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July 31, 2013
COMMUNITY
SAMMAMISH REVIEW
Inglewood student pedals for Parkinson’s By Neil Pierson
Two hundred miles on a bike in less than two days? For 13-year-old Erin Bethune of Sammamish, the task wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. Bethune’s father, Sean, has been riding in the annual Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic since 2006. His daughter had wanted to complete the 202-mile trek for several years, and she finally went after her goal with a purpose in mind. Bethune’s grandmother has been living with Parkinson’s disease for 30 years. Parkinson’s is a degenerative disease that attacks the central nervous system, and Bethune had witnessed its effects firsthand during her family’s twice-a-year visits to her grandmother’s home in Los Angeles. “When she takes her medication, sometimes she’s perfectly
fine when you take her out,” she explained, “but then sometimes she’ll start shaking right in the middle, so we’ll have to take her home. So it’s really hard to go places with her.” Riding her bike was Bethune’s direct path toward helping her grandmother. The Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation is closely involved with the Seattle to Portland ride, having formed Team Parkinson’s as a fundraising tool 14 years ago. More than 1,500 participants have helped Team Parkinson’s through various biking, running See RIDE, Page 7 Contributed
Sammamish resident Erin Bethune, a 13-year-old student at Inglewood Middle School, completed the 202mile Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic on July 14.
Skyline football players lend hand to tent city move By Neil Pierson
Skyline High School’s football players know how good they have it. They live in Sammamish, one of the most affluent cities in the state, and they don’t have to worry about where they’re going to sleep each night or where their next meal will come from. But the Spartans have been learning firsthand that many people aren’t so fortunate. Skyline’s players perform community service activities each year, and on July 13, they spent time at Redwood Family Church in Redmond helping homeless people relocate their tents. Tent City 4, which shifts locations around East King County every 90 days, typically has 80-100 residents. An average moving day begins at 5 a.m. and often doesn’t conclude until 10 p.m. But when volunteers show up in hordes, the task isn’t so daunting. Todd Puckett, pastor at Redmond Family Church, said Skyline’s players put in four very valuable hours. “They were great and they were working hard,” Puckett said. “Their coaches were telling them what’s up and what needed to be done. There was a ton of them. I think it’s great for them to see and just be a part of serving people that need help.” Tent City 4, as part of its
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Skyline High School football players connect poles to help construct tents at Redmond Family Church July 13. The church is hosting Tent City 4, one of King County’s many homeless encampments. agreement with King County, doesn’t stay in one place. This month, it moved from Kirkland Congregational Church. The encampment houses men and women –minors are only allowed
in emergency situations – and has a detailed code of conduct for residents. It largely polices itself. Grant Evans, a senior wide receiver and linebacker, said Skyline’s players split up into a
pair of two-hour shifts to accomplish the move. They unloaded trucks full of wooden pallets and constructed fences around them to create foundations for the tents. After that, they assisted
the residents in putting up their tents and moving them onto the pallets. It was an eye-opening event, Evans said, for the teenagers to witness the tent city and make a difference, even if only for one day. “Up here on the plateau … we obviously don’t see the other part of the world,” he said, “and it’s just great for kids like us who grow up in such a fortunate area to be able to go out and see how other people live their life and what the real world is actually like.” Susan Evans, Grant’s mother, helped organize the communityservice activity for the team, and said head coach Mat Taylor promotes at least one volunteer opportunity like it ever year. Last year, the team worked with Generation Joy, an Issaquah-based organization, to collect unwanted items throughout the community and ship them to South Africa. Cameron Saffle, a junior offensive lineman and linebacker, said he spoke with some of the homeless residents and got a clearer sense of the problems they were facing. The volunteer project came only a day before the Spartans went to a team camp at the University of Puget Sound, and See MOVE, Page 7
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July 31, 2013
SAMMAMISH REVIEW
Eastlake little leaguers make waves in tournaments Boys team headed to regionals
Girls lose in regional tournament
By Neil Pierson
By Neil Pierson
Losing the first game of the 13-team state tournament is usually the death knell for a team’s championship hopes, but the Eastlake Little League all-stars weren’t about to give up on their dreams. Eastlake swept its opponents at the District 9 majors tournament and was a perfect 15-0 heading into its state-tourney opener against Federal Way National on July 13. Eastlake held a 5-3 lead in the fifth inning, but Federal Way scored three late runs and won 6-5 in a battle of what many people felt were the top two teams in the state, Eastlake manager Rob Chandler said. “When we walked off the field, we knew that we were going to be back,” Chandler said. Winning the state title wasn’t going to be easy. Eastlake had to win six elimination games in seven days. They not only accomplished the feat, they did it impressively, winning by an average of eight runs per contest. That set up the final hurdle on July 21 – Eastlake would
The Eastlake Little League softball all-stars were only two wins away from advancing to the World Series, but against Granada Hills, Calif., they couldn’t find the magic that had sustained their amazing postseason run. Granada Hills, playing near its home fields, went undefeated through four pool-play games and cemented its berth in the Western Regional 12-and-under final with a 4-1 victory over Eastlake in a July 25 semifinal contest at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino, Calif. Eastlake pitcher Sophia Robinson, as she had for much of her team’s 11-game win streak to open the postseason, kept things close. She allowed only three hits, but five walks, two errors and two wild pitches helped Granada Hills get the crucial runs. Eastlake manager Steve Pollis said his team played well, but couldn’t come up with the timely hits it needed to beat a quality opponent. “We knew they were going to
Photo by Neil Pierson
Eastlake’s Nathan Fitzgibbons hits in the batting cage during a July 24 team practice. The Eastlake team is the first in program history to win a state championship and advance to the regional tournament. have to beat the previously ed in Eastlake’s 12-2 decision. Aug. 2-10 in San Bernardino, unbeaten Federal Way team Suddenly, the group of 11Calif. twice. and 12-year-olds found themIf Eastlake can run the gauntOnce again, Eastlake proved selves in a unique position. They let against opponents from itself. In the first game, Will were the first Eastlake Little Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, Montana Ambruester’s grand slam led League baseball team to win a and Wyoming, it’ll advance to the way to a 13-7 triumph. Jack state championship, and they’re the Little League World Series in Matheson’s arm was the key to going to play at the Northwest See BOYS, Page 9 the second game, as he dominat- Regional tourney, which runs
See GIRLS, Page 9
Sammamish girls help capture national soccer title It had been 17 years since a girls team from Washington had won the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships, but the Eastside FC under-14 squad ended that streak July 27 in Overland Park, Kan. The team is comprised of 15 girls from the Seattle metropolitan area, including four local players: Kaylene Pang of Issaquah, and Molly Monroe, Cameron Tingey and Alexa Kirton of Sammamish. At nationals, Eastside FC went 2-0-1 in pool play, earning the top seed into the title match. They competed against opponents from Pennsylvania, Georgia and Illinois. Eastside FC faced YMS Xplosion of Pennsylvania in the final, a team they had beaten 1-0 in pool play. Five minutes in, Eastside FC capitalized on a mistake when Joanna Harber stole the ball from the goalkeeper and put the ball in the empty net. Harber led all
scorers in the tournament with four goals. Eastside FC doubled its advantage early in the second half as Ellie Bryant earned a corner kick, then found an opening in the box to score off a header. Julia Lindsey scored with 10 minutes to play to bring Xplosion within a goal, but they couldn’t find the equalizer. Eastside FC was coached until February by Michelle French, a former U.S. Women’s National Team player, who left to coach the U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team. French was in attendance at the national championships. In a news release, new coach Tom Bialek said winning the title was the culmination of five years of work by many of the players. Eastside FC allowed only one goal in its four matches at nationals. “The girls played inspired soccer the whole week,” Bialek said. “Every game has been difficult, and there have been moments in
The Eastside FC soccer club won the national title. each where we have really been put to the test. We have been successful because of our team unity
and spirit. When adversity has hit, they have stuck together and encouraged each other and found
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the positives instead of getting frustrated.” — Courtesy Eastside FC