CRYSTAL BALL: 9 things to anticipate as ’09 unfolds

January 8, 2009 1:40 pm
Auburn Mountainview's Kendra Alexson works the uneven bars. The Lions are primed for a shot at state glory this season.
Auburn Mountainview's Kendra Alexson works the uneven bars. The Lions are primed for a shot at state glory this season.

A three-peat for the Auburn Riverside girls basketball team?

How about for Auburn wrestler Jake Swartz?

Is Gallant Son ready to take the horse racing world by storm as a 3-year-old?

With 2009 completing just its first full week, the year’s best local stories remain to be told. Some of them have yet to be determined.

But from local high school gyms to much bigger facilities where the lights shine brighter on a grander stage, those stories are out there.

A week after glancing back eight of the best memories from 2008, here’s a look at nine potential stories to watch for in 2009. No crystal balls here — just nine questions awaiting some answers, and ranked not in any particular order other than where they fall on the calendar.

1. Auburn boys basketball (January-March):

The Trojans put together a pair of impressive regular seasons while spending two years in 3A — 14-6 in 2006-07, and 20-0 last winter. But they’ve fallen short at state both times. Is this the year the Trojans not only get there, but get over that first-round hump? And can they get their hands on a state trophy in March? Coach Ryan Hansen’s team has gotten off to a very solid start, putting together a 6-1 record that includes a victory against Kentridge.

2. Auburn Mountainview gymnastics (January-March):

Last winter, the Lions brought home the school’s first state gymnastics trophy, earning the third-place model. This year, everyone is back — or everyone was, until all-around star Alexi Morton tore her ACL during volleyball season. Can they haul off more hardware — or possibly contend for the 3A crown? Never count out coach Jayme Hostetter’s crew.

3. Auburn Riverside girls basketball (January-March):

The Ravens dominated the state at the Class 3A level, with back-to-back championships and an overall combined record of 52-5. Now, they’re not only back at the 4A level, they’re competing in the same South Puget Sound League North Division as nationally ranked Kentwood. Can they add a 4A title to their collection? New coach Ed Rosin has them off to a 6-3 start so far, with two losses to powerful Oregon schools and one to nationally ranked Kentwood.

4. Jake Swartz (January-February):

The Auburn wrestling program has had its share of state champions through the years. But pound for pound, Swartz might the best of them all. The Trojan senior already has a pair of Class 3A state crowns. Can he add a 4A title in February and become the school’s first-ever three-time state champion? He’s also closing in on the school record of 134 career wins.

5. Chris Eylander (March-October):

The former Auburn Riverside goalkeeper has developed into an outstanding pro with the Seattle Sounders, helping the team make back-to-back appearances in the United Soccer Leagues playoffs, including a title run in 2007. Seattle joins Major League Soccer in 2009, and already has signed World Cup goalkeeper Kasey Keller. Can Eylander win a roster spot and eventually earn a chance to step into the net whenever Keller decides to retire? Training camp begins Jan. 21; the season starts March 19.

6. SPSL North boys soccer (March-May):

Last season, the Auburn Riverside Ravens won the SPSL 3A title, only to lose a PK shootout in the first round of state. The Jefferson Raiders were practically everyone’s pick to win the SPSL North, but had to settle for second, though they also made it to state before exiting in first-round shootout loss. Both teams are expected to return a good chunk of their scoring talent. Can either of them wrest the North title away from Kentwood?

7. Julian-Blake Cowan (March-May):

Cowan is one of the premier distance runners in the state. In last spring’s Class 3A Star Track state meet, he made the awards podium in both the 1,600 meters (seventh) and the 3,200 (eighth). Can the Auburn Riverside senior climb to the top step this year in the 4A meet? Only two guys — Redmond’s Mack Young and Central Kitsap’s Shane Moskowitz beat him at state cross country this past fall.

8. Seth Martinez and Gallant Son (April-September):

While Wasserman dominated the Emerald Downs oval in 2008, Martinez and Gallant Son offered a peek into the future. Martinez, in his first year at the track, won the jockey’s title with 122 victories, five more than defending champion Ricky Frazier. Gallant Son was voted the Top Juvenile at Emerald, having won three stakes races, including a runaway, six-length victory in the Gottstein Futurity, and went all the way to the Breeders Cup, placing seventh in the Juvenile race. Will their stars continue to rise? The 91-day meeting starts Friday, April 17.

9. Katie Grad (November-December):

One of the classiest acts ever to perform on the Auburn-area sports stage, Grad not only brought her best effort at game time, she brought it at practice, too, never missing a day in four years at Auburn Riverside. With the possibility of some significant freshman-year playing time at Washington State, Grad suffered an injury to her left foot during the preseason and is out for the year. What does the future hold? No one expects anything less than a full comeback.