Volleyball

Though they won’t win a state title this season, the Bainbridge volleyball team comes away with a lovely parting gift.

The Spartans were announced as 3A academic champions Friday. The team had a 3.795 GPA for the season. It’s the third highest among all classifications for the sport.

It’s the first academic title ever for Bainbridge volleyball and the first title for the high school since the 2006-07 season when the gymnastics team won with a 3.818 GPA.

“Its good,” head coach Julie Miller said. “The girls were very proud to win it, even though it was unexpected.”

Miller said she’s always had a good team when it came to academics.

“I’ve never had a problem with (girls getting bad) grades,” she said. “Most of the girls have always been self motivated when it come to academics. They help (tutor) each other if there is ever an issue.”

The Dairy Farmers of Washington/Les Schwab Tires Scholastic award is open to all sports teams be they varsity, JV or freshman, according to the WIAA website. It’s also open to dance and drill teams, cheerleading squads and fine arts groups like bands, choirs, orchestras, dramatic troupes and forensic teams. Winners are determined by the team’s average GPA.

Winners earn a certificate and a plaque presented to them at their respective state tournament. The 3A volleyball tournament is Nov. 11-12 at the Toyota Center in Kennewick.

Miller said they hope they can go and accept their award as a team.

“It would be really fun,” she said. “It would be great for the girls to go to the state tournament and see what it’s like to be there and to be motivated by it to do well on and off the court.”

The following players were listed: Emma Burgess, Madeline Casey, Sarah Dacquisto, Lauren Easley, Kat Frickleton, Erin Kinney, Maureen McCormick, Cali Moore, Nina Mutty, Maddy Stevenson and Amanda Witt.

Boys water polo

Team Ray finished up its regular season as the state tournament draws near.

Against CPA Oct. 14, an undefeated independent team made up of players from various schools, Bainbridge held firm defensively and went into the half tied at two. But CPA overpowered Ray in the second half and won 12-4. Goals were scored by Alex Nowjack, Alex Gorman, Jared Bell and Grant Dunaway.

Against top-ranked Mercer Island, Bainbridge lost 13-5 on Thursday. Dunaway and Bell scored two goals while Nowjack had one.

Against Kentridge Monday, Ray lost 13-7. Bell led the way with four goals and two assists while Gabe Clark had two goals. Dunaway had three assists while Blake Harper had six blocks.

Against second-ranked Roosevelt, Bainbridge played the Roughriders on Tuesday and were down 5-4 going into the fourth quarter, but lost 11-7. Bell had two goals and three assists while Dunaway had three goals and drew four ejections.

The state tournament is Nov. 6-7 at the King County Aquatic Center.

Girls lacrosse

Sylvia Warren was recently named the West Side Lacrosse Washington Girls’ Player of the Year.

Warren, who grew up on Bainbridge but attended Lakeside High School in Seattle, was a four-year varsity player in the midfield.

She scored 52 goals in the regular season and led the Lions to a fifth straight Division I title in May over Bainbridge.

Warren, now a freshman at Harvard, was also named first-team All-State and was selected as an All-American along with Bainbridge midfielder Jaclyn Biggers.

Cross Country

The Bainbridge Blazers XC completed an undefeated season at 6-0 with a big win over six other middle schools Oct. 14 at Battle Point Park.

The Blazers bested Billings Middle School (Seattle), Crosspoint Academy, Eastside Prep, Ridgetop and Poulsbo Middle School.

The team is made up of sixth, seventh and eighth graders drawn from both island middle schools, Madrona, West Sound Academy and several that are home schooled. The team is coached by Jim Whiting and Marianne Lindsey.

In what is termed the largest middle school cross country meet in Puget Sound, seven girls and six boys finished in the top ten for their respective sides over the 1.5 mile course.

For the girls, Mikelle Ackerley took first with a time of 9:24 while Natalie Ackerley was second with a time of 9:30.

Malena Delgado was third with a time of 9:47 while Naomi von Ruden was fifth with a time of 10:03.

Morgan Blevins was sixth with a time of 10:15 while Amanda Siefert was eighth with a time of 10:20. Niki Dixon was ninth with a time of 10:35.

For the boys, Ryan Cox was the top finisher with a time of 8:53 for second overall.

Anders Tonsmann was fourth with a time of 9:42 while Will Morris was seventh with a time of 9:52.

Arthur Bacon was eighth with a time of 9:53 while David Kimmerlein was ninth with a time of 9:57. Connor Evans finished tenth with a time of 10:00.

“We were especially gratified by the turnout in the final meet and hope that next year having 100 kids at each home meet becomes standard,” Whiting said.

For more info, visit jimwhiting.com.