As the kickoff clock winds down to the start of the 4A state championship game between the Issaquah High School Eagles and the Skyline High School Spartans, students, staff and community members are rallying behind their school colors.

Skyline students and staff are sending the Spartans off with an all-school pep rally assembly Friday at 1:50 p.m. The community will be rallying for Skyline at 4:30 p.m. Friday at the corner of 228^th and Issaquah-Pine Lake Road (Wells Fargo Bank).

The Skyline Gridiron Club is selling state finals T-shirts for $10 each in front of MERCER in the QFC Plaza Thursday from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m.-noon. The school is selling shirts for $5 at the bookkeeper’s office.

Students are planning individual tailgates at the Tacoma Dome, but the school is not coordinating one.

School officials are asking everyone to remember to exhibit good sportsmanship during the game. And the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association has asked school officials to share tournament regulations for spectators:

•  WIAA tournament managers have the authority to remove fans for inappropriate behavior and comments.
•  Artificial noisemakers (including thunder sticks) are not allowed at any WIAA state event; only cheerleaders may use megaphones.
• Helium balloons are not allowed in the facility.
• Small hand-towels with professional printing approved by the school administration (a sponsor name/logo on the hand towel is permissible, provided it is secondary in size to the predominate school name/logo) are permissible.
• Foam fingers and hand held pom-poms are permissible.
• Only the official school banner may be posted in the stands; no other signs are allowed.
• Face painting is permitted.
• All fans must wear shirts at all times (attire appropriate for a school function is expected).
• Fans will be allowed to wear paraphernalia during the WIAA state tournament contests, only if worn or carried in the hand of the spectator in the facility; boxes/cases or large quantities carried in any manner of any such paraphernalia will not be allowed in the facility.
• Students will be responsible for properly disposing of such paraphernalia at the end of each contest.
• If additional personnel are required to clean up any mess resulting from the paraphernalia, the school will be billed for cleanup.
• Fans are not to bring confetti; participating schools will be subject to paying the additional clean-up expense.

Reach Reporter Chantelle Lusebrink at 392-6434, ext. 241, or clusebrink@isspress.com.

Get tickets

Tickets are $14 for adults, $10 for students with identification and $10 for senior citizens at the Tacoma Dome.

Skyline fans may purchase tickets ahead of time from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Skyline High School bookkeeper’s office in the main commons.

Grant Gellatly

Jake Heaps

The Dec. 5 state football championship at the Tacoma Dome marks the first time two teams from the same school district will battle for the Class 4A title. 

Both Issaquah and Skyline come into the game with numerous accolades and distinguished players. Leading them are first-team all-KingCo 4A picks Skyline junior quarterback Jake Heaps and Issaquah junior running back Grant Gellatly. The two players shared their thoughts with The Review regarding the storied season that has brought both of them media attention, Division 1 college scouts and given them the opportunity for one last stand for glory in 2008. 

Jake Heaps No. 9

School: Skyline

Position: Quarterback

Height: 6 feet, 2 inches

Weight: 195 pounds

Year: Junior

Passing: 197 of 284 for 2645 yards

Interceptions: 3

Touchdown passes: 35

Top game: Oct. 17 versus Issaquah — Heaps completed 20 of 26 passes for 324 yards and four touchdowns, including an 87-yard touchdown bomb to William Chandler.

Q: What has been your favorite game moment this season? season highlight?

A: The Issaquah game. I played my best. And the rivalry between Skyline and Issaquah, it just doesn’t get any better than that.

Q: How do you deal with the pressure from media and all the attention?

A: The media attention hasn’t bothered me. It is very flattering to be recognized, what my teammates and I had accomplished.

Q: How do you maintain focus on academics?

A: You can easily get sidetracked from academics, but you have to realize that you are a student-athlete — the student part comes first! As soon as I get done with football, I come home and get my homework finished.

Q: What do you do to relax? What are your hobbies?

A: I love to hang out with my friends and family. With school, football and recruiting, doing absolutely nothing sometimes is the best! I love to play ping-pong and going bowling with my friends.

Q: As a junior, what are you looking forward to most in your senior year?

A: I am really looking forward to playing my heart out as my last season as a Spartan, and doing it with all my friends and getting another shot at trying to win a state championship.

Q: Explain the feeling you get when you throw or score the big touchdown.

A: I just get a total feel of satisfaction, because you know that all the hard work in the off-season has really paid off. It is also a time when you can go crazy and celebrate with your coaches and teammates.

Q: What’s the biggest misconception about you that you’d like to set straight?

A: I do not know what everyone’s perception is of me! Hopefully, it is something good.

Q: What’s it like to be the quarterback of one of the best high school teams in the country?

A: It is very exciting to be surrounded by such great coaches, talented players and community support. It is very special to me that my teammates put the trust in me to lead this team and I just want to perform my very best each and every game for my team. I am very fortunate and blessed.

Q: Is there anything you think you miss out on because of so much football?

A: I love playing football and I really don’t see things that I have missed because of it.

Grant Gellatly No. 5

School: Issaquah

Position: Running back, defensive back

Height: 5 feet, 10 inches

Weight: 180 pounds

Year: Junior

Rushing: 144 carries, 950 yards, 14 touchdowns, 119-yard average per game

Receiving: 10 receptions, 91 yards, two touchdowns, 11 yards per game

On defense: Gellatly had 31 tackles and one interception.

Top game: Oct. 10 versus Redmond — Gellatly had 26 carries for 291 yards and three touchdowns.

Q: What has been your favorite game moment this season? season highlight?

A: The quarterfinal game when (Issaquah kicker) Gavin Schumaker made the winning field goal kick. 

That was the most exciting game I’ve played in.

Q: How do you deal with the pressure from media and all the attention?

A: I try not to focus on it too much. 

I try to stay focused on our team.

Q: How do you maintain focus on academics?

A: Academics is the most important thing. It’s what you do after sports. I make certain I hit the books after football practice. 

I realize I’m going to need those grades later in life.

Q: What do you do to relax? What are your hobbies? 

A: Hang out with friends. Sit around and watch college and NFL football. 

I also like skiing at different resorts. Vail (Colorado) is my favorite.

Q: As a junior, what are you looking forward to most in your senior year?

A: Playing football for the last time with so many teammates I played with in youth football.

Q: Explain the feeling you get when you score the big touchdown. 

A: It’s a huge adrenaline rush. It’s a big momentum swing and you can hear the crowd going wild.

Q: What’s the biggest misconception about you that you’d like to set straight?

A: That I’m really small (5-foot-8 and weighing 180 pounds). 

I feel, compared to other high school running backs, I’m average size. 

I don’t consider myself that small. I’m only a junior, so I’m getting bigger.

Q: What’s it like to be the running back of one of the best high school teams in the state?

A: It’s a great feeling running behind one of the best lines in the state. 

Everyone likes being around each other. I’m having a fun time with it.

Q: Is there anything you think you miss out on because of so much football?  

A: Not really. I love this game. I love each and every minute of it. 

I wouldn’t say I’m missing out on anything.

Skyline’s Gino Simone intercepts pass intended for Ferris receiver Garrett Saiki in the second quarter. Skyline’s Kasen Williams was also on the coverage. Photo by Jim Simpkins.   

The Skyline Spartans (13-0) managed to beat Ferris High School 24-21 in the semifinal round of the state playoffs Nov. 29 in Spokane.

Despite trailing three times throughout the game and losing a fumble on its first drive, Skyline came up with key plays in the second half to secure its spot in the final against school-district neighbor Issaquah. 

It was a back-and-forth game of time-management and big passing plays for both teams. 

“Their defensive line was really good,” Skyline head coach Mat Taylor said Nov. 30. “There were some holes in their secondary that we hit. Their offense was equally impressive. They made some big, big-time plays.”

Junior quarterback Jake Heaps threw two touchdown passes and completed 21 of 37 passes for 266 yards, while Ferris nearly matched him with 226.The Saxons’ star receiver Aaron Roberts contributed nine catches for 152 yards. 

Kicker Brian Schwartz made a 26-yard field goal in the first. 

Jake Heaps ran the ball 15 yards for a touchdown in the second and later tossed it to Kasen Williams for a 13-yard score a minute before halftime.

Skyline led 17-14 at the half, but Ferris regained the lead after scoring on a 19-play, 80-yard drive that took up nearly nine minutes in the third quarter. The Saxons converted five times on third down, Taylor said.

“They just kept the ball out of our hands,” Taylor said. “They just ate the clock up.”

Ferris also held Skyline to just three drives in the second half. 

Regardless of the lack of possessions, Skyline got the ball at the 50-yard line when it counted — after Ferris decided to onside kick after going up 21-17. 

It took the Spartans five plays to score the go-ahead touchdown, which came on a 9-yard Heaps-Gino Simone pass. 

The Saxons’ next possession ended when William Chandler intercepted a pass in the endzone. Ferris quarterback Connor Halliday threw three interceptions in the game.

“It was just a great game,” Taylor said. “It was a nail-biter.”

Skyline and Issaquah face off for the state Class 4A championship Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Tacoma Dome. 

Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or at chuber@isspress.com. 

Skyline’s Kiara Williams takes the ball past Woodinville defender Adrienne Biddle Nov. 22. Photo by Chirstopher Huber

Skyline’s game plan was to be the aggressor — “make them come to us” — as head coach Don Braman put it before the game Nov. 22. 

Woodinville had yet to claim victory over the Lady Spartans in 2008. In fact, the Falcons had fallen to Skyline 2-1 in the KingCo Championship game Nov. 4. and were hoping to win one when it counted.

In the first all-KingCo 4A state girls soccer title match-up, the Spartans executed their game plan and came out on top against the Falcons. For the first time, Skyline is the 2008 Washington state Class 4A champion after defeating Woodinville 2-0 at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood. 

“Tonight the girls were up to the challenge,” Braman said after the game. 

Skyline spent the crisp, but dry night beating Woodinville to the ball and putting pressure on its defense often. Both teams came out strong, with the Falcons pressing early, but to no avail.

Once Skyline found its groove, there was no stopping Kiara Williams and Shea O’Donnell from sprinting past Falcon defenders up the left and right sides of the field. 

After numerous near-goals on Woodinville goaltender Leslie Greer, Skyline’s first goal came off the foot of Alisha Connors. 

O’Donnell took the ball from mid-field, rolled past a defender, drove up the right side and fired a pass to an unmarked Connors in the middle of the box 10 yards out. Connors tapped the shot into the left post in the 36th minute. 

“How about that first goal. It was just really clutch,” Braman said.

O’Donnell spent much of the season fighting for playing time after recovering from a pre-season injury.

“Shea’s been a great example of how we continue to improve each week,” Braman said of her standout play in the state title game.

Skyline led 1-0 at halftime in a game that was increasingly physical until the very end. 

“We had a nice halftime talk and we knew we needed to pick it up if we wanted to keep the lead,” said junior midfielder Coral Anderson.

Throughout the second half, Woodinville committed penalties that gave Skyline ample opportunity to score. In a back-and-forth battle, the teams traded shoves and pushed the envelope when attacking the ball.

“They were getting frustrated and we just kept composed,” Anderson said. “And I think that was a big key, because if we freaked out or anything, then it wouldn’t have worked very well.”

A few minor injuries interrupted the game flow, but Skyline carried the one-goal lead well into the second half. The Skyline front line offense was quicker and tougher when in possession.

The insurance goal came in the 58th minute after a Michelle Bretl corner kick. Connors took the rebound and managed to feed the ball to Anderson, who lined it to the right post past Greer from about 8 yards out.

“We knew we needed to pick it up and 1-0 isn’t a very good lead,” Anderson said of her goal. “I think the physicalness really fueled us even more and made us get after it. And we wanted to play smart and just put them away.” 

The 2-0 lead ensured Skyline some breathing room and let the girls focus on defense to close out the game. 

Spartan goalkeeper Jill Stika almost let one past late in the half, but ultimately had four saves on the night.

“We really preach that defense wins championships, and tonight was evidence of that,” Braman said. “The girls are really awesome about recognizing the opportunity and then following through.”

Skyline finished the season with a record of 15-2-2, while Woodinville finished 14-4-1. 

“We believe that we play in one of the toughest leagues in the state, and when you look at the reality that the 3A champion and the 4A champion last year were in our league, and yet we managed to sneak our way into the KingCo championship, and then to get all the way here tonight and win this, it’s a really great compliment to the difficult coaches and teams that we have in our league,” Braman said about the competitive road to state. “What really made the difference for us this year was that the girls learned to play for each other and with each other and to collaborate and to be creative.”

Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or at chuber@isspress.com. 

Skyline's Nick Washburn during second quarter run. Washburn had 101 yards rushing and a touchdown against Auburn on Saturday. Photo by Jim Simpkins

If Skyline was a double-barreled shotgun, that might have proved disastrous.

But this Spartan team? It’s more like an Uzi.

Utilizing all of its weapons, Skyline overcame those early miscues and an early deficit to easily romp by Auburn, 38-2, at home Saturday. The victory propels the defending state champion Spartans into a state semifinal match with Ferris Nov. 29 in Spokane.

“It was a little rough at the beginning,” Skyline senior Gino Simone said. “Sometimes that can stunt a team’s momentum, but we kept at it and kept working.“We just like to stay confident with what we have. We have the best coaching staff in the state and we’re really confident that they’re going to put us in the right places to make plays.”

Simone both returned a punt for a touchdown and hauled in a touchdown catch in the rout.

However, his first score — a punt return for a touchdown — was called back because of a penalty. Three plays later, with the Spartans backed up to their own goal line, sophomore Kasen Williams scooped up a teammate’s fumble and raced 98 yards for a touchdown. However, that score was also negated when it was ruled that a player illegally touched the ball in the end zone, which resulted in a safety.

Instead of leading 14-0, Skyline trailed 2-0.

The Spartans never panicked, though, and bounced back to lead 24-2 at halftime. They came alive with a variety of threats, as they forced four turnovers on defense and scored on the ground, through the air and with special teams.

“That was big,” Skyline head coach Mat Taylor said. “It was a total team effort and that’s what we want in games like these.”

Junior quarterback Jake Heaps finished 17-of-24 for 204 yards and two touchdown passes. Nick Washburn rushed for 105 yards on 14 carries. On defense, both Simone and Jon Davidson intercepted passes, while Michael Stead and Tommy Aarts recovered fumbles.

Trailing 2-0, Skyline took its second possession 63 yards in 10 plays to set up a 23-yard field goal that made it 3-2. The next time the Spartans got the ball, they went 52 yards in 11 plays, as Heaps ran into the end zone from 2 yards out to bring the score to 10-2.

Before the end of the first half, Simone returned a punt 55 yards for a score and Washburn managed a 4-yard touchdown run to cap an 80-yard drive that put Skyline in full control at 24-2.

In the third quarter, Heaps hooked up with William Chandler for a 4-yard touchdown pass and Simone for a 41-yard touchdown pass as the gap spread to 38-2.

Skyline finished with 145 yards on the ground. Auburn, which depended mostly on its rushing attack, finished with 172 yards rushing and 37 yards passing. The Trojans entered the game averaging 382 yards rushing and 37 points a game.

The Spartans will now face a Ferris team that has advanced to the state playoffs four times in school history. Ferris lost in the semifinals to Bothell, 14-7, last season. It also was a state semifinalist in 1988.

Editor Ryan Piersol can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 246 or editor@snovalleystar.com.

Eastlake’s Alyssa Charlston is expected to be a force for the Lady Wolves this year. Contributed

The Eastlake girls basketball crew comes off a 16-8 2007-2008 season. And despite finishing fourth in the KingCo conference with a record of 9-5, the Lady Wolves return eight players from last year’s roster, including three all-KingCo players. 

Junior forward Alyssa Charlston made first team all-KingCo last year and is already getting looks from about a half-dozen Division 1 schools, head coach Scott Sartorius said. 

Captains Ellie Martinez (senior forward) and Hannah Ostic (senior point guard) were named to the second team and honorable mention all-KingCo respectively. 

“She (Martinez) has been a quiet leader for us,” Sartorius said. “She goes out and just does what the team needs.” 

Eastlake looks to Ostic’s leadership on the court to take it to an increasingly tough conference.

“She’s just a gutsy, tough, physical player,” Sartorius said. “She sees the floor so well.”

Starting his third year as head coach, Sartorius said the team is more established this season, after spending the past couple of years rebuilding.

Games to watch: at Eastlake vs. Skyline, 6:30 p.m., Dec. 12; at Eastlake vs. Redmond, 6:30 p.m., Jan. 16; at Eastlake vs. Ballard, 6:30 p.m., Jan. 28.

Eastlake Wrestling

Wolves’ wrestling went 0-11 to finish ninth in KingCo in 2007-2008 with a tiny team of just 13 players. This winter, however, Eastlake returns with a much larger crew of 30 grapplers. 

Head coach Riley Cornet said it’s a young team that looks to improve throughout the year. 

Key wrestlers for Eastlake this season will be Sam Boucher, Shay Fuentes, Trevor McKinnon, Tom Kuehny, Adam Nakanishi and Al Charat.

Matches to watch: Eastlake vs. Skyline at Eastlake, 7:30 p.m., Jan. 20. 

Skyline Girls Basketball

The Lady Spartans’ basketball team moves up to KingCo 4A this year after going 9-7 in conference in Class 3A competition in 2007-2008. They finished with an overall record of 14-11. 

The club starts the season with its third new coach in three years in head coach Greg Bruns. The team will follow the talented senior duo of Lindsey Perry and Carlie Wolken.

As newcomers, sophomores Michelle Bretl and Lindsey Nicholson may add a little depth to the starting line-up of Perry, Wolken, senior Mikayla Neves and juniors Kassia Fortier and Amy Ziegler.

Games to watch: Skyline at Redmond at 6:30 p.m., Jan. 9; Skyline at Issaquah at 6:30 p.m., Jan. 16; Skyline vs. Eastlake at Skyline at 6:30 p.m., Jan. 30. 

Skyline Wrestling

Skyline’s wrestling crew is looking for some strength at its 215-pound and heavyweight spots in the 2008-2009 season. 

Coming off a 5-8 overall performance last year, head coach Gus Kiss said the team has plenty of depth from the 103- to 189-pound class to contend in the new KingCo 4A surroundings after being bumped up from 3A last year. 

The Spartans grapplers, who have four state tournament participants returning to the mats, saw an influx of freshman join the team this year. The 14 ninth-graders will follow the leadership of captains Tannor Steciw (state alternate 2007-2008) and Anthony DeMatteo (third place state 2007-2008, 171 pounds), as well as Nolan Richards (130 pounds) and the lone female wrestler Alexis Wilcher.

Wilcher took second place in the girls’ 145-pound match at last year’s Class 3A state tournament. 

Matches to watch: Dual meet tournament at 9 a.m., Dec. 13 at Skyline High School; Skyline at Eastlake at 7:30 p.m., Jan. 20; Skyline at Issaquah at 7:30 p.m., Jan. 28. 

Reporter Christopher Huber can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 242, or at chuber@isspress.com.