Scooter Chapman

Time to clear off the old desk, pass along items that should’ve gone out weeks ago and get ready for late spring and early summer.

No fair skipping items …

State Champs — Wow! Sequim fastpitchers are perfect and win the 2A state title with two hard-fought semifinal and final wins. Congrats to the girls, first-year coach Joel Lewis and to assistant Elvin Sofie, who imparted a lot of knowledge to the youngsters.

 

And how about Frank Catelli? He hurled the shot a long way to win the crown and he’ll do even better next year.

 

Marathon — Hard to believe it’s the ninth year for the North Olympic Discovery Marathon and the big run that’s been judged one of the best boutique marathons in the country unfolds this weekend.

 

The full marathon and half-marathon begin Saturday at 9 a.m. at Carrie Blake Park with the marathon walk at 7 a.m.

 

Also at 9 a.m., the 5k and 10k runs begin at the City Pier in Port Angeles and go out and back. Can you believe all the runs are sold out?

 

The Kids Race is Saturday at 3:15 p.m. and it’s going to be a fun, fun weekend. Let’s hope the marathoners get some decent weather.

 

Note: Radio KONP’s Dan Kari, who calls the Sequim football and basketball action online each fall and winter, has been training and will run the full marathon this year. He’s about a five-hour man, so good luck, Dan, and I’m sure your Sequim fans will be along the trail, cheering you on.

 

Note again: Sequim fans might not recognize Kari, as he has lost so much weight in the past year that a strong wind will have an effect on his time.

 

Open letter — This is to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. Huge thanks for naming me to your Hall of Fame as a contributor and what a thrill it was to be at the big luncheon earlier this month to accept the award and thanks to all of you out there who have said kind words to me along the way.

 

Now, WIAA moguls, please think about changing the state tournament for boys tennis to the fall where it belongs. The boys play tennis in the fall, then have to wait until spring to take part in the district tournaments and then state.

 

Please consider the kids. Some tennis players also play baseball and soccer and run track in the spring, but those that do sometimes have to choose between tennis and the spring sport.

 

I am sure that with the availability of indoor tennis venues, you could find a place to have the state tournament for boys tennis in the fall.

 

While I am at it, please inform the head of the WOA (Washington Officials Association) to forgive the Seattle-area football referees who used pink whistles last fall to hike awareness of breast cancer.

I know it’s not “by the book” to use a pink whistle, but the WOA authorizes blue penalty flags on select weekends. Maybe the PNWOA did not get “permission” to use the whistles, but hells bells, have a little compassion.

 

Ducky — Kudos to all who supported the 22nd Great Olympic Peninsula Duck Derby and it will go in the books as the fourth largest at 31,329 ducks. The all-time was 36,660 in 2008.

 

Bill Littlejohn sold 45 VID packages, Rand Thomas 21 and Littlejohn accounted for 2,311 ducks. Thanks to the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe for stepping up as a presenting sponsor, helping to ensure that all the money for the 31,329 ducks went to the Olympic Medical Center Foundation and not into a long list of expenses to put on the annual event.

 

Mariners — Two out of three from the Yankees? A .500 record? Keep it up Mariners ….

 

Reach Scooter Chapman at scooter@olypen.com.