Crowder moves on

to Lake Washington

George Crowder officially resigned from his position as Eastlake High School’s head softball coach last week after 16 years at the helm. He is moving on to teach history at Lake Washington High School next fall.

Crowder, who coached Eastlake since the school opened in 1993, led the Wolves to their first-ever state championship in May when they upset Shadle Park for the 4A title. The Spokane-based school had a 35-game win streak and was ranked as high as No. 6 nationally before Eastlake knocked them off.

Crowder leaves with a 211-124 record, five KingCo coach of the year awards and a state runner-up finish in 2004 to go with this year’s state title.

The open head coach position is expected to be filled by August.

Local athletes shine in all-star game

The East defeated the West 17-14 on July 3 in annual All-Star Summer Classic football game at Spokane’s Central Valley High School.

Two local athletes stood out for the West. Eastlake graduate and Central Washington University-bound quarterback Ryan Robertson completed 5-of-12 passes for 65 yards and one touchdown. Riley Gervais, a Skyline graduate, intercepted East quarterback Jeff Minnerly (Ferris) with six minutes remaining in the game. Trailing 14-10 with just over three minutes to go, the East got the ball back and Minnerly earned redemption. The senior connected with Moses Lake’s J. Ryan Coulston for 2-yard touchdown with 13 seconds remaining to earn the win. The touchdown capped off a 15-play, 73-yard drive.

Other local 2008 graduates who participated in the game included: lineman Drew Schaefer (Eastlake), wide receiver Cory Mackay (Eastlake), linebacker Eric Biege (Skyline) and lineman Jared Warren (Issaquah).

Sahalee golf

tourney ends early

Thunder and lightning forced the 2008 Sahalee Players Championship to end July 2 — a day early.

Trent Whitekiller of Sallisaw, Okla. won the weather-shortened event after officials decided to cancel the final round July 3 after the heavy rains and lightning continued from the previous evening.

Whitekiller won the tournament, shooting a 72-67-71—220, finishing two strokes ahead of Matthew Giles of Cronulla, Australia and the University of Southern California.

The Sahalee Players Championship has become one of the nations’ elite Amateur Championships. The Sahalee Players Championship features an impressive list of past champions that includes Daniel Summerhays, Kyle Stanley, Ryan Moore, Arron Oberholser, Casey Martin and Jason Gore. The course has also hosted the 1998 PGA Championship and the 2002 World Golf Championship – NEC Invitational, and soon the site of the 2010 U.S. Senior Open.