I had a few All-League teams get clogged up in the blog queue, so without further adu, here they are.

All-KingCo 3A Soccer
Player of the Year: Ryan Herman, Mount Si
Coach of the Year: Darren Brown, Mount Si
Team of the Year: Sammamish

All-KingCo First Team
Midfielders – Brett Hightower, Jr., Bellevue; Mike Kunz, Sr., Mount Si; Garrett Lee, Sr., Juanita; Doug Silvius, Sr., Mount Si; Eric Baumgardner, Jr., Mount Si; Taylor Backous, Sr., Sammamish. Forwards – Race Sciabica, Sr., Bellevue; Andy Fordyce, Sr., Interlake; Tyler Ybarra, Sr., Mercer Island; Danny Strome, Sr., Mercer Island; Dyson Fowler, Sr., Mount Si. Defenders – Dean Byron, Sr., Liberty; Matt Johnson, Sr., Mercer Island; Taylor Ward, Sr., Mercer Island; Sam Evans, Sr., Mount Si; Nick Rooney, Jr., Sammamish. Keepers – Ryan Herman, Jr., Mount Si; Stuart Ellsworth, Jr., Sammamish.

All-KingCo Second Team
Midfielders – Miguel Castillo, Soph., Interlake; Kevin Baretto, Sr., Liberty; Jene-Wook Shin, Sr., Mercer Island; James Kashima, Sr., Mercer Island; Kyle Bauman, Jr., Mount Si; Taylor Berg, Jr., Sammamish. Forwards – Niccolo Piancentini, Sr., Bellevue; Nick Ward, Sr., Mercer Island; Sammy Gonzalez, Soph., Sammamish; Duncan Dickerson, Sr., Sammamish. Defenders – Max Lyon, Jr., Bellevue; Christian Schultz, Sr., Interlake; Austin Tran, Sr., Juanita; Tanner Klein, Sr., Juanita; Jay Haberman, Sr., Liberty; Dane Aldrich, Soph., Mount Si; Beau Blanchard, Fr., Sammamish; Chris Lider, Jr., Sammamish. Keepers – Alex Quintana, Jr., Interlake; Seth Kuhns, Sr., Juanita.

Honorable Mention
Bellevue – Ahmed Namrouti, Will Rattigan. Interlake – Erik Fergerstrom, Matt Grinnell. Juanita – Nick Horne. Liberty – Blake Kessler, Riley Mackey. Mercer Island – David Yount, CT Crow. Mount Si – Jonathan Cramer, Sam Joselyn. Sammamish – Isaac Velarde, Kittredge Hawkins.

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All-KingCo 3A/2A Softball

MVP – Brielle Buhner, Sr., 1B, Mount Si
Co-Coaches of the Year: Jesse Brown (Interlake) and Kristian Dahl (Juanita)
Team Sportsmanship: Sammamish

First Team
P Kylie Sparks, Sr., Juanita; C Danielle Massengill, Jr., Mount Si; 1B Brielle Buhner, Sr., Mount Si; 2B Kellie Shinstrom, Sr., Juanita; 3B Maddy Schiappa, Sr., Interlake; SS Kelly Meggs, Sr., Bellevue; SS Chandler Smidt, Sr., Interlake; OF Lexy Faist, Jr., Juanita; OF Aris Califano, Sr., Liberty; OF Lauren Smith, Fr., Mount Si; OF Marika McCarthy, Soph., Bellevue; UTIL Kasey Hormel, Fr., Sammamish.

Second Team
P Emily Fleischman, Soph., Bellevue; C Anjani Briggs, Soph., Bellevue; 1B Katie Savard, Soph., Bellevue; 1B Jessica Leach, Sr., Juanita; 2B Taylor Cooke, Soph., Bellevue; 3B Alexis Court, Sr., Liberty; SS Brooke Rychard, Sr., Juanita; SS Denise Blohowiak, Soph., Liberty; SS Maura Murphy, Soph., Mount Si; OF Rachel O’Neill, Soph., Juanita; OF Erin Scott, Fr., Interlake; OF Lisa Bennett, Jr., Bellevue; UTIL Stefanie Rabitoy, Sr., Interlake.

Honorable Mention
P Allison Rhodes, Soph., Juanita; P Alex Johnson, Jr., Mount Si; C Tania Quijada, Sr., Sammamish; C Sierra Harden, Soph., Interlake; 1B Marissa Jeffers, Jr., Liberty; 2B Shelby Scott, Jr., Interlake; 3B Corri McAllister, Sr., Bellevue; SS Taylor Ferleman, Fr., Sammamish; OF Amie Huynh, Jr., Sammamish; OF Ana Faoro, Soph., Liberty; UTIL Kajsa Sporseen, Sr., Juanita; UTIL  Patti Chew, Mercer Island.

The Newport High School girls water polo team, coached by Calvin White, finished third in Washington State with a 6-5 win over Mercer Island earlier this month

The team, from left to right and back to front: Nina Dipboye, Cassidy Wolff, Sara Simpson, Marisa Dichter, Katie Rooney, Stephanie Halamek, Alexa Hamilton, Olivia Mulholland, Ellen Peterson, Jennifer Leong, Ema Alspaugh, Shadi Garman, Adriana Tejeda, Natasha Popoff, and Sofia Velling.

The team was led by head coach, Calvin White and assistant Carolyn Glidden.

The FirstSwing Foundation is hosting its sixth annual Bellevue baseball/softball camp at Clyde Hill School fields August 9-13.

The camp will be for kids 5-13 years old, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. each day. On Tuesday August 10 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. there will be a special skills session with games.

Executive director Phil Rognier has coached at every level of baseball and conducts camps in Portugal, Vietnam, Thailand as well as other U.S. states.

Camp cost is $105 (or $150 for a two child family plan) for the five-day camp and $40 for the skills afternoon. Register by contacting Rognier at phrog38@hotmail.com or by phone at 425-451-8276.

Newport High School has hired Steve Haizlip as the boys varsity basketball coach.
Haizlip, a 1995 Newport graduate, replaces Dave Olzendam.

“It feels good to be home,” Haizlip said in a press release.

Haizlip played under Rich Belcher at Newport before moving on to play college basketball at Central Washington University and Chabot College in Hayward, California.

Haizlip owns a lanscape design/build firm, New Leaf Creations, Inc., and lives in Bellevue with his wife Kristen (also a Newport alum) and two sons, Mile (age 3) and Cole (1).

Here is a press release about a FirstSwing baseball/softball camp in Bellevue in August:

The “Funnest” Camp of ALL!!!!!!!

The FirstSwing Foundation is hosting its sixth annual Bellevue baseball/softball camp at Clyde Hill School Fields August 9-13th. The Camp will be for youngsters 5-13 years old, 9am to noon each day. Tuesday, August 10th, from 1-4pm there will be special skill sessions with games. As FirstSwing is NOT doing these with the City of Bellevue, you must register with FirstSwing directly.(See below)

The mission of these camps is to teach “life’s little lessons” and the fundamentals of baseball/softball within the baseball environment. Each day, the camp focuses on the three basic baseball/softball skills, provides drills, and practice for the skills, and then plays a game using what has been taught. There is a syllabus that accompanies the camp which empowers the parents to continue teaching and reinforcing the proper mechanics of hitting, throwing, fielding, base running, and other aspects of the game. FirstSwing stresses the importance of practice, work ethic, problem-solving, and decision-making. Moreover, the players receive “lessons” in conditioning, nutrition, baseball math, manners(yep, manners), and MORE!!

The camp includes unique learning games and a number of competitions to measure bat speed, baseball competencies, and related skills. There is a Home Run Derby, Bunt-a-thon, and Target Ball Challenge. Each ball player may request a written evaluation upon completion with recommended drills, etc to encourage the player to practice in order to “Get Good”!

Parents and coaches are encouraged to attend and take part. Phil Rognier, the Executive Director, has coached at every level of baseball(to include “Small Ball”, 2-4 year olds)), taught the game to thousands of coaches and players, and subscribes to the “children above ideology” thinking that empowers young players and does not enable them. He has a Masters Degree in Education and has an international Baseball Connect program which has camps in Portugal, Vietnam, Thailand, as well as in other states in the United States. Coach Phil conducts Coaches’ Clinics for parents and Little Leagues, and has published numerous books and articles regarding the game of baseball.

The cost of the Camp is $105(family plan: $150 for 2) for the 5-day camp and $40 for the Skills afternoon. You may register by emailing Coach Phil: phrog38@hotmail.com.(The form is below) Questions may be either emailed or call 425-451-8276.
Checks are to: FirstSwing, PO Box 497, Medina, WA 98039.

Bring glove, athletic or baseball shoes, water, and an attitude to WORK HARD!! No seeds, candy, gum, or soda pop!!

Each camper will receive daily gifts to include a MoonJar, Topps baseball cards, Wiz Kid figures, and many surprises!! Find out what the Red Hippo is!!!! It is FUN and educational and you get to PLAY BALL!!!

References on request. Thank you and GAGPTH! Coach Phil

You may visit firstswingbaseball.org to get a general overview of FirstSwing’s camps and other learning opportunities!!

REGISTRATION FORM

NAME_______________________________________________________

ADDRESS____________________________________________________

CITY____________________________________ ZIP_________________

PHONE________________________ AGE____ Date of Birth___________

E-Mail address(legible PLEASE)_______________________________________

Please fill this out and send it to: FirstSwing, PO Box 497, Medina, WA 98039

I just got off the phone with Newport senior Trace Tam Sing, who yesterday was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 22nd round.

Tam Sing said he was told to be expected to be drafted anywhere from the fifth to the tenth round. When that didn’t happen, he just figured it was a matter of time.

“I was waiting on the edge of my seat,” he said.

Finally, an unknown number popped up on his cell phone. It was Pat Portugal, Boston’s regional scout, calling to tell Tam Sing the Red Sox had drafted him.

Tam Sing said he thinks his commitment to play at Washington State was a factor in his 22nd round selection. He said his plans next year are “up in the air” now and that he’ll meet with Red Sox officials soon to talk potential contracts.

Regardless of if he signs or not, Tam Sing will fly to Boston July 6. Each year the Red Sox have all of their draftees play in a game at Fenway in front of the team personnel.

“It’s an amazing feeling to be drafted by Boston,” Tam Sing said. “Their teams are always great and their history is amazing.”

“Yesterday was probably the best day of my life but you wouldn’t have known it if you saw me because I was just in shock all day,” he added. “It’s definitely a dream come true.”

There it is. Newport senior Trace Tam Sing was just drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 22nd round. The Red Sox took Tam Sing with the 683rd overall pick.

Tam Sing is heading to Washington State University next season. I can’t imagine the pick would change his plans but I’ll get in touch with him regardless. Update soon.

The second day of the Major League Baseball draft is underway. So far, three players from Washington have been drafted and all three have been drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Rays selected Bishop Blanchet’s Josh Sale, a highly touted prospect, with the No. 17 pick then followed that up by taking Central Kitsap’s Drew Vettleson with the 42nd overall pick. Today, the Rays selected Highline’s Ryan Brett. That gives the Rays Washington’s top three prospects.

It will be interesting to see if any area players get token selections. While some players, like Newport’s Trace Tam Sing, have already committed to college (in Tam Sing’s case, with Washington State), you just never know what could happen once your name gets called by a big league club.

I’ll be sure to pass across any more Washington draftees.

Update, 11:39 a.m.Washington has its fourth selection come off the board – Oregon State pitcher Greg Peavey, a Hudson’s Bay grad. Peavey was selected with the 182nd pick by the New York Mets.

Update, 12:23 p.m.Jackson grad and Lewis-Clark State catcher Kawika Emsley-Pai was picked by the Diamondbacks with the 301st pick.

Update, 12:45 p.m. I somehow missed the Mariners selecting Woodinville’s Luke Taylor in the ninth round. Taylor is a 6-foot-6, 200-pound right-handed pitcher.

Update, 12:57 p.m. University of Portland right-hander Zach Varce was selected in the 11th round by the Yankees. Varce is a West Seattle grad. varce is teammates with Bellevue grad Jeff Melby at the University of Portland.

Update, 2:07 p.m. San Francisco selects Edmonds Community College right-handed pitcher Ryan Bean with the 528th overall pick in the 17th round. Bean is 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds.

Update, 2:24 p.m. Two Washington products taken in 18th round. Detroit takes second baseman Josh Ashenbrenner, a senior second baseman at Lewis-Clark State who prepped at Lake Washington High School in Kirkland with the 553rd pick. The Dodgers nabbed Chad Arnold out of Washington State nine picks later. The right-handed pitcher is a graduate of Southridge High School.

Update, 2:42 p.m. St. Louis nabs West Seattle High School shortstop Travis Martin in the 20th round.

The Eastside Red FC U18 boys soccer team will be collecting recyclable items at Bellevue College from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday in partnership with Bellevue College and Green Planet.
Green Planet is a non-profit recycling organization that gives back to the community by helping recycle equipment. The fundraiser is supporting team travels to tournaments throughout the United States, where players have the opportunity to connect with and be seen by college coaches.

The U18 team has numerous Eastside students, including Sammamish players Taylor Berg and Stuart Ellsworth and Newport’s Kyle Savette, Nick Shankland, Perry Nunes and Connor Duggan.

The team will be collecting computers, printers, fax machines, radios, TV’s, VCR’s and other electronics, as well as batteries and other hard-to-recyle items. Donations will be accepted.

Last night was the annual KingCo senior feeder game, with the Crest beating the Crown Division 13-7.
Newport’s Jeff Gonzales picked up the win, pitching the third and fourth innings and allowing no runs on two hits while striking out two.