By CASEY OLSON

The Mirror

Western Washington University women’s soccer midfielder Amanda Font, a senior from Decatur High School, has been named a first-team College Sports Information Directors of America/ESPN The Magazine District 8 academic all-star. Font, a computer science major, is maintaining a 3.89 grade-point average.

Font has played a major role for the Vikings, allowing just 0.82 goals per game and recording 11 shutouts this season.

Font has scored four goals this season, all game-winners, and has two assists. During her four-year career, nine of Font’s 17 goals have been game-winners.

A second-team CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine all-district pick last year, Font was recently named a Great Northwest Athletic Conference academic all-star for the third straight season.

Last year, Font received second-team National Soccer Coaches Association of America West Region all-star honors. She also was a first-team GNAC all-star after being a second-team pick in 2004 and 2005. She was selected last week to her second consecutive GNAC first-team.

Western ended its season last week with a record of 13-6-1 overall and 8-5-1 in league play.

• Former National Football League player Gordon Banks started as the new pastor at New Heart Worship Center in Federal Way on Sunday.

Banks brings with him more than 20 years of ministry experience from Carrollton, Texas, where he and his wife have been senior associate pastors serving multiple campuses.

Originally from Los Angeles, Gordon attended Stanford University. He spent eight years as a professional football player ending his career with the Dallas Cowboys.

In addition to his primary teaching responsibilities as pastor at Covenant Church, he is an author and serves as an international motivational speaker in both the corporate and Christian communities.

Gordon’s wife Derozette, a pastor in her own right, hails from Los Angeles and is a former beauty queen. The Banks have five children.

Banks played five seasons in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys. He was a 5-foot-10, 175-pound wide receiver. During his career, Banks caught 35 passes for 458 yards and one touchdown. His best season was in 1987 when he caught 15 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown for the Cowboys.

• The Federal Way Soccer Association under-17 Hurricanes recently won the Apple Cup soccer tournament in Wenatchee for their age group.

The team includes Randy Hentges, Scott Fluharty, Reese Hentges, Sean Carroll, Mitch McQueen, Taylor Blouin, Frankie Ditzhazy, Ryan Laront, Delano Ortiz, Jason Minerich, Michael Sigafoos, Caleb Kim, Dylan Babcock, Kai Ory and Keenan Darrow. The team is coached by Shannon Sehlin and Rod Laront.

• Federal Way High School graduate Mandy Ploskonka was named second-team, All-GNAC after playing midfield for the Montana State University-Billings women’s soccer team.

Ploskonka, a junior, started all 20 games, scoring seven goals and dishing out one assist. She will enter her senior season ranked in the top-10 in school history for both points and goals.

• Pacific Waves Synchronized Swimming is currently enrolling for their introduction to synchro classes. The classes are offered from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Kenneth Jones Pool in Federal Way on Nov. 10, Nov. 17, Dec. 1 and Dec. 8. The cost is $60 per swimmer and they must be able to swim one length of the pool and be comfortable under water. All participants receive a free swim cap and nose plug.

Members of Pacific Waves Synchronized Swimming range from the beginner-novice level, to the national-competition level. Many have competed at the regional and national levels, where they have consistently placed in the top-ten in the country for their routines.

For more information and to register, contact LeeAnn at (253) 476-1172.

• Green River Community College is hosting its first-ever Gator Athletics Holiday Auction and Dinner to celebrate Gator Athletics and raise money for athletic scholarships on Dec. 1. Current scholarship funds only cover 70 percent of those who qualify. The goal is that no Gator athlete will have to choose between paying for college and developing his or her athletic potential.

In addition to a silent and live auction, there will be live contests planned. Doors will open at 5 p.m. and the program will begin at 6:15 p.m. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased by contacting (253) 833-9111, ext. 2480, or athleticdirector@greenriver.edu.

• Decatur High School is hosting a Cheerleading Basketball Clinic from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the school’s gymnasium on Nov. 17 for kindergarten through eighth-graders. The camp will include learning Gator chants, cheers, stunts, short cheer dance and the possibility of cheering at a high school game. The cost is $25 per child and each kid must bring a sack lunch. Payment must be received by Nov. 9. For more information, call 945-5239.

• Emily Victor and Andrew Hawkins were named local champions of the 2007 Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge and have earned the right to compete at the district level. St. Theresa’s Council #7908 sponsored the local competition at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church. All youngsters ages 10 to 14 were eligible to participate.

Victor won the 13-year-old girls division and Hawkins was the champion of the 10-year-old boys division. Each of these winners competed in the ditrict competition late last month.

• Northwest Youth Sports Alliance (NYSA) 8- to 14-year-old basketball leagues are accepting registrations through Nov. 27. Players can sign-up online at www.metroparkstacoma.org/nysa. Youth can choose from either the Norpoint League in Northeast Tacoma or the Metro League when signing up. Boys and girls will play on separate teams. A player’s age on July 31 determines which age group they will play in. League fees are $65-$70 and include uniforms. Games begin Jan. 7.

For more information, call (253) 305-1015 or email sportsinfo@tacomaparks.com

• Federal Way resident Rod Janson carded the second hole-in-one of his golfing career on Oct. 12 at Apple Tree Golf Course in Yakima. Janson aced the par-3, 13th hole. He used a nine iron on the 125-yard hole. He was playing a practice round for Apple Tree’s Fall 2-man Best Ball Tournament.

• The Mid-Sound Pilots 12-under select Bronco team is holding tryouts for four more 11- and 12-year-old baseball players to join our program. Tryouts will be held at the Bulldog Training Center in Kent on Oct. 26 from 8-9:30 p.m.

They are looking for players for all positions. The team is currently playing fall ball games with other select 12-under teams from the Puget Sound area and will be participating in winter training at the Bulldog Training Center in Kent. The team will play a competitive spring season, with at least 35 games and three tournaments, plus all-stars. If you would like more information, call coach David Engle at (206) 235-5621 or davidsengle@comcast.net.

• The Seattle Baseball Academy 15-under Bombers select baseball team is looking to add a middle infielder/pitcher for the upcoming 2008 Mickey Mantle season. The Bombers are a competitive team that are beginning fall and winter workouts soon. Players interested in more information or a tryout can contact Bombers manager Jay Roberts at (206) 793-1574 or Steve Atkinson at (253) 307-2869.

• The Mid-Sound Pilots baseball program is seeking competitive 11- and 12-year-old players for its 2007-08 select Bronco baseball team. They are looking for players for all positions. The team is participating in a fall ball program with other select 12-under teams from the Puget Sound area, and plans to participate in winter training at the Bulldog Training Center in Kent. The team will play a competitive spring season, with at least 35 games and at least three tournaments, plus all-stars.

For more information, contact Coach David at (206) 235-5621 or davidsengle@comcast.net for tryout information.

• The Mid-Sound Pony Pilots 12-under Bronco team is seeking high character, competitive 11- and 12-year-old baseball players for the upcoming fall season and continuing through the spring 2008 season. Tryouts can be arranged by appointment. Call Coach David at (206) 235-5621 or e-mail him at davidsengle@comcast.net for additional information.

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