oct. 11 at Sammamish 4Oct. 18 at Mercer Island 4Oct. 25 vs. Bellevue 4Nov. 1 at Mount Si roots. “We’ve got a great tradition here that goes back to long before I was here and we just want to reclaim that,” Valach said. The Patriots haven’t been to the playoffs since the Liberty seniors were freshman, said returning cornerback Colin Larson, and all of the players are itching to get back.
The road to the postseason began with summer workouts, which looked a bit different this year led by a personal trainer, Larson said. “He brought out the best in all of us and made us all work our hardest, which was, I think, something that helped characterize our team for this coming season,” he said. Fight is the Patriots 2013 theme, characterized by an effort to persevere on the gridiron, in the classroom and in life in general, said Kasper Lui Delange, a Patriot receiver and defensive back. “It’s a lifestyle,” he said. “Stuff is going to go wrong and stuff is going to go right, it doesn’t matter, but you’re going to fight no matter what.” Liberty’s strength will See PATRIOTS, Page B5
See GIBSON, Page B5
Register now for the Newcastle 5K Run/Walk
terms of depth,” he said. Senior Jack Neary is expected to be the one hurling passes to Issaquah’s arsenal of receivers, behind a retooled offensive line with few returning from last year’s squad. Shay Dingfelder and Jacob Peterson, who were both all-league performers, will provide solid consistency on the line as they welcome some newcomers, though. “We’re breaking in a couple of new guys, so there will be a learning curve there,” Bennett said. Dingfelder said he expects his quarterback Neary to surprise some See EAGLES, Page B5
fourth-quarter lead slipped away in a 44-43 loss. Chief Sealth was later stripped of two state titles for recruiting violations brought to light by a Seattle Times investigation. Issaquah was not awarded the championship (which says “vacated” on the WIAA website), and Gibson didn’t quibble about it, although she still calls that game “a heartbreaker.” She focuses on the positives. “I remember the good stuff, and there was a lot of good stuff — great memories, really, really great memories,” Gibson said, “and I have great relationships with players and met some wonderful parents and all sorts of good
Rain fell in sheets. A nearby lightning strike temporarily knocked out power in the locker room. The team photo was cancelled. In other words, it wasn’t a pretty picture at Skyline High School’s annual Green vs. White scrimmage Aug. 29. It wasn’t all bad. Before the weather ended the scrimmage prematurely, the Spartans showed flashes of brilliance they hope will translate to the Sept. 7 season opener against Bellevue. New quarterback Kilton Anderson, a transfer from
SPARTANS’ SCHEDULE Unless noted, games are at 7 p.m. 4Sept. 7 vs. Bellevue 4Sept. 13 at Coeur d’Alene, 8:30 p.m. 4Sept. 20 vs. Eastlake 4Sept. 27 vs. Roosevelt 4Oct. 4 at Garfield, 6 p.m. 4Oct. 11 at Ballard, 7:45 p.m. 4Oct. 18 vs. Newport 4Oct. 25 at Issaquah
Naples, Fla., weaved his way through the defense for a 54-yard touchdown. See SPARTANS, Page B5
BY JIM NICHOLSON
Rashaad Boddie carries the ball for Skyline High School during practice. The sophomore running back transferred over the summer to Skyline from Clayton, N.C.
Running enthusiasts can quench their thirst for a scenic jog, and support local students at the same time, with the 2013 Newcastle 5K Run/Walk for Education. The 3.1-mile course snakes through a mix of trails and paved roads through Newcastle parks and byways. The 5K begins at 9 a.m. Sept. 8 at Newcastle’s Lake Boren Park, 13058 S.E. 84th Way. For those who want to participate with strollers, or leashed dogs, there will be a staggered start at 9:15 a.m. Registration for the regular 5K costs $30 per person, or $25 through group-registration. High school students can enter for $20. Runners can participate in the new 1K Kids Dash for $15. Register online at www. newcastle5k.com. Participants can also register at a Newcastle Days booth Sept. 7, or on the day of the race, but they are not guaranteed a T-shirt. The Sept. 8 event raises funds for college-bound high school seniors in Newcastle, including Liberty High School students. The 2013 race is made possible by support from the YMCA, Imelda Dulcich PR, Michelle Woo — Windermere, HomeStreet Bank, Conner Homes and B&E Meats.
Eastside FC soccer team wins championship The Eastside FC B95 White soccer team brought home the championship trophy from the 2013 Pacific Coast Challenge tournament Aug. 23-25 in Bellingham. The U19 Premier champions, coached by Fernando Barros and Anderson “Xinho” Prestes, went 2-0-1 in bracket play, scoring 10 goals and allowing only 3, to earn a ticket to the semifinals, where they went on to grind out a win against Northwest Nationals B95 Red, 1-0. In the championship match, they faced a tough WFC Rangers team, the team they tied 1-1 in bracket play. They were determined, however, to extract a different outcome, and earned a win and shutout with a 2-0 victory.