Sports Calendar
Fly on the Sideline
Thursday 3 p.m., Hawkins Middle School volleyball skills camp 3 p.m., North Mason wrestling practice 3:30 p.m., North Mason fastpitch practice 5 p.m., Shelton High School cheerleading tryouts for incoming ninth- and 12th-graders in the Shelton Mini Dome 5:30 p.m., Shelton High School boys’ basketball spring 2013 in Oakland Bay Junior High School gym 6 p.m., North Mason girls’ basketball open gym 6:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., Cascade League adult co-ed softball games at Callanan Park and Mason County Recreation Area, field six
SHS athletes miss once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Friday 3 p.m., Hawkins Middle School volleyball skills camp Monday 5:30 p.m., Practices begin for South Mason Youth Soccer Club teams at the South Mason Soccer Park 6: 15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., Olympic League adult co-ed softball games at Callanan Park and Mason Country Recreation Area, field six Tuesday 9 a.m., North Mason wrestling practice in the Hawkins Middle School gym 3:30 p.m., North Mason fastpitch practice 5:30 p.m., Practices for South Mason Youth Soccer Club teams at the South Mason Soccer Park 6:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., Cascade League adult co-ed softball games at Callanan Park and Mason County Recreation Area, field six
A
fter the successful 2012 Shelton football season, in which the Highclimbers reached the postseason behind the record-breaking efforts of running back Ralph Kinne and several spectacular catches by wide receiver David Ajamu, both boys were invited to play in the 2013 Washington State East-West All Star game. Months after this invitation, Kinne and Ajamu committed to play football at the University of Washington (UW). And that’s where the kicker to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity comes from. On the advice of their future UW coaches, Kinne and Ajamu will not take part in the All Star game, scheduled for June 21 at Moses Lake High School. I understand where the UW coaches are coming from. They put in time and effort to recruit Kinne and Ajamu to the team. In Ajamu’s case, they convinced him to change his oral commitment to Oregon State University and sign with the
Huskies instead. These coaches don’t want their recruitment efforts to be in vain should either player get injured at the All Star game. However, by By EMILY advising the boys HANSON not to play, they effectively took away an opportunity neither will ever have again. To play in the All Star game is an elite privilege. Of all the high school football players in Washington, only a handful are invited to play. The game is a best-of-the-best, who’s who of the high school football world. It’s accompanied by a week of training and bonding with the best players in the state. The game itself is an opportunity for these athletes to compete against others of equal or greater skill, talent and dedication. Kinne and Ajamu played for the
Former Seahawk to speak at baccalaureate STAFF REPORT pr@masoncounty.com
Wednesday 9 a.m., North Mason wrestling practice in the Hawkins Middle School gym 3:30 p.m., North Mason fastpitch practice 5:30 p.m., Shelton High School boys’ basketball spring 2013 in Oakland Bay Junior High School gym 5:30 p.m., Practices for South Mason Youth Soccer Club teams at the South Mason Soccer Park 6: 15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., Olympic League adult co-ed softball games at Callanan Park and Mason Country Recreation Area, field six June 20 9 a.m., North Mason wrestling practice in the Hawkins Middle School gym 3:30 p.m., North Mason fastpitch practice 5:30 p.m., Shelton High School boys’ basketball spring 2013 in Oakland Bay Junior High School gym 6:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., Cascade League adult co-ed softball games at Callanan Park and Mason County Recreation Area, field six n To have items placed in the sports calendar, send information to emily@ masoncounty.com.
Highclimbers as a 4A school when teams like Bellarmine Prep dominated the field and then as a 3A school, against teams like Foss and Mt. Tahoma, who had no answer for Shelton’s game plan. Neither player has ever played on a team composed entirely of athletes at their level. They have also never played against a team composed entirely of athletes at their level. And now, neither will have the opportunity. At least, not before college. Instead of seeing this game as a training opportunity, the UW coaches saw it as a threat to their roster. But let’s look at this logically. Kinne and Ajamu will be freshmen at UW in the fall. How many freshmen running backs and wide receivers see any substantial play? Would it have really been so bad to allow the boys to take the risk and participate in a game against their athletic equals for the first and only time in their high school football careers?
Courtesy photo
Eddie Williams makes a play for the Seattle Seahawks. Williams is now the young adult pastor of Mountain Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Covington and will speak at the Shelton baccalaureate service at 7 p.m. tonight at the Shelton Performing Arts Center.
NEW! • Zumba Toning • Zumba Classes • Tae Kwon Do Classes
The faith community of Mason County invites the graduates of the Class of 2013 and their families and friends to this year’s baccalaureate service. The service will be at 7 tonight at the Shelton High School Performing Arts Center with former Seattle Seahawk — and current Cleveland Brown — Eddie Williams as the featured speaker. After a California All-State season in high school football and an allconference selection in track and basketball, Williams spent four years at the University of Idaho as a starter on the football team. There, he quickly became a team leader and premier offensive weapon that dominated the Western Athletic Conference. He was drafted in the seventh round in 2009 by the Washington Redskins and
has also spent time with the Chicago Bears. Williams, who lives in Seattle in the offseason, said he became a Christian at the age of 18, after a turbulent childhood in which he grew up poor and in a neighborhood where his family was continually robbed. After moving in with his aunt, a devout Christian who attended church regularly, Williams was introduced to the Bible, even though he was skeptical at first. However, he began to read the Scriptures and became convinced that being a Christian was the life for him. He is now the young adult pastor of Mountain Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Covington, near where he lives, and weekly ministers to more than 70 men and women, and often speaks to groups. Light refreshments will be available after Williams’ speech.
• Sauna/Steam Room • Personal Training • Weight Training • Swimming • Aerobics Classes • Racquetball • Tanning • Cardio • Massage
Every Saturday at 11:00 a.m.
• Kettlebell Classes
Now in progress — See schedule at www.sheltonathleticclub.com
Just South of Downtown Shelton on Highway 3 Stop in today at 707 South First Street Call 426-1388 or email us; sac@hctc.com Check us out on the web at sheltonathleticclub.com
Hours: Mon-Fri 4:30am-9pm • Sat & Sun 7am-3pm 18799
FREE with membership
Mason County Journal - Thursday, June 13, 2013 - Page B-3