WRESTLING
Five NK wrestlers qualify for state
Five wrestlers from North Kitsap High School will move on to the class 3A state championships after qualifying at the Region 3 tournament Feb. 13 in Vancouver. The state tournament takes place Friday and Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.
Josh Tucker will move on to state after finishing third in the 103-pound division at the regional tournament. Jake Velarde finished second in the 112-pound division at regionals and will move on to state. Donny Stamaris placed fourth in the 125-pound class to move on to state. AJ Milyard qualified for the state finals after placing fourth in the 135-pound class at regionals. In the 160-pound class, Allan Dunlap qualified for state after placing fourth at the regional tournament.
Velarde, Tucker and Milyard are freshmen, while Stamaris and Dunlap are seniors.
Kingston sends three to state
Three Kingston High wrestlers will move on to the class 2A state finals Friday after qualifying at the Region 2 tournament Feb. 13. The state finals take place Friday and Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.
Travis Schriner placed first in the 189-pound division at the regional meet to qualify for the state finals. Freddy Rodolf placed second in the 215-pound class to move on to the state meet. Rodolf’s sister, Ivy, placed fifth in the girls’ 112-pound division to qualify for the state meet.
Kingston will also send four alternates to the state finals. Devin Jacob will go in the 103-pound division, Alex Lambert will be an alternate in the 125-pound class, Michael Johnson will go in the 130-pound class and Sam English will go in the 140-pound class.
GYMNASTICS
North Kitsap sends team back to state
For the second year in a row, the North Kitsap High gymnastics team is headed to the state finals. The Vikings placed third at the West Central District III tournament Feb. 13, behind Auburn Mountainview and Mount Rainier high schools to clinch the state berth. Top-ten finishers for North included Melissa Kunold on vault, bars, floor and all-around, Lauren Wageman on vault, bars and all-around, and McKenna Elves on floor.
The state tournament takes place Friday and Saturday at the Tacoma Dome.
Kingston sends two to state
Two Kingston High gymnasts will compete at the state finals this weekend at the Tacoma Dome. Dana VanWyck, a junior, qualified on the bars, beam, floor and vault, and freshman Megan Keller qualified on the bars. The tournament begins at 9 a.m. Friday.
SWIMMING
North Kitsap’s Despard qualifies for state
North Kitsap High swimmer Josh Despard qualified for the class 2A state finals after placing fourth in the 50-yard freestyle swim at the West Central District III tournament Feb. 12. Despard’s best time in the 50-yard freestyle was 23.23 seconds. The state finals begin at 10 a.m. Friday at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
Kingston unable to qualify for state
Kingston High had a rough time at the West Central District III tournament last weekend and will not be sending any swimmers to the state finals. The Bucs’ top finisher was sophomore Jack Murdock, who placed second in the 500-yard freestyle swim, with a time of 6 minutes, 9.32 seconds.
BASKETBALL
Kingston boys clinch 2A league title
The Kingston High boys basketball team clinched the Olympic League’s class 2A title Feb. 12 with an 81-47 win over Klahowya. The Buccaneers (10-5 league, 13-6 overall) are now qualified to enter the West Central District III playoffs March 2 as a No. 1 seed. It is the first playoff berth for the Bucs.
Sam Byers had 18 points for the Bucs. George Hill added 13 points, seven assists and seven steals. Richie Sander had 14 points, including four three-pointers.
Kingston hosts Bremerton High at 7 p.m. tonight.
Kingston girls top Klahowya
The Kingston High girls basketball team defeated Klahowya Feb. 12, 64-49. Sophia Baetz led the Bucs with 22 points. Laura Wicklein added 10 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.
Kingston plays at 7 p.m. tonight at Bremerton High.
