The Thomas Jefferson Raider boys tennis team is the best in the South Puget Sound League Central Division.
The Raiders clinched the championship in the six-team division Thursday by sweeping the Federal Way Eagles, 5-0. The victory moved Jefferson to 8-0 in league play with two regular-season matches remaining. Auburn Riverside sits three matches back in the standings at 5-3.
During Thursday’s match with the Eagles, TJ lost a grand total of 14 games, while winning 60. Joe Lee beat Chase McLaughlin at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-1, and Branden Muraki beat Gorav Gupta at No. 2, 6-1, 6-0. In doubles’ action, Brandyn Gomez and Kyle Creek beat Max Ward and Dalton Alvey at No. 1, 6-1, 6-3, Kainoa Rosa and Michael Suh beat Matt Havili and Brad Lewis at No. 2, 6-2, 6-0, and Makoa Rosa and Eric Kim beat Alex Lewis and Colby Lane at No. 3, 6-4, 6-1.
Girls soccer
The Decatur Gators (5-1-2) got back on track Thursday, blowing out Spanaway Lake, 8-0. The win came two days after the Gators suffered their first loss of the season to first-place Emerald Ridge.
Decatur got a hat trick from Ashley Graves and a pair of goals from Rylie Buckholz. Allison Lewis and Hannah Herbert combined on the shutout in goal.
The Gators then played cross-district rival Beamer (6-1-1) to a 1-1 tie Saturday in another key SPSL South battle. The Titans’ Mackenzie Hickel tallied the first goal of the game just eight minutes in when she took a pass from Holland Crook to give Beamer a 1-0 lead.
Decatur tied the game later in the first half on a goal by Rachel Markey in the 34th minute. The pass came from Ashley Graves.
Beamer shut out Graham-Kapowsin Thursday, 5-0. The Titans got a pair of goals from Crook and Breanna Straus and Megan Graf pitched the shutout in net. Beamer takes on unbeaten Emerald Ridge Friday in Federal Way. The Jaguars handed Beamer its only loss this year.
Jefferson moved to 3-4-1 with a 1-0 win over Kentridge Saturday in Federal Way. Lauren Jerde tallied the only goal of the game and Nicole Price picked up the shutout in goal for the Raiders.
The Federal Way Eagles (3-3-1) won their second game in a row Thursday with a 3-0 shutout of the Auburn Trojans. The Eagles got goals from Bianca Arizpe, Andrea Ferguson and Sara Shimer.
Volleyball
Jefferson fell to 1-2 in the SPSL North and 4-2 overall after being swept by the Auburn Riverside Ravens Thursday, 25-14, 25-18, 25-21.
The Raiders got 24 assists from Allie Crowe, 12 kills and six blocks from Katelyn Nugent and nine kills from Kendra Ansotigue.
Boys golf
The Todd Beamer Titans lost a heart-breaker to the Auburn Riverside Ravens Thursday at the Sumner Meadows Golf Course, 80-79. The loss dropped the Titans to 5-3 in the SPSL Central Division.
Broc Johnson earned medalist honors with an impressive 2-under-par round of 34. Campbell Flewelling finished with a 38 for the Titans.
Decatur won its second match of the season over Federal Way Thursday at the Northshore Golf Course, 61-54. Mikael Pitzer earned medalist honors for the Gators with a 41. Lucas Tisdel led the Eagles with a 42.
Boys cross country
The Federal Way Eagles finished up in sixth place at Saturday’s Curtis Invitational at Titlow Park in Tacoma. The Eagles tallied 187 total points during the 18-team meet.
The Eagles were led by the 10th-place finish by Meron Simon, who ran the 3.1-mile course in 17:10.54.
Jefferson’s Jeff Baklund finished 13th overall at the prestigious Sunfair Run in Yakima Saturday. Baklund ran the 3-mile course in 15:56.4. Baklund also helped the Raider boys beat Decatur Thursday, 20-40, at Celebration Park.
Baklund won the race in 16:33, followed by Decatur’s Connor Adkisson (17:10).
Girls cross country
Jefferson cruised by the Decatur Gators Thursday at Celebration Park, 19-55. Leah Kiyohara won the race in 20:08, Decatur’s Nichole Williams finished second (20:10) and TJ’s Vanessa Church was third in 20:26.
The third-place run by Federal Way’s Jasmine Johnson led the Eagles to a 10th-place finish at Saturday’s Curtis Invitational. Johnson finished the 3.1-mile course in 20:06.15, less than five seconds behind the winner.
