Sports Archives - Page 20 of 51

Lady Hawks continue dominant season with 58-38

by Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

On Monday, January 5, the Tulalip Heritage Lady Hawks (8-0) hosted the Lopez Lobos (2-4) at Francy J. Sheldon gymnasium. For the Lady Hawks, it’s been smooth sailing through the first eight games of the season. Owners of an undefeated record and winning by an average margin of 24 points, the Lady Hawks are on a dominating form of cruise control.

The dominance has been showcased on both ends of the floor, as they are averaging a league high 52 points per game while holding their opponents to a measly 29 points per game.

In the 1^st quarter of Monday’s game, the Lady Hawks displayed everything that’s been working for them thus far. They were able to work the ball inside to Adiya Jones and Cyena Fryberg at will, their ability to draw a double team opens up wide open looks for wing players, and those wings have been knocking down the good looks. Then on the defensive end, the Lady Hawks use a nice combination of 2-3 zone and full court press to either force their opponents into a highly contested jump shot or a turnover. The home team led 17-9 at the end of the quarter.

In the 2^nd quarter, guard Keryn Parks caught fire from 3-point land, making three straight 3-pointers. Aliya Jones chipped in a 3-pointer of her own, while Adiya started to have her way inside scoring three fields goals in the paint. Defensively, the Lady Hawks were putting on a clinic. It seemed like every other possession they would come up with a steal or block. Forcing so many turnovers left the Lobos dazzled and they weren’t able to do much scoring. At halftime the home team had a 20 point lead, 38-18.

During the 2^nd half, with such a large lead, coach Bubba Fryberg was afforded the opportunity to give his bench players some heavy minutes. It was good a learning experience for the Lady Hawk reserves as they tried to run their offensive sets while remaining active on the defensive end.

When the final game buzzer sounded, the Lady Hawks had moved to 9-0 on the season with a 58-38 win. Keryn led all scorers with a career best 21 points, while Adiya filled the box score with 13 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 5 steals and 5 blocks.

Contact Micheal Rios, mrios@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov

Hawks on 3-game win streak, beat Lobos 59-33

Hawks_1 — photo/Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

by Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

After a disappointing 1-5 start, the Tulalip Heritage Hawks have turned their season around with a 3-game win streak. Their latest win came at home on Monday, January 5, when they hosted the Lobos of Lopez Island.

Defensively, the Hawks opened the game with active hands and constant movement. They contested every Lobos shot and forced several turnovers that they were able to turn into easy transition points. The Hawks rode the hot hand of Josh Iukes, 13 points in the first half, and their suffocating team defense to the tune of a 30-9 halftime lead.

The game would tighten up in the 2^nd half. However, seniors Robert Miles, Jr. and Willy Enick put the offense on their backs and combined to score 21 points down the stretch to secure the victory. The 59-33 win moved the Hawks record to 4-5 on the season and only 1 game below .500.

Damen Bell-Holter, First Haida NBA Player, Is Tackling Youth Suicides

By Chris Taylor, Huffington Post

Damen Bell-Holter is used to making headlines, as the first member of the Haida Nation to ever step on an NBA floor.

Now the 25-year-old, 6’9″ gentle giant, a former member of the Boston Celtics, is making headlines of a different kind. Bell-Holter, now playing professionally overseas in Finland, is speaking out about the issue of youth suicides, which have plagued First Nations communities.

I sat down with him to find out why the issue touches home for him — and how he is taking action.

CT: Why has youth suicide become a signature issue for you?

DBH: Growing up in Hydaburg, Alaska, it was a big problem. My home life wasn’t ideal, with alcoholism and abuse and all those things. I had cousins who committed suicide. When you’re in a town that small, with only around 300 people, almost everyone’s family has been through it. It seemed like there was a suicide every year.

CT: What’s going on, and why is this happening?

DBH: When you’re stuck in small communities, that’s all you can see. You don’t really have big hopes for the future. I was extremely fortunate because I had basketball as an outlet, which was huge for me. But if you don’t have an outlet like that, there’s a lot of negativity in these small towns. And all it takes is one moment of weakness and struggle.

CT: What have you decided to do about it?

DBH: Since my sophomore year in college, I’ve been holding basketball camps for kids every single year. My goal was to give back and work with kids, and since I started doing that, I discovered what a big issue youth suicide is in so many communities. It’s a real pattern.

As a result, about 60-70 per cent of the time in my camps doesn’t even involve basketball. I talk to kids about domestic violence, about alcohol abuse, about drugs. I’ve done over 40 of these camps over the last few years, all the way from Alaska, to Haida Gwaii, to mainland B.C., to reservations in lower 48 states like Washington, Oregon and Utah.

CT: Why is it so important for First Nations kids to hear from you?

DBH: Kids in these small communities are really stubborn. If someone from the lower 48 states is talking to them, they just think, ‘You don’t know what we go through.’ But when I come and talk to them about my home-life growing up, then they realize, ‘Hey, that’s my story too.’

CT: Losing young people in this way is particularly heartbreaking. What would you say to communities going through this?

DBH: The biggest thing is to keep kids involved. Demonstrate a lot of positivity, make sure kids are coming to the gym, keep them active, and show them that you care. Some communities, like Skidegate on Haida Gwaii, are really great at that.

CT: To kids who are in a dark place right now, what would you say to them?

DBH: Your home-life doesn’t have to dictate your future and how you feel about yourself. Suicide doesn’t have to be an option. Everyone has struggles: I had thoughts of suicide when I was a kid, too. I thought there was nothing better for me out there. But if I had taken my own life, I would have affected my family and my community for generations to come. I wouldn’t be here sharing my story right now.

CT: How has the response been to your youth camps?

DBH: The great thing about native communities is that when someone does something special, everyone really comes together to support them. I’ve had so much support from Haida Gwaii, and towns like Skidegate and Masset, with people telling me they’re proud of me. Hopefully I’ll have an effect on these kids, even just a few of them, because here I am — Haida from a small Alaska town of 300 — and I’ve seen the highest levels of basketball in the world, doing things I never thought I’d have the opportunity to do.

Hawks drop season opener to MP, 52-58

by Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

The Heritage Hawks basketball team opened their season with a home game vs. the Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawk JV team on Wednesday, December 2. Last year, the Hawks defeated the MP JV team 70-54 in their season opener, their first win on route to a 13-5 regular season and a deep run into the 1B Tri-District tournament. This season is going to be quite different however, as the Hawks graduated four senior starters last year. Returning to the team is Robert Miles, Willy Enick and Nashone Whitebear. There will be an adjustment period as they are joined by a bunch of new players who are still learning the offensive and defensive sets the Hawks typically run.

Keys to a successful season will be senior Robert Miles continuing to be that do-it-all player for the Hawks, leading the hawks in scoring while anchoring the defense, and for senior Willy Enick to take on a larger role on both sides of the ball. These two will have to lean on key contributions from their teammates and the hope is sophomore Josh Iukes will be able to fill that primary ball handler roll.

The 1^st half was a turnover fest for the Hawks as they tried to force too many difficult passes, choosing to lob passes over the top instead of using a crisp bounce pass. The Hawks overcame the turnovers in the 1^stquarter, taking a 9-6 into the 2^nd quarter.

When Josh Iukes found himself in foul trouble seconds into the 2^nd quarter, picking up three quick ones, it really hurt the Hawks game plan. He had to hit the bench, taking the Hawks point guard off the court. The turnover continued to pile on while MP went on a 21-10 run spanning the quarter. At halftime, the Hawks trailed 16-27.

In the 3^rd quarter, the Hawks came out determined to take the lead back. Defensively, it was their best quarter of the game. Everyone was staying active, contesting shots, and going after rebounds. The Hawks got within 4 points, 29-33, late in the 3^rd quarter. In the closing seconds Josh Iukes picked up his 4^th personal foul moments before MP’s Raequan Battle, a fellow Tulalip tribal member, launched a 3-pointer that swished in.

The Hawks were down 7 points, 29-36, with one quarter left to play. They executed their defensive press nicely, forcing key turnover and finishing layups on offense, allowing them to cut their deficit to only 2 points, trailing 38-40 with a little over five minutes to go. When Josh Iukes fouled out of the game, it become that much more difficult to take the lead. The Hawks continued to keep pace, but weren’t able to pull the victory. MP would take the game 58-52, leaving the Hawks to ponder what could have been if not for all the costly turnovers.

Lady Hawks open season in dominant fashion, win 64-22

by Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

Coming off a very forgettable 2-18 season last year, the Tulalip Heritage Lady Hawks came into the season with a renewed sense of purpose: returning back to their winning ways and making a run at the District 1B title. The team was revamped in the off season as key additions Adiya Jones, Aliya Jones, Keryn Parks and Desirae Williams joined the team. Coming back from last year is Michelle Iukes, Myrna Redleaf, Cyena Fryberg and Kaenishia Herrera. This year’s team has all the components necessary for a winning season and a deep playoff push.

Starting off the season, the Lady Hawks hosted the Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawks C-team at Francy J. Sheldon gymnasium on Wednesday, December 2. It was obvious from the get go that the Tomahawks C-team, a team of all freshman, didn’t have the experience to deal with a player the likes of Lady Hawks forward/center Adiya Jones. Coming off a year in which she led La Connor High School to the state playoffs and earned All-State First Team honors, Adiya took full advantage of the mismatches she had on offense.

The Lady Hawks came out firing on all cylinders as they quickly took an 18-2 1^st quarter lead, a lead they never relinquished. It was impressive to watch Lady Hawks guard Myrna Redleaf hound the ball-handlers of MP all game long. Her on the ball defense made it very difficult for the MP players to pass the ball or even attempt a shot. Nothing came easy for MP, as the Lady Hawks kept active on defensive, jumping the passing lanes and contesting all shot attempts.

In the 2^nd quarter, the Lady Hawks continued to dominate the game on both sides of the ball, taking a 36-9 lead into halftime.

In the 3^rd quarter, Keryn Parks and Aliya Jones both forced multiple turnovers which led to easy layups for their team. Adiya continued to have her way in the paint both offensively and defensively, to the tune of 34 points through 3 quarters and only a handful of shot attempts for MP coming near the rim.

Going into the 4^th quarter, the Lady Hawks led 60-17 and gave coach Bubba Fryberg the perfect opportunity to give his bench and role players quality minutes to build up their on-court experience. This time is critical for the long-term success of the Lady Hawks, especially in close games where every player, every play is crucial to earning a W.

When the buzzer sounded signaling end of game, the Lady Hawks had won 64-22.

“It feels really good to be playing my final season of high school ball back at home, for Heritage,” said Adiya following the lopsided victory. “Being able to play with my sister is huge as well. We’re so familiar with each other’s game that it makes it easier to run our offense. There are some areas as a team we’ll look to improve on in practice, but it should all come together soon.”

Tulalip student-athletes at Archbishop Murphy

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

There are four Tulalip tribal members who enjoyed a notable winning streak this fall as members of the Archbishop Murphy High School football team, known as the Wildcats. High school junior Jesus Echevarria, senior Darion Joseph, and sophomore Martin Napeahi Jr. are student-athletes who play for the Wildcats, while Martin Napeahi Sr. mans the sidelines as an assistant coach.

Archbishop Murphy, a Catholic college preparatory school located in Everett, went undefeated in their regular season and came into the Washington State 2A semi-final game, played on Saturday, November 28, a perfect (12-0). Needing just one more win to make it to the state championship game, the Wildcats would take on the top-ranked Tumwater Thunderbirds, who were also undefeated on the season.

The Wildcats were primed to take home the victory after managing to hold off the Thunderbirds for the majority of the game. With less than two minutes remaining in the game, the Wildcats held a 21-17 lead and only needed to run out the clock to secure the W. Unfortunately, Tumwater refused to concede the game and forced a game changing fumble, which ultimately led to a Thunderbird touchdown and a stunning victory. The late game turn of events was undoubtedly shocking for the once undefeated Wildcats, but with a talented team of young players, the Archbishop Murphy football program will look to build on this season’s success and return for another title run next season.

Lady Hawks finish season playing their best volleyball

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

On Thursday, October 29, the Tulalip Heritage Lady Hawks (5-9) hosted the Skykomish Rockets (4-10) at Francy J. Sheldon court for a play-in game to the Northwest District 1B Volleyball Tournament. It was either win and advance to the playoffs or lose and the season was over for the Lady Hawks.

This would be the third matchup between these two teams, with Tulalip having beaten them at home 3-1 earlier in the season but then losing 2-3 at Skykomish just two weeks ago. The pressure was on Tulalip.

The Lady Hawks would rise to the occasion and win the 1^st game 25-11, lose the 2^nd game 16-25, bounce back to take the 3^rd game 25-16, and finish them off 25-13 in the 4^th game to claim the match victory, 3-1, and punch their ticket to the postseason.

The 2015 Northwest District 1B Volleyball Tournament was held at Mt. Vernon Christian High School on Saturday, October 31. By winning their play-in game, the Lady Hawks had earned the right to play the #1 seeded team in the playoffs, the Mount Vernon Christian Hurricanes, in the opening game of the tournament.

In the 1^st game the Lady Hawks managed to jump out to a 5-0 lead before the Hurricanes went on a massive 25-1 point run and down the Lady Hawks 6-25. In the 2^nd game, Tulalip played Mt. Vernon Christian to a 10-10 tie before losing, 16-25. Again, in the 3^rd game, Tulalip would play the Hurricanes to a 9-9 standstill early on, but then Hurricanes went on a game ending runs to win 11-25.

Losing 0-3 to the #1 ranked Hurricanes was a moral victory for Lady Hawks, as they took solace in knowing they were able to go point-for-point with the best team in the district when they played together and communicated effectively. The loss put Tulalip in a ‘loser out’ match versus the Cedar Park Christian Lions, so there would be only a 30 minute turn-around before they had to play again.

The Lady Hawks vs. Lions match would be the best match the Lady Hawks have played all season long. The two teams matched up almost identically with their style of play and athletic ability.

In the 1^st game the Hawks would take a 12-8 lead before trailing at 19-22. Digging deep, the Lady Hawks finished the game on a 6-1 run to win the opening game, 25-23. The 2^nd game would again see the Lady Hawks take a 12-8 lead before going up 20-18. However, this time it was the Lions who went on a game ending run, 7-1, to win 25-21. Tulalip bounced back in the 3^rd game; after trailing 8-12 early, they would take an 18-16 lead before closing out on a 7-2 to win 25-18.

The 4^th game saw the both teams match each other point for point to a 10-10 tie before the Lady Hawks managed to take a 23-19 lead. It looked like the game would go to the Lady Hawks after an Ace by Keryn Parks, but the court judges declared the ball went out of bounds. (Upon replay it was obvious the Ace was good, but volleyball doesn’t use replay) The terrible call gave the Lions new life and they rallied to beat Tulalip, 26-24.

Tied at 2 games each, the match would game down to a deciding 5^th game. In volleyball, 5^th games are played to 15 points instead of the usual 25 points. The Lady Hawks did their ‘pump it up’ huddle rally to make sure everyone had their focus back. Both teams were relentless in their pursuit of the ball in this final game. Players from both sides were flying around and diving on the ground to save each possible rally. The score was tied 8-8, then tied 13-13 before the Lady Hawks connected on back-to-back aces by Aliya Jones to win the game 15-13 and the match 3-2.

Winning the match meant the Lady Hawks had made it to the 5^th place game, where they would play the Shoreline Christian Chargers. As in their previous match, this one would be another 5 game affair. The Lady Hawks continued to battle, set each other up for good passes and strikes, while also talking it up.

In the 1^st game the Lady Hawks would fall 20-25, bounced back to win the 2^nd game 25-21, fell in the 3^rd game 19-25, and rally to win the 4^th game 25-19. In the 5^th and deciding game, the Lady Hawks would again be in a highly competitive, every point counts mode. Every point and rally by either team was countered right away, to the point that the game was tied 14-14 before the Chargers won back-to-back points that clinched match victory.

After the very up and down regular season the Lady Hawks had, it was a delight to see them play with as much energy and team spirit in their play-in game to make it to the playoffs, then to rise to the occasion over and over again versus grade-A competition. Finished 6^th in the entire 1B District is definitely an achievement for the Lady Hawks and their coach summed it up best following the season ending game.

“I am so very proud of our Lady Hawks volleyball team,” stated Coach Tina Brown. “The girls made it to districts for the first time, they played with pride and fought hard. What a great season.”

Lady Hawks snap losing streak with 3-1 win over Orcas Christian

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

On Tuesday, October 20, the (3-7) Tulalip Heritage Lady Hawks hosted the (2-8) Orcas Christian Saints. Back in late September the Lady Hawks defeated the Saints 3-0 and were looking to snap their 3-game losing streak with another victory over the Saints.

Tulalip started out very sluggishly in the 1^st game, trailing 13-14 to a team they could have easily been blowing out. Coach Tina Brown called a timeout to chat with her team.

“We aren’t communicating. You girls have to play hard. This shouldn’t be a close game. Communicate, move your feet, stop second guessing and play had like I know you can. Let’s go and finish this game strong,” Coach Tina told her team.

The Lady Hawks responded by going on a 12-1 run that won them the opening game, 25-15. Highlighted by five straight aces served up by Adiya Jones, the Lady Hawks looked prime to finish this match off quickly.

Orcas Christian had other ideas though. The Lady Hawks started the 2^nd game by going up 4-1 before the Saints countered with 8-1 run of their own. Now trailing 5-9, the Lady Hawks appeared to shut off their intensity switch. They completely stopped communicating, resulting in easy aces for the Saints and multiple times where players ran into each other because no one was calling for the ball. Down 6-14, Coach Tina again called for a timeout to try and rally her team. Her team didn’t respond like they did in the 1^st game and wound up losing the 2^nd game 19-25.

Before the start of the 3^rd game, Coach Tina pleaded with her team to find the energy and intensity that had disappeared from her players. “Trust, communication, the setter gets the 2^nd hit. You all know the game plan but aren’t doing it. It’s all about communication. You have to get rid of the attitudes and negativity. We’re killing ourselves with the negativity.” Coach’s sentiments were echoed by players Mikaylee Pablo and Jaylin Rivera, who both tried to pump up their team and get everyone’s head up.

It took everyone’s effort to get the Lady Hawks back into the game, it may have taken some talking to, but it worked. In the 3^rd game, the Lady Hawks jumped out to a 15-5 lead. Most importantly, the girls looked like they were having fun again. They were talking it up and running for the ball. For their efforts they won the 3^rd game 25-12.

Their solid play continued in the 4^th game, and really the game was only semi-close because of the 6 points the Lady Hawks gave away on bad serves. They won the game 25-20 and claimed match victory 3-1.

Tulalip Lady Hawks outmatched by Grace Academy, lose 0-3

By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

The (3-6) Tulalip Lady Hawks volleyball team traveled to Grace Academy on Friday, October 16, to face the (6-2) Eagles. It was the third straight road game for Tulalip and second time this season they’d play the Eagles. Their first match was played in Tulalip and was a 0-3 defeat for the Hawks.

In the 1^st game of the match, the Lady Hawks were unable to match the intensity of the Eagles and lost a very quickly played game 13-25. In the 2^nd game, the Lady Hawks upped their play and matched the Eagles point for point early-on. With an 8-8 tie game, the Eagles started to pull-away and went on to win the game 19-25.

It was in the 3^rd game where the team from Tulalip displayed the competitive spirit we are accustomed to seeing. They came out firing on all cylinders, taking a 5-1 lead, extending it to 8-2, and then making it 14-5; forcing Grace Academy to take the first timeout of the match. Tulalip was playing as a team and doing a commendable job of hustling to earn every one of their points. Following the timeout, Tulalip continued to dig in and maintain their lead. They were leading 23-16, only needed to score 2 point more to win and force a 4^th game. However, Grace Academy wouldn’t make it that easy and they called another timeout to adjust their serving game strategy.

Following another timeout, Grace Academy scored 5 straight points, 3 of them were on aces, to close the Tulalip lead to 23-21. The Lady Hawks called a timeout of their own to calm their nerves and make a couple substitutions. The Eagles scored 2 more points to tie the game at 23-23. The tension was in the air with both teams really wanting to win this game. Both team refused to give in and they matched each other point for point to a 25-25 standstill. Normally the winner is the first to 25 points, but you have to win by 2, so this was basically like an overtime. First to claim a 2 point lead would win the game. The next two points scored by each team was very quickly countered by their opponent, keeping the game tied at 27-27. The Lady Hawks were running, diving, and hit the floor on numerous occasions to salvage every point, but unfortunately it just wasn’t enough on this night. They gave up another ace to the Eagles, followed by an unforced error that resulted in a 27-29 loss and a 0-3 match defeat.

Lady Hawks keep games competitive, but unable to close against Lobos and Knights

by Micheal Rios, Tulalip News

On Friday, October 9, the Tulalip Heritage Lady Hawks (3-4) volleyball team traveled to Lopez Island to take on the (5-1) Lobos. It was the second time these two teams have faced each other, with the previous being a 0-3 loss at home for Tulalip.

This time around the Lady Hawks had their full squad of players and have been playing very good team volleyball. The Lady Hawks were able to keep the score close in each game, countering each Lobos point with a point of their own. Surprisingly, two of the three games were played beyond the 25 point mark because neither team was able to take a two-point advantage. Unfortunately, even with the great effort being displayed by the Lady Hawks they would fall just short in both of those games.

The Lobos won the match 3-0 over the visiting team, but Tulalip gave them all they could handle and if only a couple points had gone differently they could have won the match.

On Tuesday, October 13, the Lady Hawks (3-5) again hit the road and traveled the short distance to Cascade Christian Reformed Church in Marysville to play the Arlington Highland Knights (4-4). It was also the second time these two teams had faced each other, with the previous being a very competitive 0-3 defeat at home for Tulalip.

This match would have substantial repercussions on the Northwest 1B volleyball standings. Currently sitting in the #4 spot are the Knights and only one game behind them are the Lady Hawks at #5. With a win the Lady Hawks could have the inside track to being the #4 seed come playoff time, meaning they would host a home playoff game.

Prior to the game, coach Tina Brown spoke about the team’s mindset heading into this big matchup. “We’ve been working hard in practice and going over game film to have the girls see what areas of their game needs improvement. They agree communication is our number one area to focus on. Our communication has been the biggest factor in our wins and in our losses. If we focus on communicating and helping each other out, then this will be a great game. We have to communicate and trust each other.”

In the 1^st game, everything that could go wrong for the Lady Hawks did go wrong. Early season struggles of hitting their serves in play was once again an issue. The Lady Hawks were giving away easy points to their opponent simply because they weren’t getting the ball over the net on their serves. As this continued to happen in the first game, the team really struggled to play together and they stopped communicating. The Knights went on to win the 1^st game 25-13, in large part to the 7 unforced errors the Lady Hawks committed in their serving game.

In the 2^nd game, the Lady Hawks cleaned up their service game and only committed 3 unforced errors. Getting the ball over the net got the girls engaged into the game and they communicated like they know how. Tying the game at 10-10 and then again at 20-20, the Lady Hawks were in good position to win the game. However, the Knights called timeout after the game was tied at 20-20 to talk things over. Their coach noticed the Tulalip front line players were moving way too close to the net, resulting in holes in the back line of the Tulalip defense. Out of their timeout, the Knights were able to capitalize on their coach’s advice and went on a 5-2 run to seal the game 25-22 by aiming for those holes in Tulalip’s back line.

In the 3^rd game, the Lady Hawks started out hot and led by Adiya Jones serving four straight aces, took a 8-4 lead. The game was highly competitive and the Lady Hawks were playing their best ball of the match. After only giving up two points on bad serves, they were able to take a 23-18 lead. For whatever reason though, the Lady Hawks tightened up only needing a couple points to win the game and they stopped communicating with each other. Going back to what their coach said prior to the game, if they don’t communicate and trust each then they won’t be able to pull out a victory. And that’s exactly what happened. The Lady Hawks blew their 23-18 lead and lost the game 25-27, resulting in a 0-3 match defeat.

Both matches of this road trip were winnable by the Lady Hawks if they could just learn to communicate effectively for an entire match, not just for minutes at a time, and close out the games they are leading. Now sitting at 3-6 on the season, the playoffs are still a realistic goal, but only if the Lady Hawks clean up their game.