SeaTown Sports

Fantasy Football Start/Sit: Week 11

noreply@blogger.com (Evan) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:51:00 +0000

With the bye weeks in the past, options abound for fantasy owners. That is, unless you are a Micheal Turner or Ronnie Brown owner. To help you fill out your lineup in Week 11, read my start/sits after the break.

Start: Eli Manning, QB, Giants: Manning faces a Falcons secondary that has given up the 7th most points to opposing QBs. Manning has had two weeks of rest and is at home, so I expect a bounce-back game from Eli.

Start: Matt Schuab, QB, Texans: Okay, so you probably were already starting him. But if not, you must get Schuab into your lineup. He is at home, coming off a bye week, and faces a Tennessee secondary that has given up the most points to opposing QBs in the NFL. I expect a huge game from Schuab.

Sit: Phillip Rivers, QB, Chargers: Rivers faces a Broncos secondary that has been fourth-best against the quarterback so far this year. If you have better options, start them.

Start: Jamal Lewis, RB, Browns: Sure, Lewis has struggled recently. But the last time he faced a defense in the bottom half of the NFL against the run (back in Week 5 against Buffalo), Lewis tallied 117 yards on 31 carries. Though he may not get quite as much yardage, I see Lewis reaching the end zone and having a start-worthy day against a porous Detroit run defense.

Start: Beanie Wells, Cardinals: Wells has been increasingly receiving more work, with 12 or more carries four out of the past five games. With more touches, he has been putting up decent fantasy points, and this should continue against the fourth-worst St. Louis run defense.

Start: Rickie Williams, RB, Dolphins: Man, these Thursday night games make my job easy.

Sit: Ryan Grant, RB, Packers: Though Grant has performed well of late, he has only been able to do so against poor defenses. His past five games, he has only reached double digits against Detroit, Cleveland and Tampa Bay. Don’t sit him unless you have better options, but don’t expect a big game either.

Sit: Joseph Addai, RB, Colts: On the road, against a stifling Baltimore run defense, and with Donald Brown back and taking carries away, Addai’s production should fall off in this matchup.

Start: Steve Smith, WR, Giants: When Manning plays well, Smith gets his fantasy points too. Against a banged up Falcons secondary, I fully expect Smith to put up numbers similar to those at the beginning of the season.

Start: Steve Breaston, WR, Cardinals: Though the Rams are middle of the road as far as pass defenses, the Cardinals are still a pass-first team. And though he is their number three wideout, Breaston has still gotten his looks, getting over 60 yards and a touchdown the past two games. Watch for him to keep this streak going.

Sit: Mike Sims-Walker, WR, Jaguars: With Sims-Walker’s upside, its hard to bench him. But Walker faces the Bills, who give up the second-least points to opposing wide receivers, as well as the most to opposing running backs. While MJD should run all day, this means that Walker will get limited looks.

Start: Greg Olson, TE, Bears: The Eagles give up the second-most points to opposing tight ends, and Olson has been getting more involved in the passing game. Get him in your lineup.

Seatowning 11/21/09

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0000

If you're interested in watching the Cougars play football, you won't be able to. However, you can catch them on one of these radio stations: AM 850 and AM 1090. Other than that, there are no other local sports on TV or on the radio today. I'd imagine the Oregon and Arizona game would be the Pac-10 football game to watch today. They'll be on at 5:07pm on channel 4.

Check out today's links after the jump

Local
+Jerome Randle vs. Isaiah Thomas: Who's better? [Dime]
+Guide to tempo-free statistics, I talk about KenPom a lot, figure out what exactly it is here: [UW Dawg Pound]
+Ryan Doumit will actually be a name worth keeping an eye on [USS Mariner]
+This post has nothing to do with baseball, yet it makes perfect sense anyways [Lookout Landing]
+Wouldn't that be funny if Holmgren returned [FanNation]

The Evolution of Quincy Pondexter (Through 4 Games)

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

The Huskies looked solid last night. Although, former-Husky Adrian Oliver torched them for a good 30 points. Quincy Pondexter had some interesting things to say about Oliver leaving the Husky program. Check out his quote here.

Speaking of Pondexter, he has impressed me throughout these first four games. He has picked up right where he left off after his stellar play in the NCAA tournament in March. I don't know how he's reached this level of play, but there is no doubt that he is a different player from last season.

These last four games he's put up point totals of 12, 25, 29, and 30. Last night to go along with his 30 points, he had 15 rebounds as well. Looking at the stat line, I could have mistaken him for Jon Brockman circa 2009. I did not know Pondexter had the capability to grab 15 rebounds, but he has been able to do it. It looks like this team will be another classic dominating rebounding team, even with the loss of Brockman.

Obviously, the season is still young, and it is still too early to reach some conclusions about Pondexter and his play, but I do not foresee this guy declining. If there has been one way to characterize his play in his past three years at UW, it would easily be his inconsistency. Ever since he arrived a four star recruit, UW fans have patiently waited for a breakout season. Pondexter did have glimpses of above average scoring ability, but this season he has reached a new level.

Perhaps the most interesting development to come out of Pondexter's newfound scoring prowess has nothing to do with him. If Pondexter is putting up 20 point nights, what exactly happens to the production of Isaiah Thomas? Isaiah will still score at least 15 points and is just another threat for teams to zero in on. I do not think opposing teams or even Coach Romar know who this team's first option is. This makes the Huskies an extremely dangerous team that will be scoring points in the bunches.

I am looking forward to the Huskies' game on December 12th against Georgetown. We will see how Pondexter will be able to handle a well-capable defender, and by that time we'll have more games to judge this Husky offense on.

Live Game Thread - San Jose State at UW

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:30:00 +0000

Game 4

San Jose St. (1-0, away) vs. University of Washington (3-0, home)

Hec Edmundson Pavilion

Official Opponent Site: San Jose State

November 20, 2009

TV: FSN Radio: 950 KJR

Probable Starters:

San Diego St.

C - Chris Oakes, 6-10, Sr., 12.0 ppg.

F - C.J. Webster, 6-9, Jr., 7

F - Chris Jones, 6-4, Fr., 13

G - Adrian Oliver, 6-4, Jr., 11

G - Justin Graham, 6-4, Jr., 18

F - Matthew Bryan Amaning, 6-9, Jr., 11.3ppg

F - Darnell Gant, 6-8, So., 4

G - Quincy Pondexter, 6-6, Sr., 22

G - Isaiah Thomas, 5-8, So., 24.7

G - Venoy Overton, 5-11, Jr., 6.3

Come and watch the game with us! Join the discussion in the comments.

Q and A with Shelby Lyman, Archbishop Murphy Guard

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

The high school basketball season is officially under way! We got a chance to talk to one of the state's top guards, Shelby Lyman from Archbishop Murphy. Lyman will be heading off to Cornell next season to play basketball. Check out our interview with her after the jump!

What individual and team goals do you have entering this basketball season?
As a team we want to win another Cascade Conference title and another District 1 title, and then hopefully make a run at the State Tournament and get a trophy. Also we want to learn from last year, like what we did to be successful and how we can improve on things that maybe weren’t as good as they should have been. As far as individual goals go, I just want to do what I can to get the team a win. Also I want to push this team to improve and become the best we can be.

Who is your main competition in the league this year?
Kings should be pretty good this year, they have some starters coming back and a new coach. Also Sultan is returning their top score and some core players as well.

Did you do anything this off season to prepare for this upcoming season, your senior year?
I ran cross country this year to come into the season in better shape and I went to the gym and did some lifting and agality stuff. I got a lot of shots up this offseason and spent a lot of time working on my ball handling, mainly moving the ball quicker.

What would you say is your biggest strength as a basketball player?
My shooting and my ball handling.

Are there any particular college players or pro players that you model your game after?
I loved watching JJ Redick play while he was at Duke. Each year he added something to his game and became a complete player and a great leader and that is what I have tried to do while at Murphy. I took a lot of things I watched him do and tried to intergrated them into my game. Like coming off screens and I watched how he created his on shot.

So why did you choose Cornell, were you getting recruited by any other colleges?
Yes, I was. I narrowed my choices to Whitman and Cornell, but I also had interest from Rochester and Seattle Pacific. I chose Cornell because of the education, they have a great business program which was one of the things I was looking for in a school. Also the team and the coaches reminded me of the Murphy team and coaching staff so I felt comfortable when I was on my visit. Another reason why I decided on Cornell was because of location. I want to go away for school just to experience living in another part of the country.

Well, thanks for your time Shelby, and good luck this season!
Thanks!

Twittering Live High School Basketball in Seattle

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

It was great seeing the implementation of the hash tag #wafbscores on Twitter this past high school football season. This is a public service announcement for a new hash tag to be used by everyone with twitter that will be attending high school basketball games around the state of Washington. The hash tag will be #wabbscores for girl's games it will be #wagbscores.

If you will be attending games this season and have a cell phone with text messaging, you can easily contribute by signing up for Twitter. If you need help or are new to Twitter, post a comment and we'll help you out. Spread the word, we want to get a lot of people involved.

Q and A with Tanner Riley, Mount Si Shooting Guard

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0000

Tanner Riley will be entering his final season of basketball at Mount Si. Next year, Riley will be playing basketball at the University of Portland. He was ranked number eight on our player rankings last week. We got a chance to talk to Riley about his basketball career so far, this upcoming season, and his future at Portland. Check out our interview with him after the jump!
What is your mindset like going into your final season of high school basketball?
I want to make the most of it, doing everything I can to go as far as I think the team can. I expect nothing less but to be in the state championship.

Besides yourself, who are some key returners on Mount Si that will help make this goal a possibility?
We have 8 seniors this season that all have varsity experience. I think our senior leadership and experience will be huge. Luke Zupan and Zander Nelson are the two other captians and will be a huge part of our success this year.

How was your off-season? Are you fully recovered from your ankle injury?
My off-season after my injury kinda sucked. However, it was good for me at the same time. I did a lot of rehabbing and lifting and really got the chance to sit back for a couple months and watch the game from the sideline. This really helped me understand the game even more. I would say my ankle is feeling a lot better but not quite a 100% probably like 90%, it is taking a lot longer than I expected, but I will be ready to go in our first game.

I understand you played for Friends of Hoop for the past couple of years, how was it playing with an AAU team with so much talent? What are you going to miss most about AAU basketball?
FOH was great for me, it is a lot more different playing with people just as good if not better than you. Practices were extremely competitve and you got a lot better going up against your teamates every practice. Our team was expecially cool because egos were put aside and we really played together and became really close as a team. We ended up beating some of the most talented teams in the country because of the way we played together. It really is a great program, just look at our starting five who are all playing D1 next year.What I will miss most about AAU and FOH are the trips we got to go on and the competition we got to play against. I became really close with all of those guys.

Who was the starting five for FOH? Who was the best player you've ever defended?
Our starting five was Aaron Bright, Joe Harris, Ryan Nicholas, John Gage, and Me. In Atlanta we played Team Elite and I matched up with Brandon Knight for half the game, I would say he is the hardest player I've ever had to defend.

What would you say is your biggest strength as a basketball player?
My biggest strength I would say is my stroke, all around shooting mid range and long range.

If you could compare yourself to a current college player or NBA player, who would it be?
I have always seen me as playing like OJ Mayo. He just can shoot it and is athletic enough that he can finish at the hole and create for himself.

We recently ranked the top players in the state, check it out. Are there any players we missed out on? Any underrated players that you think are going to have breakout seasons this year? How do you feel about where you're ranked?
Yes I've seen it. I think Isiah Umapig will have a break out year, he really impressed me this summer how poised he was. I think where I am ranked is right on. The players ahead of me all have been just as successful as me if not more and have got a bunch of credit for it. I think the top ten is pretty right on. The top eight could go any way.

Why did you choose Portland? Did you have any other offers on the table?
Yes I had offers from Portland, Eastern Washington, Portland State, Seattle U, and University of Montana. Three more schools were getting to the point to offering me. I chose Portland because they have great coaches. I think the WCC is a great conference with some great teams. The Portland program is on the uprise and it's a great school academically. It felt like a great fit for me.

Well, thanks for your time, and good luck this season!
Anytime Kevin

Weekly Grades: In Pondexter We Trust

noreply@blogger.com (Evan) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

It’s been awhile, but the weekly grades are finally back. With football in full swing and college hoops picking up, there’s been a lot of news lately in the SeaTown. Read my weekly grades after the break.

Quincy Pondexter: The Huskies sole senior and captain has stepped up to lead the Huskies basketball team through their first three victories. Last year, we dubbed Pondexter the “X-Factor,” but this year he will have to provide consistent leadership if the Dawgs are going to live up to their preseason hype (ranked No. 14). Pondexter played a key role in each of UW’s first three wins.

In the opener against Wright State, Pondexter struggled early but bounced back late to help seal the victory with several key baskets, finishing with 12 points and 9 rebounds. Against Belmont, Quincy helped lead the Dawgs again, with 25 points and 9 boards. Then, facing Portland State, Pondexter put up career best numbers with 29 points and 13 rebounds.

Granted, none of these games were against quality opponents. However, the Pondexter we have seen thus far seems to be ready to take on the mantle of leadership and prove to be the steady force Husky fans have been waiting for four years for. With Isaiah Thomas and Bryan-Amaning helping to take on the scoring load, these Huskies may be just as good as hoped. Grade: A

Justin Forsett: Forsett was the lone bright spot in the Seahawks’ 20-31 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The loss, which virtually pushed the Hawks out of playoff contention three games behind the Cards, saw the Seahawks lose an early 14-0 lead. It looks to be another long season for football fans in Seattle.

However, Forsett looked outstanding in his first opportunity as the feature back. Coming in after Julius Jones left the game in the first quarter, he tallied 123 yards, his first NFL touchdown, and 7.2 ypc. And though the Cards seemed to be heavily playing the pass, Forsett runs hard and yesterday picked up a lot of yards after contact. Grade: A-

University of Washington Football Team: The Huskies were blown out Saturday by the Oregon State Beavers, losing 48-21. The loss knocked the Dawgs out of bowl contention, a possibility that once seemed likely after UW’s defeat of USC.

However, there is still plenty to look forward to this season. The Apple cup next Saturday quickly approaches, and I am looking forward to the Huskies laying the wood to those Cougs. The Apple Cup’s more important than a bowl game anyways, right? Well, maybe not. But at least its good compensation. Grade: D-

Live Game Thread - Portland State at UW

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:29:00 +0000

Game 3

Portland St. (0-2, away) vs. University of Washington (2-0, home)

Hec Edmundson Pavilion

Official Opponent Site: Portland State

November 15, 2009

TV: FSN Radio: 950 KJR

Probable Starters:

Portland St.
F - Julius Thomas, 6-5, Sr., 12.5 ppg.
F - Nelson, 6-8, Jr., 11
F - J. Jones, 6-7, Sr., 9
G - M. Jones, 5-10, Jr., 16
G - Waters, 6-1, Sr., 14

UW
F - Matthew Bryan Amaning, 6-9, Jr., 13.0ppg
F - Darnell Gant, 6-8, So., 3
G - Quincy Pondexter, 6-6, Sr., 18.5
G - Isaiah Thomas, 5-8, So., 26.5
G - Venoy Overton, 5-11, Jr., 4

Come and watch the game with us! Join the discussion in the comments.

UW vs. OSU Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

The Huskies headed into Beaver country aiming to keep their bowl hopes alive with a win on Saturday, but instead the Beavers handed the Huskies their fourth straight loss. Oregon State has now won six straight against the Huskies, and the Beavers dreams of going to the Rose Bowl are shaping up.

With Saturday’s 48-21 loss, the Huskies are on the other side of the spectrum with their bowl hopes officially gone. They are now only ahead of the Cougars in the Pac-10, and memories of the team that beat USC are fading away.

Entering Washington’s game with Oregon State, the Huskies needed to take momentum early. The Beavers are known for coming out early, taking momentum and putting up points in the first quarter. Washington knew they could not afford to let the game fall into this pattern, but that is exactly what happened.

A poor throw by Locker resulted in an interception by standout linebacker Keaton Kristick that put the beavers at Washington’s own 17-yard line. The Beaver offense, led by the Rodgers brothers and quarterback Sean Canfield, took advantage of the short field. Canfield hooked up for the score with Joe Halahuni, who made his first and second touchdown receptions of the year in Saturday’s contest.

Immediately, the momentum was in the favor of the Beavers. This trend continued even as UW finally put points on the board late in the second quarter, making the score 20-7. Jermaine Kearse made a textbook move in the end zone to get open, and a scrambling Jake Locker bought time and found Kearse for six points. At last, the Husky offense seemed to be taking momentum, but the Beavers came right back.

With 2:21 remaining in the half, Canfield led OSU down the field with a drive that resulted in a James Rodgers touchdown reception. The half finished with the Beavers up 27-7.

Oregon State continued to prove their dominance in the second half, which opened with 84-yard kickoff return to the Washington 1-yard line by James Rodgers. With more big plays from the Rodgers brothers and Canfield, who had four passing touchdowns, the Beavers chomped their way through the porous Husky defense. This created a deficit that an average performance by the UW offense could not overcome.

All of this resulted in a result that Husky fans are getting a little to use too, another loss on Saturday.

OSU offense vs. UW defense: Mismatch
The Beaver’s weapons on offense manhandled the Husky defense for 48 points. The familiar faces for OSU showed up big time. Jacquizz Rodgers had 159 yards on the ground with two scores, and older brother James had 46 yards receiving and two touchdowns as well. UW could not keep up with the speed and skill of the brothers from Richmond, Texas.

Their quarterback Sean Canfield also had a great game in his last game in Corvalis. Canfield tossed for four touchdowns and took advantage of every opportunity on his senior day. The Husky defensive line had a tough time getting to Canfield and getting pressure in the backfield on runs. As a result, the secondary could not stop Canfield who had time nearly every pass play, and Quizz was able to reach the second line of defense on runs with ease. \

All in all, the Husky defense had another disappointing performance.

Jake Locker and the passing game
Despite an early interception and some inconsistency, Locker played reasonably well, but not his best. He passed for 153 yards and three touchdowns. All three touchdowns showed tremendous skill on the part of Locker as he kept the plays alive with his feet and showed off his arm with accurate throws to his receivers.

Jermaine Kearse, Locker’s favorite target, had another great game. He had 70 yards receiving and caught two of Locker’s touchdowns. On the last play from scrimmage for the Huskies, they had probably their best-looking play of the game. Locker avoided defenders and fired a strike to Kavario Middleton, who stretched over the goal line for the score.

Chris Polk
Polk had another solid game on the ground for the Huskies, and he will clearly be a go to guy for Washington on many Saturdays to come. The workhorse freshman rushed for 116 yards on 19 carries. He was most impressive in the second quarter when he rushed successively for 23 yards and 16 yards, setting up a Washington score.

However, he did fumble early in the fourth quarter, and even though the game was practically out of reach for the Huskies, any fumble is cause for distress. With that said, he is definitely a reliable runner, and he has a chance for 1,000 yards, quite a feat for a freshman.

Looking to the Apple Cup
The Huskies have one week off, and then they face off against the Cougars in the Apple Cup. WSU has won the last two meetings between the two teams, but the Huskies should be able to beat WSU this year, a team that some consider to be the worst team in division 1 football. Their only win came against Southern Methodist in overtime.

However, this game for the Huskies might not be a picnic. They have looked simply awful in their last four games, and they carry no momentum into the Apple Cup.

Seatowning 11/14/09

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0000

Besides the big Pacquiao/Cotto boxing match tonight, there is still a fair amount of Seattle sports on TV/radio to follow. At 5pm on FSN you can catch Gonzaga in their season opener against Mississippi Valley St. At 7pm the Huskies basketball team will take on Belmont, it won't be televised but you can catch the action on 950 KJR.

Also, we have restructured our interview tab on the top. Now when you click on it you'll see one post with a directory of all of the interviews we've done. This format is easier to navigate.

Links after the jump!

Local
+Draft expert says Jake Locker is not ready for the NFL [Seattle Times]
+I agree with this guy. Let's win games Seahawks! [DKSB]
+3B trade possibilities for the Mariners [Pro Ball NW]
+Great take on the Yankees payroll [USS Mariner]
+Talking to 2011 Husky Recruit, Jabari Brown [Montlake Madness]

National
+Kobe's 60 point games [Hoop Doctors]
+Meet a fan who has snagged over 3000 baseballs [Dugout Doctors]
+Cool Dennis Rodman T-shirt [The Big Lead]

Live Blog: UW vs. Wright State

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

<p>&amp;lt;a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&amp;amp;task=viewaltcast&amp;amp;altcast_code=b9d5482662" &amp;gt;Game 1: UW vs. Wright State&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;</p>

2009-10 Seattle Mariners Offseason Dos and Don'ts

noreply@blogger.com (James) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0000

On November 20th, all free agents are eligible to sign with any MLB club, and unsurprising the speculation is already well underway. With the Mariners looking to turn last seasons 85 win team into a real competitor, expect the Mariners to be in the market for at least one key difference maker in free agency.

Keep in mind that I have no inside knowledge, and that my suggestions/warnings are not indicators of future deals. Every year each free agent is somehow linked to just about every team with a little money, so rumors shouldn't be taken to seriously at least until they reach the "deal imminent" stage.

However, if free agency wasn't a fun subject for baseball fans to talk about, mlbtraderumors.com wouldn't exist, so with that, here is a Do and a Don't for the Mariners this offseason.
Do explore signing one of the oft-injured trio of Rich Harden, Ben Sheets, and Erik Bedard.

The Mariners may not be a small market team with no cash in their pockets, but resources are far from limited. The Mariners only have around 20-30 million to spend this offseason, and if they extend Felix, that becomes around 10-20 million. Like last year, the Mariners need to find extra value in free agency, but unlike last year, they need to take some big risks to get to the promised land.

With that in mind this free agency is perfect, it doesn't lack are players with great talent and huge, possibly debilitating flaws. If these pitchers were healthy, they could be looking at huge long term deals. Since each has spent considerable time on the DL, each is realistically looking for a one year deal.

The Mariners should sign one of these pitchers because, when healthy, each of these pitchers are Cy Young contenders. However, as Mariners fans are well aware with from our experience with Bedard, the odds of that happening are slim. Still, even if this pitcher fails, he won't break the bank, and the potential reward is worth the gamble.

Don't sign Jason Bay.

The British Colombia native has been widely speculated about as being a fit for the Mariners based mostly on Seattle's proximity to his home. However, Bay's perceived worth is nowhere near his actual value. Many talk about Bay as being the second best position player behind Matt Holliday, but the two are nowhere close to each other in actual production.

Bay is already 31 years old, entering what is usually the declining phase of a career with a skill set that doesn't usually age well. His right handed bat would not play as well at Safeco Field. He is also, according to UZR, the fifth worst defender in baseball over the last three years, costing his teams more than 6 wins with his atrocious glove work.

Fine, some might say, we don't need outfielders anyway, let's DH him. However, since we already have Griffey guaranteed some time at DH, Bay wouldn't have a full time spot there. Also, DH is a really easy spot to fill, and unless your DH is Edgar Martinez, you don't sign them to long term deals. Why sign Jason Bay to an expensive long term deal when you can probably sign Carlos Delgado, for example, to a cheap one year flyer?

Live Blog/Chat Tonight--UW vs. Wright State

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:30:00 +0000

We're trying to get more interactive, so if you're at home watching UW/Wright St., join us to talk Husky Hoops!

3A 2009 High School Football State Predictions

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

With the state playoffs starting tonight, here are our predictions for the 3A state championship bracket. You can view the 3A bracket here.

3A Predictions

1st Round
No. 12 Ferndale (8-2) vs. No. 13 Lindbergh (9-1)
I'm going go with Ferndale in this matchup. They have just been a traditionally good football team, and a 1st round exit just seems way to early for the Golden Eagles. Lindbergh really hasn't faced many tough opponents this season, so this game will be a rude-awakening for them.

No.3 Liberty (9-1) vs. No.5 O'Dea (9-1)
This is the best first round match-up out of the eight games. Fifth ranked O'Dea beat a good team in Bonney Lake last week, but Liberty is a different story. Third ranked Liberty's only loss was a 21-27 game against number one Bellevue. O'Dea's sole loss came at the start of the season against the number one team in 4A, Bothell. I'm going to go with Liberty, O'Dea has had a great season, but Liberty has the most experience against good teams going into this match up, contrasting O'Dea's cupcake metro schedule.

No. 14 North Thurston (7-3) vs. No. 2 Lakes (10-0)
North Thurston narrowly escaped Seattle Prep last week, and will now have to face one the state's tops teams, Lakes. The Lakes football team is loaded with D1 talent. UW-bound seniors, Darius Waters, Sione Potoae, and Jamaal Kearse will be too much for North Thurston to handle.

No. 8 Mt. Spokane (9-1) vs. No. 16 Hanford (4-6)
Look at the records. I'll take Mt. Spokane.

No. 11 Mount Si. (6-4) vs. No. 1 Bellevue (8-2)
Mount Si will be Bellevue's first victim.

No. 9 Glacier Peak (8-2) vs. No.7 Timberline (10-0)
With experience in impressive wins over Black Hills, Capital, and North Thurston, I think Timberline is going to roll all over Glacier Peak.

No. 15 Columbia River (5-5) vs. No. 6 Meadowdale (10-0)
Columbia River is going to give Meadowdale a run for their money. This will not be a blowout by any means. Columbia River had a tough schedule with games against Camas, Skyview, and Union. Meadowdale will keep their streak alive.

No. 10 Capital (7-3) vs. No. 4 Union (9-1)
This will be a close game than a lot of people think, however I think Union will still squeak by Capital.

Quarterfinals
No. 12 Ferndale (8-2) vs. No.3 Liberty (9-1)
This will be a blowout, Liberty wins this one easily.

No. 2 Lakes (10-0) vs. No. 8 Mt. Spokane (9-1)
Hard to see Lakes losing this one.

No. 1 Bellevue (8-2) vs. No.7 Timberline (10-0)
Bellevue's experience against nationally-ranked teams at the start of the season make teams like Timberline look easy.

No. 6 Meadowdale (10-0) vs. No. 4 Union (9-1)
This will be an exciting 2nd round match up. But Union will win this one in a a shoot out. Meadowdale's win streak ends here.

Semi-Finals
No.3 Liberty (9-1) vs. No. 2 Lakes (10-0)
Liberty will be overwhelmed by Lakes' offensive and defensive lines. Along with that, the passing offense of Lakes will be tiring out Liberty's defense in this game.

No. 1 Bellevue (8-2) vs. No. 4 Union (9-1)
A nice rematch here from last season, but Bellevue's Wing-T proves to be the factor in this game.

Finals
No. 2 Lakes (10-0) vs. No. 1 Bellevue (8-2)
Rightfully so, this match up will be the closest out of all the games played in this tournament. I'm going to go with Bellevue's overall experience. They've been here before. Bellevue has also played teams that would easily handle Lakes, so I"m going to give them a little edge from that factor as well. I could flip a coin on this one, but at the moment I'm going with Bellevue.

Q and A with Dominic Salle, O'Dea Offensive Lineman

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Tomorrow night, O'Dea will be in familiar territory as they face off against Liberty in the first round of the 3A state playoffs. O'Dea has been dominant the whole season with a fierce running game and a pain-inducing defense. Two weeks ago they clinched the Metro League title outright.

We got a chance to talk to one of their players that has been instrumental in their success this season, Senior Right Guard, Dominic Salle. Check out the interview after the jump!

First off, congratulations on making the State tournament! What specific aspects of this team make a deep run in State possible?
Thank you, this year we have a very well rounded team. What helps us the most is our depth. We have enough players that very few starters have to play both offense and defense. This is an advantage compared to teams that have most of their starters play both ways.

Would you say that was a weakness of the team last year?
I would not say that was a weakness of last year's team, we did have a couple more starters playing both ways but not many more. What hurt us the most last season was our injuries. We had to deal with many injuries to key players all throughout the season.

Who are some of the key players on this team?
All of the offensive and defensive lines are key. A couple of our key skill position players are Gabe Lee (QB,DB), Devante Curry (TE,DE), Keenan Forch (RB), Michael Martin (RB), Zach Fogerson (RB,LB), Jerry Jordan (LB), and Conner Lane (LB) along with the rest of our starters that have all been doing a great job.

How is it playing with Zach with knowing that you're playing with a D1 recruit?
Zach is a great player and a huge contributor to our team. On the field I honestly dont think about the fact that he is a D1 player, he is my teammate just like everyone else on the team. We all work together as one unit not worrying about who is playing D1 or not.

You've improved markedly since your freshman year, what do you credit this improvement to?
Nothing but hard work. I spent a ton of time lifting and preparing in the offseasons with my teammates and it has paid off.

What has kept you motivated?
My sophomore year we made it to the state championship and barely lost, ever since then my goal has been to get back and win it. I want my senior year to end with both a metro and state title, that is what has kept me motivated.

If you could compare yourself to one college or pro player, who would it be, and why?
I have never really compared myself to a college or pro player. I have always been a huge fan of Olin Kreutz of the Chicago Bears as a lineman that I look up to.

Do you plan on playing football in college?
I would like to play football in college if the opportunity comes, most likely at a Division III or NAIA school.

Well, thanks for your time and good luck in the playoffs!
Thanks Kevin

BREAKING NEWS: Ken Griffey Jr. Will Return for 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:49:00 +0000

Not too excited about this. Head on over to the Seattle Times for the scoop.

Top 20 High School Basketball Players in Washington State 11/11

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

The high school basketball season is literally under a week away. Here are our newest set of player rankings for the 2009-2010 basketball season. As more games are played and more players are evaluated, these rankings will change throughout the season. We welcome your input, especially if you are a player or a coach. Please enjoy these and give us your feedback in the comments section.

Note: Because of Tony Wroten's season-ending injury in football, we have decided to exclude him from this year's list. He would have been number two if he was healthy for this season. We wish Tony the best in his recovery and look forward to watching him in the 2010-11 season.

Photos courtesy of: mickwhite.org

1. Josh Smith (Sr.)-Kentwood, PF/C, 6'9"--The speculation is over with, Josh Smith has committed to UCLA. He will now have his sights on leading Kentwood to State this year after failing to qualify last season. If would like to see him become more mobile in moving up and down the court. Also he can and should become a better outlet passer, especially if he wants to thrive at UCLA. Committed: UCLA

2. Aaron Bright (Sr.)-Bellevue, PG, 5'10" --With his college decision already out of the way, Bright will look to avenge Bellevue's disappointing finish at State last season. Bright will be the main attraction with the Wolverine's losing both Alex Schrempf and Colton Christian to graduation. His masterful ball handling skills combined with his deadly shot make him one of the most exciting players to watch in the state. Committed: Stanford

photosource

3. Gary Bell (Jr.)-Kentridge, G, 6'1"--Led his team in scoring last season with 19 points per game. Not only is he one of the best scorers in the state, but he also has one of the best basketball IQ's as well. He plays under control and can punish the opposing defender if they make the slightest mistake. Interest: UW or California

4. John Gage (Sr.)-Vashon Island, PF, 6'10"--With Vashon Island being a 1A school, Gage has not recievied as much attention as the five players listed above him. Not only is he a 6-10 monster that can be a threat on the perimeter offensively, but he also holds a 3.9 GPA. It's hard to find guys like Gage that can succeed and excel both on and off the court. Committed: Stanford

photosource

5. Joe Harris (Sr.)-Chelan, SG, 6'5"--Some are saying that Harris is not done growing at 6-6 and could possibly grow one more inch. Harris has a nice set of point guard skills, but his best asset is his jump shot. He averaged 26 points per game last season for Chelan. Committed: University of Virginia

6. Cole Dickerson (Sr.)-Federal Way, SF, 6'6"--Not necessarily a highlight reel offensive player, just really solid all around. He can pass, dribble, shoot, and rebound. He will be trying to lead Federal Way to another 4A championship. Committed: University of San Francisco

7. Patrick Simon (Sr.)-Ephrata, SF, 6'7"--Tall with a nice 3 point shot? Sounds like another Mike Jensen. Simon also has the ability to put the ball on the floor and penetrate the basket. He is not strong enough to compete in the Pac-10 yet, but by consistently hitting the weights, he will be an impact player of the Cougs. Committed: Washington St.

8. Tanner Riley (Sr.)-Mount Si., G, 6'3"--A ruthless scorer who can finish at the rim consistently. He has been rehabbing an ankle injury and will likely be ready to play for his Mount Si team when the season starts. He will attempt to lead Mount Si to a state berth this year, after coming up short at Districts last season. Committed: Portland

9. Ryan Nicholas (Sr.)-Gonzaga Prep, PF, 6'6"--Nicholas averaged 14 points per game for the Gonzaga Prep Bulldogs last season. He knows how to use his big body in the paint. He has solid fundamentals and can maneuver down low both offensively and defensively. Committed: Portland

10. Andre Winston Jr. (Sr.)-Lakes, G, 6'1"-- Winston stars on the same Rotary team with Wroten., Smith, Behrens, and Bell. He is one of the quickest players in the state, he gets a lot of his points off of drives to the baskets and fast breaks. Right now he is a mediocre shooter, but that skill can be improved. Committed: James Madison

11. Christian Behrens (Jr.)-Tahoma, F, 6'8"--Behrens averaged 20.5 points per game for Tahoma last season. This 6-8 monster's best asset is his defense. He can easily get into passing lanes with his long wingspan, and he is also an above-average shot blocker. Behrens has over 10 offers on the table right now and has not begun to rank them. UW, Gonzaga, Arizona, Cal, and Stanford are all vying for his services.

12. Brett Kingma (Jr.)-Jackson, SG, 6'1"--I still have yet to see a better shooter than Kingma. He is better at shooting than Ryan Appleby was coming out of high school. Some criticize him for not sharing the ball enough, but when you have something this pretty, why stop? Interest: Gonzaga or UW

13. Simi Fajemisin (Sr.)-Lynnwood, C, 6'9"--A player described him as being a "poor man's" Josh Smith. He has a lot of potential with his big 6-9 270lb body. How he is able to use that size will determine if he will be effective at the next level. The University of San Diego was willing to gamble on Fajemisin, as he will be suiting up for the Torero's next season. Committed: University of San Diego

14. Isiah Umipig (Sr.)-Federal Way, G, 6'0"--Not as quick or as deadly shooting as Aaron Bright, but very similar. Umipig is a combo guard that can shoot and dribble with authority. He will be looking to lead his Federal Way team to another title this season, after being injured for much of last season. Committed: Cal St. Fullerton

15. Gary Winston (Sr.)-Walla Walla, G, 6'0"--A two-sport athlete, Winston plays both football and basketball for Walla Walla. The 6 foot guard has above-average scoring ability. Committed: Idaho

16. Jamon Echols (Sr.)-Rainier Beach, PG, 5'10"--After disappearing this summer, some wonder what happened to Echols. There is no indication that he will NOT be returning for the Vikings, so we will assume he will be back to suit up for his senior year. Injuries could be what kept him out from playing, but hopefully he will be healthy when the season starts. He is a great player that can get to the foul-line and facilitate for his teammates.

17. Lonnie Pearson (Sr.)-Rainier Beach, SF, 6'4"--He will have a coming out year this season, after being overshadowed by upperclassmen during his time at Rainier Beach. What people saw glimpses of last season, will be what they will see consistently from Pearson, this season. He is a lanky player that can shoot real well. With his long wingspan he has lock down defense potential. He has one of the highest ceilings of any of the players in the state.

18. Donald Gaddy (Jr.)-Bellarmine Prep, SG, 6'0--With his brother gone to play hoops at UW, Donald Gaddy takes the reigns at Bellarmine Prep. Gaddy has reportedly been tearing it up during the spring, summer, and fall leagues Bellarmine Prep has competed in. He will take on more of the scoring load with his brother gone.

19. Jerron Smith (Jr.)-Decatur, G, 6'3"--A freak athlete with some nice range on his jump shot. I have not heard a lot about possible college destinations. As the season goes on he is bound to get some offers from local D-1 schools e.g. Eastern Washington, Portland.

20. Ryan Rogers (Sr.)-Auburn Riverside, F, 6'4"--This guy can score, he averaged 19 points per game last season, with a run of 19, 29, and 29, against Kentwood, Kent-Meridian, and Kentridge respectively. Finished last year on 1st team All-SPSL North.

Next 10 in: Dominic Ballard-Bothell, Corey Hutson-Skyline, Devante Williams-O'Dea, Anrio Adams-Franklin, Mike Washington Jr.- Oaks Harbor, Connor Hamlett-Meadowdale, Hakeem Stewart-Rainier Beach, Glenn Brooks-Garfield, Jalen Ward-O'Dea, Ryan Todd-Jackson

Someone ranked too high? Someone ranked too low? Any snubs? Post your feedback in the comments!

The Consequences of Losing Josh Smith

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Last night the news came out about Josh Smith's commitment to UCLA. For the past couple of months, the future of Smith has been debated and talked about among many die-hard husky fans. The end of this recruiting saga is here. What does this mean for the Huskies?

Though the loss of Josh Smith is a huge blow to Romar's recruiting class of 2010, the Huskies do have a back-up plan. Terrence Jones, is now the Huskies biggest target. Jones is a five-star forward recruit out of Portland, Oregon. Jones has been heavily recruited by the Huskies and was generally seen as insurance if Josh Smith did not commit. Although, there is stiff competition for Jones.

Some sources are pointing to UW, UCLA, and Oklahoma as the front runners, however, Kentucky and Oregon still remain possible destinations. Will Jones be lured to UW now that Smith has bolted for UCLA?

I believe Jones is a much better fit for Romar's system than Josh could have been. Although Smith is a dominant player in the post, he is consistently one of the slowest players moving up and down the court. The last time the Huskies had a great big man the experiment did not work out too well (see Spencer Hawes). This is not to say that Romar would not have been able to make it work, but Jones seems more like the type of player that would thrive in Romar's system.

If anything, one of the main implications of landing Smith could have been just to keep him from going to UCLA. Now Husky fans will have to deal with this beast the next couple years (not sure what his NBA prospects are right now).

With only one commitment from the Class of 2010 in Desmond Simmons, signing Terrence Jones is now a main a priority for Romar and his staff.

Breaking News: Josh Smith Commits to UCLA

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:45:00 +0000

Update 8:48pm: CONFIRMED: Here is a link to Percy Allen's Seattle Times Blog

I hate playing this game, but we'll try our best to get you more information as it becomes available. However, the OC Register is reporting that Josh Smith, Kentwood basketball star, has verbally committed to play basketball at UCLA. Does this mean Terrence Jones will now make a commitment to the Huskies? We'll see.

Q and A with Lani Beadle, Seattle Prep Libero

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

This past weekend, the Seattle Prep Volleyball team beat Bishop Blanchet to win the District two championship. Seattle Prep will be heading to Kennewick for the 3A state tournament this Friday. We got a chance to talk to one of their key players, Lani Beadle, a Senior Libero, about the season and the upcoming state championships. Check it out after the jump!

Leading up to the final week of the regular season, Prep was good, but just couldn't quite beat Eastside Catholic and Blanchet. But then you guys beat Eastside and went on to beat Blanchet in the Metro and District playoffs. What changed, how were you guys able to dominate these teams when it counted the most?
As a team, we didn't look at Blanchet or Eastside Catholic any differently than we do any other in our league. We knew what we needed to do to in order to reach our goals. Rather than focusing our attention on the opponent, we focused on ourselves and how we could improve our game. We minimized errors, played TOGETHER, and had fun. Prep has something a lot of teams don't and that is PURE TEAM CHEMISTRY.

Is that something your coaches have been preaching, focusing on yourselves and not your opponent? How does the team keep things in perspective and still able to have "fun" when considering the high-stakes games this team has been in?
Yes, our coaches have emphasized this from the beginning of the season and it seems more relevant now than ever before. To answer your second question, we feed off the intensity and love of the game. We love playing with each other and that makes it fun. Every person on our team is very competitive and when we have to fight to win, it makes the game 100x better and fun for all of us.

Was this special team chemistry always present since the beginning of the season? Or has it slowly progressed to where the team is now?
The chemistry has always been there. As the season continues, we have just become closer and closer as a team. Our coach always tells us that we are a team of 14 and we win/lose as a team.

How have you yourself grown into a leader on this team? Take me through your four years in the Prep Volleyball program.
I have grown tremendously as leader due to the prep volleyball program. The coaches have taught me what I can do to encourage my teammates and to lead by example. I entered the volleyball program as an awkward freshman playing outside hitter for the C-Team at Prep. My sophomore year I made the transition onto varsity as a libero and from then on I continued to play libero for Prep. Being on the team for three years has helped me determine what kind of leadership works and what doesn't.

Did you ever foresee yourself being a senior leader on a team bound for state?
Yes, we have worked hard as a team and "State '09" has remained a long-term goal throughout the season.

What's the future looking like? Do you want to play volleyball at the next level?
I don't know. I am playing club volleyball this season and I guess I will see what happens.

Well, thanks for your time, and good luck in the playoffs.
Thanks Kev, anytime.

A Run to Remember: Close of the Sounders FC Inaugural Season

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:30:00 +0000

By: Ronaldinho Hendricks

One could view the Sounders FC loss to Houston today as a failure. The team was not able to adapt to a small, hard surface field and never quite found the back of the goal despite numerous chances. The better perspective however is that of pride. The Sounders may have lost the game but they put forth a good effort.

Montero threatened the net several times and Steve Zakuani and Freddie Ljungberg made several runs at the Houston defense. The Sounders FC defense itself played solidly, denying the Dynamo several opportunities. But in the end it was experience that was the Sounders' undoing when Brian Ching (a former Gonzaga and USL Sounders stand-out) found the back of the net in the first half of overtime and the Sounders were unable to equalize in the second half of overtime.

The devastating end however does not overshadow the plethora of success that the Sounders have had in their inaugural season. Seattle, despite being knocked out of the playoffs today, is only the second expansion team in MLS history to go to the playoffs. It has also ended the season with hardware in the trophy case.

The Sounders FC won the Lamar Hunt Open Cup trophy back earlier in the fall. Of greater importance to the world of American soccer is the fact that Seattle has created an authentic soccer franchise in America averaging over 35,000 fans a game with nearly 22,000 being season ticket holders.

These numbers will continue to rise in following seasons. The fact that Seattle has been named Soccer Capital U.S.A. should speak a thousand words as to the success of the sport in Seattle. It can only get better.

UW vs. UCLA Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0000

The Huskies came off their bye week into the stoic Rose Bowlaiming to hand Rick Neuheisel’s UCLA their sixth Pac-10 loss. Instead, the Huskies dropped to 3-6 overall and to 2-4 in conference play with a 24-23 loss. This Saturday’s game was definitely one Washington could have won against one of their weakest opponents.

The Bruins struck first on a risky fourth and goal play, but the Huskies quickly responded with two scores to go ahead 10-7. First, Locker threw a jump ball to Jermaine Kearse, who made an extremely athletic catch for the score. Then, to put UW up three, Erik Folk nailed a 30-yard field goal.

Two more Husky field goals and a Bruin touchdown meant the Huskies were up 16-14 going into halftime. Definitely a satisfactory start in a hostile environment like the Rose Bowl. Most importantly though, a hot Kevin Prince was forced to leave the game on a helmet to helmet collision with Washington linebacker Donald Butler. This forced Kevin Craft into the game, and at this point it seemed the Huskies had to win. A dangerous Husky offense headed into halftime against the Bruins with their backup quarterback at the helm; advantage Huskies.

But instead, the second half for the Huskies was categorized by missed opportunities, offensive inconsistency, poor secondary play, and a crucial missed field goal.

The Secondary
Lately in Husky losses, it’s been the defensive front that has struggled against the run. However, in this game, the Bruins only rushed for 84 yards on 40 carries. Led by Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, the front seven of Washington manhandled the running game of UCLA. The Achilles-heel for UW in this game was disappointing secondary play. They allowed 371-yards against a statistically poor passing game in the Bruins. Even when Kevin Prince came out of the game, Kevin Craft was still able to carve his way through the Washington secondary. It seemed the middle of the field was open the whole game. Countless times, Prince or Craft found wide-open targets in the middle. Nelson Rosario of the Bruins found open space consistently; he had 111 yards on seven receptions. Yes, the Huskies had two interceptions, but this was overshadowed by the overall poor play, which largely attributed to Washington’s loss.

Locker and the Passing Game
Locker finished with two touchdowns, one interception and 235 yards through the air, statistically a pretty decent game. However, the passing game was inconsistent throughout Saturday’s loss. Locker was only 23 of 40, causing the offense to stall at crucial moments. Also, a late fourth quarter interception by Locker gave UCLA the game. Locker took an unnecessary risk, and he will definitely learn from it.

Really?
The game was also defined by some strange happenings. In the third quarter, Terrence Austin “caught” a 29-yard pass from Craft. Replays, however, showed that the ball appeared to hit the ground on Austin’s way down, causing the ball to pop up, which allowed Austin to make the catch. Yet, the officials did not even review the play as the Bruins rushed to kick the extra point. The officials have to recognize that a play like that needs to be reviewed. The second strange happening of the game was a shanked 38-yard field goal by the ever consistent Erik Folk in the fourth quarter. This would have put the Huskies up 26 to 24, but instead Folk’s miss most directly cost the Huskies the game. Yes, the Huskies made mistakes throughout, but they were still in a position to win that game, and Folk had to make that one.

The Positives
Once again, Chris Polk was a positive in a disappointing loss. He had a huge game, rushing for 132 yards on 15 carries. Really, he was the only consistent piece of the Husky offense as he picked up big chunks of yards when his number was called. Jermaine Kearse also had an outstanding game with 114 yards receiving on seven receptions. He made two acrobatic catches in the end zone that gave UW the momentum. However, even with two great performances on offense, the Husky woes continued.

Next week it only gets harder for the Huskies as they face a hot Oregon State team led by the Rodgers brothers in Corvalis. Locker and the Huskies will have to pull something out of their sleeves and improve in all facets of the game to beat the Beavers.

Message Board

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:36:00 +0000

SeaTown Sports has partnered up with PugetSoundSports.net to provide the readers of SeaTown Sports a message board. To access, just press the first link under Message Board in the sidebar. It's easy to sign up and get started. Post comments in this post if you have any questions.

Thanks
-Kevin

Seatowning 11/7/09

noreply@blogger.com (Kevin) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Huskies taking on UCLA at 12:30 today. Catch the game on FSN. This game is crucial for any hope at making a bowl. Let's go Dawgs!

Check out today's links after the jump.
+Is Jake Locker really a pro prospect, or are some people delusional? [Field Gulls]
+Interview with CJ Wilcox, the best shooter on the Huskies [Montlake Madness]
+Issaquah-native Garrison Carr gets drafted into the D-League [Sun Break]
+A plan the Mariners can follow this off-season [USS Mariner]
+Here's your monthly underage basketball prodigy [Dagger]