Monthly Archives: July 2011

Pumas beat Fresno, will host PDL Final 4

Daniel Scott scored in the 90th minute and goalkeeper Bryan Meredith stopped a penalty kick in injury time as the Kitsap Pumas won the Premier Development League’s Western Conference title with a 1-0 victory over the Fresno Fuego on Sunday in Fresno, Calif.

Scott’s tally off an assist from fellow defender Steve Mohn put Kitsap up 1-0, but Taylor Hyde’s handball a minute later gave Fresno a chance to tie the game before overtime. But Meredith dove right to save Milton Blanco’s penalty kick to secure the win.

With the win, Kitsap will host the PDL Final 4 next week at Bremerton Memorial Stadium. Games will either be Friday-Saturday or Saturday-Sunday. The Thunder Bay Chill will face the Laredo Heat, while the Long Island Rough Riders will play the Pumas.

More to come later.

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Adrian wins gold in medley relay on final day at worlds

Nathan Adrian swam the anchor leg on the United States’ 400-meter medley relay and helped the Americans secure a gold medal at the FINA World Swimming Championships early Sunday morning.

Adrian, along with teammates Nicholas Thoman, Mark Gangloff and Michael Phelps, finished in a time of 3 minutes, 32.06 seconds, holding off Australia in 3:32.26. Germany won bronze.

Adrian found himself trailing the Japanese, who lead from the start, after diving in on the final leg. Adrian had a 50-meter split of 21.78 and touched the wall in a personal split of 47.64 as he blew past Shogo Hihara to claim the gold.

The US won 29 medals, 16 of them golds.

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Update: Kitsap Pumas win playoff game, 1-0

UPDATE:

Kitsap hung for a 1-0 win over Ventura on Saturday morning in Fresno.

The Pumas have now reached the Premier Development League’s Elite 8 three straight seasons.

Kitsap plays the Victoria-Fresno winner Sunday at noon for a spot in next weekend’s Final Four. The game will be live streamed at kmas.com.

The Final Four site has not been announced. Kitsap did put in a bid to bring it to Bremerton.

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Adrian fourth in 50 free by .01 seconds at world championships

Nathan Adrian again found himself looking from the outside in at the medal podium, this time by the slimmist of margins possible.

The Bremerton native finished fourth in 21.93 seconds in the finals of the 50-meter freestyle at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, China, early Saturday morning.

Brazil’s Cesar Cielo, who was cleared of doping charges by the Court of Arbitration of Sport just days before the meet began, won gold in 21.52. Italy’s Luca Dotta won silver, 21.90, while Frenchman Alain Bernard, who barely qualified for the final in eighth place, won bronze in 21.92.

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Bremerton’s Adrian qualifies for 50 free finals at worlds

Nathan Adrian had the third-fastest qualifying time in the 50-meter freestyle semifinals at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, China.

Adrian, who won Heat No. 1, touched the wall in 21.94. Luca Dotto of Italy finished second in 21.97. The final is 3 a.m. (local time), and 6 p.m. in Shanghai.

The top time went to Bruno Fratus of Brazil in 21.76. Right behind him was defending world and Olympic champion Cesar Cielo of Brazil in 21.79.

Other qualifiers include Alain Bernard of France (22.07), Krisztian Takacs of Hungary (21.97), Gideon Louw of Russia (22.02) and George Bovell of Trinidad (22.02).

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Adrian moves into 50 free semifinals at worlds

Less than 24 hours after having a sub-par swim in the finals of the 100-meter freestyle, Bremerton’s Nathan Adrian was back in the pool for the 50 free prelims at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, China.

Adrian, who finished sixth in the 100, left little doubt as to his desire of redeeming himself, as he qualified as the top seed in 22.03 seconds. Brazilian Cesar Cielo and George Bovell of Trinidad also had identical times.

Adrian will swim Friday morning (3 a.m. local time) in the semifinals.

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Pumas executive director Pecora leaving team

Ben Pecora has spent the past three years as executive director for the Kitsap Pumas, helping turn the team into a Premier Development League title contender.

Now Pecora is ready to say goodbye.

Pecora confirmed that he is leaving the Pumas — who play Ventura County on Saturday in the PDL’s Western Conference playoffs — at the end of the season.

He called his departure a “mutual decision” made with Kitsap owner Robin Waite.

“I’m really grateful for the opportunity,” Pecora said. “It’s been an awesome experience.”

Pecora became Waite’s right-hand man three years ago as the pair build the Pumas from the ground up. Joining the PDL in 2009, Kitsap has won the Northwest Division title twice, qualified for the playoffs three times and played in the U.S. Open Cup tournament three times.

From player signings to sponsorships to media relations and everything in between, Pecora has been there for it all.

In the end, he’s proud he helped bring a pro soccer franchise to the Kitsap area.

“There were a lot of people who didn’t think we had a chance in hell,” Pecora said.

For a complete story, check back later.

 

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Adrian finishes sixth in finals

In what Nathan Adrian was hoping would be his first career individual world title, instead turned out to be a disappointment.

Adrian, of Bremerton, finished a surprising sixth in the finals of the 100-meter freestyle Thursday at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, China. He was seeded No. 2 heading into the event.

Adrian was one of the quickest competitors off the starting block, with a reaction time of .66 seconds, and was in third place after the first 50 meters. His split time of 22.81 was bettered only by Brazil’s Cesar Cielo (22.63) and France’s Fabian Gilot (22.79).

But the final 50, where Adrian is usually able to bring it home strong, just wasn’t there. 

Australian phenom James Magnussen won in 47.63. Brent Hayden of Canada was second (47.95) and William Maynard of France third (48.00).

Adrian will have to put this race behind him quickly as he prepares for the prelims of the 50 free Thursday night (local).

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Adrian second-fastest qualifier into finals at Worlds

Nathan Adrian popped his second-fastest time at the FINA World Swimming Championships early Tuesday morning, touching the wall in 48.05 seconds in the semifinals of the 100-meter freestyle in Shanghai, China.

Adrian, 22, of Bremerton, swam a 47.40 in the anchor leg of the 400 free relay on Sunday in which the Americans finished with a bronze medal.

Australia’s James Magnussen had the top time, finishing in 47.90. Adrian’s first 50-split came in at 22.58, the fastest of all competitors, but Magnussen’s 24.82 in the final 50 just edged out Adrian for the No. 1 seed heading into Thursday’s final.

Other qualifiers include France’s William Maynard (48.25), Brent Hayden of Canada (48.30), Cesar Cielo of Brazil (48.34), Sebastiaan Verschuren of the Netherlands (48.41), Italy’s Luca Dotto (48.44) and Fabian Gilot of France (48.46).

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