Sequim-Dashiell Sportswriter

Page 1

Crown contestants

In this issue

SHS girls vie for festival titles A-4

Dining with dragons

Traveler’s Journal hits the beach

B-1 Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2016

SEQUIM GAZETTE www

Sequim’s Hometown Newspaper

com

75 CENTS

Vol. 43, Number 6

SHS grad vies for Olympic Games Dinius to race Saturday in U.S. team trials

Election results online Results of the Sequim School District’s $54 million construction bond were too late for this edition of the Sequim Gazette. See story and results online at www.sequimgazette.com. Clallam County election officials had received 13,611 ballots from the 24,099 registered voters for this election — about 56.5 percent — as of Tuesday, Feb. 9. A second count is set for Feb. 12 and the election is certified Feb. 19.

2016 U.S. Olympic Trials - marathon When: 10 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 13 Where: Los Angeles, Calif. On TV: NBC Web: www.latrials2016.com

by MICHAEL DASHIELL Sequim Gazette

She already had dropped band and basketball, so by the time she began racing with the Sequim Middle School’s seventh-grade cross country team, quitting was not an option. “We would run laps to start out the class — basically, that was the only

Former Sequim High and Stanford University standout Stephanie Dinius races for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team Saturday. Photo courtesy of Stanford University

thing I was good at,” says “It was way harder than Stephanie Dinius, now 26 I thought it would be,” she and Boston, Mass., resident. recalls. “I wanted to quit

TOWERING TRIBUTE

right away. But I thought, ‘I have to finish out this season.’ I’m so glad I did. I loved it. Never went back.” What a long, winding road it’s been for the Sequim native. Dinius, the former Wash-

ington state championturned collegiate All-American, aims for a berth in the 31st Summer Olympic Games when she races against the nation’s best at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Los Angeles on Saturday, Feb. 13. The top three men and women finishers will be nominated to represent Team USA and the nation in the marathon at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro six months after

See DINIUS, A-7

Marijuana stores coming soon Two retail shops set to open in Sequim by ALANA LINDEROTH Sequim Gazette

The City of Sequim delayed the presence of retail recreational marijuana via moratoriums for a year, but after the final ban expired last August, two store owners are on the cusp of opening within the city limits. Anthony Owen, owner of Karma Cannabis, 131 River Road, underwent and passed the final inspection from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) on Friday, Feb. 5. Approval from the WSLCB should issue Owen his pending state marijuana retail license and allow him to receive a business license from the City of Sequim needed to open. “We’re about 90 percent through the buildout,” Owen said in early February.

From left, owner David Halpern and manager Matthew Clark of Nature’s Gifts, a recreational marijuana store, are in the midst of completing the fi nishing touches to the store interior at 775 W. Washington St., Suite C. Sequim Gazette photo by Alana Linderoth

Karma Cannabis set to open midmonth will be the sister company to Owen’s established recreational

See MARIJUANA, A-6

Councilors give city manager high marks and a pay raise Community members get their first look at a glass art sculpture in memory of Bobbi Burkett at the Sequim Civic Center on Friday, Feb. 5. The piece, constructed by Bob Rigg of Seattle Glassblowing Studio, was donated by former Sequim City Manager Steve Burkett as a memorial to his late wife Bobbi. About $11,000 was raised by the community — including about 100 donors from more than 10 different states — through a fund created by the Olympic View Community Foundation for the sculpture. Foundation executive director Sue Ellen Riesau and Steve Burkett unveiled the sculpture, a piece that features 10 glass plates mounted on a metal armature. “Bobbi really had two passions: art and local democracy,” Steve Burkett noted, adding Bobbi earned a political science degree with a minor in art before spending decades in the arts. “Her favorite colors were purple and lavender, so we asked that the artist include that (in the sculpture),” Burkett said. “I think (Bob Rigg) did a great job on this.” The sculpture is now permanently installed in the southeast corner of the Civic Center lobby. Sequim mayor Dennis Smith noted the piece’s position will catch sunlight as the sun rises and the sun’s rays as it sets. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim agrees to temporary lease with Little League by MATTHEW NASH Sequim Gazette

After nearly six months on the job, Sequim city councilors seem to like their new city manager. On Monday, Feb. 8, they unanimously approved 6-0 with Candace Pratt absent, a pay increase for Charlie Bush, who succeeded former City

Manager Steve Burkett in August 2015. The decision follows Bush’s performance review in executive session on Feb. 6 where he received a rating of 8.7 out of 10. Mayor Dennis BUSH Smith said they recognize Bush is early into his tenure and there are things they will be able to better evaluate through a full budget cycle.

See CITY, A-9

Sports B-5 • Schools B-7 • Arts & Entertainment B-1 • Opinion A-8 • Obituaries A-10 • Classifieds C-1 • Crossword Section C

weather outlook:

CIVIC New 2016 Honda

THURSDAY, FEB. 11

▲52 ▼46

Sedan CVT LX

FRIDAY, FEB. 12

▲52 ▼43

SATURDAY, FEB. 13

▲51 ▼43

WILDER

133 JETTA WAY, PORT ANGELES

$

PER MO. FOR 39 MOS.

Offer Expires 2/29/16.

$1,999.00 total due at signing.

Includes down payments with no security deposit. Plus tax, license and a negotiable $150 documentation fee. For well qualified lessees. See Wilder Honda for complete details.

452-9268 • 800-927-9395 www.wilderhonda.com

621524179

Honda You Can Count On Us!

179

FEATURED STANDARD LEASE


TTE

Feb. 10, 2016 • A-7

SEQUIM GAZETTE

Dinius

From page A-1 the trials. Like dozens of other competitors in both men’s and women’s races, Dinius’ road to the trials was anything but smooth. Two major post-college injuries nearly derailed her running career. The Olympic hopeful now sees them as blessings in disguise. “There were moments I had all but run out of hope,” she says. “But with my running friends and Shane (Dinius, her husband), I said, ‘This is where I’m at. I really need help.’ Your community is really important, as is having grace with yourself and patience, being OK with what happens.” “Running is such a gift as long as I have it. When it’s over, I’ll find something else.”

Starting strong

Stephanie Dinius (then Marcy) races to a win in the 1,600-meter race at the Washington state 2007 track and field championships. Sequim Gazette file photo by Michael Dashiell

Boston home ... for now

Stephanie Dinius shows off her USA Half Marathon Championships buckle with Meb Keflezighi, silver medalist in the 2004 Olympic Games, in January 2015. Dinius qualified for the Olympic Trials after finishing eighth in the half marathon in January 2015. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Dinius

In between cross country and track seasons in that final high school season, Marcy won Borderclash, a premier prep event pitting the top runners of Washington and Oregon regardless of school size. The marks were impressive to those close to her, including classmate Shane Dinius. The two would marry on New Year’s Eve, 2011. “We first met in sixth grade, so we’ve known each other a very long time,” he says. “In seventh and eighth grade we ran on the cross country team. We’ve been running together since.” “In her senior year of high school, she was not just winning things in our league but winning Borderclash, winning state,” Shane says. “I knew she was a talented runner. (Then) I realized she was a very, very talented runner.” Marcy’s persistence in running became an inspiration back home, too: Stu and Ione Marcy, her parents, started running road races during her prep career and haven’t stopped. “A life-changer, it sure was,” Stu says now. “Ione was the driving force; she’d run long distances right from the get-go.” Stephanie Marcy finished her prep career with school

records in the 800, 1,600, 3,200 and 5,000 meters. Following graduation from Sequim High in 2007, she earned an athletic-academic scholarship to Stanford University, which boasted one of the top cross country teams in the nation.

Starring at Stanford Marcy ran varsity for the cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field teams for four years at Stanford. She was named team captain three times while earning three Academic All-American honors and four Athletic All-American honors. Her career at Stanford was marked by persistence: While not the fastest runner on the Cardinal cross country squad, she twice wound up the top finisher at the NCAA championships and second her senior year; while she kept improving on her times, several of her teammates went down with injuries. “She really started to hit her stride in college — she was getting faster year after year,” Shane Dinius says. “Her freshman year, she was getting used to the high mileage. (By the end) she realized she’s capable of running with the best.” On the track, she earned her first All-American honor

Discover what’s possible with Evergreen

Pinnacle

© 2015 Evergreen Home Loans is a registered trade name of Evergreen Moneysource Mortgage Company® NMLS ID 3182. Trade/ service marks are the property of Evergreen Home Loans. All rights reserved. Licensed under: Washington Consumer Loan Company License CL-3182.

99

WALL SAVER

649

FREE CONSULTATION AND SECOND LOOK ON YOUR SELF PREPARED TAXES Randy L. Kientz, Enrolled Agent

DAVE’S

DUCTLESS Heat Pump Systems $500 to $1200 in Utility Rebates Available

Mon. – Fri.: 9:30 – 5:30 Saturday: 10:00-4:00 625 E. Front St. Port Angeles, WA 98362

360-565-0308

HEATING & COOLING SERVICE, INC.

Save Energy & Money

What Forever picture can we Frame for You?

FRAME CENTER

OMEGA BUSINESS CENTER

Accounting and Tax Service 360.460.5114 | 360.683.4149 207 S. Sunnyside, Sequim omega@omegatax.com

Valentine . . . Framing lasts Forever

Karon’s

The course for the 2016 Olympic Trials in Los Angeles is an atypical one for most marathons. It features an initial 2.2-mile loop taking runners by the Staples Center, then begins the first of four, six-mile out-and-backs to complete the 26.2 miles. “Pretty great for the spectators,” Dinius says, “but not for running a fast marathon.” Reach Michael Dashiell at Dinius won’t have much to compare the course to: editor@sequimgazette.com.

Sequim Branch (360) 681-8197 542 N. Fifth Ave. • Suite 2B • Sequim, WA 98382 Branch NMLS: 1253790 www.evergreenhomeloans.com/sequim Port Angeles Branch (360) 203-3690 1115 E. Front St. • Suite B • Port Angeles, WA 98362 Branch NMLS: 1250094 www.evergreenhomeloans.com/portangeles

621536022

1114 East First, Port Angeles

457-9412 1-800-859-0163 Mon.-Sat. 8:30 - 5:30

A marathon first

Serving Clallam County Since 2001

(Some Restrictions May Apply)

call for a free estimate

1206 South C Street • Port Angeles 360-452-0939

IT’S OUR INTEGRITY THAT SETS US APART.

591400453

549 $ 99

$

Soon following her collegiate career, Stephanie Dinius suffered what’s called a hip labral tear, one involving a ring of cartilage — called the labrum — that follows the outside rim of the socket of one’s hip joint. The Mayo Clinic likens the labrum to a rubber seal or gasket to help hold the ball at the top of the thighbone securely within one’s hip socket. “The first few months, I wasn’t aware of how bad it was,” Dinius says. “I was just limping along.” Limping right into training for the spring 2012 Olympic Trials in the 10,000 meters. “I had this idea in my mind I could get through it. After a couple of months of trying to train and not doing what I what I needed, (it was time).” The labral tear meant surgery. “I guess it was good timing,” she says now. “I guess it made up for all those years (running healthy) in college.” So began a year-long-plus

see what we do on facebook

24614459 611042296

599

Post-college tests

“Imagine it Framed”

NOW ONLY

$now only99

in the 10,000 meters in 2010 by placing eighth, and another the next year, placing sixth. Throughout college, Marcy remained remarkable injury free — or so she thought.

5C1466280

Recliner Rocker Chaise

Shane and Stephanie Dinius have called Boston home for about a yearand-a-half. Shane works as a marketing manager at Wayfair, an e-commerce company that sells furniture. Stephanie is working toward her Master of Education degree in Counseling: Sport and Performance Psychology at Boston University. Ultimately, she’d like to be in the academic setting, counseling athletes one-on-one. She also took on her first coaching job, working as an assistant coach with Division III Wheelock College’s cross country coaching staff. “Ultimately we want to head out west at some point, but we’ll be in Boston for a couple of years at least,” Shane says.

Saturday’s will be her firstever marathon. She locked up an automatic berth in the marathon trials when she raced to an eighth-place finish at the USA Half Marathon Championships in Houston in January 2014. “Every week (I’ve run) has been my longest run ever,” Dinius says. “It’s fun to get into this new territory. It’s pretty cool to wake up in the morning and realize, ‘I don’t know if its possible for me to do this.’” The trails will feature top U.S. racers such as American marathon recordholder Deena Kastor, Olympic Games bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan (10k) and Olympian Desiree Linden (marathon, 2012), among others. For the first time, both men’s and women’s races air live on network television, on NBC. “I have very little expectations (for her placing) — I hope that carries through this next week,” Dinius says. “For NCAA (championships), there was a lot of pressure: big meet, very competitive. I would get really nervous, but it was something I’d done before. It wasn’t a completely new experience or challenge. This really is.” She’ll have her parents Stu and Ione, plus her husband Shane and his parents, there to root her on. “We can pick any spot on the street see her eight times,” Stu Marcy says. There will be other familiar faces on the course as well, Dinius notes, including some college teammates. “I’ve raced against these women in different races,” she says. “In a way it’s a little intimidating because they are experienced in the marathon.” Dinius’ husband says he expects this won’t be the last time she races with the best in the nation. “I don’t think this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for her,” Shane Dinius says. “I definitely think she’s going to come back for the next cycle. I really view this as a long-term thing; she’s only beginning to enter her marathoning years.”

process of recovery. Starting in May 2012, Dinius took four months off of running, rehabbing on a bike and in the pool. Six months in, she wasn’t doing runs of longer than 30 minutes. By eight months in, she was starting her regular running plan, and by about 10 months out of surgery she was putting in faster workouts. It was more than 12 months from her surgery to her first race. “I came out of it with a better appreciation,” Dinius says. “It was not guaranteed I would be able to run at a high level again. I had renewed passion and strengths, (with) dreams and goals I’d be able to chase. It was a good thing in the end.” In the fall of 2014, Dinius suffered another setback with an injury to her sacrum, a triangular bone in her lower back. The pain she felt was a stress reaction, a condition right before a fracture. This injury was perhaps harder to deal with than the one requiring surgery. “It’s really tricky how long to take off,” Dinius says. “Everyone is different. I took plenty of time off, I was really careful, I thought. It was really tricky, day-by-day. You can’t just go get an MRI each week.” She re-injured her sacrum a second time — “I think I just pushed it too far,” she says — but has been healthy since April 2015. The reality that the vast majority of most long distance runners get major injuries had hit home. “Two big ones,” Dinius says now. “Other than that, I feel I’ve been pretty lucky.” “Realizing that it’s not over for me, it’s like this gift,” she says. “I really put myself in God’s hands. When it’s over, he will really make it clear that it’s over.”

611514571

By her second year running at Sequim Middle School, the young Stephanie Marcy had moved up to the team’s second-best runner behind Natalie Jones, who also would go on to post impressive marks as a runner at Sequim High. In between her eighthgrade and freshman academic years, Marcy decided to try the North Olympic Discovery Marathon. “I don’t know what I was thinking,” she says now. “(I was) totally unprepared for it.” Stu Marcy, her father, recalls how spent his daughter was after that first long run. “She basically just collapsed, she’d run so hard,” he said. “Obviously, she had a lot of drive.” Stephanie Marcy finished in two hours, two minutes and 12 seconds — a 9:19 pace, and first among females 14 and younger. (She would go on to complete the NODM half five more times, placing ninth the next year, third in 2005 and female half-marathon champion in 2006, 2007 and 2008). The young runner already was on Sequim High cross country coach Harold Huff’s radar. “He said, ‘I’m looking forward to having you on the team,’” Marcy recalls. “Getting encouragement from him was huge. Having him believe in me was very helpful.” Under the guidance of Huff during the fall cross country season and sprint coach Don Lichten during track and field season, Marcy launched into an impressive prep career. In cross country, along with helping Sequim to four consecutive state team berths, she earned 14th place as a freshman, eighth as a sophomore, second place as a junior and, as a senior in 2006, Washington state 2A champ. On the track, Marcy earned medals in both 1,600and 3,200-meter races as a sophomore, then top-four finishes in both races as a junior. In her senior year, she was state 2A champ in the 1,600-meter race and second as 3,200 meters.

Sequim High grad Stephanie Dinius (Marcy) crosses the finish line in the 2013 Disneyland Half Marathon with a winning time of 1:15:47. Photo coutesy of RunDisney


7 B COMMUNITY Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015

SECTION

SEQUIM GAZETTE

Tough luck on pitch

MAGNIFICENT Christian Ash

Jackson Oliver

Ash Francis

SHS squad eyeing school’s first cross country state title by MICHAEL DASHIELL Sequim Gazette

Chris Jeffko

End of the summer season, and powdery mildew

Fall has arrived and it is time to tidy up after the summer gardening season. Clean-up, clean-up, cleanup: the most important thing you can do for the success of next year’s gardens and orchards. Remove and dispose of diseased plants, vegetables and fruits. Compost only disease-free materials. Allowing plants, fruits and vegetables to remain in or on the GET IT soil invites disease GROWING problems in the by Judy coming year. English Shar pen a nd store tools. To avoid damaged hoses and pipes, disconnect and store soaker hoses, drain irrigation systems and insulate around irrigation valves. Plan next year’s garden layout to ensure appropriate crop rotation, optimum use of sunny areas and maximum air circulation.

Powdery mildew Powdery mildew is more prevalent in the local area this year and the fungi often survive through the winter. Following are some basics you should know to avoid powdery mildew. What is powdery mildew and why does it occur? The fungi that causes powdery mildew typically lives on the outer surface of the plant and derives nutrition from the plant. They are obligate parasites, meaning that they only can grow on living plant tissue. Because the fungi can survive the winter, the first infections of

See CROSS COUNTRY, B-10

Wendall Lorenzen

B-5

Sports • Arts & Entertainment • Schools • Calendar

THE

There’s an old sports adage: “Better to be lucky than good.” Fortunately for head coach Harold Huff and the Sequim Wolves’ cross country squad, they’re both. A current of talented runners in recent years has put Sequim High School’s boys running on the state prep sports map, including a second-place finish at the class 2A state meet last year behind perennial powerhouse Sehome — the best finish in SHS school record books. And thanks to a pack of six seniors and one fleet-footed freshman, the Wolves are poised to make another run for a state title.

Wolves battling for first league victory

Brendon Despain

C.J. Daniels

See GROWING, A-8

Powdery mildew on calendula leaf. Submitted photo

Survival writer ships out ‘Deadly Cargo’ Johnson sees new thriller with an all-ages appeal by MATTHEW NASH Sequim Gazette

Writer Rich Johnson has his genres covered. In his career, he’s written repair manuals like the “RV Repair & Maintenance Manual,” articles on Sequim author Rich Johnson signs his “The Ultimate Survival Manual” hunting, skin diving, boat repair in Sequim Costco on Oct. 17. He recently released his fictional thriller “Deadly Cargo” through Sarah Book Publishing. Sequim Gazette photo by and way more, and popular survival guides “Rich Johnson’s Guide to Matthew Nash

New 2016 Jeep®

Deadlines

HURRY IN!

WILDER

Chrysler Dodge Jeep® Ram

You Can Count On Us! 53 Jetta Way, Port Angeles

1-800-927-9372 360-452-9268

$

See WRITER, B-2

‘Deadly Cargo’ Author: Rich Johnson 342 pages ISBN 978-161456-292-4 Sarah Book Publishing Available at: www.sarahbookpublishing. com and major book distributors online Retail price: $15.95

CHEROKEE 4WD Sport

25,885 Sale Price

STK#C8174

www.WilderChryslerDodgeJeepRam.com Sale Price is plus tax, license and a negotiable $150 documentation fee. One only at this price. Photo for illustration purposes only. See Wilder Chrysler Dodge Jeep® Ram for complete details. Ad expires 11/2/15.

5A1424194

Deadline for items appearing in B-section is 5 p.m. Wednesday one week before publication at editor@sequimgazette.com or delivered to the Sequim Gazette office at 147 W. Washington St.

Wilderness Survival” and “The Ultimate Survival Manual.” Now he’s taking on the fiction thriller with “Deadly Cargo.” But his latest effort comes partially out of frustration because Johnson said so much of today’s fiction is filled with objectionable content in it that detracts from the story. “I’d like to read some good books that I can pass onto my grandkids,” he said. “Deadly Cargo,” he says pits “some really bad guys” against “some really good people who put themselves in harm’s way.”


B-10 • Oct. 21, 2015

SEQUIM GAZETTE

Cross Country

Orange County in California. “It’s a good, physical sport I can do, everyone can do, to stay healthy,” he says. Ash raced with the Wolves at state in 2013. “If we want to win state,” Ash says, “we’ve got to do the worst of the worst workouts.” And then there’s the freshman. Ash Francis moved to the area last year from Wisconsin and posted strong times at the middle school level, piquing the interests of Sequim coaches. He didn’t disappoint, winning the freshman race at the popular Capital Invite, taking fourth in the 3-4 race at the Bellevue Invitational and a top-10 spot on the hardest course at the Seaside Three-Course Challenge. “A gift from the running gods,” Huff says. “He’s got it.” Adds Cobb, the assistant coach, “He just glides.” Francis started running in seventh grade, in part for the solitude. “It’s like my escape place; I can be myself and run,” he says.

From page B-1

It would not only be SHS’s first cross country title but also the first boys team title in school history. While some of Sequim’s running success has come from hard work — just ask the runners who do hill repeats during a tough training session at Robin Hill County Park — Huff says a lot of what they bring the first day of practice is what determines a team’s future. “To have the potential for a state championship team, I’d say it’s 60 to 70 percent natural talent,” Huff says. “Then it’s offseason training, coaching and other variables. “In a small school (like Sequim) we can have good teams, but to have a team like this some luck is involved. And I’ve been lucky.” For much of the mid-2000s, much of the spotlight on Sequim cross country was on the girls’ program thanks to strong, deep teams led by standouts Stephanie Marcy (now Stephanie Dinius) and Allison Cutting. But starting in 2012, Sequim’s boys made the leap with influx of young talents like sophomores Mikey Cobb and Peter Ohnstad, freshmen C.J. Daniels, Chris Jeffko and Jackson Oliver, led by senior Adrian Clifford. The younger runners had talent, Huff could see, but he also asked them to put in the mileage. His prescription as the 500 mile club … 500 total miles during the summer months. “The number one thing to improve your time in a 5k (a standard prep cross country meet length) is total mileage,” Huff says. “And we run a lot during the season. We tend to run more total milage during the season (than other teams).” With miles under their proverbial belts, Sequim runners come into the first practice of the season ready to do quality workouts, Huff says, rather than making up for lost time. It has paid off. That 2012 Sequim boys team raced to a ninth-

From left, Sequim freshman Ash Francis, Jackson Oliver, Chris Jeffko, C.J. Daniels and Brendon Despain race to a virtual dead heat finish in Port Townsend on Oct. 7. Photo by Dave Shreffler

place finish at state and improved to fifth place in 2013 before last year’s runner-up finish. Sequim begins their 2015 run into the postseason at the Olympic League meet, set for Thursday, Oct. 21, at The Cedars at Dungeness golf course in Sequim.

Senior leadership

Helping lead the way is a trio of seniors in Oliver, Jeffko and Brendon Despain, a transplant from the Kirkland area. Despain moved to the area after attending Kamiakin his freshman year. “We knew his track times (and) we knew we’d gotten a gift,” Huff said. “He’s finally living up to his potential (this season).” Despain, a runner since seventh grade said his first year at Kamiakin, which boasted a strong program, was an eye-opener. “I didn’t even make varsity (that year),” Despain said. “They have a really good culture of running. Sequim is a lot more team-oriented. It’s a lot more fun over here … what high school was meant to be.” Despain likes that incentive running promotes to work hard. “How you do (depends on) your

work ethic — natural talent only goes so far.” Oliver is a bit of an oddity in the group, a three-sport star who is a key piece of SHS’s basketball team in the winter and placed second at the state 2A track and field meet in the high jump. “Probably the best athlete I’ve ever coached,” Huff says. “Brendon is a little more fiery,” assistant Michael Cobb notes, while “Jackson is mellow. Everybody loves Jackson.” Oliver started running in seventh grade, trying to knock off top SMS runner (and friend) Alex Barry. “I always got second,” Oliver says, laughing. Seeking his fourth appearance at the state cross country meet, Oliver says the mental toughness required to push through adversity — “that the person next to you is in the same amount of pain, or more” — is appealing. Jeffko was Sequim’s top finisher at last year’s state 2A meet, completing the course in 16:22 for 18th place overall. “He really works at it during the summer,” Huff says. “I enjoy running when I’m on the trail,” Jeffko says. With no

outside interference like a referee or judge, he says, he can enjoy the mental aspect of the sport, to train hard and beat his best times from previous years. “(And) I can eat what I want,” Jeffko says. Daniels is also looking at earning his fourth appearance at state. “He’s struggled some,” Huff says, of Daniels, “but he’s training better. C.J.’s place is going to be huge to determine where we place (as a team).” Not a fan of speed workouts, Daniels says his motivation comes from within. “Knowing I can be better inspires me,” he says. Wendall Lorenzen and Christian Ash have battled for top-seven varsity spots the past two years and look to round out the crew as they battle for postseason honors this fall as well. “(Wendall) is having his best year ever,” Huff says of Lorenzen. Lorenzen started running as a freshman and stuck with it in part because of the community around him. “Everyone is friendly and accepts you,” he says.” Ash says he started running as an eighth grader while living in

Teammates first While some teams have a kind of “ace” runner that separates themselves from the pack, Sequim’s varsity seven sees their top three seniors each vie for the top spot at any given race. A couple of seasons ago, Sequim runners noticed top runners for Gig Harbor, a premier running school, joined hands just before the finish line together. It’s a habit Sequim runners have taken to at some league meets this year, most recently bringing all five across the finish line at a meet in Port Townsend on Oct. 7. “We do it for each other,” Despain says. “It’s more important to be a team than to beat each other.” Admittedly, he says, that practice is likely over, with postseason starting Thursday. But the tradition of Sequim’s big finishes on the state stage? There may be one more in the near future. Reach Sequim Gazette editor Michael Dashiell at madashiell@ sequimgazette.com.

Sequim & Carlsborg

East to West ...

are Best!

Computer Repair / Tune-up

Data Recovery & Back-up

Local Technical Support

In-home Services Available

Virus & Malware Removal

591352666

High-speed Wireless Internet

Corner of 5th & Washington / 681-7050 Olympicwi-fi.com

SUNCREST VILLAGE AN INDEPENDENT LIVING RESIDENCE

AFFORDABLE

Estate Jewelry Sale

5A1417405

3 Days Only

HOUSING WITH ALL THE LUXURIES...

Thursday, Nov. 5th Friday, Nov. 6th Saturday, Nov. 7th

Kitchens, extra storage, daily meal, housekeeping, activities, transportation and utilities (except telephone and TV)

Interest-Free Financing, O.A.C.

WWW . SUNCRESTSRLIVING . COM

(next to Sequim Sunnyside Mini-Storage) Open Tues.-Fri. 10-5 •Sat. 10-4 • Closed Sun. & Mon.

FUN FOR EVERYONE!

get face to face with wildlife.

Helicopters

Check out our awesome Gift Shop! Local Wildlife Merchandise Keychains Household Items Coffee Mugs

Clothes Figurines Memorabilia Great Gift Ideas

Over 3 miles of driving adventures!

Family Fun Since 1972

HOME OF THE WAVING BEARS!

591352661

OLYMPIC GAME FARM

Trucks 5A1426933

And so much more!

Airplanes

Open Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Open Daily 9:00 am • 1423 Ward Road • Sequim

800-778-4295 • 360-683-4295 www.olygamefarm.com

360.681.0506

680 W Washington St., Suite B105

in Safeway plaza next to Radio Shack

for the latest in new products & great deals

www.rc-hobbies.com/sequim

561307016

360-683-1418 • 511 E. Washington St. Sequim, WA

360-681-3800 TDD 711

251 S. Fifth Ave., Sequim • suncrestvillage@gres.com

5A1440471

Elegant Jewelry at affordable prices

Income Limits Apply.


TTE

m. 7 way

6-8 uim See

nity :30 ner Gar-

SPORTS

March 9, 2016 • B-5

SEQUIM GAZETTE

SEQUIM GAZETTE

B-5

10arkse, ww.

am2:30 Seuim

.m. hly. rch Ave.

ung .m. ner Call ane . the 0-2 Bell shor om.

.m. ua’s, es.

.m. Stuim.

86. .se390 mak544; assses/ ers/ 083; 06; an– Friays, ness

ED ces.

ofit , 10 yer, dge, 308.

fold

ing ap-

call 4.

AL

NG!

ys

de

/

Sequim High grad Jasmine McMullin’s mark of 40 feet, 1.25 inches, won the triple jump at the Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championship. She’ll compete at the NCAA II Indoor Track & Field Championships this week. Photo courtesy of WWU Athletics

By leaps and bounds WWU triple jumper Jasmine McMullin enjoying a record-setting season

Jasmine McMullin competes for the Sequim High Wolves as a junior in April of 2012. After three seasons as an alternate to state McMullin earned a pair of top10 finishes at the state final as a senior. Sequim Gazette file photo by Michael Dashiell

Sequim grad headed to Division II nationals by MICHAEL DASHIELL Sequim Gazette

After nearly four years of sweat and toil, Jasmine McMullin — then a high school senior from Sequim — had made the biggest leap of her athletic career, a place on the medal stand at the Washington state 2A finals. Big ger t hings upon a grander stage were in store, however, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to McMULLIN jump in once again. “I was so unsure whether I wanted to even try to get on the team at Western,” says McMullin, now a junior at Western Washington University in Bellingham. “I contacted the coaches and they said I could walk on,” she recalls. “It was a very last-minute decision. Track turned into such a huge part of my life. It was a good last-minute decision.” Good for her, and for the Vikings too. In her third year at Western, the 2013 Sequim High grad has become one of the top Division II triple jumpers in the nation.

On Feb. 20, McMullin launched to a mark of 40 feet, 1.25 inches, to win the triple jump at the Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championship in Nampa, Idaho. Her effort is a WWU best and set a Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor meet record. It likely will be a top-five mark among all Division II colleges this year, WWU coaches noted. Western Washington coach Pee Wee Halsell recalls McMullin as an incoming freshman. “We try to look at people (performing at) a conference level — she was at the back end of that, to be honest,” Halsell says. “We had a pretty good rich tradition of the triple jump in the conference. “We had growing pains in her early years but that’s (true) with anybody. It’s her work ethic. To see her development, even this year from last year, is amazing.” McMullin and Western teammates Miranda Osadchey (high jump) and Travis Milbrandt (60-meter hurdles) compete at the NCAA II Indoor Track & Field Championships, set for March 1112 in Pittsburg, Kan. “I was just lucky to even get on

the team,” McMullin says now. “I didn’t have any huge goals, maybe make some friends. I wanted to get better in college … but I never dreamed of doing something like this.”

father noticed her athletic talent and suggested a number of times she had the potential to compete at the college level. In July of 2009, just prior to McMullin’s freshman year, Brian suffered a heart attack and died Perseverance while the two were out for a run. McMullin’s track and field ca“It was just really hard,” McMulreer began with her father Brian lin said in a previous interview. McMullin, who would take her and “(We) were really close, so I was younger brother Paul to run nearly See MCMULLIN, B-6 every day in the summer. Her

Semi-pro football returning to the peninsula Olympic Peninsula Jets squad looks to take off in 2016 by MICHAEL DASHIELL Sequim Gazette

Mike McMahan is looking for a few good players — the bigger, generally, all the better. A longtime semi-pro football player and coach, McMahan is looking to bring back semi-pro football to the Olympic Peninsula. The longtime player and coach is seeking players for The Olympic Peninsula Jets, who are slated to kick off their Northwest Football Alliance in May. McMahan hopes to have at least 25-30 players to take into the season. “We have the talent on the pen-

The semi-pro Olympic Peninsula Eagles (dark jerseys) take on the Northwest Avalanche in Sequim in 2007. Sequim Gazette file photo by Michael Dashiell

insula,” he says. “It’s getting the word out, getting them to come to practices.” Currently, the Jets have practices each Saturday from 10 a.m.-

1 p.m. at Greywolf Elementary School, 171 Carlsborg Road. McMahan said he’d add a weekday practice if there is enough interest from local players.

As of now, the Jets have a roster that boasts players from the far Northwest corner of the peninsula to the Bremerton area. It also includes a former Eagle standout in former Clallam Bay High star Eric Johnson Jr. But McMahan says that the Jets will need some bulk. “Finding the big guys (is key),” McMahan says. “You really don’t have a team (without them).” The Olympic Peninsula Eagles saw action from 2006-2012 and found homes in Sequim, Port Angeles and Port Townsend. McMahan was coach of the Eagles in 2010 and 2011 before stepping away from the team. But the three-time semi-pro Hall of Fame player — McMahan played quarterback in the Northwest Football League for 15 years for

See FOOTBALL, B-6

Work parties geared to prep disc golf course Sequim Gazette staff

Game on. Well, not quite yet. The Clallam County Parks Department is hosting two volunteer work parties at the location of the new disc golf course on Thompson Road, one mile east of Blyn, in early March. The first is set for 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, March 12, and the second is 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday, March 14. Interested parties are asked to RSVP by e-mail (parks@co.clallam. wa.us) or call (565-2659) for one or both parties, and to include the number of people in one’s group and work one is able/willing to do. The work entails clearing brush, moving downed trees, pruning, removing rocks, chipping woody debris and pulling Scotch broom. Participants are asked to bring tools they are comfortable using; tools needed include gloves, hand pruners, loppers, peaveys, pole saws, chainsaws, bow rakes and/or weedeaters. Provide personal eye and ear protection. A limited number of Scotch broom pullers and other tools will be available. Snacks and water will be provided. Volunteers must sign in at the site. Participants younger than 18 must be accompanied by and work with an adult.

About disc golf Disc golf is a game that combines the concepts of golf, basketball and frisbee. It can be played solo or with many, where each individual throws a small disc into baskets scattered throughout a course with natural obstacles, such as trees and hills. The object of the game is to traverse a course from start to finish with the fewest number of throws of the disc.

County OKs rezone In December, the property east of Sequim envisioned as a disc golf course got the needed approval by the Clallam County commissioners almost a decade after initial efforts to confirm a course location began. Changing the property from Rural Low to Parks and Recreation was the final step needed to allow county officials to begin building the longdiscussed 18-hole disc golf course. Past controversy on the location and park department priorities, time and funding kept the disc golf course from becoming a reality, but in 2010 county parks officials targeted a 40acre site adjacent to Thompson Road conducive for multiple configurations and varying features for players of all levels. In 2007, the original disc golf course proposal aimed at Robin Hill Farm County Park ceased after public concerns centered on the location arose, but led county officials to turn their attention to the property off Thompson Road. In May of last year, members of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board discussed public concerns associated with the Thompson Road site that primarily focused on the potential of increased traffic and loss of privacy — echoing those voiced by one nearby resident at the planning commission’s public hearing. Like the planning commission, in May the board voted to continue with proposed plans and by July they had submitted the necessary paperwork to rezone the property to the county’s Department of Community Development. Despite the space available, only about 20 acres are will be used for the course, county officials said. For more about the disc golf course, see clallam.net/Parks/discgolf.html.

Driving directions to the site From Sequim, travel east on U.S. Highway 101. Shortly after Seven Cedars Casino and Longhouse Market & Deli gas station, turn left onto Blyn Crossing. Take an immediate right and turn onto Old Blyn Highway. Beyond the Jamestown S’Klallam tribal administration buildings, keep to the right when the road forks, staying on Old Blyn Highway. About one-half mile past the fork, Thompson Road veers to the left. The parking area is about one-half mile up Thompson Road on the left.


B-6 • March 9, 2016

SEQUIM GAZETTE

Sequim squad wins drill team event at second meet Sequim Gazette staff

The Sequim Equestrian Team is in fine midseason form, earning 13 top-10 finishes at its second District 4 meet of the season, held in Spanaway on Feb. 26. With more than 100 competitors at the meet overall, the Sequim squad earned its first top finish of the season as Kelly Anders, Sydney Balkan, Amanda Murphy and Abi Payseno won the Drill Team Freestyle Fours event. Anders was runner-up in Reining while Balkan was second in Breakaway Roping and third in Steer Daubing. Payseno earned third in Pole Bending. “I am so proud of our team,” coach Katie Salmon-Newton said. “Everyone improved their placings this meet.” The third and final District 4 meet is set for April 8, also at the Spanaway facility. The state meet is May 12-15 in Monroe. Top Sequim results from the Feb. 26 meet are:

• Individual events Barrels: 10. Abi Payseno Breakaway Roping: 2. Sydney Balkan Dressage: 12. Balkan, 18. Haylie Newton, 20. Amanda Murphy Figure Eight: 17. Payseno Individual Flags: 6. Balkan, 15. Yana Hoesel Pole Bending: 3. Payseno Reining: 2. Kelly Anders Saddleseat: 8. Anders, 9. Murphy Steer Daubing: 3. Balkan, 5. Newton, 8. Murphy, 9. Anders, 12. Miranda Williams Stockseat: 11. Anders Trail: 19. Murphy Working Rancher: 11. Newton • Team events Birangle: 10. Balkan/Payseno Drill Team Freestyle Fours: 1. Anders/Balkan/Murphy/Payseno In-Hand Obstacle Relay: 10. Hoesel/Anders/Newton/Murphy Team Canadian Flags: 4. Balkan/Murphy/Newton/Williams Working Pairs: 8. Anders/Bal- Sequim Equestrian Team members celebrate a win in the Drill Team Freestyle Fours at the second Washington High School Equestrian District 4 meet in Spanaway on Feb. 26. Submitted photo kan, 13. Murphy/Williams.

McMullin From page B-5

really, really heartbroken.” She credited her Sequim High School teammates’ friendliness and welcoming attitude for her sticking with the sport. For three years at Sequim High McMullin posted strong efforts on the track, showing particular promise in both long jump and triple jump events and in Sequim’s 4x200 and 4x400 relays. After leaping to identical 32-foot, 7-inch season bests in the triple jump as a freshman and sophomore, McMullin hit 33 feet, 2.5 inches as a junior. The marks were good, and it earned her a spot at the state meet each year — but only as an alternate. It was in 2013, her senior season, that McMullin broke through, vaulting to a 36-foot, 4.5-inch triple jump at the Olympic League championships that set a school record. She broke her own record at a sub-district meet a week later, then broke off a 36-foot, 8.5-inch triple jump at a district meet that remains her top prep mark. She went on to place third at the state 2A meet with a 35-7.25 effort in the triple jump and missed the medal stand in the long jump by one place, taking ninth overall with a 16-foot, 7.5-inch leap. Her triple jump and long jump were tops on the North Olympic Peninsula that year. Still, McMullin was unsure if she wanted to take on track at the next level. Now, as McMullin puts it, “I can’t even imagine what Western what be like without track.”

NIGEL SETS SIGHTS ON CENTRALIA Sequim High School senior Nigel Christian signs his letter of intent to pitch for Centralia Community College’s baseball squad next fall. Christian was an all-Olympic League honorable mention as a sophomore and junior. As a sophomore, Christian had three wins, a 3.00 ERA and 33 strikeouts. As a junior, he was 2-2 with a 3.23 ERA and 23 strikeouts despite an injury that cut short his season. Photo courtesy of Dave Ditlefsen

Wear and tear As the Western track coach at Western sees it, the triple jump simply isn’t for everybody. “You’ve got to have decent speed, good resilience and strength; it’s probably the toughest (event) on the body,” Halsell says. “You have to know when to rest, when to push through things. Plus, you’ve got three jumps, not just the one, so it’s coordination.” McMullin says she’s suffered some of

COMMUNITY SCOREBOARD Basketball Port Angeles Recreation men’s league • Feb. 29 7 Cedars Casino 77, Anytime Fitness 58. Leading scorers — 7 Cedars: Kasey Ulin 22, Colton Raben 18; Anytime: Sten Christanson 14, Dave Stofferahn 12 NW Builders 51, Sunny Farms 48. Leading scorers — NW: Randy Vernstra 17, Jeremy Gilchrist 13; Sunny: Jeremy Stewart 17, Ryan Dahl 12 Angeles Plumbing 71, Elwha River Casino 67. Leading scorers — Angeles: Caleb Treider 23, Ricky Porter 11; Elwha: Keith O’Neel 24, Rich Albaugh 16.

Football

From page B-5 teams and has coached for 28 years, 12 of those with semi-pro teams — couldn’t stay away from football for long; last year, he was an offensive coordinator for the

ND New Dungeness Nursery .com Bareroot fruit & flowering trees.

FUN FOR EVERYONE!

Jets team colors are red, white and blue. They’ll take on other teams in the Northwest Football Alliance this spring and summer, including the Snohomish County Thunder, Portland Shine, Seattle Orcas (based in Auburn) and Washington (based in Tacoma). S e e w w w.le a guelineup.com /welcome. asp?url=nwfootballalliance for more about the league. For more information, contact McMahan via email at mkmcmhn63@ aol.com or call (425) 9315111.

H arold Huff dPM

680 W Washington St., Suite B105

www.rc-hobbies.com/sequim

(360) 582-2651 777 N. Fifth Ave. • Sequim Medical Plaza

360.681.0506

in Safeway plaza next to Radio Shack

for the latest in new products & great deals

finding a field situation,” he says. The Jets are gearing up for at least six games (three home, three away) in 2016, but McMahan hasn’t locked down a site for home games just yet. Despite having played home games previously at Sequim High School, Port Townsend’s Memorial Field and Port Angeles’ Roosevelt Elementary School, those fields and PA’s Civic Field aren’t options right now, McMahan says, so he’s looking at possibly Quilcene or Chimacum to host games.

S

S C

M 9 Hal “Ch tes Sch Seq M 6 Par tion libr 582 6 Hig ty sch qui M 3 Par tion bra Cal M 9 wol “Ch tes Sch Seq 1 Sch wor roo Cal M S Pen M 5 Sch me rep me At s N. 326 M 7 Sch me roo Cal

I war hus ful wen tha ery F the all did whe aga on was all pho ay loo rest to o I spe the the I no thin beh

E

3 o

C

560166

Residential & Commercial Landscaping LANDSCI966RW

Open Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Reach editor Michael Dashiell at editor@sequimgazette.com.

Offering: • Treatment of sport or non-sport injuries of foot and ankle • Orthotic prescription/evaluation • Diabetic foot care • Surgical treatment of foot/ankle conditions.

621500249

Open 7 Days • Mon-Sat 9-5 p.m. Sun 10-3 p.m. 4911 Sequim Dungeness Way (in Dungeness, just past Nash’s)

“He’s always on my mind,” she says. “I’m really happy and sad ... to think of what he would say.” An English major at Western, McMullin has set her sights on becoming an elementary school teacher. As it turns out, the practices and competitions haven’t deterred McMullin from her professional goal. She’s still on track to graduate with a teaching degree and elementary education certification. Most of McMullin’s family — mom Jane and grandparents Ed and Patty DuPraw — are still in Sequim. It’s a draw that has McMullin thinking she’d be happy to be back in her hometown after earning her degree. “I would love to come back and teach in Sequim, and even coach in Sequim,” she says. There’s still some work — academic and athletic — to do. Still, McMullin has leapt into some rarified air. “In high school I just had very little self confidence,” she says. “Even when I got to Western, that was a huge thing. That was one of the things my coaches tried to do fix, to convince me I could do something special. It started to get me to believe in myself.”

Board Certified Surgery Member Podiatric Sports Academy Trucks

FREE Landscape consultation... make an appointment with our landscape designer.

360-681-0132 landbyc@dungenesslandscaper.com

Helicopters

Airplanes 631519486

AND VEGGIES TOO!

those aches and pains. “You can’t be afraid of shin or knee problems,” she says. “Triple jump is really hard on your body. It looks difficult to learn. I think once you get started and just get the timing right, it’s really fun to bounce the air.” Says Halsell, “You’ve got to know what your body’s doing. That’s a big part of where her growth has been. She’s done a lot of work on the field as well as off.” The work paid of with marked improvements in her freshman and sophomore years at WWU. Now McMullin is competing with the best Division II triple jumpers. Halsell says McMullin may have bigger leaps in her future. “Time will tell,” he says. “Yes, we can refine (her jump). I can see places where we can tweak her landing. “How much further?” Halsell muses rhetorically. “That’s a good question.” A 41-foot jump is possible he says. “She’s becoming more and more consistent.” Plus, the WWU coach says, McMullin approaches her training with a good attitude. “She’s good to work with, and fun, a sense of humor,” Halsell says. McMullin says she still carries memories of her father as inspiration with her.

Port Angeles High School Roughriders. Now, McMahan says, it’s time to give those out of high school a chance to fulfill their football dreams. Where exactly they will do that is not determined, the Jets coach says. “The biggest problem is

New shipment of ornamental conifers.

Lots of Rhododendrons and Roses Roses Roses!

Jasmine McMullin, a 2013 Sequim High graduate, has found her stride — and triple jump — as a junior at Western Washington University. Photo courtesy of WWU Athletics

SEQ


B COMMUNITY

It’s baaaaaaaack!

Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015

SECTION

SEQUIM GAZETTE

Big Hurt returns to peninsula

B-5

Sports • Arts & Entertainment • Schools • Calendar

Gardening classes, photographer Art Wolfe and lots of fun! Is it time for you to treat yourself to some gardening-related education? Once a year the public has the opportunity to participate in a collection of exceptional classes at a conference organized by Master Gardeners. This year the conference entitled, “Explore, Learn and Lead,” GET IT will be in Vancou- GROWING ver, Wash., Sept. by Judy 16-19. English This will be a fantastic opportunity for individuals to expand their knowledge, learn new gardening skills, get new ideas and meet other gardeners and educators. Wednesday afternoon features a variety of tours. Classes begin on Thursday morning and wrap up on Saturday morning. You can enroll for all or a portion of the conference. All conference events will be held at the Vancouver Hilton Hotel. Vancouver is easy driving distance from the peninsula, so you can drive, relax and join others to “Explore, Learn and Lead.” There will be 32 research-based seminars available covering topics on horticulture, environmental issues, food gardening and volunteer leadership skills. A description of each class and registration instructions are available at the website: mastergardener. wsu.edu. The horticulture track will offer classes on “Beneficial Insects, Spiders and Other Mini-Creatures in Your Garden,” “Natives for Erosion Control and Groundcover,” “Gardening in a Changing Climate” and six more. The environmental issues track will offer classes on “Climate Change,” “The Effect of Climate Change on Trees for the 21st Century,” “An Objective Look at Genetically Modified Foods” and five more. The food gardening track will offer classes on “Edible Heirlooms,” “Preserving the Soil Food Web,” “Mixed Vegetable Crop Planning,” and four more.

Top left: SHS’s 1923 basketball team, including (back row, from left) unknown,Orie McKinney, Maurice Van Antwerp and coach Paul A. Davis, with (front row, from left) Theodore Monson, Iris Marshall and Bill Alton. Top left: SHS’s ski club, circa 1960s. At left: Sequim High School students Leonard Fernie, Helen Knoph, Neva Peterson and Godwin O’Brien are the school’s first graduates in 1915 Photos courtesy of the Sequim Museum and Arts Center

Sequim All-Class Reunion Aug. 14-16 Schedule of events: Friday • Golf Tournament, nine-hole two-man scramble Registration begins at noon, tee-off at 1 p.m., The Cedars at Dungeness, 1965 Woodcock Road, $25 • Sequim VFW get-together 7 p.m. Sequim VFW, 168 E. Washington St., free. Saturday • Assembly, lunch, car show Check-in 9 a.m.-noon, Lunch 11:30 a.m. Assembly 1 p.m. $25 registration includes Alumni Association membership for 1 year • Buffet Dinner Social hour 5 p.m. Dinner 6 p.m. Sequim Boys & Girls Club, 400 W. Fir St. $40. RSVP closed. Sunday • Tour the Dungeness Schoolhouse with the Sequim Museum & Arts Center 10 a.m.-noon, 2781 Towne Road • Sunday Pioneer Picnic Noon at the Sequim Prairie Grange, 290 MacLeay Road, free To pre-register, contact Hazel Lowe at 683-5315 or Kevin Kennedy at 253-2291673 or geoduck01@hotmail.com.

See GROWING, B-2

Celebrating a centennial of Sequim grads Registration remains open for Aug. 14-16 All-Class Reunion by MATTHEW NASH Sequim Gazette

It’s time for Sequim to celebrate graduation again. A little over 100 years ago, Sequim High sent off its first four graduates Leonard Fernie, Helen Knoph, Goodwin O’Brien and Neva Peterson. Since then the high school has hosted at least 8,500 Sequimites who donned caps and gowns for graduation night. Organizers of the Sequim AllClass Reunion want to celebrate the centennial of the first graduating class by bringing together as many Sequim grads as possible for Aug. 14-16. Kevin Kennedy, Class of 1975 and reunion chairman, said

sign-ups still are happening on Saturday morning from 9 a.m.noon at Sequim High School. Hazel Lowe, Class of 1959 and registration coordinator, said they have about 450 people signed up so far with more expected on Saturday. Planned for the weekend are a two-man scramble at The Cedars at Dungeness beginning at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14. Fees apply. Later that night, a free get-together begins at 7 p.m. in the Sequim VFW. The following morning, lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. at the Sequim High School cafeteria followed by a car show outside and an assembly in the high school auditorium featuring stories and a walk-through Sequim High School’s history.

Fees apply. In the evening, a buffet dinner by 7 Cedars Casino begins at 6 p.m. at the Sequim Boys & Girls Club with a social hour at 5 p.m. however the RSVP is full. On Sunday morning, the Sequim Museum & Arts Center hosts tours of the Dungeness Schoolhouse from 9-11 a.m. followed by the free alumni picnic at the Sequim Prairie Grange. Kennedy recommends preregistering by contacting him at 253-229-1673 or geoduck01@ hotmail.com.

Sequim springboard All-Class Reunions were set for every four years, Kennedy said, but this time they were set five years ahead to coincide with the centennial of the first class graduating. Terri Lillquist, Class of 1962

See GRADS, B-2

SUP, without making a splash by MICHAEL DASHIELL Sequim Gazette

Whatever happens, I have a gut feeling I’m going to be drinking half of this body of water. But I don’t tell this to my guide — at least, not right away. It’s my first time on a stand up paddle board. As far as water sports go, I consider myself a middleweight. I’m not going to set any world records in much of Sequim Gazette editor Michael Dashiell tries his hand at stand up paddling on Sequim anything water-based — or on land for that matter — but I’ve Bay in late July. Photo courtesy of Shanon Dell New 2014 Jeep®

Deadlines

WILDER

Chrysler Dodge Jeep® Ram

You Can Count On Us! 53 Jetta Way, Port Angeles 1-800-927-9372 • 360-452-9268 www.wilderchryslerdodgejeepram.com

Sale Prices are plus tax, license and a negotiable $150 documentation fee. All vehicles shown are One Only at this Price. Photos for illustration purposes only. See Wilder Chrysler Dodge Jeep® Ram for complete details. Ad expires 8/31/15.

Limited 4x4

27 999

SALE PRICE

581367148

Deadline for items appearing in B-section is 5 p.m. Wednesday one week before publication at editor@sequimgazette.com or delivered to the Sequim Gazette office at 147 W. Washington St.

COMPASS $ , New 2014 Dodge

CHALLENGER $ , SRT8

45 999

SALE PRICE

done a bit of kayaking, canoeing, waterskiing (two skis), wakeboarding and the like. What has me a bit uneasy is my very limited experience with surfing (one afternoon, tried and failed to get up multiple times) and my knack for sinking like a rock. But stand up paddle boarding — or SUP, as the kids say these days — seems like a nice way to ease myself back on the water. An offshoot of surfing that origi-

Sun/Sound Group Premium Sound Group Power Express Open/Close Sunroof 2 Articulating Liftgate Speakers 9 Boston Acoustic Speakers w/Subwoofer Security and Cargo Convenience Group High Beam Daytime Running Headlamps Remote Start System Security Alarm

Soft Tonneau Cover Uconnect Voice Command w/Bluetooth Remote USB Port Rear View Auto Dim Mirror w/Microphone Radio: Uconnect 430N CD/DVD/MP3/HDD/NAV 40GB Hard Drive w/28GB Available SIRIUSXM Travel Link 1-Year SIRIUSXM Travel Link Service ... and MUCH MORE!

5-Speed Automatic 3.06 Rear Axle Ratio Autostick Automatic Transmission Remote Start System Steering Wheel Mounted Shift Control Engine: 6.4L V8 SRT HEMI MDS Remote Start System Transmission: 5-Speed Automatic Premium Leather Trimmed Bucket Seats

3.06 Rear Axle Ratio Quick Order Package 22X 50 State Emissions Steering Wheel Mounted Shift Control Autostick Automatic Transmission ... and MUCH MORE!

STOP BY FOR A TEST DRIVE TODAY!

nated in Hawaii, SUP combines the physical activity of moving one’s self atop the water via a board and single paddle with one of my favorite recreational activities: standing and looking around at this ridiculously beautiful place we live. My guide for the afternoon is Shanon Dell of Given to Glide Paddle Sports. Dell has agreed to take this novice out onto Sequim Bay and see if this late 30s journalist will float, sink or maybe catch on to this stand up paddling thing.

See SUP, B-7 STK#C7944

STK#C8018


TTE

Aug. 12, 2015 • B-7

SEQUIM GAZETTE

SUP

Stand Up Paddling on the Olympic Peninsula

From page B-1 First things first Before we hit the water, Shanon goes through the basics and they start with safety first. That Shanon says, starts with footwear. Since our beautiful Washington beaches are prettier to look at than to walk upon, I’m doing sandals today. Second is the personal floatation device, or the PFD. My guide says the U.S. Coast Guard needs the PFD to be at least on the board but he has his students/guide-takers wear them at all times. I’m in the safetyfirst boat on that one. Third is the leash. Surfers are familiar with the velcro strap that goes around the ankle so that, in case one falls from the board it doesn’t wind up floating to Canada. Shanon keeps his whistle and card on him, along with a pack that has a first aid kit, tow rope and marine radio inside — just in case anything goes wrong. “Haven’t had that happen yet; hopefully it never will,” he says. Like a pilot who trains for the worst … Then, we cover a key part of staying dry: getting up on the board. Start on your knees, Shanon says, with the paddle across the board. Then either step your way up with the paddle in the water or yogastyle-walk up to a standing position. All stability comes from the paddle, he says, much like a walking stick. And if that doesn’t work and you find yourself in the drink, he says, stay calm, grab the board, reach over it and kick your legs. That moves you up onto the board. “People think they have bad balance,” Shanon says, but he notes Shanon Dell of Given to Glide Paddle Sports checks his stand up paddle board before heading out for a lesson it may be just a lack of confidence. on Sequim Bay. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell I know the feeling. paddle, just back level to my feet, — for Sequim, anyway — and the Hanging in the balance Sea legs water is perfectly cool underneath. This looks like a (massive) surf- and again. My instinct is to paddle As instructed, I carefully walk up board but it feels way more like a past my feet, which can turn the Shanon puts the board in to an inlet just south of John Wayne Ma- the board and, after a bit of wob- kayak. As I paddle, I feel my feet board away from where I want to go. We work on basic turns, with a rina and Pitship Point. It’s protected bling, I get my sea legs under me. struggle a bit to keep perfect balwide, quarter-circle sweep that gradAt fi rst it’s a little disconcerting ance. Slight movements in my from winds and currents coming ually moves the board left or right. standing atop the board, but after a core help. from the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Hardly anyone else is in the little Shanon notes this is a great ex“It’s a perfect spot for beginners few moments I realize I don’t have to try it out,” Shanon says. “Most a mouthful of Sequim Bay and my ercise for one’s core muscles. Like cove and we paddle past buoyed of the boats don’t come through confidence grows. Shanon’s right: kayaking, the movements come boats, the occasional bird and a keeping the paddle in the water adds more from one’s middle and less couple of kids in mini-kayaks. here.” Then we cover some tricks and from one’s arms and shoulders, if My guide says he’s seeing a lot of to my balance. techniques in case things go awry, My borrowed board is a bit wider done correctly. couples in their 40s who are new “I got a lot of people from the such as in stormy weather or boat to Sequim trying out stand up and heavier than my guide’s; at about 32 inches wide, 11.5 feet long kayak side who don’t like sitting in wakes or currents taking us where paddling. we don’t want to go. Shanon points “You can be almost any age (and and 31 pounds, this feels like a cruis- a kayak all day,” he says. er, while Shanon’s board is thinner Kayaks can go farther and faster, out that currents from the north enjoy this),” Shanon says. I negotiate the rocks and bar- and lighter (27 pounds), built for but SUP seems a lot less compli- tend to take SUP-ers toward Schoolhouse Point, with a return trip takcated to get on the water. nacles and hop on the board, strad- more speed and maneuverability. Now, we get moving and take on Shanon shows me how to reach ing twice as long. dling it and pushing away from the We try out a kind of SUP-kayak almost past the board with my shore. It’s a blazing hot afternoon the turns.

At left, Gazette editor Michael Dashiell tries — with limited success — to master the pivot turn. Photo courtesy fo Shanon Dell At right, Shanon Dell gives instruction on correct paddling form atop a stand up paddle board. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

SAVE THIS DATE! August 19th Please Join Us for a Fundraising Event

COUPON

• Where: Applebee’s in Sequim • When: Wednesday, August 19th • Time: 11am–Midnight (all day) How it works: Present this coupon to your server and 15% of your bill will be donated to the Sequim High School Band – 810070

551296482

excludes alcoholic beverages

• Given to Glide Paddle Sports Located next to John Wayne’s Waterfront Resort Stand up paddling tours, lessons, rentals; also provides kayak, canoe rentals (425) 422-4085 www.giventoglide.com, www. facebook.com/giventoglidepaddle • GoXpeditions Located just north of John Wayne Marina, 2577 West Sequim Bay Road Stand up paddle board and kayak rentals; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Sunday 360-300-7544 www.facebook.com/GoXpeditions, www.facebook.com/GoXpeditions In Port Angeles

• Adventures Through Kayaking

(417-3015, tammi@atkayaking.com, www.atkayaking.com) • Olympic Raft and Kayak (888-4521443, info@raftandkayak.com, www. raftandkayak.com) style, with us kneeling on the board and using both sides of the paddle, and then getting down low and using our hands as if a big wind were bearing down on us. “When in doubt,” Shanon tells me, “paddle.”

Leaving the rat race During a break, Shanon tells me a bit more about his business. Turns out we have some things in common. Shanon left a career in media with, most recently, NBCnews.com, to come to the peninsula. A few years back, a friend encouraged him to do a stand up paddle lesson and it just stuck. “That’s when things changed,” Shanon says. Shanon’s a media tech for Peninsula College’s Port Hadlock campus for part of the year along with his SUP business. Now he’s in his second year of tours and lessons here on Sequim Bay. He paddles a bit near the Dungeness Spit and Port Williams but sticks around here so he can know his “office” better. With the wind a mere breeze, we work on speed. Trying to make my desk-jockey abs do at least some of the work, I try quick, over-the-head strokes that really get the board moving. Sweet! We finish the lesson with pivot turns. Shanon shows me how to (carefully) step back on the board and bring one foot to a side, which pushes the front of the board slightly up and out of the water. While this compromises balance a tad, turns become much more pronounced. Along with the foot placement, I practice sweeping the paddle across the board and finishing with a half-circle on the other side, which produces a significantly sharper turn. “I usually save this for the end of the lesson,” Shanon notes. Good call, as three or four times I nearly end up tipping over. In the end, it was a dry, enjoyable day out on Sequim Bay, with a new sport to consider and a new perspective from my view atop a stand up paddle board. Reach Sequim Gazette editor Michael Dashiell at editor@ sequimgazette.com.

Home Care Is Our Mission

Providing the highest quality home care to seniors and people with disabilities for more than 30 years • We are licensed by the state and accept insurance, private pay and DSHS. We serve all income levels. • Services range from housework to personal care including medication reminders, incontinent care, transportation, bathing, dressing, transfers and protective supervision.

• We provide care from one hour to twenty-four hour live in. We offer respite as well as overnight care and bathing services. • We pride ourselves on employing the highest caliber of staff assuring our clients the best quality in-home care services.

4A1136233 860447

Please call for a free in-home evaluation: (360) 417-5420 or 1-855-582-2700 www.ccsww.org


B COMMUNITY Wednesday, June 3, 2015

SECTION

SEQUIM GAZETTE

Wonders abound in Sequim’s First Friday Art Walk

B-3, B-10

Sports • Arts & Entertainment • Schools • Calendar

2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK 2015

Wolves race into history books TRACK & FIELD

Led by javelin champ Alex Barry, SHS boys earn best finish at state (4th)

Sequim High sophomore Alex McMenamin now has two top-10 state finishes in her career. She placed ninth at last week’s state tourney. Sequim Gazette file photo by Matthew Nash

Sequim girls get pair of top-five finishes

GOLF

by MICHAEL DASHIELL Sequim Gazette

Sequim’s boys were saving the best for last — and that’s saying something. With senior Alex Barry already holding a state champion medal in javelin, junior Jackson Oliver with a second-place finish in the high jump and junior Oscar Herrera with a pair of medals for top-six finishes in both hurdles events, the Wolves took it to another level at Saturday’s cla s s 2 A BARRY state track and field championships at Taco- Sequim’s Oscar Herrera brings it home for the Sequim Wolves’ 4x400 relay squad, topping the field for a number ma’s Mount Tahoma High School. of school firsts. It was Sequim’s first relay state title, one that propelled Sequim to a fourth-place finish as a Sequim’s 4x400 relay team — team, the highest finish for an SHS boys team ever. Oh, and the 3:22.53 finish? Photo by Dave Shreffler Barry, Herrera, senior Miguel Moroles and junior Jason Springer, blistered the track for a state titlewinning finish in three minutes, 22.53 seconds. In the process, the Wolves broke a 28-year-old school record and launched their squad to a fourth-place finish in the team standings, the best-ever finish for Sequim’s boys and equaling SHS’s girls team tied for fourth place in 2010. “It was really a magical moment for them; it was hard to get them off the field,” Sequim head coach Brad Moore said. “That was icing on the cake.” The win capped a strong finish Sequim High junior Jackson Oliver, left, tied for second in for both Sequim girls and boys the high jump after clearing 6 feet, 4 inches. Fellow SHS track squads, who brought home junior Waverly Shreffler raced to a fourth-place finish in the 800 and helped Sequim’s girls 4x400 relay team take fifth. Sequim Gazette photos by Michael Dashiell

See TRACK, B-7

SHS’s Shea, McMenamin take top 10 finishes Sequim girls place seventh by MATTHEW NASH Sequim Gazette

Two top-10 finishes at state, two Olympic League MVPs, one girls team league title, five competitors at state plus three more at districts and Sequim’s golf squads had another exemplary year putting the right numbers on the greens this spring. Jack Shea and Alex McMenamin, both league MVPs who shot 36.9 and 39.4 on nine hole averages in the regular season, led the Wolves at the 2A golf state tournament last week. Shea, a junior, shot a 75 on 18 holes for the first day of the tournament on May 27 at Liberty Lake in Spokane. He followed it with a round of 70 for 145 to finish in a tie for 10th place and 5-over-par with Chase McIntosh of Liberty High. Boys coach Bill Shea said

See GOLF, B-7

Tennis takes eighth

SHS doubles duo Karen Chan and Cheyanne Sokkappa earns a spot on the medal stand at state tennis championships in Seattle. See story, B-5

Sequim falls to Othello, Orting at state tourney FASTPITCH

SHS team, coaches proud of five-year run BY MATTHEW NASH Sequim Gazette

Sequim continued its streak last weekend with its fifth straight appearance at the 2A fastpitch championships. But they faced some stiff competition in their two games on May 29 going 0-2 versus the Othello Huskies and Orting Cardinals in

Deadlines

See FASTPITCH, B-7

Sequim fastpitch players (from left) MaryLu Clift, Emily Copeland, Tia Bourm, Jordan Bentz, Allysen Montelius and teammates capped their 2015 season at the class 2A state tournament in Selah last weekend. Sequim Gazette file photo by Michael Dashiell

www.wilderauto.com www.wilderauto.com www.wilderauto.com Click Here 24-7

561307007

Deadline for items appearing in B-section is 5 p.m. Wednesday one week before publication at editor@sequimgazette.com or delivered to the Sequim Gazette office at 147 W. Washington St.

Carlon Park in Selah. The Wolves opened against Othello, last year’s runner-up, and couldn’t get their bats to connect. They were hitless through five innings until Jordan Bentz broke the streak in the top of the fifth with a single. Kaylee Gumm recorded Sequim’s only other hit, a single, in the sixth inning. Othello’s Madison Martinez went seven innings, striking out 10 Wolves. “(Othello) is a really good team and pretty much had everyone back,” Sequim fastpitch coach Mike McFarlen said.


TTE

June 3, 2015 • B-7

SEQUIM GAZETTE

Fastpitch From page B-1

the up, son am, und

ymtereet Perors ded nce hey und ahbin, sha ad, am. 16 ree ica ges’ dyrro tive

da

ood naldsbut the

mily ourght d at un!” first

oln

een

15,

wn

ose

per

mpUp

ug-

ug-

6-1 7-2 wha 7-2 7-3 5-5 2-7 1-7 1-9

9-1 8-2 6-4 6-4 5-5 3-7 3-7 -10

8-2 7-3 6-4 4-6 4-6 4-6 3-7

In the consolation bracket, the Wolves faced Orting and saw it go down to the wire in the 6-5 loss. The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead with an RBI sacrifice fly in the first inning and again in the third to go up 2-0. However, MaryLu Clift evened the game with a tworun home run in the top of the fourth with Allysen Montelius on base. Orting responded in the bottom of the fourth with two more runs to go back up 4-2. Clift knocked in another runner, Nicole Anders, in the top of the fifth for a fielder’s choice to close the gap 4-3. In the seventh, Gumm tied the game with an RBI single bringing in Adrienne Haggerty and Clift scored on an RBI single from McKenzie Bentz to go up 5-4. However, the Cardinals scored in the bottom of the seventh following a double and a single to tie the game and after an overthrow the runners advanced, McFarlen said.

Sequim High seniors (from left) Olivia Kirsch, MaryLu Clift, Tia Bourm and Shelby Lott share a moment at the state 2A tournament in Selah last weekend. Submitted photo

The next batter hit a right field single for the 6-5 win. “We should’ve won but it just didn’t work out,” McFarlen said. Sequim also battled the heat, which was in the 90s. “It affects the game especially for pitchers and catchers,” McFarlen said. Right fielder Tia Bourm said their hitting just felt off. “We practiced so much for fast pitchers but they were pitching slower to us,” she said. “We were too excited. We couldn’t pick up the speed of

the ball.” McKenzie Behkne picked up the win for the Cardinals and struck out 12 Wolves. For their two games, Bourm and Clift won sportsmanship awards. Port Angeles also went 0-2 at the tournament with a 15-3 loss to first-place finishers W.F. West and 8-5 to Anacortes.

Big five Sequim (9-3 in Olympic League, 15-9 overall) was one of 16 teams to qualify

for state. “We surprised a lot of people just by getting there,” McFarlen said. “The girls really came together. There’s not a lot of teams that make it back five years in a row. That’s a pretty big accomplishment.” Bourm was one of four seniors on the squad with Clift, Olivia Kirsch and Shelby Lott who served as team manager after an injury. “As a team we’re pretty proud to go to state,” she said. “It was really emotional. We knew it was our last time.” One moment that stood out for her was when fellow outfielders Montelius and Chloie Sparks made a cheer for her during their traditional outfield talk each inning. On the season, McFarlen said Kirsch stepped up a lot pitching and playing third base, and McKenzie Bentz was the Wolves’ workhorse pitching and catching. Next year, Sequim coaches will consider another pitching platoon anchored with Bentz and Montelius, he said. “I fully expect to go to state again next year,” McFarlen said.

Track

From page B-1 six medals for top-eight finishes, and came close to bringing home even more. SHS junior Waverly Shreffler raced to a fourth-place finish in the 800-meter race on Friday, then helped Sequim’s 4x400 relay team — along with Gretchen Happe, Heidi Vereide and Mercedes Woods — take fifth a day later with a 4:10.04 mark. “We had an amazing prelim race (on Thursday),” Shreffler said, noting the team’s 4:06.96 effort. “In general, it’s hard to PR in the finals because everybody’s tired. We were tired (but) to have placed fifth overall good way to end the season. We really had to prove ourselves.” Shreffler took third in the preliminaries in the 800 and had a lead in the finals before relenting for fourth in 2:20.84, 2.7 seconds behind freshman phenom Heather Hanson of Anacortes. “This was really a learning year for her, going from a 400 runner to an 800 runner,” Moore said. “It’s simply a matter of getting more mileage in her. Once she gets more of a base under her she’s going to be dangerous.” “I never would have expected to make it where I did,” Sheffler said. “I ended up really liking the race, the strategy (of the 800) versus the pure speed (of the 400-meter race). I was extremely happy

Sequim High golfer Jack Shea was on target with his goal to finish in the top 10 at the state 2A golf tournament. Sequim Gazette file photo by Matthew Nash

Golf

Jack Shea matched his personal goals to make the second day cut and finish in the top 10. From page B-1 “Jack’s strong play actually started on the sixth hole of day one,” Bill Shea said. “He was 5-over-par through five holes, then played the rest of the day at even par. The second day he finished up the day at even, so he actually played his last 31 holes even-par.” Bill Shea said Jack Shea was striking the ball the best he’s ever seen on the second day. “He had about four or five 10-foot birdies that he missed, but was on pace to shoot in the mid 60s,” Bill Shea said. “If he keeps working hard, I believe he has a good opportunity to win state next year.” Aaron Whalen of Ephrata finished in first place, shooting a 66 and 67 for 133 and 7-under-par. Travis Priest made state for the second year for Sequim, too. He shot an 85 on day one and missed the cut for day two by five strokes. Bill Shea said Priest set his goals on the season to make state and the second day cut. “Other than two bad breaks that resulted in a triple and double bogey, he was on pace to reach that goal,” he said. “(Priest) had a great season and all-league honors, so it was a nice way to end his high school golf career.”

Girls send three to state

SHS senior Josh Cibene goes up and over in the state 2A pole vault finals Friday in Tacoma. Cibene placed 10th in the event, clearing 13 feet. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

to have placed fourth. I really gave it everything I had.” Barry had a first for Sequim High as a Wolf after earning two state meet first place medals, but he had inauspicious starts to both events. Prior to the javelin event Friday morning, coaches realized that they’d left the javelin Barry uses in another van. Coaches returned with the instrument in plenty of time to help Barry launch a throw of 185 feet, 1 inch to lock down the title. “I just wanted to have fun, get my goal, do my best,” Barry said following his winning throw. Barry, who signed a letter of intent to compete in track and field at Western Washington

Sequim’s Waverly Shreffler hands off to Gretchen Happe in the preliminaries of Thursday’s state 2A 4x400 girls relay. Sequim placed fifth in the competition two days later. Photo by Dave Shreffler

University next fall, hurt his ankle later that day competing in the triple jump. The leg injury not only kept him from his final three jumps — he placed ninth overall — but put his participation in the 4x400 relay in question. “The trainers on site cleared him, and I had (assistant coach B.J. Schade) work him out a little bit, and he said, ‘He’s good to go.’” Sequim came in with the fourth-best time for the final but wound up knocking off favorites West ValleySpokane, Sedro-Woolley and Lynden by a healthy margin. “Nobody had us on their radar ready to win this thing,” Moore said. “One the of the most exciting moments I’ve ver seen in a race.” Teammate Jackson OliSequim’s Alex Barry throws a state-best 185 feet, 1 inch, ver nearly came away with at Friday’s 2A state track and field meet in Tacoma. Sequim another Sequim first place medal, settling for second Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell

place in the high jump after clearing 6 feet, 4 inches. None of the four finalists — Oliver, Jeremy Bade of East ValleyYakima, Austin Sandberg of Ephrata and eventual champ Max English of Kingston — cleared 6-5, so English won by tiebreaker. Herrera had a busy state meet, racing to sixth place in the 110-meter high hurdles in 15.32 seconds and fourth place in the 300-meter hurdles in 39.63 seconds.

Working on Wellness® presents

Aging Gracefully

Sequim Family Dentistry EXPERIENCE

Wednesday June 10th, 2015 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

INTEGRITY

30 combined years of dental excellence

2nd opinions always complimentary

COMPASSION

OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU

After all, family is our middle name

Back Row: Dr. Brian Juel, Kristyn, Stephanie, Heidi Middle: Krystal, JES, Pam, Nichole Front: Dr. Nathan Gelder

www.sequimfamilydentistr y.com

Presented by: Britton Moss, PT, MPT, OCS, CSCS

No reservations required. For more information please call

582-0218

Trinity United Methodist Church

100 South Blake Street, Sequim, WA

Working on Wellness® is a program of

This Wellness Forum is offered in collaboration with the Sequim Gazette

561322210

681-TUTH (8884)

775816

321 N. Sequim Ave., Suite B • Sequim, WA 98382

As a sophomore, McMenamin finished with another top-10 finish at state. Last year, she placed third and this year tied for ninth place with Stormie Follon of Franklin Pierce shooting an 81 and 84 for 165 at MeadowWood Golf Course’s 18 holes, par-72 course. “Alex had a great year,” girls coach Gary Kettel said. “She played well (at state but not to her potential. She had some putting woes but she was Sequim’s Kailee Price made the second playing excellently day cut at the state 2A golf tournament and hitting the last weekend, placing 30th overall. ball great.” Kenedee Peters of Ephrata finished in first place at 5-under-par with a 139 (71, 68) and 19 shots ahead of second place. “(State) makes (McMenamin) realize she needs to work a little harder on her game and move to the next level,” Kettel said. “I think she wants to really compete with the players like (Peters) and I think she’ll work harder this next year. It keeps her striving to be better.” Senior Kailee Price shot a personal best on day one (88) for the Wolves and a 99 on day two to finish at 187 for 30th place. “With the pressure and surroundings, she had her best round ever,” Kettel said. “I think everything just came together. It was perfect weather with no wind.” Also a senior, Brianna Kettel shot a 102 in round one to finish six shots from making the day two cut. “She played all four years and was ecstatic to be there,” Gary Kettel said. “She had her best personal match to qualify for state at districts at Gold Mountain (on May 19 in Bremerton).” As a team, Sequim’s girls finished seventh with 42.5 points. “I’m proud of the girls,” Gary Kettel said. “They played hard all year.” Along with MVP, Brianna Kettel and freshman Sarah Shea were named all-league.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.