Girls 4×400 sets personal best, holds on to top spot in 3A.
Even though they didn’t have any competition, the Bainbridge girls 4×400 track team didn’t hold back.
The foursome of Lizzy Brackett, Kelly Crane, Maddy Sheldon and Sylvia Stellmacher posted a time of 4:09.2 Thursday in the Spartans’ meet against Bishop Blanchet and Chief Sealth.
It’s a personal best for the squad, and it replaces their previous best in 3A by under a second.
O’Keefe and Crane also took second and fourth, respectively, in the 400 meter dash.
O’Keefe and Crane, along with Lauren Fleming and Emilee Agosta, posted a time of 1:57.6 in the 4×200 relay.
Annie Taylor was first in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:29.1 while Emily Farrar was first in the 1600 run with a time of 5:20.5.
The 4×100 relay team also took first with a time of 51.7.
Anna Kaminiski and Theresa Johansen went 1-2 in the shot put, then switched finishes in the discus throw.
On the boys’ side, the 4×400 relay team took first with a time of 3:38.3.
They are currently fourth in the state in 3A with their best time of 3:29.32.
The 4×100 relay team of Anthony Carter, Kiyle Playter, Kyle Szarzynski and Stephen Vassiliadis were first with a time of 45.1.
Playter and Szarzynski took second and third, respectively, in the 100 dash while Szarzynski finished second in the 200 dash.
Griffin Dunn took first in the 400 run while Ian Shiach won the 800 run and Adam Nance placed first in the 1600 run.
Cheyne Clark finished first in the 100 hurdles and the pole vault with a mark of 14 feet, nine inches.
He currently sits in fourth in 3A in the pole vault.
Brad Wilmot finished first in the high jump and the triple jump while James Herman took first in the shot put.
The girls lost 86-54 to Blanchet while the boys lost 75.5-74.5.
Both teams head to the South Kitsap Invite Saturday, then host O’Dea, Holy Names and West Seattle in the last home meet of the season next Thursday.
Kickers defeat Blanchet, take first
Tuesday’s game against Bishop Blanchet was probably the biggest game the Bainbridge boys’ soccer team has played in some time.
It didn’t let the opportunity go by.
The Spartans got a score each from Ben Jones and Ben Van Drunen while the defense and goalie Logan Connor turned in another stellar effort to help Bainbridge defeat Blanchet 2-1 and solidify their first-place spot in the Metro League Mountain Division.
The loss is the first for the Braves this season while Bainbridge stays undefeated.
Bainbridge almost got on the board in the sixth minute when Colin Gremse arched a shot that hit the top of the crossbar and dropped mere inches from the goal line.
In the 23rd minute, Tom Elliot booted a free kick from midfield that glanced off the left side of the goal, but Bainbridge couldn’t score off the rebound.
But in the 34th minute, the Spartans made some nice passes deep in Braves territory, the last of which came from Kyle Scoble as he put the one touch in the right spot for Jones to easily send it past Braves goalie Geoff Bloom for the score.
“It was an amazing pass from Kyle,” Jones said.
In the second half, Van Drunen was in the right place at the right time as a failed clear came right to him.
He didn’t hesitate, rocketing one in from 20 yards out past the outstretched hands of the goalkeeper as it ricocheted off the right goal post and went in at the 54th minute.
“I just got a touch and hit it,” Van Drunen said. “I felt pretty pressed (for time) because I knew the guy was running at me but I felt like I had enough time to take a shot.”
Blanchet wouldn’t stay down for long as they kept possession at Bainbridge’s end of the field to get on the board.
At the 68th minute, Jeff Read put a corner kick right on the money to finally get the Braves on the board.
That was all the scoring they could muster, as Johnny Baggett and the rest of the defense held Blanchet from scoring, while Connor stopped what few shots came his way.
Bainbridge (4-0-1, 7-0-3) hosts Lakeside in its last home game of the season next Tuesday at 5:15 p.m.
Hardballers stuck in losing streak
It’s tough when you can’t use your best players.
That’s how Bainbridge baseball head coach Jayson Gore is trying to deal with things, as injuries have wracked his team as of late.
And it’s shown in a now five-game losing streak as the Spartans lost 7-4 to Lakeside Tuesday and 7-2 to Bishop Blanchet Thursday.
Against the Braves, the Spartans got on the board first when Will Martin drove in Mario McLaughlin with a RBI single.
Meanwhile, Colby Morse did his best, keeping Blanchet off balance and allowing one run off a homer by Cameron Cutter.
He also turned a nice double play when he caught a pop bunt and doubled a Brave runner off of second.
But in the seventh, Morse gave up a walk, a single, a double and a single as Blanchet took the lead.
Mackenzie Bond came on in relief, but after getting a force at second, he gave up a walk and a three-run home run to Josh Sale.
Against the Lions, the Spartans took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI double by Colin Bowman.
But Lakeside scored six in the second to take the lead for good, while the Spartans could only muster two more runs the rest of the way.
Kevin McCormick went 3 for 4 with a double.
Bainbridge plays Jackson at Everett Memorial Stadium Saturday.
They host Ingraham Monday.
Fastpitchers keep on winning
On the other side, the Bainbridge fastpitch team keeps rolling.
The Spartans notched two more double-digit wins with a 17-0 blowout against Nathan Hale in three innings and a 16-0 pasting of Lakeside in three innings.
Against the Raiders, Lindsay Willmann got her fourth win of the year, giving up just one hit while striking out five. She also went 2 for 3 with a home run and four RBIs.
Kaitlin Gaspich also tripled and had two RBIs.
Against the Lions, Karen Robinson threw two innings of no-hit ball for the win.
Haylee Baker threw the first inning, striking out two, while going 3 for 3 with her second two-home run game of the year, one of which was a grand slam. She drove in five runs.
Brittany Wisner was 2 for 3 with an RBI while Lauren Reichert tripled and drove in three runs.
Bainbridge hosts Ingraham Monday.
Tennis avenges early season loss
The Bainbridge tennis team avenged an earlier loss to O’Dea/Holy Names with a 6-5 win Wednesday at Lower Woodland in Seattle.
On the girls’ side, Grace Porter defeated Rachel Storz of Holy Names 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.
On the boys’ side, Scott Alderson defeated O’Dea’s Daniel DeRocco 6-3, 6-0 while Sam Clancey beat Charlie Baer 6-2, 6-4.
The boys’ doubles team of Ryan Hunt and David Gruber beat Patrick Farricker and Andrew Chen in straight sets while the team of Jonathan Potter and Euimin Jung defeated Paul Brune and David Livingstorn 6-2, 6-4.
The mixed doubles team of Paige Tejera and Tim Buxton defeated Megan Dupuy and Jonathan Fole 6-2, 7-5.
At the Pepsi Invite in Yakima last weekend, the varsity boys and JV girls won trophies.
Lacrossers keep on dominating
Both Bainbridge lacrosse teams earned another win this week.
The top-ranked boys blew out a shorthanded Curtis 17-2 on the road Wednesday night.
Sam Snow had four goals and two assists while Bjorn Ostenson had four goals and Garrett Lund scored two goals and had two assists.
Evan Wright and Max Olsen had two goals and an assist each.
The top-ranked girls defeated Holy Names 17-8 Wednesday night in Seattle.
Lucy Schlesser led the way with six goals and an assist.
Sydney Whitaker had four goals and an assist along with two ground balls, two caused turnovers and three draw controls.
Natalie Evans had three goals, an assist and six draw controls.
Rachel Harmon had five ground balls and five caused turnovers.
The boys hosted Eastlake yesterday and travel to Lakeside next Tuesday.
The girls traveled to North Kitsap yesterday.
BIGC girls send several to state
The Bainbridge Island Gymnastics Club completing another successful season.
The boys’ Level 6 and Level 8 gymnastics team competed in the regional meet in Portland on April 12-13.
Nathaniel Opalski, a Level 6 gymnast, took first place on the parallel bars, fourth place on rings, fourth place on high bar and seventh place in the all-around.
On the Level 8 team, Bryan Peterson tied for third place on rings and took 13th place in the all-around while Alex Powell took third place on rings and 12th place in the all-around for his age division.
Charlie Dickey finished in eighth place on both the floor and rings and took 13th place in the all-around.
Federal Way High School was the site for the girls gymnastics sectionals meet on April 12 and 13 as several girls from BIGC qualified for the state meet which will be held April 26.
At level 6, Chloe Seferos finished with an all-around score of 34.050 which earned her a fourth place finish for her age group. She finished fourth on the vault, bars, and floor and fifth on beam.
Sarah Rice also qualified for state with an all-around score of 33.7.
At level 4, three girls from the Bainbridge Island Recreational Gymnastics team earned a trip to state.
Hanna Friel finished with an all-around score of 33.275, Laura Hilst scored 32.650 and Megan Duncan scored 34.825 which put her in third place for her age group.
Also competing at level 6 was Miller Shor who finished sectionals with an all-around score of 31.575.
Also finishing off their first competitive season at sectionals were three BIGC level 4 girls, all seven years old.
Morgan Dierickx scored 30.750, Jianna Kaufman scored 30.175 and Mia Bruzzo scored 29.150.
On the level 4 recreational team Jessica Loken earned a 29.750 and Sara Turpen earned a 30.1.
– From information supplied by BIGC’s Christine Brown and Teresa Bruzzo
For those interested in continuing their athletic careers in college, but aren’t sure how to go about it, a representative from Varsity Student Institute in Bellevue will be at Bainbridge High School to help out.
Bruce Beall will be at BHS at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 25 in room 303 to discuss a myriad of topics related to college athletics.
Those include: an overview of NCAA rules, scholarships and financial ad, how to find a school that fits one’s academic, athletic and lifestyle concerns, how to differentiate between the three divisions of NCAA and what the parents’ role and responsibilities are in their athlete’s decision.
For more info, contact Bruce at bruce@go-vsi.com or call 206-356-6205.
