AREA SPORTS BRIEFS: Madison shakes off illness, leads Alaska-Anchorage to conference title . . . St. Paddy’s Fun Run . . . Gymnasts excel . . . Swimmers successful

Madison and Seawolves win league title

LACEY — Port Angeles High School graduate Jessica Madison played through sickness and helped the University of Alaska-Anchorage women’s basketball team win the Great Northwest Athletic Conference over the weekend.

In Saturday’s championship game the Seawolves beat Montana State-Billings 77-57.

Despite being hospitalized Friday morning with illness, Madison, a senior guard, had a buzzer-beating put back for a 61-47 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Then, in the beginning of the fourth, she delivered a thrilling sequence with a layup, a steal and another layup to make Alaska-Anchorage’s lead 67-49, and Montana never closed the gap again.

Madison finished with 12 points on 5 for 10 shooting, and added four steals and five rebounds in 20 minutes of play.

Currently, Madison is averaging 10.1 PPG and is No. 8 on Alaska-Anchorage’s all-time career scoring list.

The Seawolves (33-2) are the No. 2 seed in the West Region of the NCAA Division II tournament, which they open Friday against 7-seed Cal-State Dominguez Hills (22-9) at the Felix Event Center at Azusa Pacific in Los Angeles. Alaska-Anchorage beat Dominguez Hills 82-61 at a tournament in October.

Madison, a justice major, was picked for the GNAC All-Academic Team for the third straight year. The team is open to sophomores, juniors and seniors who maintain a 3.2 GPA while taking at least 12 credits.

St. Paddy’s Fun Run

PORT ANGELES — The St. Paddy’s Day Fun Run/Walk will be hosted by the Port Angeles Parks and Recreation Department on Saturday, March 19.

The 5- and 10-kilometer run/walk will start at noon at City Pier and follow the Waterfront Trail out and back.

There will be shirts for pre-registered participants and some prizes for best costumes.

The cost is $23 for adults and $11 for ages 18 and younger.

For more information or to register, phone Dan Estes at 360-417-4557 or email destes@cityofpa.us.

Gymnasts excel

DES MOINES — The Klahhane Gymnasts competed at the Rainier Cup Invitational hosted by Gymnastics Unlimited at Mount Rainier High School last month.

Klahhane’s Xcel Platinum team had only three gymnasts competing, but Cassii Middlestead, Danica Miller and Lainy Vig still managed to bring home a third-place trophy with a combined score of 103.976.

Middlestead and Miller finished first and second in the Senior Age Group all-around competition with scores of 35.50 and 34.05, respectively, and collected an additional eight

event medals.

Lainy Vig competed in the Junior Age Group scored 33.65 to complete the team score.

On vault, Middlestead was fourth (8.4), followed by Miller at fifth (8.3). Miller picked up the gold on uneven bars (9.3), while Middlestead took silver (9.2).

On balance beam, Middlestead took gold (9.3) and Miller was fifth (8.2). Middlestead finished second in the floor exercise (8.6), while Miller took fifth (8.25).

In the Xcel Bronze Junior Division, Adisyn Ellis-Bourm placed fourth in the all-around (36.06) and Jazlynn Puhrmann took sixth (34.95).

Chloe Notari finished fourth all-around (35.60) for Klahhane in the Xcel Bronze Junior Division.

Also competing for Klahhane were Clare Bowechop (34.45), Brooklynne Jacobs (35.00), Isabelle Pecoraro (33.65) and Samantha Aranda (34.75).

In the Xcel Gold Senior A balance beam, Klahhane’s Maizie Tucker placed sixth (8.70).

In Xcel Gold Senior B, Aiesha Mathis had two top-10s, fifth on uneven bars (8.95) and seventh on vault (8.45), and Julienne Jacobs took sixth on uneven bars (8.85).

Klahhane also had gymnasts in the Junior Olympic Competition. In Level 3, Mady Stockdale took second all-around (34.45) in the Sr. Age Group and Waverly Mead finished fifth (34.325). Piper Allen finished the All-Aound with a score of 33.325.

In Level 4, Cindy Liang was second all-around (35.10) in the Jr. B age group. Dylan Baermann scored 33.0 and Samantha Robbins finished with a 34.975.

In Level 6 of the Junior Olympic Competition, Kianna Miller’s score of 9.05 earned a Senior C silver medal on the balance beam.

In the Junior C age group, Anne Edwards finished third on uneven bars (8.675), fifth on vault (8.75) and sixth on the floor (8.85), while Gracie Sharp was sixth on uneven bars (8.45).

Kori Miller finished third (8.975) on uneven bars in the Junior B age group and had the highest all-around total of the group with 34.80.

Swim club success

MUKILTEO — Port Angeles Swim Club member qualified for the regionals at the Age Group Invitational at Kamiak High School last last month.

Alex Che, age 10, took first in two events. His time of 29.11 seconds in 50-yard freestyle not only put him in first place overall, it also broke the club record for boys 10 and younger.

Che also had three second-place finish and one fourth-place finishes. He qualified for regional meet in the 100 and 200 free.

Other swim club members’ results:

■ Felicia Che, age 14, qualified for regionals in the 100 butterfly. She placed third, fourth and fifth in other events.

■ Nadia Cole, age 13, not only placed first in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:30.95, she also broke her own pool record in the event for ■ girls 13-14. Her top finishes in 100 and 200 backstroke qualified her for the regional meet.

■ Kenzie Johnson, age 14, placed fourth in 200 back. She was seventh in 100 fly and eighth in 100 free.

■ Emma Murray, age 13, placed sixth in 200 fly and 12th in 200 individual medley.

■ Sierra Hunter, age 15, placed eighth in 200 breast.

■ Sage Hunter, age 12, placed tenth in 100 fly and 100 free.

■ Kiara Schmitt, age 12, placed eighth in 200 back.

■ Carter Juskevich, 18, was fifth in 200 breast and eighth in 100 free.

■ Cameron Butler, 14, placed second in 500 free, seventh in 100 free and eighth in 100 fly.

■ Tristin Butler, 16, was third in 500 free and 200 breast. He placed fourth in 100 free and sixth in 100 back.

The regional meet will be held in Federal Way later this week.

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