Whitworth Flying High

Whitworth University, with former Kentlake MB Kathy Taylor is in 1st Place in the Northwest Conference, tied with the University of Puget Sound. UPS must still play perennial power PLU next week. Whitworth is on track for their first post-season invitation since 2005.

Wreath Reminder

All of the teams are reminded to get their wreath orders in by Monday, November 1st. You can give them to Megan Hartnett or you can drop them by the Hartnett's house. Email Donna Hartnett at donna.m.hartnett "at" boeing "dot" "com" for their address. They live in Winterwood.

Falcons Travel Back in Time

to relive their formative years with a match a Mill Creek MS against KM. The KM gym is being renovated so they are playing their home matches at Mill Creek. The gym has a very, very low ceiling (something about the flood plain) and there is not a lot of seating.

Senior Night Pictures

Senior night pictures are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/blkstar555/sets/72157625079798665/. Contact Ward Honbo (kstar555 "at" comcast.net) if you want a full resolution image for print.

Senior Night

Tonight is Senior Night for RS/MB Rebecca Kozy and DS Alli Gladwell. Kentlake plays Auburn Riverside at approximately 7:30pm, but please come early for the ceremony to honor our seniors.

Club Tryouts Page

I have updated the Club tryout information and made it it's own page. See the "Club Tryouts" link in the menu above.

Injury Update

The injury to Kentridge Sophomore MB Kiera Brunson was not as bad as it appeared. She dislocated her knee cap and was in intense pain, but initial x-rays show no damage and she should be playing again soon.

Falcons Overcome TJ

Despite losing game one 26-28, Kentlake came back to beat TJ, 3-1 tonight. With the return of Junior OH Natalie Berube from injury, Kentlake was trying different combinations with a new lineup in each game.

One of the biggest stats was from the serving line where Kentlake had 25 aces, but also had 22 service errors. Ginger Nason led the Falcons with 9 aces (one off the school record held by Courtney Thompson, Hannah Merrit and Kathy Taylor) while Natalie Berube had 6 (and did not serve in game 4).

The Falcons next head to Wenatchee for the Wenatchee Invite on Saturday and then return home for Senior Night against Auburn Riverside on Tuesday.

TJ Comes To Town

The Thomas Jefferson Raiders will visit Kentlake for a SPSL North League match this evening. JV and Cardinal at 6pm with Varsity to follow at approximately 7:15pm.

Kentlake and TJ are both 1-7 on the year, but TJ has only won four sets all year.

Follow Kentlake on Twitter from Wenatchee

We will have updates on Twitter after (and maybe during) every game from Wenatchee. Follow us on Twitter.com/KentlakeVB.

Changes in Club Volleyball

There have been many changes in the local club volleyball scene recently.

• Synergy VBC - a new club in Maple Valley run by long-time local coach Jeff Potter. The club will have U12, U14 and U16 teams this year and will not travel nationally.One of the lowest prices of the local clubs. Obviously no track record but Potter knows the market very well.
• Pacific Coast VBA - a relaunch of the venerable Saturday's Warriors VBC with "higher sights". Stated goal to compete on a national basis and against the teams like KJ and Puget Sound. Prices reflect the increased travel and expectations, so it will be interesting to see how their old market responds. Saturday's Warriors filled a very well defined niche that PCVBA is going away from.
• Jammin' VBC - Have renovated the gyms at Camp Berachah/Ranier Christian HS and will practice there this year.
• Puget Sound VBA - Moving into new facility at South Hill Mall in cooperation with Competitive Edge. Finishes the "break" from the old ownership based in Fife. Change means even a longer commute from the Kent/Covington area but should be a nicer facility.
• Lake Tapps VBC - Recently took over the facility of Puget Sound Gymnastics and is turning it into a volleyball/basketball facility called "The Five12 Courts". It is in "East" Puyallup about a mile due east of the Puyallup Fair grounds. A much longer commute from Kent, but should be a nice facility.

Tryout dates have been set by a number of clubs. Tryouts for high school age teams can start November 17.

• KJVBC - U15/U16: November 17, 7:30pm @ Kentwood HS
  U17/18: November 19, 7:30pm @ Kentwood HS
  Callbacks for U15-U18: Saturday, November 20th, 12:30pm - 3:30pm
• Pacific Coast VBA -  U15- Saturday, November 20th 3:00pm  Kentridge High School Main Gym
  U16- Wednesday, November 17th 7:30pm at  Green River Community College Gym Main Campus
  U17-U18- Sunday, November 21st 3:00pm at Kentridge High School
• Synergy VBC - U16: Saturday, November 20th, 2010, 12-2pm @ Tahoma Jr High School - Main Gym
• PSVBA - U15/U16: Sunday, Nov. 21st, 2pm - 4pm
  U17/U18: Saturday, Nov. 20th, 9am - 11:30pm 
• Jammin' VBC - U15: Sunday Nov 21st, 10am -1pm, Kentlake HS New Gym
  U16: Saturday Nov 20th, 9am - Noon, Kentlake HS New Gym

Unfortunately, that means there are some conflicts, but fewer than I expected:

• U15: KJ callbacks with PCVBA, Synergy U16 (but PCVBA and Synergy do not conflict)
• U16: KJ and PCVBA
  Jammin' ends at noon and Synergy starts at noon.
• U17/U18:None, but would have to hurry to go from PSVBA to KJ callbacks

Varsity Travels to Wenatchee on Saturday

The Kentlake Varsity will participate in the Wenatchee Invite this weekend in Wenatchee. We are the #1 seed in Pool 4 (#4 seed overall). We have Sunnyside (obviously not a school from Western Washington!), Squalicum and East Valley (Yakima) in our pool. We start with East Valley at 8:30am in the Small Gym at Wenatchee HS (unless things change between now and then).

The top three seeds in the tournament are Woodinville (6-4), Wenatchee (8-2) and Marysville-Pilchuck (4-4).

The team will leave on Friday afternoon, probably after 5th period but Coach Behrens will send home a schedule today.

If you do a Google Maps search on "Wenatchee High School" you will probably get Eastmont HS. That is not the right one. Wenatchee HS is by Triangle Park at 1101 Millerdale Ave (NOT 101, sorry about that, I had it wrong earlier).

Falcons Fall in Five

It was a hard fought match, with plenty of momentum swings, but Kentridge pulled out the victory in the end after what was undoubtedly the longest match in Kentlake volleyball history. Unfortunately, the length was due not just to the close five set affair, but rather to an injury to Kentridge Sophomore MB Kiera Brunson who went down in the fourth set to what appeared to be a knee injury. The match was delayed almost an hour as paramedics worked on her and finally resumed in the Back Gym so they could work in private.

Kentlake rushed out to a 8-1 lead in Game 1 and played the best volleyball of the season in that set. They were looking very good together and played exceptionally, finally winning 25-20 after Kentridge recovered some towards the end. Unfortunately, game two was the reverse with Kentridge getting out to a quick lead and cruising to a 25-14 victory. Game three was a close affair from the start with Kenlake staving off game point and then taking the game 28-26. Unfortunately, Kentridge was clicking in game 4 and won 25-12, despite the hour long delay. Kentridge then pulled out to a quick 8-4 lead in game five, but Kentlake came back to pull to 13-12. Unfortunately Kentridge finished off the game 15-13.

Kentlake faces 1-7 Thomas Jefferson, Coach Behrens' old school, on Wednesday. TJ has won five sets all year, none in league action.

Falcons Face Kentridge

Kentlake is home to face the Kentridge Chargers. Kentridge participated in a pair of sweeps last week - of Mount Rainer and by Kentwood. They are 2-1 in conference and 3-4 overall. JV and Cardinal teams at 6pm followed by Varsity around 7:15pm.