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North Mason falls to Kingston PAGE B-1

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Journal Mason County

Thursday, April 18, 2013 - Week 16 - The Voice of Mason County since 1886 — $1

Local Boston Marathon runners safe

Capturing the wind

Belfair women close when bombs went off

By EMILY HANSON emily@masoncounty.com

Miranda Thygesen and Stephanie Neil were inside a Boston Marathon changing tent Monday when the first bomb went off near the finish line.

They were heading toward the tent exit, which was about a block away from the first explosion, when the second bomb exploded 10 seconds later.

“It felt wrong to us,” said Thygesen, a resident from Belfair. “We didn’t know what was going on. When we opened the tent, there were mobs of people running.”

See RUNNERS on page A-24

Residents give input on dumpy properties Page A-3 County approves marijuana garden ordinance Page A-3 Shelton archaelogist talks Elwha River work Page A-7 Shelton schools win achievement awards Page A-8 INSIDE TODAY: Opinion Journal of Record Living Business News Obituaries Belfair Herald Sports Classifieds Legals Crossword

Page A-4 Page A-12 Page A-15 Page A-17 Page A-19 Page A-22 Page B-1 Page B-5 Page B-7 Page B-7

Journal photo by Gordon Weeks

Belfair resident James Westcott withstands heavy winds Saturday as he captures photos of his children, from left, Kinkade, Kevin and Kendall, at the Theler Wetlands in Belfair. For more photos of the spring day, see page A-22.

CHOICE school teacher: Don’t text and drive

By GORDON WEEKS gordon@masoncounty.com

Three years after CHOICE Alternative High School teacher Carrie Fennel struck her neighbor with her car while texting, she preaches the need for drivers to put down their electronic devices and concentrate on the road.

Fennel’s neighbor suffered a broken back, broken legs and brain injuries after he was knocked down by her car in September 2009.

Fennel hasn’t driven since.

On Monday, Fennel told her story to traffic education students and members of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) clubs of Shelton High School and Oakland Bay Junior High in the high school library. A crew from KING-5 News was on hand to film the session.

“We love our cell phones,” Fennel told the students. “We just have to be smarter about them.”

Fennel said she is devastated that she caused “irreparable harm” to her neighbor, who she calls “a dear, sweet man.”

“The worst thing in the world is to be the cause of pain to anyone else,” she said.

Fennel takes full responsibility for the accident, calling her actions “a total disregard for someone else’s safety … I put everything into jeopardy for this thing that I did, texting and driving.”

See TEXTING on page A-24

Journal photos by Gordon Weeks

Shelton High School sophomore Jessica Johnson, above, reacts Monday after slamming her car into another vehicle while texting during a computer simulation exercise at a driver safety gathering in the school’s library. To her left is ninth-grade student Michael Blythe. CHOICE Alternative High School teacher Carrie Fennel, at right, struck her neighbor with her car in 2009 while she was texting her daughter.

She now preaches the need to put down communication devices and concentrate on the road.

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Thygesen, 36, and Neil, 34, of Belfair, finished the marathon about 30 minutes before the blasts occurred just before 3 p.m. EST near the finish line, located on the north side of Boylston Street.

Three people were killed and more than 170 others were injured, according to a story yesterday in The New York Times.

“When you run 26.2 miles, you don’t think you can run Neil more, but we did,” Thygesen said. “We grabbed hands and ran to where we said we’d meet our families.”

Their families weren’t at the meeting point, however, so the women went to the area maraThygesen thon workers had set aside for reunited families after the blast.

“We knew (Neil’s mother) Peggy (VanBuskirk) was still running and we wanted to find her,” Thygsesen said.

“We were offered a phone in the family reuniting area. We just wanted everybody together at that point.”

Neil was able to contact her husband, Jeff, who knew where Thygesen’s family was.

“Pretty much immediately after we

got off the phone, we ran into Stephanie’s dad and he decided to wait for her mom,” Thygesen said.

From the reuniting area, the women and their families went to Boston Commons, a park about 1 mile from where the blasts occurred.

“We wanted to get our kids away from the finish line, so we took them to Boston Commons,” Thygesen said. “We needed to be somewhere with fewer people and garbage cans.”

Eventually, VanBuskirk, 60, of Belfair, was reunited with her husband, Ken. “She was about a mile away when the explosion occurred,” Thygsesen said.

Thygesen finished the race with a time of 3 hours, 23 minutes and 45 seconds, while Neil finished in 3:23:51.

Because of the bombings, VanBuskirk did not have an official finish time.

Thygesen said VanBuskirk had not received a medal as of Monday night and hadn’t been able to collect her belongings.

“It was a great race. The weather was nice, the supporters were great,” Thygesen said. “There were official water tables, but the people of Boston had water and orange slices for us. It was a great race. We were sad to see it end the way it did.”

She said the families’ trip to Boston wasn’t ruined by the bombings.

“Thankfully, our families were far enough away that they didn’t see anything,” she said. “We were just never so glad to see our families.”

The Belfair women and their families are expected to return home later today.

Journal photo by Gordon Weeks

Students, from left, Morgan Norris, Brandi Williams and Sarah Zyski take in a driver safety presentation Monday in the library at Shelton High School.

TEXTING Continued from page A-1 Fennel said she took up texting only so she could communicate with her children. Because she always stressed safety to her students, they were stunned by the accident, she said.

Fennel was charged with vehicular assault, a felony, and was placed on probation.

“The idea of being a felon was debilitating for me,” she said.

Fennel said she became self-conscious about showing joy in public, with the fear people would think she didn’t care about the accident.

Fennel said her “shame was so great” that for a long time she holed herself up in her classroom, not even venturing out to the school’s restroom.

But her students “were supportive,” she said. “They’ve gone through horrible things in their lives.”

Fennel stressed to the students that drivers lose their focus when they’re texting on the road. “Our brain is not capable of doing two totally different things at once,” she said.

Fennel encouraged the students to express their concerns to parents who

Page A-24 - Mason County Journal - Thursday, April 18, 2013

are texting while driving.

The teacher tells her story on a video produced by the high school’s SADD Club, which the students watched Monday before her presentation.

Shelton High School senior Robert Zingelman, treasurer of the school’s SADD Club, said teens feel the need to always be electronically connected with their friends, a trend he’d like to see end.

Fennel told the students she’s thinking about getting behind the wheel again — her son is tired of driving her around.

“I’m getting better,” she said. “And (talking to students) helps. I really don’t want you guys to go through this.”

“She’s taking a negative and turning into a positive,” said Gerry Apple, the traffic safety coordinator for the Educational Service District 113 and the adviser to the SADD clubs at both Shelton High School and Oakland Bay Junior High.

Apple told the students he made a New Year’s pledge to not text while driving, or talk on the phone while at the wheel.

“I need to be a role model … I’ve got to practice what I preach,” he said.

Sports Shelton girls’ cross-country wins league Boys place 2nd at 3A Narrows League championship

By EMILY HANSON emily@masoncounty.com

The Shelton girls’ crosscountry team didn’t hold anything back at the 3A Narrows League championship last week.

“The women’s team as a whole raced well and claimed the title in a businesslike manner,” head coach John Johnson said. “It is a testament to the girls’ preparation and desire to accomplish a goal that they set for themselves.”

Senior Lindsey Nicolas took second at the championship at Fort Steilacoom

State Park in Lakewood with a time of 20 minutes, 43.25 seconds.

Sophomore Courtney Burke finished third at 20:49.64, while sophomore Lindsey Goldsby came in fourth at 21:11.84 and freshman Anika Parker took ninth at 21:40.04. Freshman Laynie MacAlevy rounded out the team score with a time of 21:50.77, fast enough for 11th place.

“I am really happy for this group of ladies,” Johnson said. “They are setting a new standard for Shelton crosscountry.”

The Shelton boys’ team took second place, eight points behind North Thurston.

“We had a couple guys have off days and that was the difference between us and the Rams,” Johnson said.

“North Thurston is tough again this year, they have some guys that put in a ton of work and we anticipate another tight battle with them at districts.”

Senior Cody Williamson took second place at 16:26.87, while sophomore Johnathon Bay came in sixth at 17:04.01, senior Ryder Phelan finished seventh at 17:16.31 and junior Darius Burke took 11th place at 17:36.07. Sophomore Riley Riffe rounded out the team’s score with a 14thplace finish at 17:49.17.

“It’s exciting for us to have a close league rival, it really motivates the guys,” Johnson said. “The guys are focused on putting together a solid team race next week; they’re hungry to return to state.”

The Highclimbers are scheduled to compete next at

the West Central District III West Side Classic championship at 1:10 p.m. on Saturday at the American Lake Golf Course in Lakewood.

Johnson said the meet will be deeper and more competitive than league, adding that he likes how Shelton stacks up.

“The top six teams or 30 individuals in our races will move on to the big show,” he said. “Our training, which began in early June, is essentially complete. We will be resting more in the coming days, which should reveal our true fitness. If the kids continue to execute solid team races, they will be happy with the results.”

The WIAA 3A State CrossCountry Championship is scheduled for 12:20 p.m. Nov. 9 at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.

Journal photo by Emily Hanson

North Mason senior lineman Justin Hill returns the second half opening kickoff Friday night during the Bulldogs’ senior night game against Klahowya at Phil Pugh Stadium.

Bulldogs snag playoff berth

By EMILY HANSON emily@masoncounty.com

Just before North Mason started the second half of its football game against Klahowya on Friday night, senior lineman Justin Hill called his teammates together in a huddle.

The Bulldogs were down 10-7 and knew they needed to defeat Klahowya in order to maintain third place in the 2A Olympic League standings and secure a spot in the postseason.

“I said we had (former assistant coach) Mike Honeycutt here in the crowd and he would die to be out here with us, so let’s show him what we’re made of,” Hill said. “In the locker room before we came out for the second half, we said we were going to go out as one unit and play as one unit.”

That strategy worked, as North Mason surged ahead in the second half to defeat Klahowya 28-17.

Hill said that before the start of the game, head coach Jeff Bevers told the team it needed to prepare for Klahowya’s intensity, but the Bulldogs didn’t expect what Friday: North Mason......28 the Eagles had in Klahowya.......17 store for them in the first half.

“We just didn’t Tomorrow: match their intensity North Mason at in the first half,” Hill Sequim, 7 p.m. said.

The Eagles scored on a 17-yard rush in the first quarter and made a 37-yard field goal in the second, while North Mason sophomore quarterback Matt Becker scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

North Mason senior Josh Becker scored twice in the third quarter on runs of 10 and 6 yards. The Bulldogs’ final

touchdown came on a 1-yard rush from senior running back Tommy Marsh.

Bevers said he thought the Bulldogs did a great job of staying together and feeding off each other.

“I’m tickled to death with how the team played in the second half,” Bevers said.

Marsh led the Bulldogs with 152 yards on 19 carries, while Josh Becker contributed 91 yards on 12 carries and senior running back Victor McIntosh added 44 yards on 11 carries. Senior running back Andy Renne had 41 yards on 10 carries.

Matt Becker completed 1-of-2 passes, a 32-yard pass to junior wide receiver Daniel Burggraaf.

Senior lineman Chase Davis led the Bulldogs’ defense with six tackles. Junior linebacker Tyler Grewell, junior defensive end Malachi Felder, Josh Becker and Marsh contributed five tackles each.

See BULLDOGS on page B-6

SHS swimmers place at league

By EMILY HANSON emily@masoncounty.com

All three Shelton girls’ swimming relay teams qualified for the West Central District III Championship at the 3A Narrows League Championship last week.

“Our (200-yard) medley relay is our best,” co-head coach Chad Youngquist said. “We went 2 seconds faster at league.”

Carisa Kunkle, Hannah Womer, Hannah Garcia and Paige Goldsby earned third place in the medley relay with a time of 2 minutes, 3.57 seconds.

Youngquist said the team will have to finish in the top four at districts in order to advance to the WIAA 3A State Girls’ Swimming Championship.

To qualify by time, the team will need to match or beat 1:57.80.

Goldsby and Garcia swam with Rebecca Gonella and Ivie Redman on Shelton’s fourthplace 200-yard freestyle relay team. They finished in 2:00.15.

Shelton’s third relay team, the 400-yard freestyle, took fourth place with a time of 4:13.95.

Womer and Kunkle swam with Julia Morris and Megan Jacobsen.

Individually, Womer and Kunkle qualified for districts in three other events.

Womer took second in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 26.60 and third in the 100-yard breaststroke at 1:13.95.

“Womer dropped a full second in the 50 free,” Youngquist said.

“She beat Sara Myers’ league time from last year and Myers went to state. She’s a little over a second away from state.”

Younquist said Womer has the talent to drop her time, but will have just two weeks to do so.

Additionally, he said Womer finished one one-hundredth of a second behind North Thurston’s Arielle Howell.

“That’s less than a heartbeat,” Youngquist said.

Womer’s breaststroke performance was a little off because she was sick for a few days before the race, which limited her ability to concentrate, Youngquist said.

“We were focused on fine-tuning her recovery on the pull and she lost track of her turn,” he added. “She got excited about the race.”

Kunkle qualified for districts in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:08.19, good enough for third place.

“Competing in the butterfly really killed Kunkle’s legs,” Youngquist said. “I think we’ll see a big drop at districts.”

Despite being tired from the 100-yard butterfly — Kunkle finished sixth at 1:16.50 — she finished the backstroke with a best time.

Kunkle is a little more than one second slower than the SHS school record of 1:07.04.

The district championship is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.

Nov. 8 at Hazen High School in Renton.

Mason County Journal - Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013 - Page B-1

Journal photo by Emily Hanson

North Mason senior running back Josh Becker, No. 28, rushes upfield with senior running back Tommy Marsh, No. 40, and senior running back Juan Hamilton, No. 16, ready to block for him Friday night during the Bulldogs’ senior night game against Klahowya at Phil Pugh Stadium.

Hill had one sack for a loss of 7 yards, while senior linebacker Morgan Grewell made one sack for a loss of 8 yards.

North Mason intercepted Klahow-

Continued from page B-3 When Boysen’s not in school or playing sports, she said she works at the Skyline Drive-In Theater in Shelton.

“My life is pretty much centered around school and family, though,” she said. “I’m also always with my soccer team. We’re a really close family.”

Boysen, who also competes on SHS’s

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Page B-6 - Mason County Journal - Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013

track and field team, is a member of the Honor Society and is in the top 10 percent of her class.

She has also tried her hand at coaching.

Last spring, Boysen was an assistant coach for a girls’ soccer team through the South Mason Youth Soccer Club.

“I liked it,” she said.

“The little girls were re-

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ally fun. I bonded with them and it was good to see their level of trust go up.”

She said the team was talented and it was fun to watch the girls play.

Boysen added that she hopes to have children some day and plans to coach them in their sports when she does.

“Hopefully, they’ll want to play soccer,” she said with a smile.

Finally, Boysen said she’s really enjoyed her final soccer season with the Lady Highclimbers,

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second consecutive playoff spot.

“Our seniors finished it out right. I’m proud of them for putting this program on the right track,” Bevers said. “We just have to make sure we take care of business and go into the playoffs with momentum and energy.”

The Bulldogs (4-1 in league, 6-2

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ya three times. Burggraaf returned an interception for 22 yards, Josh Becker had a 25-yard interception return and junior defensive back Keimon Hughes returned a 12-yard interception.

The victory clinched third place for North Mason and secured the Bulldogs’

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overall) are scheduled to play their final regular season league game at 7 p.m. tomorrow at Sequim.

“As far as I’m concerned, Sequim has had our number for a long time,” Bevers said. “It’s going to be a tough ball game because they do things right up there.”

especially because her sister is playing with her this fall.

“We like to joke that there’s Boysen power,” she said. “It’s really fun. I like playing with her.”

Athlete of the Week NAME: Makayla Boysen SCHOOL: Shelton High School FALL SPORT: Girls’ soccer OTHER SPORT: Track and field FAVORITE COLOR: Teal FAVORITE FOOD: Spaghetti FAVORITE HOLIDAY: “My birthday.”

FAVORITE SEASON: Summer FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH: “Boys’ soccer because the level of intensity is higher and the game moves

She said she plans to come back and see games when she can, so she can watch Ashley play.

“It’ll be nice to see how she grows,” Boysen said. faster.”

BEST FRIENDS: “My little sister and my soccer team.”

ROLE MODELS OUTSIDE OF PARENTS: “My coaches, Dan Deacon and Max McGuire. I get along well with my father, but they’re like extra father figures.

They’re like family.”

IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY SUPER POWER, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE?: “The ability to read minds.”

WOULD YOU USE YOUR POWER FOR GOOD OR EVIL?: “I’d like to help people by being able to read their minds, but it’d also be cool to figure out what they’re thinking.”

Sports Calendar

Fly on the Sideline

Thursday 3 p.m., Hawkins Middle School volleyball skills camp 3 p.m., North Mason wrestling practice 3:30 p.m., North Mason fastpitch practice 5 p.m., Shelton High School cheerleading tryouts for incoming ninth- and 12th-graders in the Shelton Mini Dome 5:30 p.m., Shelton High School boys’ basketball spring 2013 in Oakland Bay Junior High School gym 6 p.m., North Mason girls’ basketball open gym 6:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., Cascade League adult co-ed softball games at Callanan Park and Mason County Recreation Area, field six

SHS athletes miss once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

Friday 3 p.m., Hawkins Middle School volleyball skills camp Monday 5:30 p.m., Practices begin for South Mason Youth Soccer Club teams at the South Mason Soccer Park 6: 15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., Olympic League adult co-ed softball games at Callanan Park and Mason Country Recreation Area, field six Tuesday 9 a.m., North Mason wrestling practice in the Hawkins Middle School gym 3:30 p.m., North Mason fastpitch practice 5:30 p.m., Practices for South Mason Youth Soccer Club teams at the South Mason Soccer Park 6:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., Cascade League adult co-ed softball games at Callanan Park and Mason County Recreation Area, field six

A

fter the successful 2012 Shelton football season, in which the Highclimbers reached the postseason behind the record-breaking efforts of running back Ralph Kinne and several spectacular catches by wide receiver David Ajamu, both boys were invited to play in the 2013 Washington State East-West All Star game.

Months after this invitation, Kinne and Ajamu committed to play football at the University of Washington (UW).

And that’s where the kicker to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity comes from.

On the advice of their future UW coaches, Kinne and Ajamu will not take part in the All Star game, scheduled for June 21 at Moses Lake High School.

I understand where the UW coaches are coming from. They put in time and effort to recruit Kinne and Ajamu to the team. In Ajamu’s case, they convinced him to change his oral commitment to Oregon State University and sign with the

Huskies instead.

These coaches don’t want their recruitment efforts to be in vain should either player get injured at the All Star game.

However, by

By EMILY advising the boys HANSON not to play, they effectively took away an opportunity neither will ever have again.

To play in the All Star game is an elite privilege. Of all the high school football players in Washington, only a handful are invited to play.

The game is a best-of-the-best, who’s who of the high school football world. It’s accompanied by a week of training and bonding with the best players in the state.

The game itself is an opportunity for these athletes to compete against others of equal or greater skill, talent and dedication.

Kinne and Ajamu played for the

Former Seahawk to speak at baccalaureate STAFF REPORT pr@masoncounty.com

Wednesday 9 a.m., North Mason wrestling practice in the Hawkins Middle School gym 3:30 p.m., North Mason fastpitch practice 5:30 p.m., Shelton High School boys’ basketball spring 2013 in Oakland Bay Junior High School gym 5:30 p.m., Practices for South Mason Youth Soccer Club teams at the South Mason Soccer Park 6: 15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., Olympic League adult co-ed softball games at Callanan Park and Mason Country Recreation Area, field six June 20 9 a.m., North Mason wrestling practice in the Hawkins Middle School gym 3:30 p.m., North Mason fastpitch practice 5:30 p.m., Shelton High School boys’ basketball spring 2013 in Oakland Bay Junior High School gym 6:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., Cascade League adult co-ed softball games at Callanan Park and Mason County Recreation Area, field six n To have items placed in the sports calendar, send information to emily@ masoncounty.com.

Highclimbers as a 4A school when teams like Bellarmine Prep dominated the field and then as a 3A school, against teams like Foss and Mt. Tahoma, who had no answer for Shelton’s game plan.

Neither player has ever played on a team composed entirely of athletes at their level. They have also never played against a team composed entirely of athletes at their level.

And now, neither will have the opportunity. At least, not before college.

Instead of seeing this game as a training opportunity, the UW coaches saw it as a threat to their roster.

But let’s look at this logically.

Kinne and Ajamu will be freshmen at UW in the fall. How many freshmen running backs and wide receivers see any substantial play?

Would it have really been so bad to allow the boys to take the risk and participate in a game against their athletic equals for the first and only time in their high school football careers?

Courtesy photo

Eddie Williams makes a play for the Seattle Seahawks. Williams is now the young adult pastor of Mountain Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Covington and will speak at the Shelton baccalaureate service at 7 p.m. tonight at the Shelton Performing Arts Center.

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The faith community of Mason County invites the graduates of the Class of 2013 and their families and friends to this year’s baccalaureate service.

The service will be at 7 tonight at the Shelton High School Performing Arts Center with former Seattle Seahawk — and current Cleveland Brown — Eddie Williams as the featured speaker.

After a California All-State season in high school football and an allconference selection in track and basketball, Williams spent four years at the University of Idaho as a starter on the football team. There, he quickly became a team leader and premier offensive weapon that dominated the Western Athletic Conference.

He was drafted in the seventh round in 2009 by the Washington Redskins and

has also spent time with the Chicago Bears.

Williams, who lives in Seattle in the offseason, said he became a Christian at the age of 18, after a turbulent childhood in which he grew up poor and in a neighborhood where his family was continually robbed. After moving in with his aunt, a devout Christian who attended church regularly, Williams was introduced to the Bible, even though he was skeptical at first.

However, he began to read the Scriptures and became convinced that being a Christian was the life for him.

He is now the young adult pastor of Mountain Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Covington, near where he lives, and weekly ministers to more than 70 men and women, and often speaks to groups.

Light refreshments will be available after Williams’ speech.

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Mason County Journal - Thursday, June 13, 2013 - Page B-3

Sports

Courtesy of Anita Bunker, Southern Utah University

Former Shelton High School linebacker Justin Ena talks with members of the Southern Utah University football team last fall. Ena has served as a coach in some capacity for six seasons. He’s been the team’s defense coordinator for the past four seasons.

Making his coaching mark After four years in the NFL, Shelton grad now coaches in Utah, dreams of head job

By EMILY HANSON emily@masoncounty.com

Although it’s been more than 15 years since Justin Ena played football for Shelton High School, his experiences as a Highclimber have affected his whole life.

Ena, 35, went from playing as a lineman at Shelton to college football and all the way to the NFL. He’s now giving back to football what he was given by coaching at the college level, using the coaches from his career as his inspiration.

A humble Highclimber Ena’s high school career marked him as a standout among the Highclimbers at the beginning of SHS head coach Matt Hinkle’s tenure at the position.

“On the field, Justin was a fierce competitor. He was very aggressive, instinctual and relentless,” Hinkle said.

Ena’s junior and senior seasons ended with records of 1-8. At that time, Shelton competed in the Greater St. Helens League, where Ena was honored as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year during his senior season in 1995.

Ena said he remembers the attitude and integrity Hinkle brought to the field.

“Coach Hinkle is a great coach, a great man,” Ena said. “He taught us great values.

We weren’t very good, but he was always positive and he taught us to be great men.

Football was always second to academics.”

Page B-28 - Mason County Journal - Thursday, Aug. 15, 2013

“It was a tough thing, but I believe it made me a better football player and a better person as well.”

Justin Ena, Southern Utah University defensive coordinator on recovering from an ACL injury Hinkle said Ena was liked by everyone when he was off the field and described him as both outgoing and humble.

“I remember how when he walked across campus, fellow students would compete for his attention,” Hinkle said. “He had a feelgood demeanor that was very inclusive.”

“I was outgoing,” Ena remembers. “I still am. I like to be around people. I’m enthusiastic. I think I’m a pretty humble person, too.”

Success in college Although the Highclimbers won just two games in Ena’s final two years of football, he was heavily recruited his senior year.

The University of Washington, Washington State University, Stanford, Oregon and Oregon State all came knocking.

In the end, Ena chose to go to Brigham Young University (BYU).

He played there from 1997 through 2001.

“I had a really good, fun time in Provo.”

Ena said his head coach at BYU, Lavell Edwards, was a lot like Hinkle.

“Family and team were more important than skill,” he said.

Ena started at linebacker for three years for the Cougars. He played in 32 games, and racked up 86 tackles, 92 assisted tackles and 18 tackles for loss. “(Ena) had a remarkable career at BYU,” Hinkle said. “A personal highlight was being able to go see him compete in the Las Vegas Bowl against the Air Force.”

Ena started at middle linebacker during the Liberty Bowl in 2001 against No. 22 Louisville and he played in the Senior Bowl 2002.

He was named to the All-MWC First Team, the All-MWC Media First Team and won the coaches’ awards against Tulane, UNLV, New Mexico, San Diego State, Wyoming and Utah.

He is credited with a team-leading 101 total tackles, including 64 for solo takedowns.

He recorded one sack on the season for an eight-yard loss (against Nevada), recorded double-digit tackles in four games, posted a season-high 11 tackles twice (against Utah State and Colorado State), blocked a kick against San Diego State that led to an 82yard return for a touchdown, deflected four passes on the season and was one of four team captains, according to the team’s website.

See ENA on page B-11

ENA Continued from page B-28 And all of this happened after Ena tore his anterior cruciate ligament playing for Shelton.

“I’d already signed a letter of intent to play at BYU,” he said.

The Cougars kept him on, allowing him time to recover from the injury.

“It was a tough thing, but I believe it made me a better football player and a better person as well,” Ena said.

NFL free agent After earning a bachelor’s of history degree from BYU and graduating in 2002, Ena entered the NFL as a free agent.

In 2001, he signed a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.

“It was fun playing against the best,” Ena said. “I enjoyed every day of it. College was probably more fun because it was less stress. The NFL is a business, so if you make a mistake, you can lose your job.”

Despite the stress, Ena said playing in the NFL was a blast.

Ena played nine games in 2002 and 16 in 2003 for the Eagles. He also played in 16 games for Tennessee in 2004 and another six in 2005 for the Eagles.

He had 59 combined tackles, 47 total tackles and 12 assisted tackles.

“Quite a few Shelton people became Philadelphia Eagles fans following (Ena’s) professional journey,” Hinkle said. “It was a little surreal when his Eagles came and played the Seahawks and Justin was out there contributing.”

Coaching now and in the future At the end of his professional career, Ena decided to go into the commercial real estate business.

“I didn’t think I’d be a coach after I was done,” he said. “I thought I liked (real estate), but I’ve had great coaches

“College was probably more fun because it was less stress. The NFL is a business, so if you make a mistake, you can lose your job.”

Justin Ena, Southern Utah University defensive coordinator

in my life, it was a blessing. You can be a great influenece and I was blessed with that.”

With his former coaches in mind, Ena returned to football, this time as the defensive coordinator at Southern Utah University (SUU) in Cedar City, Utah.

“I try to be as positive as possible, but I tend to be an intense person (as a coach),” Ena said.

He said he uses his days as a Highclimber and Hinkle’s influence as inspiration for his own coaching style.

“The way we played (in Shelton) was rough, but Hinkle was always positive,” he said. “I try to be that way, too.”

He said he still speaks to Hinkle every few months and uses some of Hinkle’s quotes while coaching.

For Ena, the most important aspect of being a coach is watching the athletes grow.

“If you see the development of men as players and also as people, that’s where the real satisfaction is,” he said.

“There’s nothing like it. It’s awesome.”

His satisfaction in witnessing personal development is what’s keeping Ena from coaching in the NFL, he said.

“I like trying to mold kids into better

people. I’d like to stay in college for as long as I can,” Ena said.

Although SUU has had a few tough seasons, Ena said he enjoys coaching there under head coach Ed Lamb.

“We’ve got to be more consistent,” Ena added. “We’re able to beat the No. 1 team in Division 1AA (Eastern Washington University) and then lose to the worst team the next week.”

After working as a defensive coordinator for the past six years, Ena said he would like to be a head coach some day.

“I’ve had a good time being a defensive coordinator, but I’d like to move up to the Division 1A level,” he said. “I’ve got to improve my skills to be marketable to those schools.”

A family tradition Ena is not the only one in his family to find success on the gridiron.

His uncle Tali Ena played fullback at WSU from 1976 to 1979 and was drafted by the Seahawks in 1980.

Ena’s brothers also had successful careers. Eti Ena is coaching at California Polytechnic, Packy Ena lettered at OSU from 1993-94 after transferring from Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, and now is an assistant coach at

Waipahu High School in Hawaii. Tali Ena Jr. transferred to University of New Mexico from WSU for the 2003-04 season to receive more playing time at quarterback.

And the Ena family tradition is continuing with Justin Ena’s son Justice, 11.

During Ena’s phone interview with the Mason County Journal last week, he was at his son’s football practice.

“Justice has great coaches. There’s no doubt in my mind if he continues to have great coaches, he’ll love the game,” Ena said.

This is Justice’s first year playing football. The 135-pounder is playing as an offensive and defensive lineman, just like his father did at that age.

“If you’re coached well, you can make football a blast,” Ena said. “You can make it as fun as you want to.

There’s so much camaraderie built between a team. I think that’s what makes football just a little more special than other sports.”

Although Ena attends his son’s football practices, he said he tries not to interfere with the coaches.

“I don’t want to be one of those dads stepping on toes,” he said. “I’d rather let the coaches do their jobs.”

Leading a simple life When he’s not coaching or at his son’s practices, Ena said he lives a simple life at home in Cedar City, Utah with his family.

He’s been married to Dana for 12 years and along with Justice, they have a 6-year-old daughter, Olivia.

“I like to hang out with my wife and kids,” he said. “I’m definitely a homebody. I like to fish, hunt and hike. I’m a pretty simple person.”

Ena said he has advice to share with current and future Highclimbers.

“There are so many tools you can use at Shelton,” he said. “If you use them and listen to your coaches, that’s all you need to do to find success.”

Mason County Journal - Thursday, Aug. 15, 2013 - Page B-11

Sports Shelton School Board reverses rugby decision It votes to take back $30K designated to fund varsity sport

By EMILY HANSON emily@masoncounty.com

The Shelton School District Board of Directors voted unanimously last month to reverse the board’s decision to make rugby a high school varsity sport.

At its Dec. 10 meeting, the board, in addition to rescinding its move to make rugby a varsity sport at Shelton High School this spring, directed Superintendent Wayne Massie to develop a procedure for the introduction and approval of sports in the school district.

“Over these last several months, there has been more discussion about rugby in this room than about on-time graduation,” first-year board President Brenda Hirschi said at the meeting. “I didn’t buy into joining the school board to talk about rugby over and over … We have got to get back to what’s really important. I believe the past board wanted to give the students an opportunity. I don’t fault them at all, but I think (funding rugby) was premature.”

In August, the five-member school board — which then included Jim Barrett and Brian Major — voted to set aside $30,000 from the district’s general fund to start a two-year pilot program for varsity rugby.

First-year board Vice President Jim Carnahan expressed concerns about this plan Dec. 10 after hearing from the community.

Carnahan made the motion not to implement rugby this spring, which was then approved by four of the school board members. Sue McCausland was excused from the meeting for medical reasons.

The board’s decision came after it heard comments from the public and a presentation from SHS Athletic Director Jim Judson.

“The entire board unanimously approved something,” Carnahan said at the Dec. 10 meeting. “To overrule a previous board’s decision takes a momentous reason … That being said, I’ve asked other board members: ‘If you knew then what you know now, would you go ahead with it?’ and only one said they would.”

Carnahan said the information about starting rugby as a varsity sport was still incomplete, despite Judson’s report during the Dec. 10 meeting.

“The process was not followed by the rugby people, as near as I can tell,” Carnahan said.

He added that one component of the process was that the school’s Associated Student Body (ASB) board needed rugby

to submit documents to the ASB by May to be included in the ASB’s budget and that didn’t happen. Carnahan said the ASB tabled its decision on rugby because it needed more information.

Carnahan said he felt the decision to set aside $30,000 for the creation of rugby as a varsity sport wasn’t done properly.

“I feel like this thing was so poorly handled … it was a giant failure of leadership at that time,” he added.

Finally, Carnahan said he thinks the decision about rugby needs to be sent back to the superintendent for one year so he can ensure that all questions are answered. Carnahan said the rugby community should then go back through the process for reconsideration.

Unresolved questions During the Dec. 10 meeting, Judson answered three questions posed to him by the board after a study session Dec. 3 at the Washington State School Directors’ Association in Olympia.

Those questions were: n What criteria will be used to monitor and evaluate rugby as a pilot / exploratory sport? n How will district and Washingtin Interscholastic Athletic Assocation (WIAA) eligibility requirements be handled? n What is the budget estimate for rugby for the 2014 spring season?

Judson told the board that if rugby was a spring sport, student participation would have been monitored at the end of the season. Surveys with players and coaches would have been conducted and the school would have evaluated the funding of the program to determine whether it could continue.

He then explained that if rugby was implemented, it would have been recognized as every other varsity sport and the athletes would have been required to meet eligibility standards. Those standards include students passing five of six classes for academic eligbility, and having a current physical and medical insurance.

The athletes would have also been required to follow (WIAA) rules, even though rugby is not a WIAA-affliated sport. This would have meant that athletes could not play two spring sports.

During past spring sports seasons, a few rugby athletes also participated on Shelton sports teams, including track and field and powerlifting.

See RUGBY on page B-5

Journal photo by Lloyd Mullen

Shelton School Board President Brenda Hirschi, left, and Vice President Jim Carnahan discuss rugby during the board’s Dec. 10 meeting.

Journal photo by Emily Hanson

North Mason junior Connor Lundberg gets Dominic Perez of North Kitsap into a pin at the Hawkins Memorial Tournament on Saturday at North Mason High School. Lundberg, wrestling in the 195-pound weight class, pinned Perez 42 seconds into their match.

Bulldogs 2nd at home

By EMILY HANSON emily@masoncounty.com

It took less than one minute for Tyler Grewell to be declared a champion.

On Saturday, the North Mason junior pinned Kenney Loslaben of Sultan — his final opponent at the Hawkins Memorial Tournament — in 44 seconds, winning the 170-pound weight class at the Bulldogs’ home tournament. Seventeen teams competed at the tournament.

“Tyler got a good hip toss and stuck the kid,” head coach Bill McCarty said.

Although he said Grewell’s final match win was impressive, McCarty added that Grewell’s quarterfinal and semifinal matches were tougher.

“They were both really aggressive matches,” McCarty said. “Grewell had to go the whole way, wrestle tough and under control and use good clock management.”

Grewell won by decision 6-2 in the quarterfinals against Aberdeen’s Tavo Sanchez.

He then defeated Kyle Davision of Central Kitsap by major decision 10-2 in the semifinals.

Grewell opened the tournament with a 3:45 pin of Port Townsend’s Forrest Piatt.

His championship points contributed to North Mason’s overall score of 142, good enough for second place.

Olympic High School won the tournament with 160 points, while Sultan took third with 132.5 points.

McCarty said he was impressed with North Mason’s showing at the tournament because the Bulldogs don’t have wrestlers at 113, 120 or 285 pounds.

“To miss three weight classes and still take second is impressive to me,” he said. “The guys really stepped up and represented our school well.”

Grewell wasn’t the only Bulldog to reach the finals Saturday.

Junior Mark Phillips and senior Chase Davis both took second at the tournament.

At 126 pounds, Phillips fell to Sultan’s Jamell Carroll in the finals with a 5:02 pin.

After starting his day with a firstround bye, Phillips pinned Steilacoom’s Christophe Frye at 32 seconds in the quarterfinals.

He then pinned Clover Park’s Ty-

“The guys really stepped up and represented our school well.”

Bill McCarty, NMHS head wrestling coach ler Woods after 3:52 in the semifinals.

“Mark had a really good day,” McCarty said. “In the finals, he ran into a really tough freshman from Sultan.

Mark wrestled him really tough until the second round.”

McCarty said that during the tournament, Phillips wrestled cleanly and performed well.

“In the finals, he just got caught,” he said.

At 220 pounds, Davis was pinned

by Sultan’s Taylor Comfort at 1:20 in the finals for second place.

Davis reached the finals after a quarterfinal technical fall victory against Woodland’s Nathan Cloud 16-0 and a 42-seconds semifinal pin over Aberdeen’s Henry Fultz.

He started the tournament with a first-round bye.

“Chase wrestled really well earlier in the day,” McCarty said. “Finals wasn’t a good match for him. Chase wrestled a bit tentative and not with his normal aggressive style.”

He said Davis is usually good at picking the pace for a match. When faced with a fast-moving opponent, Davis will slow the match down and vice versa.

“In the finals, unfortunately, he wrestled a little off and Comfort just thumped on him,” McCarty said.

Finally, North Mason had five wrestlers finish the tournament as co-third placers. Wrestlers didn’t compete for third place because they were not allowed to have more than five matches in one day.

Senior Kyler Hockaday at 132 pounds, senior Grant Hunter at 152 pounds, senior Morgan Grewell at 160 pounds, junior Connor Lundberg at 195 pounds and senior Tommy Marsh at 220 pounds all finished as co-third placers.

The Bulldogs compete next at the Battle of the Ax Tournament at 10 a.m. Saturday at Port Angeles High School.

Mason County Journal - Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014 - Page B-1

RUGBY Continued from page B-1 “Coaches expect committment to their sports,” Judson explained.

He could not estimate the rugby coaches’ stipends because they would need to be negotiated with the Shelton Athletic and Activities Association (SAAA). He also was not able to give an exact figure for the groundskeeping costs for the field at Oakland Bay Junior High School for rugby.

The cost to play per athlete was estimated at $198. Students on free or reduced-price lunch would pay $168, while free or reduced-price lunch students at OBJH would pay $153.

The boys’ team and girls’ team would also be required to pay $150 to RugbyWA — an organization that governs high school rugby in Washington — to participate. Judson told the board that previous rugby coaches Chris Nesmith and his wife Kasey Robbins had already paid the 2014 team fee for the U19 girls.

Nesmith and Robbins had also donated about 100 jerseys for the program that all read “Shelton Rugby” on the front, which would be appropriate for competition with the school.

The coaches had also donated about 20 practice rugby balls.

During his report, Judson highlighted a problem. Although the position had been advertised for most of the fall, no one had applied to be the rugby coach.

Another issue that could have posed a problem for the program was if the girls’ team didn’t have enough players turn out, but the boys’ team did. Having a boys’ rugby team but not girls’ rugby team would put the school out of compliance with Title IX because more teams would be available for boys than girls, Judson said during his report.

Judson also addressed scheduling problems. Through RugbyWA, girls’ rugby matches are played on Sunday. However, SHS leaves Sundays free for athletes to spend at home. To maintain this, the rugby teams would have had to schedule their own matches and ensure officials were available for them.

A final problem with adding rugby as a varsity sport was that it had not received ASB approval yet and therefore was not ASB-affliated.

“If they’re working with the ASB and fundraising, they need to be part of ASB,” Judson said.

“I wish we’d had this analysis back in June,” board member Gene Crater said. “It brings a lot of questions and this is December. My concern is we have costs for kids, the ASB is overloaded with clubs that have to make money. We have a lot of concerns here that we’re going to address today?”

Community voices opinions

Before the board heard Judson’s presentation, the public weighed in.

Attorney Brent Nourse with Paramount Law Group of Seattle reminded the board of the letter he said he sent them June 13, in which he outlined Title IX. “Currently, there is a (rugby) club, but it doesn’t receive the same benefits as boys’ football,” Nourse said at the Dec. 10 meeting.

He addressed the concerns he said he had heard from the

Shelton community regarding the $30,000 that the school board set aside for rugby.

Because rugby was not receiving money from ASB, he said the ASB was not required to take action on rugby.

Nourse said a letter to the editor in the Dec. 5 issue of the Mason County Journal — titled “Concern over rugby program” — mainly addressed using money to correct current issues such as the lack of a softball field at SHS, but those issues had nothing to do with the money the board had set aside.

“Currently, there is no sport provided for girls that provides the same skills and level of competition for girls as football,” Nourse said.

Zack Clark, a coach for the Shelton rugby 7s program in the summer, spoke to the board as well.

Clark said Shelton High School could be one of the schools to start rugby and have other schools follow in its footsteps.

The final for-rugby comments came from SHS junior Brian Nault, who has played rugby since he was 13.

“I was all about football and thought rugby could help with football,” Nault said. “My character has built from this. I’ve traveled the world, supporting my country. It’s a great stepping stone.”

At this meeting, Shelton resident Irene Goldsby was the only community member not involved with SHS to speak against making rugby a varsity sport.

“I am not opposed to kids playing rugby,” Goldsby said.

“This is going to be taking money from the sports the school already has. Thirty thousand dollars for a new sport that doesn’t even compete with other schools doesn’t make a whole heck of sense. If other schools want to start rugby, fine. But a club sport should stay a club sport until other schools have teams.”

Goldsby wrote the letter Nourse mentioned.

She said that if her daughters were current students in the Shelton School District, she’d have the board in court.

“The softball team doesn’t have a field or clubhouse, but baseball has both,” Goldsby stated. “This school had been negligent in getting the softball field done.”

A break in procedure

Goldsby’s comments were not the first time the board heard objections to its August decision.

Since the beginning of the 2013-14 school year, the ASB officers, with their adviser Christie Zakem, have been trying to work with the board to send rugby through the proper procedure to become a sport. The ASB has maintained that because its decision on rugby was tabled, the school board broke procedure by allotting the club $30,000 to start a pilot program.

On Oct. 31, ASB officers Sage Hughes, the school board representative, President Meghan Ranney and Sergeant at Arms Ryder Phelan and Zakem met with the Journal to discuss their concerns regarding the board’s decision.

“We haven’t had an opportunity to decide (on rugby),” Phelan said with Hughes adding that the ASB tabled the discussion in June.

“We’d already done the budget in May and couldn’t change

it for this school year,” Zakem said.

Phelan explained the process that any club, activity or sport needs to go through to become official at the school. “(They) would need principal approval, then go to the ASB, then to the school board and then the ASB would followthrough,” he said. “The school board procedure is that they don’t create anything without ASB approval.”

“Otherwise, what’s the point of ASB?” Hughes asked.

Zakem said the rugby group went through a different channel because it is a sport. Rugby players first sent out a petition to see whether students would want rugby at SHS. The filledout petition went to Judson and then to Zakem.

Zakem said she gave the proper forms to fill out to the rugby group.

“It’s fine because they’re working toward being a varsity sport, but we didn’t see the process until two days before the June meeting,” Zakem said.

The ASB tabled the rugby discussion June 10.

“They went to the school board and the school board said ‘yes’ and decided to make it their own thing,” Phelan said. “They designated school board funds to make it happen and told SHS administration to make it happen.”

Hughes said she was not at the board’s meeting in the summer because she was out of town.

“Usually, I’m sent an envelope with what they’re going to do and I didn’t receive that (for the meeting),” Hughes said.

Zakem said school board representatives have not been invited to summer board meetings in the past so the students can enjoy their summer breaks.

Hughes said if she had known the board was going to discuss rugby, she would have sent an alternate to the meeting.

“We were told mid-August it had been approved and they were given funding,” Zakem said. “When we left in June, we had tabled it so it shouldn’t have gone to the school board based on the ASB constitution and the school board policy.”

After tabling its decision, the ASB became the subject of a rumor in the school that the officers had been coached to say “no” to rugby.

“We haven’t said ‘no,’ ” Phelan stated.

“We aren’t coached to do anything,” Hughes denied. “Ms. Zakem is a great teacher, but we’re capable of making these decisions on our own.”

“Sometimes, I’m a little offended by that rumor because we’re a mature group that makes our own decisions,” Ranney added.

SAAA objections

The school board had also heard objects from the the Shelton Athletic and Activities Association (SAAA).

On behalf of the SAAA, representative Chad Youngquist sent the school board a letter Sept. 14 about its rugby decision.

In his letter, Youngquist requested clarification from the school board on its decision to allot $30,000 to rugby.

He said at Shelton High School staff was confused about the board’s decision and what it meant.

At the school board’s Sept. 24

meeting, SHS head volleyball coach Steve Beck spoke, questioning the allocation of $30,000 to rugby.

According to the school board minutes: “Steve said the question is: Are decisions made to grant money to a new sport, not knowing the many sacrifices coaches make to fund their current sports, or is there district money out there and no one told them (SAAA)? He said either one stings him as a coach.

Funding is a constant issue and we need a process that works.”

In early October, Beck told the Journal he has been a head coach for longer than any other coach in the school district.

With knowledge from his 35 years as a head coach, Beck outlined the three levels a sport can compete. He said a sport can be in the community, a school club or a varsity sport.

“I don’t think the rugby community understands if they go to a varsity team, the restrictions that puts on them,” he said. “Older athletes won’t be able to play, there will be restrictions on the season, who can coach and when they can coach and funding is complex.

You gain some things, but you give up some, too.”

As a community sport, rugby would have a national governing body but be run differently.

These sports are usually private and they struggle at times to work with schools and find facilities.

In its current form as a school club, the sport can be intramural but it’s often organized with other clubs.

“More often it’s left to the school to manage rather than a general association,” Beck explained. “There’s less district money, but there’s easier facility access. The sport can struggle with identity and what rules to follow. Often, there’s an undefined territory and usually it has a group of driven kids.”

As a varsity sport, rugby would follow traditional rules.

“There’s tax-payer support, but lots of rules in all areas including contact, time, grades, money and travel,” Beck said.

He said the question was: Where is the best fit for rugby?

In September, Youngquist told the Journal that in 2011, the SAAA voted for coaches to take pay cuts to keep all sports at SHS. At that time, the SAAA also requested that pay-to-play fees be eliminated.

“We felt that pay-to-play was a deterrent to many of our athletes,” Youngquist explained.

“Pay-to-play generates $20,000.

We have $30,000 to start a new sport?”

Youngqust said that varsity coaches should do fundraising to augment their programs.

However, the teams have been fundraising for basic needs for the program.

“We all have to augment our team uniforms,” Youngquist said. “It’s wrong when we have to pay for basic needs with fundraising. We requested additional money for budgets and were told it was non-negotiable. That didn’t bother us because 50 percent of our athletes are free or reduced price lunch. Probably 70 percent of our kids are struggling financially at home.”

He said the SAAA was not opposed to rugby.

“But we’re not OK with $30,000 being allocated for something new and shiny when we need our basic needs met,” he said.

Rugby community responds

By Dec. 16, the rugby community had begun work on its response to the school board’s decision.

Nourse, attorney for the girls’ team, said it appeared to him and the team that nothing had been done during the past six months to move rugby along in the process of becoming a sport.

“Neither the superintendent, athletic director or anyone else actually did anything,” Nourse said. “From what I understand, the athletic director was unable to provide any field maintenance costs or to negotiate with the SAAA for the coaches’ stipends costs.”

He said it seemed to him that the administration dragged its feet.

“The next step probably will have to be going to court,” Nourse added. “The school board’s decision to scrap the project and the administration dragging its feet appear to us to be violations of the Equal Rights Amendment and the Federal Civil Rights Act.” He said a large number of girls in the school district are interested in playing a contact sport similar to football, but the school district is not providing the opportunity for them to do so. This is a violation of Title IX, Nourse said.

“The girls provided the petition last year for approval and ASB tabled it and refused to vote on it,” Nourse said. “The girls have done all they can. The school has put up a number of hurdles.”

SHS senior Karli Burbridge, a captain for the girls’ rugby team, said she didn’t understand why the process was so difficult.

“We’re just like any other sport trying to play and have fun,” Burbridge said. “It sucks how some clubs get recognized when they’re not part of the school, but rugby doesn’t when the girls’ team took second in state.”

Although Burbridge said she wants recognition from the school for rugby’s accomplishments, she said she and about half the girls’ team are on the fence about wanting rugby to be an official school sport.

“I would like it to be a school sport if we still get to do what we did as a club,” she said. “It wasn’t as strict (as SHS varsity sports).”

She cited co-ed practices, games were scheduled on weekends and teams practicing about three times a week as examples of what she wouldn’t want to change.

“I don’t want rugby to change in Shelton so we’re the odd ones out (with other Washington rugby teams),” she said. “A lot of girls are kind of borderline with me. We’re at the point where we just want to play.”

She said the team doesn’t have a coach and has been told so many conflicting statements about the future of rugby that it’s all unstructured right now.

“I just want to know what’s actually going down,” Burbridge said.

Nourse said he thought the school board’s decision was unfortunate.

“Here’s a group of girls that just want the same benefits and recognition as the boys and for whatever reason, the school board doesn’t want to give it to them,” he said.

Mason County Journal - Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014 - Page B-5