Boys Swimming

The Oak Harbor boys swim team had the first event of the Winter sports season, a dual meet at the Lynden YMCA, and the Wildcats smoked the meet, winning 128-41.
The Wildcats won every event, and two swimmers turned in State-qualifying times. John Hu swam the 200IM in 1:19.15 while Tyler Schell completed the 500 free in 4:59.86.
Next up for the swimmers is a home meet vs Stanwood at Vanderzicht Pool on Thursday, Dec 4th.
Tonight is girls basketball at Mountlake Terrace.

Middle School volleyball - Dec 1st

The OHMS and NWMS played the 2nd of their two non-league contests on December 1st at North Whidbey Middle School. As they did last week, the two "B" squads, 7th and 8th grade, played each other at 3:45, then the two varsity teams played at 5pm.
In 7th grade varsity action, the two teams split the match, with North Whidbey winning two and Oak Harbor one.
The 8th grade match had the same result, but in the other direction. Oak Harbor won game 1 and 3, while North Whidbey won game 2.
Both North Whidbey and Oak Harbor are in action Dec 2nd, but are away, and both team meet one last time for a league match on December 16th.
28 7th grade photos are posted HERE.
29 8th grade photos are HERE.

Timeout with - Kathryn Fisken - Girls Basketball

With the Winter sports season right on top of us, it's time to resume Michelle Sandstrom's weekly varsity athlete profile.

Kathryn Fisken is a long time well known athlete around the city of Oak Harbor. As she continues to wrap up her senior year at age seventeen, successfully completing and receiving the Coaches Award in Cross Country, and now with Basketball in the works and track & field in the spring, it’s hard to imagine how she keeps her grades so high and still spends time with the family.
She’ll be starting this basketball season as a “three” which is a wing, or a “four” which is a forward, and I have no doubt number 20 will be up and down the court shooting all season.
When asking her about the new team this year she had nothing but a positive attitude. “I think that we are going to do so much better then last year. We were really close to going to state and this year I think we will. I also think that we are going to win more league games”. With the first game being on December 3rd, they have had time to prepare, however only time can tell the outcome. Seeming confident she also explains how close the girls are, how all the seniors have grown up playing the game since middle school and how everyone really bonded over camp this summer. Her personal goal consists of making this season the best ever and as a team go to State and finish within the top three at league, preferably number one.
Hoping for a great season, we moved on to her future and whether basketball has a place in it or not. After high school she plans on going to UW and becoming a doctor, and when asked about basketball, she explains its fun but not her favorite sport and she doesn’t see it as part of her college experience.
Kathryn has a great season ahead of her along with the other girls on the team and a promising future ahead. Who knows where being a doctor will take her, perhaps back to her roots in Hawaii or keep her here on rocky Whidbey Island, I’m sure we will be hearing great things.

AAU Girls Basketball - SWISH League

Both of the Oak Harbor Girls Basketball teams in the Skagit Whatcom Island Snohomish Hoops (SWISH) League were in action Saturday, November 29th at Mt. Baker Middle School in Mt. Vernon.
First up was the 5th/6th grade team. The girls are coached by Keely Smollack, an OHHS graduate and former OHHS basketball player. The team has struggled this season, and on Saturday faced the Regulators team from Bellingham. The Wildcats came into the game with a 0-6 record while the Regulators were 4-3.
The records didn’t mean much to the Wildcats, as they sprinted out to an early lead, and at the end of the 1st period were ahead 10-2. Much of the credit for the lead should go to the Wildcat post players. They were getting shots off that were going in, and were exceptional on rebounding – both offensive and defensive. By halftime the score was 14-4 for the Wildcats.
In the 2nd half, the Regulators mounted a comeback, getting some points on the board and keeping a lot of the Wildcat offense in check. At the end of 3 it was OH 18 Regulators 14. In the 4th the Wildcats scored once and the Regulators twice once to close the gap to 2 points with several minutes left in the game. The Regulators had several chances to score and tie the game, but the Wildcat defense held them off, and the Wildcats won their first game of the season 22-18.
The other Oak Harbor team is made up of 8th grade girls and is having a good year. The 4-1 Wildcats were matched up against the 2-4 Snohomish Rock. The first few minutes were fast, with the Wildcats scoring twice early, but that was all the Oak Harbor scoring for the first period, which ended in a 4-4 tie. The 2nd period was not much better; with the Wildcats scoring only a single free throw with just a few seconds left in the half, but only allowed a single field goal by Snohomish. It was a low-scoring 6-5 Snohomish lead at the half.
The Wildcats opened up in the 3rd period, getting the offense rolling. The first score of the 2nd half was by Ciera Wiser, who also scored the last field goal of the game, then Emilie Renninger scored to put the ‘Cats ahead for good 9-8. A pair of field goals by Melanie Martin and another by Renninger pushed the lead to 15-9. The Rock was able to score one more basket, but the Wildcats won going away, 20-11.

20 photos from the 5th/6th grade game are posted HERE.

17 images from the 8th grade team are HERE.

Girls Basketball preview

This year’s girls basketball team will have quite a few changes. Starting in the coaching area, while all 4 coaches from last year are returning, some responsibilities have been shifted. On the court, the team lost a lot of seniors from last year, but the coaches are confident about the girls who are filling those spots.
The freshman team is coached by Todd Showalter, in his 11th year of coaching, 7 of them at OHHS. He’s originally from Medical Lake, WA where he played some basketball, and now teaches 9th & 10th grade English at Oak Harbor High School. He enjoys coaching basketball as the format of the game gives a coach more options to be competitive and pull wins out of close games. Last year the freshman squad compiled a 16-4 record, and more importantly, none of the girls on the team were even close to having grade problems. In looking over his girls, he finds that they are fairly even in their skill level and desire, and there are no standout players this year. The team will be guard-heavy, and lacking in some height, but coach Showalter still expects the team to be competitive, not only on the court but in the classroom. His personal goal for the season is to relax and enjoy the game more by reducing the pressure he puts on himself.
The JV squad will be coached by last year’s varsity assistant, Bob Stremel, in his 5th year in Oak Harbor. Coach Stremel is originally from Hutchinson, Kansas and is retired. He’s been coaching for 40 years in a variety of sports, including baseball, softball and track in addition to basketball. Last year’s team had only 1 junior, so there are a lot of girls returning to the team experienced in working with each other. Coach will be leaning on his two guards, Molly Deleon and Janelle Yoshimoto to direct the offense and is counting on Jessica James and Ariel Brothers for good inside play. This year’s team features some new faces, Adrianna Royal; a sophomore transfer from Coupeville is expected to get a lot of playing time as are the two freshmen who went straight to JV.
Fred Burleson will be the varsity assistant this year after coaching JV for the last 6 years. Originally from Oklahoma City, the United States Marine Corps brought Coach Burleson to Oak Harbor where he settled. When not coaching, he can be found at the Living Faith Church on Midway where he is an associate Pastor. When asked why he coaches basketball, he said “Because I love the game”. He went on to add that he enjoys the teaching aspect of coaching, and likes to coach the girls as he feels they play a more fundamentally sound game. He expects the team will get to the district tournament, and is planning a good finish for the seniors by coaching them in the State Tournament in March. His personal goal is to improve his game planning.
Starting his 7th year as the OHHS head coach is Brett McLeod. He’s from Renton, WA where he attended Kentridge HS, but has been in Oak Harbor for 10 years, teaching history and coaching basketball and football. Like Coach Burleson, Coach McLeod has a genuine love for the sport and also enjoys the teaching aspect. When asked about highlights from last year, he said it was beating Marysville on their own court in the District Tournament last year, and the two teams are starting to form a rivalry. The team is returning 4 players from last year. Junior Jessica Denmon, a 3rd year starter will be launching her outside bombs, and Senior guard Cheyenne Tubo will be providing leadership both on and off the court. Moving up from JV, and expected to contribute a lot to the team are Senior Kathryn Fisken and Sophomore Clarissa Abadesco. Coach McLeod is pleased with the chemistry in the team, and fully expects to enjoy the journey as the team returns to the District Tournament.

Timeout with...Jesus Alvarado - Boys Swim

Jesus Alvarado, Jr., a senior, just started his first year on the Oak Harbor High School swim team. Born on May 29th, he has spent the last 3 years here in Oak Harbor, but has also lived in Japan, California, and Guam. He is the son of Jesus Alvarado, who is retired from the Navy and now works as a helicopter mechanic at NAS Whidbey, and Aileen Alvarado, who has gone back to school to be a dental hygienist. He has one brother, who is a sophomore at OHHS.

Jesus joined the swim team as a way to keep fit, and he has set several goals for himself for the year. First among them is to lower his times each meet, particularly in the breaststroke. He considers his strongest area his arms, but knows there are areas where he can improve. He wants to work most on getting more out of his leg work, especially since the breaststroke needs a strong kick.

In class, Jesus is a strong student. He’s in Mr. Turner’s AP Calculus class, which is his favorite this year, but overall, his favorite teacher was Mrs. Lujan, who is no longer at OHHS. He’s getting good grades in tough classes, which he will need, as his post-high school goal is to become an electronic engineer, specializing in nanotechnology. After completing his degree, he would like to return to Japan to practice his craft. He has some good memories of his time in Japan, especially when he was in the school band there.

When not studying or in the pool (which isn’t often), Jesus likes to watch movies, especially comedies. One of his favorites is “Kung Pow”, a martial arts spoof. He doesn’t watch much TV, and will listen to just about any kind of music except Country. You can also find him quite often in the company of his girlfriend, Beverly Gianino – they’ve been going out for nearly a year and a half.

Tyler King places in Nike BorderClash Cross Country race

Tyler King, a Coupeville HS sophomore who runs for the OHHS cross country team placed 31st on the 4,400 meter course in Beaverton, Oregon in 14:53. The race features top runners from Oregon and Washington, and the race was dominated by Washington runners, who took the top 14 places.
In other cross country news, the University of Washington girls Cross Country team won the NCAA championships last weekend.

All-WESCO teams

The Everett Herald just released their All-WESCO team, and many OHHS athletes are on the lists.
Cross Country - Tyler King and Allison Duvenez were first team, Josh Duhrkopf and Adrianna Royal 2nd team, and Cody Klauer was honorable mention.
Football - Greg Goebel made 1st team linebacker and Chris Neumiller 2nd team offensive line. Also on 2nd team offense were running back Donovan Hunt and kicker Kevin Flavin. 3 players were also on 2nd team defense - Yale Rosen on the line, Stephen Lewis at linebacker, and Clarence LaMont at defensive back.
Rashaad Smith, Bennett Richter and James Jordan were honorable mentions.
Girls Soccer - Carson McKole was names 1st team forward, while Claire Trepanier was an honorable mention defender.
Boys Tennis - Derek Thomas - 1st team singles
Volleyball - Jessica Muzzall was named as a 1st team hitter while teammate Jen Jansen was named to the 2nd team.
A complete listing for all fall sports can be found at the Herald's website.

Boys swimming preview

The Oak Harbor High School boys swim team has a new coach this year. Amy Nurvic, a Language Arts teacher at NWMS is the new head coach for the boys swim team. Originally from Lynnwood, Coach Nurvic graduated from Mariner HS where she swam for 3 years. She would have swum a 4th year, but spent a year studying in France. Her specialties were the Individual Medley and the Breaststroke.
She has been coaching almost continuously since high school in a variety of sports, and has a lot of swim experience. She was the coach at Mariner for 4 years, coached at the middle school level for 3 years, and has also coached Club/AAU swimming. She coaches swimming more than any other sport because "it's my favorite sport".
While this year's team is small in numbers, it's big on quality. Returning to lead the team both in the pool and in school are Bryce Vagt, and John Hu, who is returning to defend his 200 IM state championship placing from last year. John also had State experience last year in the 100 back (5th), and as a member of the 400 medley relay (14th).
The team makeup is unusual in that it's made up mostly of seniors and sophomores - there is only one junior and two freshmen on the team.
Both of the freshmen have a lot of swimming experience, swimming for the North Whidbey Aquatic Club. Coach Nurvic has been especially impressed by Jacob Jepson, saying "he's fast".
Other returners with State Meet experience are Price Hu, 21st in the 200IM, 18th in the 100 Fly, and a member of the 200 medley relay; Yale Rosen, 16th in the 100 breast and on the medley relay team; and Tyler Schell, the distance swimmer who finished 17th in the 500 free and 16th in the 100 breast.
Among Coach Nurvic's goals for the team this year, besides winning swim meets, is to build up the boys swim program at OHHS. She'd like to see more of her boys swimming for the AAU club in the off-season to improve the skills and abilities, and she wants to push the numbers as well.
Personally, she wants to reacquaint herself with the sport, being away from competitive swimming for a few years.
The first home meet for the Wildcat swimmers is next week, December 4th against Stanwood. Admission to all home swim meets is FREE.

Middle School Volleyball - OHMS vs NWMS

The North Whidbey Middle School Cougars traveled across town to play the Oak Harbor Middle School Panthers in the first of what will be 4 matches between the two teams.
The day started at 3:45pm with the 7th & 8th grade "B" squads playing on side-by-side courts. Since a lot of other middle school programs have dropped JV teams, this is one of the few chances for the girls to play another team.
Following the "B" squad action, the Varsity teams took the court. The 7th & 8th grade teams also played on side-by-side courts, but there were surprisingly few interruptions by balls going into the other court.
The OHMS 7th grade team is coached by Dan Pullen, a retired teacher who still subs quite a bit in the district, while the NWMS team is coached by Lindsey Brockett, an 8th grade English teacher at NWMS. Game one of the 7th grade match went to Oak Harbor 25-23, and the Panthers also won game 2 25-18 to win the match. Game 3 however, went to NWMS 25-21.
In 8th grade action, NWMS, coached by Sarah Stephenson, a 7th grade Language Arts teacher at NWMS won game 1 25-17, and seemed in control. However, the OHMS team, coached by OHHS head volleyball coach Kerri Molitor was not going down without a fight. In a very close game 2, the Panthers pulled out a 26-24 win to tie the match. Game 3 was close early, but OHMS made fewer unforced errors and won game 3 25-19.
The two teams play each other again on December 1st, 8th, and 16th all at NWMS as the gym there has more room for spectators.

8th grade varsity photos are posted HERE.

7th grade varsity photos are posted HERE.

Boys basketball preview

The Oak Harbor High School Boys Basketball team is led by 3rd-year coach Michael Washington. Coach Washington is originally from Eastman, Georgia, but now calls Oak Harbor home, thanks to the US Navy. He is still on active duty with the US Navy, and plans to retire in less than two years. He played 4 years of varsity basketball in high school, and has been coaching basketball for over 15 years in a variety of settings. When asked why basketball, coach had a simple answer “I love it!”.
While the varsity team had a disappointing last year, winning only 4 games, the coach is optimistic for this year’s team. He expects strong on-and-off court leadership from returning senior Jimmy Edens, backed up by 6 other seniors: Zac Cole, Beaux Haley, Brooks Waller, John Manni, Josh Fikse and Phil Nadeau. Moving up from last year’s freshman team, Sophomore Denzel Hardin is expected to be a factor on the team, as is freshman Michael Washington, Jr. at point guard.
Coach Washington has set several goals for this year’s team, first among them is to play as a team, and “be together”. When the game ends, he wants the team to be happy that the scoreboard is in favor of the Wildcats, and not be concerned with which players put the points on the board. On a personal level, Coach wants to improve his teaching of the fundamentals, with an emphasis on defense
When asked what some keys were to success this season, one of the first things Coach mentioned was fan support, especially from the students. They players all notice how full (or empty) the student section is, and the coach notices that the team tends to play better when supported by a ‘loud and proud’ student section.
Coaching the JV team this year, and it may possibly be his last year, is Jim Waller. Jim retired from teaching English at OHHS two years ago. He is an Oak Harbor native, and has coached basketball (and baseball) for 32 years, all in Oak Harbor. Coach Waller says he coaches basketball as it was a family thing – when he was in high school, his father was the basketball coach at OHHS.
As with the varsity team, the JV team did not see a lot of success on the court during games, but did meet with a lot of success at practice. Coach Waller says the thing he remembers best from last year is the improvements in both individual and team play the boys made during the course of the season. Coach says he has some good talent on the team, and they should do well this year.
As is typical with JV squads, while it’s nice to win games, the emphasis for the team is improvement and getting ready to play varsity. There are a lot of sophomores on this year’s JV team, with leadership provided by juniors Nate Young and Colby Anter.
The freshman squad again is headed by Justin Ronning, in his 2nd year with the team. Justin played 3 years of varsity basketball at Selkirk HS in Ione, WA, and has been coaching basketball for 12 years, 8 of them in Oak Harbor. Like Coach Washington, Coach Ronning also loves the game of basketball. He is the PE teacher at Crescent Harbor Elementary School.
Last year the freshman squad compiled a 17-3 record, and Coach expects this year’s squad to continue with that type of success. He is looking at Matt Burgoyne, Edward Denmon and Kevawn Brooks to lead the team on the court.
The prime goal for the freshman team this year is to get better – a little bit every day. The team has already impressed their coach with their work ethic and intensity, and they are working on becoming more disciplined, both on the court and in the classroom.
Coach Ronning is assisted this year by Jon Atkins from Sutter, CA. He is new to Oak Harbor, and jumped straight into coaching.

4A Football playoffs - Bothell loses!

Issaquah kicked a 37-yard field goal with 3 seconds left to beat Bothell!

Youth Wrestling @ Ferndale 11-22

21 wrestlers traveled to north for the Ferndale Folkstyle Tournament at Ferndale High School.
Out of the 21 boys, 4 were first-place finishers. 3 wrestlers finished in 2nd, and another 3 in third. 5 wrestlers had 4th-place finishes.
All-in-all a good day for the Wildcat wrestlers!
54 images have been posted. Find them by clicking HERE.

Cheer squad update

The OHHS Cheer Squad actually had a competition today, their first. It was a qualifier for state, with a minimum score of 195 needed to qualify.
Oak Harbor scored 239!

Great job to the girls and boys of the cheer squad! Keep up the good work!

OHHS Competition Cheer Schedule 2008-2009

Below is the Oak Harbor High School Competition Cheer schedule for 2008-2009. Keep in mind that all sports schedules, especially in winter, are subject to change with little notice.
While most people think of cheerleaders as being on the sidelines during sporting event, Competitive Cheer is a sport itself, and OHHS has one of the top squads in the state. The will be at 4 competitions this year, in the Large Co-Ed division
12/13 – Decatur Invitational @ Federal Way
12/20 - Spiritfest @ Oak Harbor
1/17 – Harbor Invitational @ Peninsula High School, Gig Harbor
1/24 – WIAA State @ Everett Event Center

OHHS Girls Basketball Schedule 2008-2009

Below is the Oak Harbor High School Girls Basketball schedule for 2008-2009. Keep in mind that all sports schedules, especially in winter, are subject to change with little notice.
Except for the Santa Slam Tournament, all games have a JV/Freshman start time of 5:40pm and Varsity at 7:30pm. Also note that there are several Saturday games this year.
12/3 @ Mountlake Terrace
12/6 Bellingham
12/12 Cascade
12/17 @ Snohomish
12/19 @ Everett
12/20 Lake Stevens
1/2 & 3 - 3rd Annual Santa Slam Tournament @ OHHS
1/6 Arlington
1/8 @ Stanwood
1/10 Monroe
1/14 Marysville
1/21 @ Cascade
1/23 Snohomish
1/28 Everett
1/30 @ Lake Stevens
2/4 @ Arlington
2/6 Stanwood - Senior Night
2/10 @ Monroe
2/12 @ Marysville
2/13 WESCO Tiebreaker, if needed
2/14-27 - District Tournament @ Marysville

OHHS Boys Basketball schedule 2008-2009

Below is the Oak Harbor High School Boys Basketball schedule for 2008-2009. Keep in mind that all sports schedules, especially in winter, are subject to change with little notice.

With the exception of the Woodinville Jamboree and the Santa Slam Tournament, all games have a JV/Freshman start time of 5:40pm and Varsity tip-off at 7:30pm.

Also note that there are several Saturday games, and one Monday game.

11/29 @ Woodinville Jamboree
12/5 @ Glacier Peak
12/9 vs Burlington
12/12 @ Cascade
12/16 vs Snohomish
12/19 vs Everett
12/20 @ Lake Stevens
12/26 & 27 1st Annual Santa Slam Tournament @ OHHS
1/6 @ Arlington
1/8 vs Stanwood
1/10 @ Monroe
1/13 @ Marysville
1/20 vs Cascade
1/23 @ Snohomish
1/27 @ Everett
1/30 vs Lake Stevens
2/3 vs Arlington
2/6 @ Stanwood
2/9 vs Monroe
2/11 vs Marysville - Senior Night
2/12 WESCO Tiebreaker, if needed
12/13-28 - District Tournament @ Jackson & Marysville
3/4 - State Tournament @ Tacome Dome

OHHS Wrestling schedule 2008-2009

Below is the Oak Harbor High School Wrestling schedule for 2008-2009. Keep in mind that all sports schedules, especially in winter, are subject to change with little notice.
All dual meets have a JV start time of 5:45pm, with Varsity at 7pm. Tournaments start between 9 - 10 am.
12/5 @ Mariner vs Kamiak & Mariner
12/11 vs Mountlake Terrace @ OHHS
12/13 - Varsity @ Sedro Tournament, JV @ Snohomish Tournament
12/16 @ Snohomish
12/18 @ Everett
12/20 - Varsity @ Squalicum Tournament, JV @ Everett Tournament
1/3 - Varsity @ Eastmont Tournament, JV @ Arlington Tournament
1/7 vs Arlington @ OHHS
1/9 vs Stanwood @ OHHS
1/10 @ Everett Classic Tournament
1/13 vs Marysville @ OHHS
1/17 @ Kelso Tournament
1/22 @ Monroe
1/24 - Varsity @ Tahoma Tournament, JV @ Cavalero (Lake Stevens) Tourney
1/27 vs Cascade @ OHHS
1/29 vs Lake Stevens @ OHHS - Senior Night
2/6 & 7 - WESCO Tournament @ Marysville
2/14 - Regional Tournament @ TBD
2/20 & 21 - State Tournament @ Tacoma Dome

OHHS Boys Swim Schedule 2008-2009

Below is the Oak Harbor High School Boys Swim schedule for 2008-2009. Keep in mind that all sports schedules, especially in winter, are subject to change with little notice.
All home swim meets start at 2:45pm. Away meets have various start times, ranging from 2:45pm to 3:30pm. Saturday dive competitions start at 10am
12/2 @ Lynden YMCA vs Lynden
12/4 - Stanwood at Vanderzicht Pool
12/9 - Jackson at Vanderzicht Pool
12/11 @ Lynnwood Pool vs Meadowdale & Lynnwood
12/16 - Snohomish & Glacier Peak at Vanderzicht Pool
1/8 @ Everett vs Everett (Mill Creek or Forest Park Pool)
1/10 @ Marysville or Anacortes - Diving competition
1/13 @ Kamiak Pool vs Mariner & Jackson
1/15 @ Everett vs Cascade (Mill Creek or Forest Park Pool)
1/17 @ Kamiak Pool - Diving competition
1/20 - Burlington & Sedro @ Vanderzicht Pool
1/22 @ Lake Stevens Pool vs Lake Stevens
1/24 @ Marysville or Anacortes - Diving competition
1/27 @ Mt. Vernon vs Mt. Vernon
1/29 @ Marysville vs Marysville
2/5 - JV Championships @ Kamiak Pool

2/12 - 4A North Sectionals @ Marysville
2/13 - 4A North Dive prelims @ Marysville
2/14 - 4A North District Finals @ Marysville
2/20&21 - State @ Federal Way

Girls Swimming

Here are OH results from the State Swim meet last weekend in Federal Way. OHHS sent two swimmers, Freshman Ciara Hu and Sophomore Amanda Struebel (who is from Coupeville). Hu competed in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly while Streubel was in the 100 backstroke.

Ciara finished 18th overall in the 200 IM with a time of 2:16.50, and finished 21st in the butterfly event with a time of 1:02.66.

Amanda was had the 11th best time coming out of the prelims with a time of 1:02.01 and swam in the finals. Although her finals time was .3 seconds slower, she moved up a place to finish 10th overall.

Congratulations to both girls for their efforts, and congrats to all their teammates who supported them as they swam their way to state.