Former CK grads help Western win rowing title
The Western Washington University rowing team is back on top – with help from two Central Kitsap High School graduates.
Juniors Kate Berni and Nolan Winger, both former Cougars, were part of the Vikings squad that won its seventh straight NCAA Division II championship on May 29 in Gold River, Calif.
Berni rowed in the bow position and Winger was an alternate for a third straight year.
Berni competed for the varsity eight shell, which finished the 2,000-meter course in 6 minutes, 50.46 seconds.
The NCAA rowing championships started in 1997. The Central Kitsap graduates have won three straight titles.
Cougars earn league honors
Central Kitsap High School midfielder Miles-Rodriguez Nilsen was named to the All-Narrows League first team in boys soccer last week. The junior scored 10 goals this season.
Central Kitsap earned a second state tournament appearance in three years before losing in the first round.
Cougars head coach Christopher Floro was also named co-coach of the year with Gig Harbor High School’s Todd Northstrom.
Second team honorees from Central Kitsap included defender Trevor Park and midfielder Jordan Kollars.
Central Kitsap’s Lee qualifies for U.S. Women’s Open
Central Kitsap High School golfer Erynne Lee qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open for the second consecutive time last week.
Lee, who will attend the University of California, Los Angeles next fall on a full-ride golf scholarship, shot a total score of 144, or 2-under par for third place in the Women’s Sectional Qualifier in Pacific Palms, Calif.
The top four finishers qualify for the Open, set for July 7-10 in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Lee won a Class 4A state golf title last month.
She also qualified for the Open last year, but was disqualified for having incorrect wedges under club rules.
Olympic’s Campbell named to All-State series
Olympic High School senior Christopher Campbell was selected to play in the All-State Baseball Series Monday.
The Trojans standout joins five other baseball players from the Olympic League that will participate at the event, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at County Stadium in Yakima.
Campbell hit .435 in 80 plate appearances for Olympic this season. He totaled 25 RBI and a .609 slugging percentage.
The senior pitcher also led the team with five saves and 42 strikeouts. Opposing hitters hit .175 off Campbell, who earned first team league honors last month.
Pumas beat Timbers to clinch Open Cup berth
The Kitsap Pumas will stay busy this summer.
For the first time in the club’s three-year history, the Pumas will play in the U.S. Open Cup after beating the Portland Timbers 3-2 on the road June 3.
The Premier Development League announced last week that the winner of the game, played at Jeld-Wenn Field in Portland, would represent the Northwest Division at the Cup, which starts June 14.
The Pumas scored in the 21st minute when Robbie Christner connected on a header with an assist to David Gray.
The goal was Christner’s third of the season, while Gray earned his third assist for the year.
Kitsap extended the lead to 2-0 when captain Nik Besagno scored with a bicycle kick.
Portland trimmed the lead when Brent Richards scored to start the second half, but Christner scored again in the 66th minute to lead 3-1.
The match marked the first time in two years that Portland allowed three goals in a league match.
Pumas forward Brian Burke was ejected from the game in the 72nd minute with a red card, leaving the Bremerton squad with 10 men.
Nick Palodichuk scored for Portland to stay within one goal of the Pumas.
Despite missing one of its players, Kitsap didn’t allow another goal to win 3-2.
As a result of beating the defending league champions, the Pumas extended their division lead to nine points. The Timbers are in third place.
The undefeated Pumas (6-0-1) return home Friday, June 17 to play Abbotsford (British Columbia).
Their road match against the Canadian squad was recently rescheduled for July 5 so Kitsap can prepare for the Cup.
The 2011 U.S. Open Cup starts Tuesday, June 14 when Kitsap plays the Chivas Patriots in El Paso, Texas.
The tournament includes 40 squads from the five tiers of American professional soccer who face off in a series of matches from June through October.
Academy hosts basketball camp
Total Package Hoops will host an advanced skills basketball camp at Crosspoint Academy in Bremerton June 28-30.
Girls and boys in grades 4 through 9 can participate at the camp, which will take place at the private school’s gymnasium. Cost is $85. Those interested in attending are encouraged to bring their own basketballs and pre-register at www.totalpackagehoops.com.
Students in grades 4 to 6 will train from 9 to 11:30 a.m., and young athletes in grades 7 to 9 will play from noon to 3 p.m.
The camp’s coaching staff includes Craig Murray, Megan Murray, Rick Walker and players from Total Package Premier, a private Kitsap basketball club program. Its goal is to stress ethics and fundamentals to young boys and girls basketball players.
For more information, call (360) 405-3437, or email the club at megan@totalpackagehoops.com.
ISPN to air Kitsap BlueJackets games
Kevin Mac will broadcast live coverage of the ISPN Sports Show from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday with highlights and interviews from the past week of high school sports on www.ispnsports.com.
The network is scheduled to broadcast the Kitsap BlueJackets’ baseball game against the Kelowna Falcons (British Columbia).
The three-game series runs from June 13-15.
ISPN will air all BlueJackets home games this season.
For more information, visit www.ispnsports.com.
