LAKEWOOD – When a new sport is introduced at a high school, it can take time to get a win.
Lakewood’s new boys tennis team lost to Arlington Tuesday 6-1, but that one win was historic.
Many in Lakewood have wanted a tennis team for years. But in their old Cascade Conference tennis wasn’t a priority.
But now that Lakewood has new courts, and it switched to the Northwest Conference, the district approved boys tennis to start this fall.
About 13 kids have been turning out for three weeks. They hoped to add some more once school started, and they did some recruiting.
Coach Ben Walker has been teaching them the basics just to try to keep the ball in play.
Garrett Davis and Ben VanderWeyst gutted out the historic win. They won the first set 7-5, but then lost the second by the same score. They won the match by winning a tiebreaker 10-8.
Despite the closeness of the match, Davis-VanderWeyst said they didn’t feel any pressure.
“We had nothing to lose,” VanderWeyst said.
As for the hardest thing to learn so far about the game, Davis said it was keeping score.
While Lakewood’s No. 1 doubles team had never played tennis together, they have known each other a long time – since they were babies, their moms said.
Davis plays shortstop for the Cougar baseball team, and VanderWeyst plays second base. Despite being friends, they had never even played for fun on Lakewood’s new tennis courts.
“There wasn’t a team,” Davis said on why they didn’t play.
Walker said their athleticism as baseball players helped them pick up tennis quickly. While they lacked the finesse of their opponents, they hustled after every ball, and kept it in play, putting all pressure on the Eagle team.
Arlington coach Ben Mendro said his team also is inexperienced, too, but not as new to the game as Lakewood.
“It’s a rebuilding year for us,” he said.
Despite that, Arlington won three singles matches 6-0, 6-0 with Taras McCurdie over Alex Williams, Ben Spores over Eli Ingrum and Ben Nichols over Tyler Edmonds. At No. 4 singles Keaton McBride beat Jackson Lundquist 6-0, 6-1.
At No. 2 doubles, Walter Pittson-Joby Johnson beat Mattew Insh-Brad Woods 6-1, 7-5 and Brendan Oquist-Jacob Bolopue beat Sean Peacock-Dominik Herrejon 6-1, 6-2.
As for the historic win for the Lakewood doubles team over Colby King-Clayton Blubaugh, Mendro said, “Kudos to them. They played well.”
On Wednesday, Arlington fell to Lake Stevens 5-2. The Eagles won the No. 1 singles and doubles matches, but that was it.
McCurdie, a junior, lost the first set 7-6 after a 7-2 tiebreaker, but won the next two sets handily 6-1, 6-3. In doubles, senior Spores and junior Nichols won 6-2, 6-4. In other matches, Pittson won six games and Johnson five.
MARYSVILLE – Marysville-Pilchuck’s boys tennis team beat Lynnwood 5-2 Tuesday.
In singles, the Tomahawks won all four matches. Connor Peterson and Kellen Richey both lost the first sets, but won the next two. Traven Southard and Aaron Kalab both won in straight sets.
In first doubles, M-P’s Caron Asper and Trae Tingelstad won 6-1 and 7-6, after a 10-8 tiebreaker.
On Wednesday, M-P fell to Mount Vernon 7-0. Southard, at No. 2 singles, and Kalab at No. 3 had the best matches for the Tommies, both losing 6-2, 6-2.
FOOTBALL
Griffin Gardoski hauled in a game-winning 5-yard touchdown from senior quarterback Anthony Whitis with 1 second remaining, giving Arlington a 27-23 season-opening win over Mariner.
The Marauders took a 23-20 lead with 1:38 to play before the Eagles’ comeback.
Whitis completed 20-of-29 passes for 252 yards, threw for two touchdowns and added two rushing touchdowns. Gardoski caught five passes for 100 yards, one a 46-yard TD, and Joey Stretch caught five for 78.
MARYSVILLE – Marysville-Pilchuck’s rushing attack is back.
In its home season-opener against Snohomish Aug. 31, M-P racked up 525 yards rushing in a 63-34 romp over Snohomish.
Trenton Hurst ran for scores of 65-, 60-, 12- and 10-yards, while Bryan Sanders scored on runs of 60- and 7-yards for the winners.
Sanders also took the opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown.
“Obviously the first time you touch the ball, to take it to the end zone gets everyone fired up and into the game,” M-P coach Brandon Carson said. “Our sideline was excited, and that play really set us off. We blocked it pretty well, and Bryan made one good cut and was off to the races.”
Carson praised the Tomahawks’ offensive line for opening up holes that allowed Hurst and Sanders to have such big games.
“We did a great job up front blocking and our backs did a good job blocking, too,” he said. “It was nice to get the running game going.”
Jordan Justice added a 12-yard run and Jake Elwood scored from a yard out.
LAKEWOOD – The Cougar football team got its season off to a strong start with a 31-13 win over Kings Aug. 31.
Quarterback Jared Taylor threw for two touchdowns and ran for another for the Cougars. Tavion Henderson scored the other TD on a 28-yard run on his only carry of the game.
Taylor started it off with a 16-yard pass to Landon Pruitt, then scored on a 21-yard run. Alan Sepulveda kicked a 26-yard field goal before Henderson’s run. Taylor passed 25 yards to Brandt Starkey to finish the LHS scoring.
Taylor was 7 for 12 for 80 yards and ran 16 times for 90 yards to lead the Cougar offense. Starkey also ran the ball three times for 60 yards.
Marysville Getchell quarterback Caleb Koellmer played a standout game Friday in a 28-10 loss to Shorecrest.
Plummer passed for a touchdown and completed 13 of 36 passes for 113 yards. Running the ball, he picked up 103 yards on 19 carries.
Koellmer passed for a 33-yard score to Ryan King for the Chargers only TD. Cameron Hazelwood added a 24-yard field goal.
SOCCER
LAKEWOOD – Lakewood’s girls soccer team hosted Sequim High School and fought to a 1-1 draw Friday in its season-opener.
At halftime, the score was 0-0, but Cougar ninth-grader Angela McDonald almost put one in from 25-yards out, but it hit the crossbar.
The defensive battle continued in the second half, until Lakewood scored with five minutes left in the game. On the play, ninth-grader Kaley Chang passed to yet another freshman, Jasmine Graham, at the top of the box. Senior Kloey Simons and sophomore Iliana Ramirez made a decoy run, allowing space for Jasmine, who dribbled in to score.
The lead was short-lived as Sequim scored with two minutes in the game to tie it.
LHS goalie Hailey Kohler made five saves, coach Nick Anderson said.
The Lakewood girls also played Mariner, and again the score was 1-1.
Ramirez scored the only goal for the Cougars, with an assist from Hailey Brown. Kohler had five saves.
GOLF
MARYSVILLE – Marilyn Young, member and past president of the Cedarcrest Women’s Golf Club, during competition play Aug. 17, using a 3 wood on par 3 hole 16, sank her first ever hole in one.
ARLINGTON on web
ARLINGTON – For the third year the online Twin City Sports Network will be webcasting Arlington fall sports at Tcsnsports.net
Their schedule is:
Stilly Cup Arlington vs Stanwood Sept 14 7 PM Arlington vs Ferndale Sept 21 7 PM Arlington at Marysville Getchell Sept 28, 7 PM Arlington vs Oak Harbor Oct 5 7 PM Arlington vs Everett Oct 12 7 PM Arlington at Marysville-Pilchuck Oct 19 7 PM Cross over game Oct 26 7 PM Cross over game Nov 2 7 PM VOLLEYBALL
Arlington at Archbishop Murphy Sept 20 7 PM Arlington vs Snohomish Oct 4 7 PM Arlington at Everett Oct 9 7 PM Arlington vs Marysville-Getchell Oct 25 7 PM GIRLS SOCCER
Arlington vs Lynden Sept 8 7 PM Arlington at Mountlake Terrace Sept 27 7:30 PM
Arlington vs Meadowdale Oct 2 7:30 PM Arlington vs Oak Harbor Oct 18 7:30 PM
