Federal Way’s top sports stories of 2025

It was a year full of upsets and heartbreak across Federal Way athletics this past year. Here are some highlights from professional and high school sports in 2025.

• Suarez delivers Mariners salvation with eighth inning slam: It was a roller coaster ride for the Mariners in 2025 as they came closer than ever to their first World Series in franchise history. In the biggest game of his career, Eugenio Suarez delivered with a grand slam in the eighth inning to send Seattle into chaos and put the Mariners up 3-2 in the ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays. It was no doubt the biggest swing of the Mariners’ season and possibly one of the most clutch moments in Seattle sports history. The grand slam led to a 6-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Oct. 17, allowing the Mariners to lead the series 3-2. The Mariners ultimately lost the ALCS in seven games.

A crowd of 400 gather to give thoughts and prayers to Joe Townsend.

• Thomas Jefferson HS bowling and baseball coach Joe Townsend dies: Not many stories rocked the Washington state high school athletics scene like the tragic death of Thomas Jefferson High School coach Joe Townsend. He was a figure who oozed positivity and charisma, and was one of the most notable faces in and around Thomas Jefferson athletics. During the season his passing was one of the hardest realities to accept for his players, staff and family. In his final year on this planet, he coached his bowling team to a state title. It was a team that was his own, a program that he could not have been more proud of. Then there was baseball. It’s a sport that has a special hold on people who latched on to Townsend and he paid it back with everything he had, from fundraising to play at Cheney Stadium to practice days at Brennan Park the last four years, before finally having a place to call home with Thomas Jefferson’s new home fields.

• Thomas Jefferson sweeps 3A state bowling titles: For the first time in school history, the Thomas Jefferson High School Lady Raiders bowling team reached the mountaintop of 3A state bowling, winning their first state championship Feb. 6 at Bowlero in Tukwila. It was a moment that Head Coach Joe Townsend couldn’t find the words for. “I’ve been trying to think of the words (to describe the feeling) since yesterday when the door opened. You get young people as freshmen and as you go on, they are your kids. Watching them develop on the lanes and as young people, I don’t have words to explain how happy I am for them,” Townsend said after the trophy presentation.

Decatur’s Audrey Deviney celebrates her home run against Thomas Jefferson. Ben Ray / The Mirror

• WIAA sanctions girls flag football for high schools: It seems like high school sports are ever changing and usually not for the better. But when the WIAA announced that girls flag football would be elevated from club sport to legitimate sport, there was nothing but positivity. Since then, record numbers of girls have come out to play flag football. In many sports a C-team is hard to find, but in flag football, nearly every school has a C-team. In a 22-13 vote on April 21, the WIAA Representative Assembly officially sanctioned girls flag football as a WIAA recognized sport by a single vote, the first since 1999. “The WIAA is excited to welcome a new activity to the association. We’re thankful to the Seattle Seahawks and James Neil for their leadership in helping bring girls flag football to this point, and we look forward to continuing that partnership as the sport grows statewide,” Executive Director Mick Hoffman said.

• Still ballin’ – TJHS alum joins first year West Seattle Rhodies: Well it looks like 2025 was the year of Thomas Jefferson as far as The Mirror is concerned. But seeing former athlete of the year and one of the best soccer players in the city Hailey Still competing at a high level is noteworthy. She is now in year six of college soccer and has battled through injuries and the pandemic in her career. But those obstacles have helped her fall in love with the grind. “I think you have to enjoy the grind to some level. There are definitely some days where I could be done. I have my degrees, but the plan is to play pro after, whether that is here in the states or overseas. But my thing is as long as I am enjoying it, I’m going to keep playing,” Still said.