theolympian.

com HIGH SCHOOLS Friday October 29, 2010 • B3

“He’s a part of our family forever.” Wolves

JONATHON WITT, on his friend, Harold “P. Wee” Sanders, who moved in with the Witts three years ago

rally past
T-Birds,
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PREP VOLLEYBALL:
Black Hill edges
Tumwater, 3-2
BY GRANT CLARK
Contributing writer
The Black Hills volley-
ball team should take plen-
ty of momentum into next
week’s district tourna-
ment.
The visiting Wolves ral-
lied late to pull out a 3-2
victory over Tumwater (24-
26, 25-22, 11-25, 25-23, 15-
7) in an Evergreen Confer-
ence match Thursday,
snapping the Thunder-
birds’ nine-match winning
streak and grabbing a share
of the conference champi-
onship in the process.
“It was kind of ugly, es-
pecially early on,” Black
Hills coach Kara Peterson
said, “but the girls just
fought through it. It’s al-
ways good to be at the top
of the heap even if you have
TONY OVERMAN/Staff photographer
to share it.”
Jonathon Witt, left, who plays tight end for River Ridge, and his parents welcomed Harold “P. Wee” Sanders into their home three years ago. “Having him is like hav- Tumwater will take the
ing another brother around,” Jonathon Witt said. “They treat him the same way they treat me.” It allowed Sanders to escape a tough upbringing in East St. Louis, Ill. conference’s top seed into
the district tournament,

SANDERS
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solid player for us.” which begins Thursday at

With a 5-3 record and a game to- Mark Morris.
From Page B1 night against Centralia, River Ridge The T-Birds earned the
must win and get help to keep its top spot based on head-to-
No matter where or who the playoff hopes alive. head games against the
Hawks are playing, you’ll find the Sanders, who has rushed for over Wolves. Tumwater, the
Witts cheering on their boys. 300 yards, is now mostly playing de- 2008 state champion, won
“I’m a crazy football mom,” Karen fense after separating his shoulder the earlier matchup 3-0.
Witt said. against Tumwater. He has 29 tackles, “We expect to see (Tum-
including 15 solo, a forced fumble water) again,” said Peter-
HARD LIFE IN EAST ST. LOUIS and an interception. son, who guided the Wolves
Sanders, who has had the nick- “It feels great,” P. Wee said. “You to a third-place finish at the
name P. Wee since he was an infant, get a lot of comments about the foot- Class 2A state tournament
grew up in the rough-and-tumble ball team and more comments in the last season, “but its nice to
East St. Louis, Ill., which sits in Illi- (school) hallways.” have won this one.”
nois, directly across the Mississippi A Black Hills win looked
River from St. Louis, Mo. ON THE RIGHT PATH slim at best after Tumwater
At 14, he became a member of a Sanders has undergone many led 2-1 after three games
gang that sold drugs, broke into ve- changes in three years. and raced out to an 8-0
hicles and roughed up those wearing He doesn’t have any contact with lead in the fourth game.
the wrong color of clothing. Skipping Harold “P. Wee” Sanders, center, listens to coaches at a River Ridge practice. his incarcerated father, and he pre- “We were just making
school was frequent. He admits he The Hawks need to knock off Centralia tonight to keep their playoff hopes alive. fers it that way. His mother, who has too many errors,” Peterson
wasn’t the greatest student; home- come to visit, has insisted he stay said. “We were playing ten-
work took a back seat on most school Louis or find somewhere else to he volunteers to serve meals and put. tative and we haven’t had
nights. live. hands out Christmas presents. Sanders will be the first among success when we’ve played
His left ear has a large scar from That’s when the Witts offered him “He’s been a blessing in our house- three older siblings in his family to that way all season.”
when another teen hit him over the a place to live. hold … it’s amazing,” Karen Witt graduate from high school, some- A trio of kills from Whit-
head with a pipe during a fight. “Jonathon wanted to know if said. thing that might not have happened ney Martin and two from
“I knew I was doing bad things,” (Sanders) could come stay with us if Now a senior, Sanders has enjoyed had he remained in East St. Louis. Kendra Henry, who added
Sanders said. he needed to,” Karen Witt said. “We good health and his best season. He’s He said he only keeps in touch with 17 digs, helped the Wolves
In the summer of 2007, Sanders prayed about it.” become a player who leads by ex- one friend from back home. creep back into the con-
visited his father in Lacey. Soon after, ample with his play on the field, “The stuff I’m going through right test.
he met Jonathon Witt in the River ‘BLESSING IN OUR coach Steve Schultz said. now, and what they’re teaching me, Avery Noble followed
Ridge weight room, where Witt was HOUSEHOLD’ It’s quite a change from the person is so I can have the same mentality to up a kill with a block to
working out with the football team. With the Witts, Sanders enjoys Schultz met in the summer of 2007 do things right and stay focused,” give Black Hills a 25-23
A friendship was forged, and having his own bedroom and bath- – that quiet kid he saw in the weight Sanders said. “It’s really changed me win in game No. 4.
Sanders was on his way to starting a room. Chores – and discipline – are room, sitting on a stationary bike, a lot.” The Wolves carried that
new life. handed out, and his relationship with wanting to play football. College is a possibility. He has momentum over into the
His father, who is serving time in Jonathon is like any between sib- “It’s been a lot of direction from flourished in his time with the Witts, decisive game, taking leads
the Thurston County Corrections lings. (the Witts’) end of it, and extra sup- and they’ve helped him prepare for of 5-1 and 13-5 on a Henry
Facility, was arrested that fall, leav- “Having him is like having anoth- port on our end,” Schultz said. “A lot the next stage of his life. kill.
ing Sanders to live with his dad’s er brother around,” Jonathon Witt of the credit goes to P. Wee.” Whatever that is, the Witts will be Another Martin kill end-
girlfriend, a woman he barely said. “They treat him the same way Schultz saw potential in Sanders there providing support and a ed the game, 15-7, giving
knew. they treat me.” in 2008. Sanders ran for over 200 home. the match to Black Hills.
The situation did not last long. She Schoolwork comes first in the Witt yards and scored four touchdowns in “He’s a part of our family forever,” “It was just a roller-
dropped him off at his uncle’s house household. Sanders also attends a junior varsity game against Centra- Jonathon Witt said. coaster match,” said Tum-
in Lakewood in November. Just a church at the Tacoma Christian Cen- lia. water coach Tana Croft
freshman, he was at a crossroads in ter with the Witts, and regularly reads “Everything clicked,” Schultz said, Meg Wochnick: 360-754-5473 said. “It was back and forth,
life. He could go back to East St. the Bible. During the holiday season, “and I knew he was going to be a mwochnick@theolympian.com but from the middle of the
fourth game on Black Hills
just didn’t make any mis-
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: THREE TO SEE takes.”
Aided by six Black Hills
North Thurston (5-3, 3-2 EvCo) at Chehalis Lincoln (4-4, 2-2 Narrows 3A) at Capital (8-0, Olympia (7-1, 6-0 Narrows 4A) at Shelton
1 (7-1, 4-1), 7 p.m. today at Bearcat Stadium 2 4-0), 7 p.m. today at Ingersoll Stadium 3 (2-6, 1-5), 7 p.m. today Highclimber Stadium
errors, Tumwater opened
the match with a 16-14 lead
For the third straight week, North Thurston In an undefeated season and with a league Last week, Olympia clinched its eighth in game one before a pair
is in a must-win game. After a 42-21 loss to Centralia championship clinched, Capital might seem vulner- league title in 11 years by beating Bellarmine Prep, of Martin kills and a kill
dropped the Rams to 1-2 in league, they have won able to a letdown. But the Cougars are on a mission 37-30, in a thrilling, back-and-forth game. The and a block from
two straight league games, beating Black Hills and and an upset isn’t likely. In last week’s 44-0 disman- Bears, averaging 31.6 points a game, have been on
River Ridge by a combined 84-28. Tailback Lawyer tling of Timberline, Capital was impressive on both
Mortensen reclaimed the
an offensive roll, scoring 166 points in their past lead for the Wolves at 22-
Tillman is coming off a five-touchdown game in sides of the ball. Tailback Tyler Sundberg ran for four games. Spenser Killman scored the winning
last week’s 42-8 win over River Ridge. Tillman has three touchdowns and QB Alex Everson ran for two. touchdown against Bellarmine on a 24-yard romp
19.
scored 27 touchdowns. If North Thurston beats Sundberg, always tough to tackle, rushed for 329 with 5:05 to play. While Shelton is the winner of More errors followed
Chehalis and River Ridge beats Centralia, the Rams yards. Capital unveiled an unbalanced line for the just two games, the Highclimbers have been able before Tumwater put the
will be tied for second place. QB Mitch Gueller, first time this season against Timberline. “The line to get into the end zone, averaging 22.8 points. game away on a hustling
6-foot-4 and mobile, powers Chehalis’ offense. opens the holes. I just run through them,” Sundberg They beat South Kitsap, 28-18, and lost the next play by Maryann Bring-
“Defensively, we’ve got to contain their quarter- said. “My line is awesome.” Lincoln, averaging 18.5 week to Stadium, 28-27. Penalties have plagued hurst, whose lunging tip
back,” Rams coach Rocky Patchin said. “He’s a big points, is coming off a hard-fought 12-7 win over Shelton’s offense. Shelton might have trouble scor- slowly rolled over the net
kid and he runs the ball well.” Chehalis runs mostly Yelm. But Timberline and Wilson both lit up Lincoln, ing against an Oly defense allowing an average
out of the shotgun and has scored 33 or more points scoring a combined 94 points in the two Lincoln
and onto the floor for the
of just 14.3 points in its past six games. Olympia’s final point.
in six games. The Bearcats’ lone loss was 15-12 to losses. The Abes have a quick-strike potential in defense came up big in the closing seconds against
Tumwater. They beat Centralia last week, 14-0. kick returner Richard Johnson, who ran a kickoff 80 Bellarmine. The Bears stopped the Lions on a
Tumwater opened the
“Their strength is their defense,” Patchin said. “We yards in a 26-10 win over Foss. Capital is on a roll, fourth-and-goal at the 7 with 13 seconds remain- third game taking an 6-0
need to keep their offense off the field with long outscoring its past three opponents, 152-7, with ingg, sealing the win. Two weeks ago, Shelton gave lead, getting four kills and
drives.” If North Thurston and Centralia win tonight, two shutouts. Greg Hibbard intercepted two passes Bellarmine a scare when it pulled to 28-21 on Ryan four blocks from Hannah
there will be a three-way tie for second, requiring a against Timberline. “Our defense played a heck Adam’s 12-yard run. But the Lions answered with a Hanson and three kills
playoff. It will be Tuesday at Tumwater. The Rams of a game against Timberline,” Capital coach J.D. long scoring drive and pulled away to a 35-21 win. from Karlee Jo Sampson in
lost to Chehalis, 14-7, last year. Johnson said. “They came to play.” Gail Wood, staff writer the 25-11 victory.

Olympia ties Bellarmine Prep, but playoff streak will end

PREP HIGHLIGHTS:
Bears get late goal, tie
Lions, 1-1, but 9-year
run in playoffs ends
The Olympian
Rachael Fleener scored
Olympia’s lone goal with 20
minutes remaining and the
Bears’ defense held on to sal-
vage a 1-1 tie against first-
place Bellarmine Prep on
Thursday in girls 4A Narrows
League soccer.
However, the tie combined
with Gig Harbor’s win
knocked Olympia out of the
playoffs. Olympia (6-6-2)
missed the playoffs for the
first time in nine years.
“I’m very proud of this
team,” Olympia coach Tessa
Effland said. “It was a very
good last game. If it had to be
the last one, this was a good
one.”
After a scoreless first half,
Kelly Beck put Bellarmine
ahead on a penalty kick 15
minutes into the second half.
“The girls left it all out on
the field,” Effland said. “Usu-
ally when you tie the No. 1
team you’d be celebrating.
But tonight it’s a little bitter-
sweet.”
Bellarmine, which defeat-
ed Olympia, 2-1, earlier this
season, has given up just three
goals in nine games. The Li-
ons (14-1-1) had outscored
their previous nine oppo-
nents 28-3 during a nine-
game win streak.
Yelm 1, Capital 1: After beat-
ing Yelm, 7-0, two weeks ago,
Capital had to settle for a tie
in the last regular-season
match for both schools.
The tie snaps Capital’s 10-
game win streak.
Wilson 3, Timberline 0: An-
gela Celedon scored two
goals to lead Wilson to the
shutout win.
Timberline edged the
Rams, 1-0, earlier.
Tumwater 1, Black Hills 0: In a
match controlled by the de-
fenses, Tumwater’s Elena
Larsen scored the only goal.
Isabel Haynie was in goal
for Tumwater.
Black Hills beat Tumwater
in a shootout earlier this
month.
“The difference between
tonight and the other night
we played a little more calm-
ly,” Tumwater coach Brett
Bartlett said. “The first night
they got overly excited. They
took themselves out of the
game. They grew from it.”
Larsen scored off a corner
kick from sophomore Mariah
O’Niel.
Tumwater (11-4-1) fin-
ished second in the league all cylinders,” Northwest
and will host Mark Morris at Christian coach Pat Bowker
noon Saturday. said. “But the thing is all sea-
son long if one person is off
VOLLEYBALL
another person steps up. It
Northwest Christian 3, South was a hard fought match. It
Bend 1: Michaela Kier had six wasn’t easy.”
kills and 17 digs and Madesyn It was only the third time
Derrick had 20 assists, lead- in the last 13 matches that the
ing Northwest Christian to a Navigators didn’t win 3-0.
win that clinched a league ti- Montesano 3, Tenino 0: Mon-
tle and completed an unde- tesano slipped past Tenino
feated run in league. 25-21 in the first game then
The Navigators (12-1 over- cruised to 25-13 and 25-17
all, 12-0 league) defended wins to sweep the Beavers.
their Pacific 2B League title. The Bulldogs turned the
Northwest Christian beat tables on Tenino, which swept
South Bend, 25-14, 21-25, 25- Montesano in three games
21 and 25-23. the last time the two teams
“We weren’t even firing on met.