Kent Valley Preps

Freshman Nick Lemmon, a 2010 Kent-Meridian High graduate, received his first varsity letter for his contributions to the Central College  (Pella, Iowa) wrestling team this season at the squad’s recent awards banquet.
Competing at 165 pounds, Lemmon posted a 4-11 record in his first season of varsity action. He won by decision twice and by fall once. Lemmon placed fourth in the Augsburg (Minn.) Invitational.
The Dutch compiled a 10-10 dual record, their second consecutive 10-win dual season. Central finished seventh at the Iowa Conference tournament and placed in the top eight at all 10 weight classes for the first time since 1996. Central returns 27 letterwinners for the 2011-12 season.

FRIDAY, APRIL 29
BASEBALL: Kentlake at Tahoma; Auburn Riverside at Kent-Meridian; Thomas Jefferson at Kentwood; Auburn at Kentridge. All games at 4 p.m.
FASTPITCH: Kentlake at Tahoma; Auburn Riverside at Kent-Meridian; Thomas Jefferson at Kentwood; Auburn at Kentridge. All games at 4 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30
BOYS SOCCER: Kentlake at Tahoma; Auburn at Jefferson; Auburn Riverside at Kentridge (5:30 p.m.); Kent-Meridian at Kentwood. All games at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
MONDAY, MAY 2
GIRLS TENNIS: Tahoma at Mount Rainier; Kentridge at Kentlake; Kent-Meridian at Kentwood. All games at 3:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, MAY 3
BOYS SOCCER: Kentlake at Mount Rainier; Tahoma at Jefferson; Auburn at Kentwood (5:30 p.m.); Kentridge at Kent-Meridian. All games at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4
GIRLS TENNIS: Mount Rainier at Kentwood; Kentlake at Kent-Meridian; Kentridge at Tahoma. All games at 3:30 p.m.
TRACK: Kentwood at Kent-Meridian; Mount Rainier at Kentlake; Kentridge at Tahoma. All meets at 3 p.m.

FRIDAY, MAY 6
BOYS SOCCER: Jefferson at Kentlake; Mount Rainier at Auburn Riverside; Kentwood at Tahoma; Auburn at Kentridge (5:30 p.m.). All games at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

SATURDAY, MAY 7
GIRLS TENNIS: SPSL tournament, rounds 1-3 at Kent-Meridian High

I just learned moments ago that Bil Caillier is stepping down from his post as the head volleyball coach at Kentwood High to become an assistant coach at Seattle University. Caillier has been at Kentwood for nine years. I will certainly be catching up with Caillier at some point in the next few hours to hammer out some of the details.

This is a tough loss for Kentwood. In nine years, Caillier has taken a good program and turned it into one of the state’s best. We’ll have more on Caillier’s exit soon.

Kent-Meridian product Torrie Self continued her ascension as one of the state’s top collegiate throwers last weekend during the Spike Arlt Invitational at Tomlinson Stadium in Ellensburg. Self, now competing at Central Washington University, established a new stadium record throw in the hammer, uncorking a heave of 181-feet, 2 inches on her second attempt of the day. Self’s toss broke the previous stadium record of 177 feet, 1 1/4 inches established by Jennifer Dunkin of Western Oregon in 2003.

FRIDAY, APRIL 15
BASEBALL: Mount Rainier at Tahoma; Thomas Jefferson at Kentridge; Kent-Meridian at Auburn; Kentwood at AR. All games at 4 p.m.
FASTPITCH: Mount Rainier at Tahoma; Thomas Jefferson at Kentridge; Kent-Meridian at Auburn; Kentwood at AR. All games at 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER: Kentlake at Kentwood; K-M at Auburn Riverside; TJ at Kentridge (5:30 p.m.); Mount Rainier at Auburn. All games at 7:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, APRIL 19
BASEBALL: Kentwood at Tahoma; Auburn at Kentlake; Kent-Meridian at Kentridge; Mount Rainier at Thomas Jefferson. All games at 4 p.m.
FASTPITCH: Kentwood at Tahoma; Auburn at Kentlake; Kent-Meridian at Kentridge; MR at TJ. All games at 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS: KW at MR; Kent-Meridian at Kentlake; Tahoma at Kentridge. All games at 3:30 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER: Kent-Meridian at Kentlake (5:30 p.m.); Kentwood at Kentridge; Auburn Riverside at Auburn; Tahoma at Mount Rainier. All games at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20
BASEBALL: Tahoma at Thomas Jefferson; Mount Rainier at Kent-Meridian; Kentridge at Kentlake; AR at Auburn. All games at 4 p.m.
FASTPITCH: Tahoma at Thomas Jefferson; MR at Kent-Meridian; Kentridge at Kentlake; Auburn Riverside at Auburn. All games at 4 p.m.
THURSDAY, APRIL 21
GIRLS TENNIS: Mount Rainier at Kentlake; Kent-Meridian at Kentridge; Kentwood at Tahoma. All games at 3:30 p.m.
TRACK: Kentwood at Kentlake; Mount Rainier at Kentridge; Tahoma at Kent-Meridian. ALl meets at 3 p.m.

I just received an e-mail from Kentwood Athletic Director JoAnne Daughtry informing me that girls basketball coach Dean Montzingo has stepped down from his post.
This is too bad. Montzingo, who took over from Keith Hennig in April of 2009, did a fantastic job with the program, which essentially didn’t miss a beat in his two years.
Montzingo, you may remember, also served as the Kentwood boys coach for five years and posted a 117-24 overall record, a run that included a state title. In two years with the girls team, Montzingo posted a 42-15 overall record, which included a pair of state berths.

I hope to catch up with Montzingo Friday at some time to get a few more details.

FRIDAY, APRIL 1
BOYS SOCCER: Tahoma at Kentlake (5:30 p.m.); Jefferson at Auburn; Kentridge at Auburn Riverside; Kentwood at Kent-Meridian. All games at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

MONDAY, APRIL 4
BOYS SOCCER: Kentlake at Jefferson; Auburn Riverside at Mount Rainier; Tahoma at Kentwood; Kentridge at Auburn. All games at 7:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, APRIL 5
BASEBALL: Tahoma at Kentwood; Kentlake at Auburn; Kentridge at Kent-Meridian; Thomas Jefferson at Mount Rainier. All games at 4 p.m.
FASTPITCH: Tahoma at Kentwood; Kentlake at Auburn; Kentridge at Kent-Meridian; Thomas Jefferson at Mount Rainier. All games at 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6
BASEBALL: Auburn Riverside at Tahoma; Kentlake at Kentwood; Auburn at Thomas Jefferson; Mount Rainier at Kentridge. All games at 4 p.m.
FASTPITCH: Auburn Riverside at Tahoma; Kentlake at Kentwood; Auburn at Thomas Jefferson; Mount Rainier at Kentridge. All games at 4 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER: Kentlake at Jefferson; Auburn Riverside at Mount Rainier; Tahoma at Kentwood; Kentridge at Auburn. All games at 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, APRIL 7
BASEBALL: Tahoma at Kentlake; Kent-Meridian at Auburn Riverside; Kentwood at Thomas Jefferson; Kentridge at Auburn. All games at 4 p.m.
FASTPITCH: Tahoma at Kentlake; Kent-Meridian at Auburn Riverside; Kentwood at Thomas Jefferson; Kentridge at Auburn. All games at 4 p.m.

FRIDAY, MARCH 25
BASEBALL: Tahoma at Mount Rainier; Kentridge at Thomas Jefferson; Auburn at Kent-Meridian; Auburn Riverside at Kentwood. All games at 4 p.m.
FASTPITCH: Tahoma at Mount Rainier; Kentridge at Thomas Jefferson; Auburn at Kent-Meridian; Auburn Riverside at Kentwood. All games at 4 p.m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 26
BOYS SOCCER: Kentlake at Auburn; Kent-Meridian at Tahoma; Kentwood at Mount Rainier; Jefferson at Auburn Riverside. All games at 7:30 p.m.
MONDAY, MARCH 28
BASEBALL: Kentridge at Tahoma; Mount Rainier at Auburn; Kent-Meridian at Kentwood; Auburn Riverside at Kentlake. All games at 4 p.m.
FASTPITCH: Kentridge at Tahoma; Mount Rainier at Auburn; Kent-Meridian at Kentwood; Auburn Riverside at Kentlake. All games at 4 p.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 29
BASEBALL: Auburn at Tahoma; Kentwood at Mount Rainier; Thomas Jefferson at Auburn Riverside; Kentlake at Kent-Meridian. All games at 4 p.m.
FASTPITCH: Auburn at Tahoma; Kentwood at Mount Rainier; Thomas Jefferson at Auburn Riverside; Kentlake at Kent-Meridian. All games at 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS: Kentridge at Kentwood; Tahoma at Kentlake; Kent-Meridian at Mount Rainier. All games at 3:30 p.m.
BOYS SOCCER: Tahoma at Auburn; Mount Rainier at Kentridge; Kent-Meridian at Jefferson; Auburn Riverside at Kentwood (5:30 p.m.). All games at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

THURSDAY, MARCH 31
BASEBALL: Kentwood at Auburn; Auburn Riverside at Kentridge; Mount Rainier at Kentlake; Kent-Meridian at Thomas Jefferson. All games at 4 p.m.
FASTPITCH: Kentwood at Auburn; Auburn Riverside at Kentridge; Mount Rainier at Kentlake; Kent-Meridian at Thomas Jefferson. All games at 4 p.m.
GIRLS TENNIS: Mount Rainier at Tahoma; Kentlake at Kentridge; Kentwood at Kent-Meridian. All games at 3:30 p.m.
TRACK: Kentlake at Tahoma; Kentridge at Kent-Meridian; Mount Rainier at Kentwood. All meets at 3 p.m.

FRIDAY, APRIL 1
BOYS SOCCER: Tahoma at Kentlake (5:30 p.m.); Jefferson at Auburn; Kentridge at Auburn Riverside; Kentwood at Kent-Meridian. All games at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

To no surprise, Kentridge High senior Gary Bell was named the 2010-11 Gatorade Washington Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Bell is the first Gatorade Washington Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Kentridge High School.
I say “no surprise” because Bell did a little bit of everything on the court this winter for the Chargers, averaging 28 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals per game this past season. Add it up and he helped lead the Chargers (21-10) to a sixth-place finish in the Class 4A state tournament.
More importantly, Bell, who will play at Gonzaga University next year, made everyone around him better. The epitome of a team player, the Kentridge star always got his team involved. And he did it with class, too. In four years of watching Bell play, I can’t say as I ever heard him complain to an official or to Kentridge coach Dave Jamison.
A 6-foot-2, 200-pound guard, Bell also was named last month as Mr. Basketball by the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association.
What Bell performance will I remember most?
While I probably should say his 55-point outburst against Auburn Riverside last year, I can’t. Instead, it was his 31-point effort in an 88-63 first-round state playoff win over Arlington. In the span of less than a minute in the second quarter, Bell drained four consecutive 3-pointers. These were not by any means ordinary 3-pointers. These were of the NBA variety. It’s worth noting that before the three-spree, Bell was knocked hard to the floor on two straight plays, both of which I felt a foul should have been called.
Instead of saying a word to the officials, Bell let his game do all the talking.
It always has been his style, which is why it’s fitting that he was named the Gatorade Player of the Year.