SPORTS: Konopaski brothers qualify for state tennis tournament; other prep reports

BREMERTON — Michael and Marcus Konopaski of Port Angeles captured third place at the West Central District boys tennis tournament on Saturday and advance to the state championships.

The district tourney was held at the Bremerton Athletic Club on Friday and Saturday.

“Marcus and Michael had a great tournament,” Port Angeles coach Brian Gundersen said.

“There are no easy matches at districts, and I thought they played their best tennis of the year.

“I’m excited about our finish and am looking forward to taking them to the state tournament in the spring.”

At districts, the Roughrider duo started day two in the semifinals, losing 6-0, 6-2 to the eventual champions from Lindbergh High School in Renton.

The Konopaskis rebounded in their next match, defeating the top team from Sumner 6-3, 6-3 to claim third place in the 12-team tournament.

Boys Tennis

West Central District

at Bremerton

Semifinals

Kwiatkowski/Bayna, Lindbergh, defeated Michael and Marcus Konopaski, Port Angeles, 6-0, 6-2.

Third-fifth seed match

Michael and Marcus Konopaski, PA, defeated Walsh/Fordice, Sumner, 6-3, 6-3.

Volleyball

Sequim is No. 1

SEQUIM — The Wolves can punch their ticket to state by winning their first match at the West Central District championships at Franklin Pierce High School in Tacoma on Saturday morning.

Sequim could be playing archrival Port Angeles in that go-to-state match that starts at 10 a.m.

The Roughriders, the No. 5 Olympic League seed, opens district play against White River on Friday at 5 p.m. at Franklin Pierce. That winner faces Sequim on Saturday.

The Wolves, the No. 1 Olympic League seed, received a bye in the first round after winning the league seeding tournament Saturday at Sequim High School.

Sequim beat Olympic 3-1 in the semifinals and North Kitsap 3-0 in the championship match.

The Wolves started on fire against the Vikings and never let up.

“We started out well,” Sequim coach Jennie Webber-Heilman said.

Rylleigh Zbaraschuk served seven points in a row, and then Emma LeBlanc adding 11 straight points.

Hannah Hudson played strong defense with 14 digs and five perfect passes while Haleigh Harrison (12 kills), Lex Besand (seven kills) and Caitlin Stofferahn (five kills) dominating at the net.

Harrison added four blocks that stopped the Vikings’ hitting.

Setter Taylor Balkan had 27 assists.

The Wolves had a rougher match, especially at the start, against Olympic.

“We started out a little slow but Emma [LeBlanc] had a run of 12 serves in a row to get us a huge lead,” Webber-Heilman said.

LeBlanc also played well on defense, earning 13 digs.

Harrison was the offensive leader again, with the aid of Balkan’s setting, with 18 kills.

Besand added eight kills, followed by Kate Harker’s four kills and Katelynne McDaniels’ three kills to help spread out the offense.

Harrison (13 digs) and Zbaraschuk (12 digs) were playing tough defense.

“We let up in the third game and let them take a game off of us, but we turned it around in the fourth when Rylleigh served 10 points in a row with two aces, and Haleigh adding seven kills,” Webber-Heilman said.

Football

Port Townsend crossover game

PORT TOWNSEND — The Redskins will host Nooksack Valley in a Nisqually League crossover game this Friday night.

The game starts at 6 p.m. at Memorial Field.

Girls Soccer

Sequim in playoffs

SEQUIM — The Wolves will host Orting in a loser-out West Central District play-in game Wednesday.

The game, set for the high school, starts at 1:30 p.m.

More in Sports

Forks’ Radly Benett, left, rebounds in front of Neah Bay’s Daniel Cumming on Thursday night in Forks.
BOYS BASKETBALL: Neah Bay handles Forks’ challenge

Sequim, Port Angeles boys fall on the road

Lonnie Archibald (2)/for Peninsula Daily News
Referee Steve Singhose watches closely as Forks’ Avery Dilley (left) and Neah Bay’ Angel Halttunen hustle for a loose ball. Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Spartans, Red Devils tune up for playoffs

Greene, Moss, Johnson score 20 points apiece for Neah Bay and Forks

Emily Matthiessen/for Peninsula Daily News 
Sequim’s Jordyn Julmist is closely defended while putting up a shot attempt against Bremerton as teammate Vaeh Owens, far left, looks on during the Wolves’ win over the Knights at Rick Kaps Gymnasium on Thursday.
GIRLS BASKETBALL: Sequim shakes off slow start for senior night triumph

Roughriders top Kingston in regular season finale

Photos by Jay Cline/Peninsula College Athletics 
Peninsula’s Sam Tekeste steps through a pair of Shoreline defenders on his way to the rim during the Pirates’ 75-63 win over the Dolphins on Wednesday.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Pirate men stay alive in playoff chase

The Peninsula Pirate men controlled their contest with the… Continue reading

Peninsula’s Malia Garcia dribbles through the lane during the Pirates’ 94-9 win over Shoreline at home Wednesday.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Pirate women dominate Dolphins

By limiting the minutes of its starters, Peninsula College… Continue reading

Port Angeles boys head coach Kevin Ruble, right, and volunteer assistant Bryant Hoch watch during pregame Tuesday in Port Angeles before the Roughriders took on defending state champion Bremerton. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
BOYS PREP ROUNDUP: Defending champs Bremerton cruises past PA

Sequim, Forks, East Jefferson all victorious

GIRLS BASKETBALL: Riders, Spartans seal league titles

4th straight league championship for Forks girls

GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL: PA, Sequim both in state tournament this weekend

In their inaugural seasons of girls flag football, both Sequim and Port… Continue reading

Sammie Sullivan of Kingston (143) leads the pack, including Tanya Woodward of Forks (638)  at the starting line of the 2025 Elwha Bridge Run, which returns Saturday. (Run the Peninsula)
RUN THE PENINSULA (Updated): Elwha Bridge Run returns Saturday

The Run the Peninsula series returns this weekend with… Continue reading

Tom Garrick celebrated a hole-in-one at Cedars at Dungeness on Jan. 28. (Cedars at Dungeness)
AREA SPORTS BRIEFS: Hole-in-one at Cedars at Dungeness and OJBR sign-ups

The Cedars at Dungeness reported its first hole-in-one of the… Continue reading

The Klahhane Gymnastics Xcel gold team of, from left, Emily Bair, Abigail Odland, Lorelei Sanders and Zayleigh McCullem finished first at the Freedom Invitational Gymnastics Meet at the Kitsap Pavilion last week. (Klahhane Gymnastics)
KLAHHANE GYMNASTICS: Xcel gold first at Freedom Invite

Klahhane Gymnastics Xcel teams delivered an outstanding weekend of competition… Continue reading

Liam Sprague, Crescent basketball.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Liam Sprague, Crescent basketball

Crescent basketball player Liam Sprague finished the season with a flourish, showing… Continue reading