Category Archives: Kitsap Pumas

Good time to catch a Pumas game and more: Ackley, Charlie, Jackets etc.

* Pumas need you: I know there are a lot of folks out there who have had the itch, but for whatever reason haven’t been to a Pumas’ game yet. Now’s the time to go. It’s a great intimate setting at Memorial Stadium, the weather is supposed to be gorgeous and the hometown guys would really appreciate your support as they try to win a national PDL championship. Yeah, a national championship.

Kitasp plays the Thunder Bay Chill at 7:30 p.m on Friday. The Laredo Heat and Long Island Rough Riders play the 4:30 p.m. semifinals. The championship game is Saturday at 4:30 p.m. These are the best four teams in the 64-team league. Tickets are reasonable: $10 for adults, $5 for youth 4-15.  And you can get a weekend pass for $15 (adults) and $10 (youth) for all three games by going online at kitsapsoccerclub.com.

* Happy birthday Troy: Troy Kelly turned 33 on Tuesday. Born in Tacoma, but raised in Kitsap County, Kelly is playing in the Nationwide Tour’s Cox Classic in Omaha this week. He’s still seeking his first win on that tour, but is No. 4 in earnings with $208,559. He’s had two seconds and a third and two other top 25 finishes in 10 events.
* Sorry Charlie: I’m been a supporter of Charlie Whitehurst, but if there’s a knock against Whitehurst it’s his ability to be a leader. He doesn’t come across as a charasmatic player, someone that can rally the troops. I like his arm, and his coolness and all of that, but, as a source close to the team told me, Whitehurst could be released. Paying $4 million for a backup might be a little steep and the Hawks seem committed to Tarvaris Jackson. So don’t be surprised if they bring in a J.P. Losman or another veteran to serve as the backup.

* Ackley looking good: Terry Benish, a contributing blogger (Peabody) about all things baseball, especially the Mariners, had an interesting post about Dustin Ackley. His OPS (on-base plus slugging)  percentage is .942. How’s it compare to the other top second baseman in the AL?

 1. Ackley .942
 2. Pedroia .893
 3. Zobrist .873
 4. Cano .844
 5. Kendrick .807
 6. Kinsler .780

I’m not a big numbers guy, but Ackley’s numbers don’t lie. The kid can play. Like I said the other day, as bad as the M’s have been, you gotta like what they’ve got going up the middle with Ackley at second and Dustin Ryan at shortstop. What Ryan did the other day, going to third on an infield single, doesn’t show up in the stat sheets, but heads-up plays like that win games.

* New course: Salish Cliffs Golf Club at Little Creek Casino in Shelton is scheduled to open next month. The exact date hasn’t been announced. The par-72 layout will play at 7,264 yards, longer than the Olympic Course at Gold Mountain.

* Tripleheader Friday: Did you see where the Central Kitsap School District has scheduled a tripleheader for football’s opening day on Sept. 2? Olympic plays Fife at 1 p.m., Klahowya takes on Steilacoom at 4 p.m. and Central Kitsap and Eastlake play at 7 p.m. Good move. Spokane used to do it all of the time at Joe Albi Stadium.

* BlueJackets winding down: Only three more chances to watch the Kitsap BlueJackets at home this summer. They play Klamath Falls Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. There’s gonna be a surprise at Monday night’s game. If you’ve been a fan of BlueJackets’ baseball the last seven years, you might want to show up. Sorry, I can’t elaborate.

 

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PDL Playoffs: Pumas-Fusion III

The Kitsap Pumas, champs of the Premier Development League’s Northwest Division, face the Ventura County Fusion in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday in Fresno. The host Fresno Fuego take on the Victoria Highlanders in the other match. Winners play Sunday. Victoria handed Kitsap its first league loss, 1-0, in the regular-season finale.

The Pumas and Fusion have met twice before in the playoffs. Ventura won in 2009 in Texas; Kitsap won in 2010 in Bremerton. Here’s a story from our sister Scripps Howard newspaper, the Ventura Star, on the matchup.

And here’s another story from the Ventura Star on the game.

The United Soccer Leagues has started handing out postseason honors.

Here’s a story about the PDL playoffs, which started on Tuesday.  Here’s the results of Tuesday’s games:

Chicago Fire 3, Forest City London 0

Carolina Dynamo 1, Northern Virginia Royals 0

Jersey Express 1, Reading United AC 0

New Hampshire Phantoms 1, MPS Portland Phoenix 0

Scroll to the bottom of this page to find the matchups. There are more games coming up on Friday.

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Sounders-Pumas game looks to be a sellout

I called TicketMaster around 9:30 a.m. today and was told there were about 300 general admission seats ($12) left for Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup third-round game between the Seattle Sounders and Kitsap Pumas at Starfire Soccer Stadium in Tukwila. There were not any covered grandstand seats ($16) left. A Sounders’ official said capacity at Starfire is 4,500.

Tickets are available by calling 1-877-MLS-GOAL, visiting www.SoundersFC.com or through TicketMaster. (The 1-877 number takes you directly to TicketMaster).

The Pumas, meanwhile, are scheduled to train todayat Starfire. The game starts at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

The Sounders FC-Kitsap winner advances to the quarterfinal round to meet the L.A. Galaxy-Los Angeles Blues winner. If Seattle advances the match would be played at Starfire. If Kitsap wins, the Pumas will play the Galaxy at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, Calif., or host the LA Blues at Bremerton Memorial Stadium. Quarterfinal matches are scheduled to begin on July 12.

The Sounders played Thursday and Sunday, and everybody’s wondering what kind of lineup Sigi Schmitt will come up with. Nobody’s expecting to see a lot of regulars. You’re only allowed three reserves in Open Cup games. The Sounders have a deep squad with several players seeing limited time in MLS games, but a lot of action in reserve games. The Sounders Reserves are 6-0-0, facing other MLS reserve squads. Kitsap’s will be well rested. The Pumas of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League beat the Colorado Real Foxes 3-1 on Tuesday, June 21.

WEATHER UPDATE: The forecast calls for rain Tuesday and Wednesday.

IF YOU CAN’T GO …: You can watch the game and listen to the broadcast by Arlo White at SoundersFC.com.  KMAS.com will also stream the game (audio only).

QUICK TURNAROUND: The Pumas return to PDL play on Wednesday when the North Sound SeaWolves visit Memorial Stadium.

 

 

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