Zender Athlete of the Week at SU
Seattle University softball player, and former Enumclaw High Hornet, Kate Zender was named Featured Student-Athlete of the Week following a five-hit and three-RBI performance in the Redhawks’ sweep over Weber State.
“Kate had a great performance for us at Weber State last weekend,” coach Dan Powers said. “She has done a great job all year filling in for Jessica Amador and working with our pitchers.
“Kate works hard on and off the field and represents Seattle University student-athletes in a very positive light. I am proud to have her on my team and look forward to more of her contributions on the field this season.”
At Weber State, she appeared in all four games, starting two. In the series-opening game April 16, she came in and pitch hit. In her lone at bat, she slammed a single to left field to score the game-winning run in SU’s 10-8 victory. The veteran then took over starting catcher duties in the second game of the day. She was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, to bring her RBI total to three on the day.
The following day, she pitch hit in the sixth inning and hit her first triple of the season. Zender closed out the weekend by taking over starting catching duties for the final game of the series. In the game, she had a hit to improve to a four-game hitting streak.
Zender is currently hitting .320 in 14 appearances and seven starts. On the year, she’s tallied eight hits, four RBIs, two home runs, a triple and a run. Off the field, she is majoring in humanities for teaching and boasts a 3.728 cumulative grade-point average.
Peak gymnasts place at state
Level Four athletes Elise Dunning and Hannah McGinnes represented Peak Gymnastics of Enumclaw at the Washington State Championships April 14 at Inglemoor High in Bothell.
McGinnes, a first-year competitive gymnast, posted personal-best scores on three of four events, highlighted by a 9.0 on vault.
Dunning, who also is participating for the first time in competitive gymnastics, had her strongest outing of the season, compiling a number of season-high scores, 8.65 on beam, 8.75 on bars and 9.025 vault, which resulted in her placing eighth and medaling in the all-around.
Gallant Son wins in California
Gallant Son teamed with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith for a 1
3/4-length victory Sunday in the $100,000 Inglewood Handicap (GIII) at Hollywood Park. It was the first graded win for Emerald Downs’ Top Juvenile of 2008.
Conditioned by Enumclaw resident Frank Lucarelli for owner Chris Randall of Bellevue, Gallant Son ran 1 1/16 miles in 1 minute, 39.67 seconds on a firm turf course and paid $8.20. Compari, the 7-5 morning line favorite, was scratched earlier in the day.
The yearling has compiled a 6-2-0 mark in 16 starts, including three stakes wins at Emerald Downs.
Since leaving Auburn, Gallant Son has won two stakes races on turf and has made a comeback from the knee injury he sustained in the 2009 Santa Anita Derby.
Lucarelli has indicated that the Aug. 22 Longacres Mile could be a long-range goal for Gallant Son.
Blue Fins bring home hardware
The Enumclaw Blue Fins competed with 12 other teams from across King County at the Special Olympics of Washington aquatics meet April 17 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
Amy McHugh raced to four first-place finishes, winning the 100-meter butterfly, 1,500 freestyle and 200 individual medley. She also swam a leg of the 4×100 unified medley relay, which scored a gold-medal finish.
Debbie Brassard finished second in the 50 backstroke and third in the 25 freestyle, 100 backstroke and 4×25 relay.
Also on the third-place 4×25 relay were Tessa Lukasiak, Christine Meyers and Troy Miller.
Lukasiak also earned fifth-place finishes in the 50 and 100 freestyle events and sixth in the 25 backstroke.
Meyers picked up a fourth-place finish in the 100 freestyle and fifth in the 50 free.
Miller was fourth in the 25 backstroke.
Liz Muma and teammates won the 4×100 relay. She also finished fourth in the 50 backstroke, fifth in the 100 backstroke and sixth in the 50 freestyle.
Elise Skovmand scored to fifth-place finishes – the 50 backstroke and 50 freestyle – and a fourth in the 100 backstroke. She also raced a leg of the 4×50 unified freestyle relay which placed second.
Tami Zumwalt was also part of that second-place relay. She also picked up third-place finishes in the 50 backstroke and 100 freestyle and sixth in the 50 freestyle.
Competing for the Blue Fins as unified partners were Kendall Elliott, Lee Gosnell, Lisa McHugh, Jason Schatz and Judith Zumwalt. The Blue Fins are coached by Tracy Schatz.
