Gruber’s one-hitter keeps Lakeside Recovery rolling
June 16, 2013
June 16, 3:37 p.m.
Kyle Gruber hasn’t played varsity baseball for Skyline High School yet, but if he keeps doing what he did on June 13, coach Chris Tamminen won’t be able to hold him back.
Gruber needed only 75 pitches to throw a complete-game one-hitter, leading Lakeside Recovery to a 5-0 victory over the West Seattle Indians in a Double-A American Legion game at Skyline. Read more
Strong pitching not enough to extend Recovery’s win streak
June 12, 2013
Jake Rosen had barely pitched since his Newport High School baseball team ended its season in late April, but that didn’t stop him from putting together a great outing June 6.
Rosen shut out Phiten Legion of Bellevue through five innings, but Phiten scored a run in the sixth off reliever Clayton Huber to top Lakeside Recovery 1-0 in a Senior American Legion contest at Issaquah High. Read more
Kaleb Strawn’s soccer career is just beginning after graduation
June 12, 2013
Kaleb Strawn has never been able to dominate opponents physically on the soccer pitch. Instead, he uses intelligence and speed to make the other team miserable.
This spring, the 5-foot-7-inch Strawn led the Skyline High School boys to their first undefeated KingCo Conference season. The central midfielder supplied a single-season school record for points with his 11 goals and 13 assists, and it helped him lock up an NCAA Division II collegiate scholarship offer from Saint Martin’s University in Lacey.

Kaleb Strawn (left) battles for the ball in a game against Inglemoor earlier this season. File photo
Rosen’s strong pitching can’t save Lakeside Recovery from loss
June 7, 2013
By Neil Pierson
Jake Rosen had barely pitched since his Newport High School baseball team ended its season in late April, but that didn’t stop him from putting together a great outing June 6.
Rosen shut out Phiten Legion of Bellevue through five innings, but Phiten scored a run in the sixth off reliever Clayton Huber to top Lakeside Recovery 1-0 in a Senior American Legion contest at Issaquah High.
Lakeside Recovery coach Rob Reese liked what he saw from Rosen, who allowed three hits and two walks with three strikeouts.
“He hasn’t pitched much because Newport, they’ve been out of it for a while, so he’s only had, like, three innings in a month,” Reese said. “Five innings is about where he was good to go today, and then he gave us five shutout innings. You can’t ask for much more than that.”
Lakeside Recovery entered the game with five straight wins, and its offense had been red-hot during the streak, averaging more than eight runs per outing. The bats were silenced against Phiten, though, as they managed only three hits and struck out eight times.
Lakeside Recovery’s best scoring chance came in the bottom of the first inning after Matt Sinatro dropped a leadoff double down the left-field line. However, Sinatro was thrown out trying to steal third base, and Phiten ended the threat when Lakeside Recovery’s Justin Vernia grounded into a double play.
Reese credited Phiten’s pitcher for a solid outing, and said Lakeside Recovery didn’t accomplish the type of small-ball tasks that make a difference in a close game.
“We had our shot in the first inning,” Reese said. “We made a baserunning error, and we had our three, four hitters up with a guy in scoring position, and we just didn’t get him in. That was the end of our offense today.
“Who knows, if we get two or three runs in the first, it changes the whole game.”
Instead, Rosen was forced to hold Phiten at bay. He dodged a bullet in the third when a baserunning error helped squash a rally, and he stranded men in scoring position in the fourth and fifth innings.
After finishing third last season at the American Legion World Series in North Carolina, Lakeside Recovery has started 2013 well with a 5-2 record. Reese credits the team’s depth and versatility.
“We’ve got a lot of good players,” the coach said. “It’s a tough time of the year right now for everybody with end-of-the-year school and finals, and football camps and all that, so it’s just a matter of getting everybody here and getting everybody on the same page.”
Sinatro, a senior at Skyline High School, may be one of the team’s best players from his shortstop position. He’ll be playing collegiate baseball next year at the University of San Francisco. He was chosen to play in Washington’s all-state game this weekend, causing him to miss a few of Lakeside Recovery’s games.
“He’s probably one of the best shortstops around,” Reese said. “He’s just a great player.”
Next week, Lakeside Recovery hosts Sedro-Woolley at Issaquah High (6 p.m., June 13), and travels to Sedro-Woolley for a June 15 doubleheader starting at noon.
Katie Bucy leads Washington to national lacrosse win
June 3, 2013
New: June 3, 1:23 p.m.
Some say the third time is the charm, and for Katie Bucy, it was.
The Skyline High School junior had already been to the U.S. Lacrosse Women’s National Tournament twice before, but when she and her team outscored a New Hampshire/Vermont regional squad 9-6 to win the title May 26, it was a first.

Katie Bucy races down the field during one of the tournament games. Contributed
Plateau athletes take to the podium at state track meet
May 28, 2013
As the Skyline High School 4×400-meter relay team of Dorie Dalzell, Maria Volodkevich, Alex Daugherty and Kaylie Greninger huddled before the last race of the state track meet, the message was clear – the girls were more than teammates. They were family.
“We’re such a tight-knit team, so we said, ‘Do it for the family,’ before the race,” Daugherty said. “We are so fortunate to have each other.” Read more
Skyline’s Aman Manji takes third in state tennis tournament
May 28, 2013
Skyline senior Aman Manji finished third in the state boys singles tennis tournament May 25 after defeating Oscar Burney of Garfield 7-6, 7-6. Manji started his run with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Aaron Park of Stadium. He then defeated Derek Welch of Kentlake 6-2, 6-2. Manji then lost to eventual second place finisher Alex Marcinkowski of Gonzaga Prep 6-1, 6-1.
Skyline boys doubles team of Alex Wu and Brayden Hansen finished fifth after defeating Chase Hassig and Henry Wurst of Bellarmine Prep 6-2, 1-6, 7-5.
Eastlake brings home golf state championship
May 27, 2013
New: May 27, 11:31 a.m.
Plateau golfers put Sammamish on the map May 21 and 22 at the 4A state golf championships. The Eastlake boys team won the title and both the Skyline boys and the Eastlake girls teams finished in third place.
As the first round neared its end at Camas Meadows Golf Club, things were already looking good for the Eastlake boys team. All four of its golfers were on their way to making the cut for the final day, including senior Li Wang. After 15 holes he was six under par and on track to win the first day. Two bogies coupled with a double bogey on the final hole, however, put him at 70 strokes for a five-way tie for first place. Read more
Skyline softball season ends in lopsided defeat
May 23, 2013
By Justin Lester
When just 12 girls turned out for tryouts, a rebuilding year became a likelihood for the Skyline softball team. But the Spartans hoped their subpar season wouldn’t conclude in as disappointing fashion as it did.
Skyline’s 2013 campaign came to an end on May 14 with an 11-3 loss to Newport in a loser-out game of the KingCo 4A Tournament at Inglemoor High School. Opponents outscored the Spartans by a combined margin of 19 in Skyline’s two playoff games, making for a frustrating finish to the season for head coach Ken Brooks. Read more
Skyline, Eastlake track teams do well in district meet
May 23, 2013
Plateau athletes had a solid showing at the bi-district track meeet championships May 17 at Lake Stevens High School.
The Eastlake boys had the best team showing taking third while Skyline boys were fourth.
On the girls side, Skyline girls finished fifth while Eastlake girls were 11th. Read more


