Isaac Williams, a 1995 Central Kitsap grad, is the head coach of NAIA Division II Eastern Oregon’s No. 3-ranked men’s basketball team. The Mountaineers (27-3) were co-champs of the Cascade Collegiate Conference and open CCC tournament play on Wednesday. Look for my column on Williams, a third-year head coach, in Thursday’s editions. Cody Thurmond, a senior from Central Kitsap, started as a sophomore and junior for the Mountaineers but missed the first 10 games with a hand injury. By then, Eastern was 10-0 and nobody wanted to mess up the rotation. Thurmond’s splitting time at point guard and is coming off an 18-point game.
Seattle University guard Jarell Flora of Bremerton scored a career-high 18 points in a 65-63 loss to UT Arlington over the weekend. Flora made three straight threes and a dunk during an early 17-1 run in that game. The sophomore guard, who has started two games this month, made 7 of 9 shots in the game. He’s averaging 6.4 points in 23 games, averaging 17.3 minutes a contest. Flora’s making a team-high 35.9 percent of his 3-pointers.
Remember Sophia Baetz? Now a sophomore at Skagit Valley, she’s the 19th leading scorer in the NWAACC, averaging 14.5 points for the Cardinals, who visit Olympic College on Saturday for a 2 p.m. game. It’s the regular-season finale. Skagit’s tied for first with Bellevue in the NWAACC North and headed to the 16-team championship tournament. …. Shannon Jackson, a sophomore from Olympic HS, averages 7.84 rebounds for Umpqua (Ore.), which ranks 12th in the NWAACC. … Sadee Jones, a 5-8 sophomore guard from North Mason, averages 6.9 points and 6.6 rebounds for Evergreen Stat e(7-15). … Freshman Hannah Depew, a Bainbridge grad, averages 10 points and 3.5 rebounds for Columbia Basin. She had a season-high 18 points against Blue Mountain earlier this month and has averaged 13.4 points over her last five games. … Shoreline’s Maile Keanu (fr., South Kitsap), S. Puget Sound’s Renee Willey (so., North Mason) and Highline’s Terrick McGhee (so., Bremerton) are also playing in the NWAACC. … Kelsey Callaghan, a sophomore point guard from South Kitsap, averages 2.7 points in a backup role for NAIA Montana Western (13-15).
Four-year college baseball and softball teams have started their seasons. South Kitsap grad Brady Steiger, who started his career at Washington State before citing “burnout” as a reason for quitting the team, has regained his love of the game. After a successful year at Sierra Junior College in California, Steiger’s now a first baseman/third baseman at Lewis-Clark State in Lewiston, Idaho. The 6-foot-1 junior, who played for the Cheney Studs in the summer, is hitting .556 (with 7 runs, 2 doubles, 6 RBIs and 4 walks) after collecting 10 hits in his first 18 at-bats. His dad Greg played baseball at Eastern Washington, which doesn’t have a program anymore. Grandpa Jack Brady played baseball at the University of Washington.
Seattle University’s Nate Roberts, a senior from Central Kitsap, and Landon Cray, freshman from Chimacum, have got their seasons off to a good start. Roberts started at shortstop all three games in a series at Santa Clara and collected six hits in 13 at bats (.462) with five runs scored and five RBI. Cray started in center field and was 6 for 10 (.600) with 7 runs scored. Seattle U (1-2) plays Portland at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue on Tuesday.
Allen Hewey, junior transfer from Central Kitsap and Olympic College, pitched three shutout innings and got a save in his debut for Campbellsville (Ky.) University. Hewey could also play some third base for the NAIA power.
Michael Calderon, who pitched two years at Olympic College, remains the ace of the staff at NAIA Bellevue University in Omaha, Neb. Calderson was the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2012 after posting an 8-1 record with a 2.72 ERA. The lefty from Eisenhower High in Yakima is 1-0 after two starts this year. Former OC catcher Mason Castillon from Hawaii is red-shirting at Bellevue and will have one more year of eligibility.
Two North Mason grads are playing baseball for Central Washington (4-8). Sophomore second baseman Kasey Bielec is hitting .371 (13 for 35) and senior pitcher Randy Button is 0-1 with a 1.0 ERA in nine innings and four appearances. He’s made one start. … Josh Sontag, a freshman from Central Kitsap, is a reserve infielder for St. Martin’s (0-10). … Nick Benish, a sophomore from North Kitsap, is a backup catcher/DH at George Fox (5-3). He hit .306 as a freshman in 41 at bats.
Shortstop Haylee Baker, a junior transfer from Bainbridge and Bellevue CC, is hitting .364 for Western Washington. Baker has started all 13 games for the Vikings (7-6) and has one home run and six RBI. Western plays Olympic College in an exhibition doubleheader Sunday in Bellingham.
Central Kitsap grad and Oklahoma State runner Shane Moskowitz, who ran a sub-4-minute mile (3:59.48) earlier this year, was third in the 3,000 meters at the Tyson Invitational in Fayatteville, Ark., on Feb. 9. His time was 8:13.36. … Ruby Roberts, a junior from Kingston at Washington State, was third in the indoor mile at the Husky Classic with a PR of 4:48.15.
