Community Sports

Sports Beat | Peninsula ties for league bowling crown

The Peninsula Seahawk girls bowling team recently completed a 14-1 regular season to tie with Capital as the Puget Sound League Nisqually Division champions.

Capital, one of the top teams on the lanes during recent years, defeated Peninsula by a 4-1 score in mid-December. But Peninsula defeated Capital in a Jan. 16 rematch, 3-2, to share the regular season crown.

The Cougars won the PSL crossover tournament at All Star Lanes in Silverdale on Jan. 24 by a mere 13 pins over the Seahawks, 2,689 to 2,676. Both teams advanced to districts on Feb. 1. So did Gig Harbor, which finished seventh in the conference tournament.

Peninsula senior Ashley Richards won the individual PSL bowling championship. Richards, a state tournament qualifier the past two years, found her groove in the third game to win the league title.

After bowling a 145 and a 141, Richards bowled a 212 in game three to finish with a total of 498. She won by five pins over a Silas bowler.

Ashley Richards won the individual Puget Sound League bowling championship with a 212 in her final game. Picture courtesy of Peninsula Bowling

Coach turned Seahawks around

Third-year Seahawk coach Kristy Whitcher deserves a lot of credit for taking over a team that was throwing as many gutter balls as strikes during her first year as coach. Whitcher, who spent 14 years on the Ladies Professional Bowling Tour and owns a 1996 LPBT national team title, taught the fundamentals and recruited students for the team in creative ways.

How does it feel to turn the team into conference champions so quickly?

“It is so rewarding to have girls that believe in the process of learning how to bowl correctly,” said Whitcher, a North Kitsap High graduate. “I am one that has always taught basics in bowling because that’s how I learned and it is so rewarding to see that it’s all finally coming together.”

Janelle Ramones finished sixth in the league with a 465 and senior Kayla Cumming bowled a 407 for 24th place.

The Seahawks conference championship team also consists of Allison Angeles, Angelina Brambilla, Ella Young, Payton Carnahan, Nikki Okeefe and the Calaunan sisters, Emilia and Elisha.

Gig Harbor won the Narrows division of the PSL with a 9-5 record for third-year head coach Lilian Amrine.

Top bowlers for the Tides during PSL tournament were Kim Bornt, 14th with a 437; and Ivy Goodkin, 20th with a 418.

The Peninsula High bowling team.

Peninsula narrowly defeats Gig Harbor on the mat

A showdown between both local boys wrestling teams played out in front of a packed audience at Gig Harbor on Jan. 28. Peninsula pulled away from a 29-29 deadlock, winning two of the final three matches for a 39-32 victory over Gig Harbor.

A couple of experienced veterans got Peninsula off to a good start. Mathis Csepin, who looks like he’s chiseled from stone, won at 175 pounds. Maddox Ice, 11-3 on the year, got a first-period pin at 190 pounds. Those two victories and a couple of early forfeits put Peninsula up 23-6.

But Tides junior Juan Mateo turned the tide in the 106-pound weight class against Ben Griffin of Peninsula. Mateo used his strength to pick Griffin up and drive him back down to the mat a couple times to score points. Griffin fought hard and never gave up, but Mateo impressed with a diversified victory.

Gig Harbor wrestler Tides wrestler Juan Mateo holds his opponents wrist to the mat during his win. Photo by Dennis Browne

“He’s fast, explosive and smart with a really fierce attitude on the mat,” coach Blake Mosher said.

“Griffin is a good wrestler, I was just better than him tonight,” Mateo said. “I’m feeling really strong going into districts.”

The Tides got another victory at 113 pounds, where Ella Nimrick pinned Will Wilson of Peninsula. Nimrick, a state placer in the girls state championship last year, is as tough as they come. Wilson fought hard to avoid a pin, but Nimrick had too many moves. With the home crowd at a fevered pitch, Nimrick pinned Wilson and jumped to her feet, wiped the hair out of her face and gave the home crowd a “how did you like that?” look after pulling the Tides to within 11 points.

Ella Nimrick of Gig Harbor stepped into the boys meet and defeated her PHS opponent by pin. Photo Dennis Browne

150-pound showdown

One of the most anticipated matches of the night was at 150 pounds. Peninsula’s Nehemiah Grandorff squared off against Gig Harbor’s Liam McDermott, who came up a weight class to face the Seahawks’ best pound-for-pound wrestler.

Both wrestlers were cautious early as the first period went scoreless. Then Grandorff used a series of advanced moves after faints and jukes to get McDermott off-balance. The Seahawk controlled much of the third period and won 11-4, giving his team a 33-29 lead it would not relinquish.

David Howard of Peninsula sealed the deal with a pin at 155 to put the Seahawks up 39-29 with only one match to go.

Ben Skiffington gave the Tides the last win of the night, 11-9. Skiffington may have had one of the biggest turn arounds from either team as he took his share of tough defeats early in his career but has improved to get a victory on his home floor on senior night.

“This sport has made me a lot tougher, I think I’m a better man overall,” Skiffington said.

“I’m really proud of my progress especially after my sophomore year when I was getting the crap beat out of me. But I stuck with it, matured and now I’m joining the Marines which wouldn’t have been possible without wrestling.”

Seahawks on top

Peninsula’s Ice summed up the night well, saying: “The Tides have improved but the trophy is still going home with us again and that’s what matters.”

Seahawk coach Gary Griffin was pleased as well with the win. He is definitely one of the most intense coaches in the district, but the results speak for themselves. He barks out consistent instruction during a match to “convey a sense of urgency” but when his wrestlers followed his instructions they were rewarded with positive results.

“It’s always good for us to beat Gig Harbor, to kind of put a bow on the season,” he said. “There were some good matches in there, it was a good win and it’s always good to be on top of your own community.”

Peninsula wrestling coach Gary Griffin gives instructions during his team’s win over Gig Harbor. Photo by Dennis Browne

GH boys face Lakes on Feb. 4

The Gig Harbor boys basketball team took care of business last week with a victories over Central Kitsap and Mount Tahoma to qualify for the Puget Sound League tournament. The Tides (12-9, 9-7) finished fourth in the Narrows Division, which featured the PSL’s top teams in Lincoln (14-1) and Bellarmine (13-2). Silas, which took two close games from Gig Harbor, also plays in the Narrows.

Cole Browne had 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds in an 86-53 win over Central Kitsap on Jan. 29. Michael Masini added 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting to go with 11 rebounds and five assists.

Masini led the way in a 58-51 win over Mount Tahoma a couple days later, scoring 21 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Browne chipped in with 14 points and five assists.

Michael Masini had 21 points and 13 rebounds versus Mount Tahoma in his last game. Photo by Christi Adams

Gig Harbor plays at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, at Nisqually Division leader Lakes. The Tides held a late lead on the Lancers on Dec. 11 before losing, 56-54.

The Tides will have two more road games this week against opponents to be determined as they look for a district playoff berth out of their conference tournament.

The Peninsula boys basketball season ended with defeats last week to Timberline, 82-52, and Lakes, 96-61. The Seahawks (6-15, 4-12) finished fifth in the Nisqually Division.

Gig Harbor, Peninsula girls to meet in league tournament

The Gig Harbor girls basketball team wrapped up second in the Narrows Division with wins over Central Kitsap, 48-40, and Mount Tahoma, 61-16.

Gig Harbor (12-8, 9-7) will face rival Peninsula (12-7, 11-5) in a Puget Sound League conference tournament game at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, at Gig Harbor High.

The Seahawks placed third in the Nisqually Division and won their last two games at home, 48-38 over Timberline and 42-37 over Lakes.

Seahawks guard Grace Richardson continues to score no matter how focused opposing defenses are on her. She had 21 points with seven rebounds and five assists versus Timberline. Then she went home and got some ice and rest and came back fresh dropping 29 points and 12 rebounds on Lakes.

Kaliyah Miller leads Gig Harbor in scoring with 12.3 points per game. Willow Bonnici leads the Tides in rebounding with 10.5 per game.