Scooter Chapman
Plenty of sports action on peninsula
Published on Wed, Feb 24, 2010 by Scooter ChapmanRead More Chapman
It's hard to believe February is almost over, sports fans, but time is flying by, the desk is full of interesting items that deserve to be passed on to Gazette readers.
Prep stuff
The Sequim Wolves will be out for another trip to the state 2A tournament when they open play Friday against Fife or Steilacoom in the West Central District tournament on the opponent's floor.
As always, it is interesting to compare strengths of leagues. Last year Sequim won its loser-out game as the No. 2 seed, 51-50 over Eatonville, then lost to Fife, 54-43, and beat Steilacoom 39-36 to make it to state.
They face one of those two latter teams again this year.
Kingston looks to be the winner of this six-team tourney that sends three to state. Go Wolves.
The Port Angeles boys were fighting for an entry to the 3A WCD against Yelm Monday night. If the 'Riders make it to district, it will be the first entry since 2008. The 'Riders went to state in 2007.
The Port Angeles girls will be in the district following a seeding game at Capital Tuesday night. The 'Rider girls were the class of the league but sometimes have trouble when they get into district play as the Olympic League is not the strongest circuit in the state when it comes to the distaff side of basketball.
I think this time the 'Rider girls will make it out of district and into the state tournament.
For the halibut
The international and state fishing guys and gals, the ones who try to determine how many fish are in the water and how many have been caught in a given area, were all set to cut off the halibut season for Area 6 (general Port Angeles) and the Port Angeles Halibut Derby was out in the cold.
Due to attendance and pleading by area anglers, the state agreed to let the Port Angeles Salmon Club stage its annual event at the tail end of the shortened flattie season.
As of this writing, Area 5 will be open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only during the month of May - one fish per angler per day. The state curtails fishing May 27 to allow the halibut derby to be staged May 29-30.
Salmon club officials waited until the last minute and when they heard the news from their director who attended the meeting, plans were under way for the two-day fishing event that awards $20,000 in prizes.
Derby tickets are $40 whether you fish Saturday or Sunday or both days and derby tickets are on sale now at Swain's General Store in Port Angeles.
For the past two years, attendance has dwindled - two years ago because of a sewage spill in the Port Angeles harbor a week before the derby and last year, of course, when the Hood Canal bridge was undergoing its face-lift.
Salmon club officials expect 800 or more entrants for this year's event.
Pirate plunders
The Peninsula Pirate men's basketball team has its final home game of the season tonight against North Division-leading Shoreline, and coach Peter Stewart's kids are out for an upset before what should be a good crowd.
The Pirates send sophs Jordan Collins, Colton Worley, Ryan Rutherford and Christian Manzanza on the home court for the last time, but the Bucs likely are headed back to the NWAACC state tournament next month in Kennewick.
Peninsula won a key game at Everett last Saturday and will go either third or fourth from the North Division.
Stewart has watched his young team mature this year. He demands hard, hard work. Nary a player on the team is guaranteed playing time, they have to work hard to earn it, and his coaching style pays off in post-season appearances.
The Pirate ladies, under new coach Allison Crumb, have struggled, with just three wins. She loses hard-worker Dena Houser, from Nevada, but should get most of her freshmen back.
If she can keep this crew together and recruit a few new faces, the Pirate ladies will be tough to handle next season.
Pony parade
The 2010 horseracing season begins April 9 at Emerald Downs and the purses, enhanced by a contribution from the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, will begin the season at the same levels as the start of 2009; good news for those who wager a buck or two on the thoroughbreds.
The 75th running of the $250,000 Longacres Mile highlights a 31-race stakes schedule for the new season.
A total of $1,760,000 is offered in stakes purses including the $250,000 for the diamond anniversary running
of the Grade III Longacres Mile on Aug. 22.
The stakes schedule is designed to develop champions in all divisions at increasingly longer distances and the $50,000 Hasting Handicap for older fillies and mares at six furlongs May 2 is the first stakes of the season.
Emerald Downs has tweaked the stakes schedule by moving the $75,000 Emerald Downs Derby to Aug. 15. The meet has top 3-year-olds at a mile and one-eighth.
It's possible for horses to take part in The Mile a week later.
I can hardly wait for the first, "And there they go!"
Reach Scooter Chapman at scooter@olypen.com.
Prep stuff
The Sequim Wolves will be out for another trip to the state 2A tournament when they open play Friday against Fife or Steilacoom in the West Central District tournament on the opponent's floor.
As always, it is interesting to compare strengths of leagues. Last year Sequim won its loser-out game as the No. 2 seed, 51-50 over Eatonville, then lost to Fife, 54-43, and beat Steilacoom 39-36 to make it to state.
They face one of those two latter teams again this year.
Kingston looks to be the winner of this six-team tourney that sends three to state. Go Wolves.
The Port Angeles boys were fighting for an entry to the 3A WCD against Yelm Monday night. If the 'Riders make it to district, it will be the first entry since 2008. The 'Riders went to state in 2007.
The Port Angeles girls will be in the district following a seeding game at Capital Tuesday night. The 'Rider girls were the class of the league but sometimes have trouble when they get into district play as the Olympic League is not the strongest circuit in the state when it comes to the distaff side of basketball.
I think this time the 'Rider girls will make it out of district and into the state tournament.
For the halibut
The international and state fishing guys and gals, the ones who try to determine how many fish are in the water and how many have been caught in a given area, were all set to cut off the halibut season for Area 6 (general Port Angeles) and the Port Angeles Halibut Derby was out in the cold.
Due to attendance and pleading by area anglers, the state agreed to let the Port Angeles Salmon Club stage its annual event at the tail end of the shortened flattie season.
As of this writing, Area 5 will be open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only during the month of May - one fish per angler per day. The state curtails fishing May 27 to allow the halibut derby to be staged May 29-30.
Salmon club officials waited until the last minute and when they heard the news from their director who attended the meeting, plans were under way for the two-day fishing event that awards $20,000 in prizes.
Derby tickets are $40 whether you fish Saturday or Sunday or both days and derby tickets are on sale now at Swain's General Store in Port Angeles.
For the past two years, attendance has dwindled - two years ago because of a sewage spill in the Port Angeles harbor a week before the derby and last year, of course, when the Hood Canal bridge was undergoing its face-lift.
Salmon club officials expect 800 or more entrants for this year's event.
Pirate plunders
The Peninsula Pirate men's basketball team has its final home game of the season tonight against North Division-leading Shoreline, and coach Peter Stewart's kids are out for an upset before what should be a good crowd.
The Pirates send sophs Jordan Collins, Colton Worley, Ryan Rutherford and Christian Manzanza on the home court for the last time, but the Bucs likely are headed back to the NWAACC state tournament next month in Kennewick.
Peninsula won a key game at Everett last Saturday and will go either third or fourth from the North Division.
Stewart has watched his young team mature this year. He demands hard, hard work. Nary a player on the team is guaranteed playing time, they have to work hard to earn it, and his coaching style pays off in post-season appearances.
The Pirate ladies, under new coach Allison Crumb, have struggled, with just three wins. She loses hard-worker Dena Houser, from Nevada, but should get most of her freshmen back.
If she can keep this crew together and recruit a few new faces, the Pirate ladies will be tough to handle next season.
Pony parade
The 2010 horseracing season begins April 9 at Emerald Downs and the purses, enhanced by a contribution from the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, will begin the season at the same levels as the start of 2009; good news for those who wager a buck or two on the thoroughbreds.
The 75th running of the $250,000 Longacres Mile highlights a 31-race stakes schedule for the new season.
A total of $1,760,000 is offered in stakes purses including the $250,000 for the diamond anniversary running
of the Grade III Longacres Mile on Aug. 22.
The stakes schedule is designed to develop champions in all divisions at increasingly longer distances and the $50,000 Hasting Handicap for older fillies and mares at six furlongs May 2 is the first stakes of the season.
Emerald Downs has tweaked the stakes schedule by moving the $75,000 Emerald Downs Derby to Aug. 15. The meet has top 3-year-olds at a mile and one-eighth.
It's possible for horses to take part in The Mile a week later.
I can hardly wait for the first, "And there they go!"
Reach Scooter Chapman at scooter@olypen.com.
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