Community Sports
Sports Beat: Bad quarter ends Tides’ state run
The Gig Harbor boys basketball season ended Feb. 25 with a 69-60 loss to Shorecrest in the regional round of the Class 3A state tournament.
Gig Harbor (21-4) led 50-40 at the end of the third quarter. But the Scotts made some offensive adjustments, scoring 29 points in the fourth quarter. It’s the most points Gig Harbor allowed in a quarter all season.
Meanwhile, the Tides couldn’t get the ball to their proven scorers in the second half, managing just 10 points in the fourth quarter.
Gig Harbor’s seniors earned back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in school history. The Tides won two South Sound Conference championships in the last four years.
Gig Harbor went 23-5 in 2021-22 to reach the state quarterfinals. This year, the Tides earned district tournament wins over MountainView and Timberline before losing by a point in the district finals to Auburn.
Gig Harbor senior Luke Browne shoots during the Tides’ district championship game against Auburn. Browne is one of five seniors graduating after back-to-back state tournament appearances.
The Tides say goodbye to senior starters Luke Browne, Will Landram, Christian Parrish, KeVaughn Harvey, Brit Born and reserve Nic Fortney.
Browne, Harvey and Parrish leave as Gig Harbor school record holders. Browne owns the single game and season records for 3-pointers. Harvey broke the single-season steal record and Parrish eclipsed the career steals record for Gig Harbor High.
Peninsula girls fall to Everett
The Peninsula (18-6) girls basketball team also suffered a heartbreaking loss, dropping a 56-51 contest to Everett (20-9) in Tacoma on Feb. 24
The Seahawks got solid performances from senior Brooke Zimmerman, junior Kaylia Heidelberg as well as sophomore Grace Richardson but were unable to overtake Everett in the state tournament contest.
The Seahawks ended the season by losing three straight against quality opponents North Thurston, Bonney Lake and Everett.
The league-champion Seahawks say goodbye to only two seniors: Zimmerman and guard Sophie Casello.
Heidelberg got into the record books for Peninsula, setting a season 3-point record for the Seahawks.
Brooke Zimmerman is one of two key seniors on the Peninsula girls basketball team.
Spring season approaches
The spring sports season began this week, with several local teams returning talented athletes who are looking to win South Sound Conference championships and advance to state competition.
Baseball: On the baseball diamond, the Peninsula Seahawks are looking to repeat their league championship and state appearance from last year. They return a veteran ballclub led by league MVP Payton Knowles at shortstop. The Tides are loaded with talented youth and begin the season with a new head coach. Spencer Manjarrez was selected to succeed longtime coach Pete Jansen, who retired last year.
Peninsula’s Alli Kimball returns for her senior year after throwing two perfect games in 2022.
Fastpitch: Both local fastpitch teams should be battling again for the conference crown. Peninsula lost only one senior from a district title team that went to state. The Seahawks return league pitcher of the year Alli Kimball and plenty of hitters and should be a Class 3A favorite to start the season. The Tides who finished third in league last season and return shortstop Riley Peschek, a South Sound Conference MVP candidate.
Soccer: Peninsula is the defending boys soccer league champion behind coach Ozer Kocdemir. The Tides were 13-5-1 last year and finished second in the SSC.
Track: The Tides track team returns SSC speedster Ben Stevens, last year’s SSC outstanding track athlete, and state champion distance runner Reece Morkert. Peninsula has accomplished athletes at middle and long distances and feature Elektra Higgins.
Gig Harbor and Peninsula should be at or near the top of the league soccer standings again in 2023.
Golf: Gig Harbor boys golf team returns four golfers with state experience. They finished eighth at state as a team in 2022. Peninsula’s Hallee Graf finished 13th at state in 2022 and the Seahawks won the league title.
Tennis: The Gig Harbor girls tennis team looks to rebound after losing the conferences singles and doubles champions for Coach Lorrie Wood. Peninsula is poised to strike as they return players with experience for coach Cheri Ausboe.
Water polo: The Seahawk girls water polo team is back to defend their D2 West league championship. They went undefeated in league play (14-0) in 2022. The Tides water polo team is right on their heels and ready to challenge for the title.
Lacrosse: The Peninsula boys lacrosse team edged out Gig Harbor for the league title by just one goal in each game between the rivals.
The girls lacrosse team, called the Rip Tide is composed of players from both high schools, went 11-0 last spring and finished 11th in the state.
Peninsula won a lacrosse league title in 2022.