BREAKING NEWS :

Returning state competitors -

Renton:
Robert Reeves III (4X100)
Marcus Clinton (4X100)
P.J. Benedictus (4X400, long jump)
Taylor Williams (4X200)
Aleigha Vasser (4X200)
Kristin Haag (long jump)

Lindbergh:
Adam Freed (100)
Trevor Thompson (1600, 3200)

Hazen:
Duncan Mackay (100, 200)
James Holland (110 hurdles)
Starr Williams (100, 200, 4X100)
Erin Anderson (4X100)
Madison Dinger (4X100)

Liberty:
Eric Bice (1600, 4X400)
Devin Bennett (4X400)
Troy Solly (4X400)
Peter Stacy (discus, javelin)
Joshua Gordon (high jump)
Chandler Jenkins (high jump, long jump, triple jump)
Madison Birdsall (400, 4X200, 4X400)
Haile Erickson (4X200, 4X400)

The Renton boys basketball team plays Mount Rainier at 8 p.m. tonight at Auburn High School.
Both teams are already in the state tournament, the game is for seeding.
The Rams won both of the regular season contests between the two. On Dec. 18, 54-48 and on Jan. 29 it was 63-51.

It may have been easy to look at the top of the Seamount boys basketball standings this season and say the league was down considering how even the records were.
But in bi-districts, the league is showing it was simply balanced and strong.
Renton, Mount Rainier and Foster have sewn up three of the state tourney’s 16 spots.
Evergreen and Kennedy Catholic also came close, falling in winner-to-state, loser-out games.
The Indians, Rams and Bulldogs may not end up dominating the tournament, but no one can say the league is weak.

Tim Lincecum, a Liberty High graduate, started for the San Francisco Giants against the Seattle Mariners in the first Cactus League game for both teams Wednesday.
It wasn’t a good start on the field (don’t worry, Cactus League starts aren’t an indicator of the regular season), but he did have some excitement after when Ken Griffey Jr. introduced himself.

• Here are some details from Geoff Baker about the Griffey/Lincecum meeting.
• Meanwhile, here is more about the game itself from Bruce Jenkins.
• Finally, the box score. Lincecum pitched one inning, allowed two hits and two walks on the way to three runs (two earned). He struck out one.

-UCinternational

The high school track season hasn’t quite started, but that isn’t stopping exceptional local athletes from making great gains.
Renton High’s PJ Benedictus jumped a distance of 47 feet, 3.5 inches at the UW Open Meet Feb. 14 at Dempsey Indoor in Seattle.
Not only did Benedictus top college athletes from Western Washington, Central Washington, Seattle University (among others), the distance he leapt would have won the 3A state meet by over a foot last season.
Benedictus is a junior who competed at state last season in the long jump and 4X400 relay.
Benedictus is one to keep an eye on this spring.

We are still waiting to hear what action the Renton School District took against Joe Popich after an investigation found he gave vitamin supplements to wrestlers during the 2008-2009 season.
I’ve been trying to get a hold of Popich and I received an e-mail from Patrick B. Reddy, his attorney, Feb. 23 saying Popich will release a statement within two weeks.
Reddy also stated that “he (Popich) does not have any additional comments, other than that he denies the District’s allegations in their entirety, and that he never gave pills, medication or vitamins to any children.”
On the district’s end, the Reporter submitted a public records request to the school district asking to see the letter the district sent to Popich outlining his punishment.
Randy Matheson, district spokesman, estimated a response to the request by Feb. 25.

The Renton boys take on Clover Park Friday night at 6 p.m. at Auburn High School.

The Renton girls take on Yelm Friday at 8 p.m. at Hudson’s Bay High School.

BOYS

Player of year — Mitch Penner, Kennedy Catholic
Coach of year — Donn Hoffman, Kennedy Catholic

FIRST TEAM
F Mitch Penner, So., Kennedy Catholic
F Bryce McPhee, Sr., Mount Rainier
F Cameron Faison, Sr., Foster
F Darius Page, Sr., Foster
G Deshea Bell, Jr., Kennedy Catholic
G/F Eric Turner, Sr., Highline.

SECOND TEAM
G Achoki Moikobu, Sr., Renton
G Cameron Harris, Jr., Mount Rainier
F Kari Wells, Sr., Evergreen
G R.J. Magar, Jr., Hazen
F Mohammad Sambou, Sr., Evergreen.

HONORABLE MENTION
Evergreen — Jebri Mohammad, Issac Buelna. Foster — Trevante Williams, Ali Cortez. Hazen — Dawit Kasa, Decorius Sampson. Highline — Jaquae Ingram, Donald Cassel. Kennedy Catholic — Kevin Taylor-Williams, Vince McCluskey. Lindbergh — Derek Roseboro, David Bowman, Dewayne Brown. Mount Rainier — Delvonte Alifua. Renton — Joseph Powell, Laudon Thomas. Tyee — Nick Hawthorne, Nate Hawthorne, Denzel Taylor.

GIRLS

Player of year — Airashay Rogers, Hazen
Coach of year — Wayne Severson, Tyee

FIRST TEAM
G Airashay Rogers, So., Hazen
F Aminah Williams, Jr., Kenney Catholic
G Arineshia Smith, So., Tyee
F Addyson Stowers, Sr., Renton
G Marisa Blaire, Sr., Mount Rainier
G Yazmin Fuller, Sr., Kennedy Catholic.

SECOND TEAM
G Jasmine Lemon, Jr., Kennedy Catholic
G Kelsey Sparks, Sr., Renton
P Sahara Hill, So., Foster
G Sofia Locklear, Sr., Highline
G Taylor Williams, Sr., Renton

HONORABLE MENTION
Evergreen — Brianna Fiso. Foster — Bianca Benavides, Neta Tapaleava. Hazen — Michelle Wnek. Highline — Alana Lopez, Samantha Erben, Lynette Owusu. Kennedy Catholic — Ali Madison. Lindbergh — Emily Graver. Mount Rainier — Syndy Codd, Caroline Codd, Kiana Gandy, Maylynn Mitchell. Renton — Jessica Isabell, Amanda Rogers. Tyee — Taylor McMillion, Tatiana Tautau, Taylor Marlow, Melissa Fuavai.

BOYS

Player of year — Aaron Bright, Bellevue
Coach of year — Wes Newton, Sammamish
Sportsmanship — Juanita

FIRST TEAM
G Aaron Bright, Bellevue, Sr.
G Tanner Riley, Mount Si, Sr.
F Nate Sikma, Bellevue, Jr.
G Quinn Sterling, Mercer Island, Jr.
G Ryon Cunnigan, Juanita, Sr.
C Kaj Sherman, Mercer Island, Sr.

SECOND TEAM
G Chandler Jenkins, Liberty, Jr.
G Zander Nelson, Mount Si, Sr.
G Daniel Wruble, Sammamish, Sr.
F John Steinberg, Sammamish, So.
F Dallas Smith, Mount Si, Jr.

HONORABLE MENTION
Bellevue — Will Locke. Interlake — Ricky Aaron, Jeffrey Kimmel. Mercer Island — Brian Miller. Mount Si — Justin Downer, Lucas Zupan. Sammamish — Anthony Do, George Valle.

GIRLS

Player of year — Hailey Gullstad, Mercer Island
Coach of year — Jamie Prescott, Mercer Island
Sportsmanship — Juanita

FIRST TEAM
G Hailey Gullstad, Mercer Island, Jr.
G Kimberly Baba, Juanita, Sr.
F Danni Sjolander, Liberty, Jr.
F Sarah Anderegg, Interlake, Sr.
G Hannah Lilly, Mercer Island, Sr.
F Catelyn Webber, Bellevue, Sr.

SECOND TEAM
G Kelly Meggs, Bellevue, Sr.
P Kate Cryderman, Juanita, So.
G Hailey Eddings, Mount Si, Jr.
F Kate DaPron, Mercer Island, Sr.
G Jae Shin, Mercer Island, Jr.

HONORABLE MENTION
Bellevue — Alyssa Gilbert. Interlake — Litia Ngauamo. Juanita — Molly Grager. Liberty — Aspen Winegar, Breanne Faehnrich. Mount Si — Stevie Riley, Traci Nelson, Karly Thompson.

The Liberty football team will start the 2010 season with a bang, playing district rival Skyline Sept. 3.
The game will be played at Liberty at 7 p.m.
The Spartans have won three straight state titles (3A in 2007, 4A in 2008 and 2009) and play in the KingCo 4A.
The Patriots are fresh off of a second place finish at the 3A state tournament.