"Another Blog on the Fire"
Michael Dashiell
Contact Mike at miked@sequimgazette.com
Michael Dashiell (that's me) is editor of the Sequim Gazette. He has a Bachelor's Degree from Western Washington University, has worked at the Sequim Gazette for about 10 years and enjoys writing — occasionally. He and his wife Patsene live in Sequim; their two daughters are in college. He will write about anything, but particularly enjoys sports, arts, breaking news and news-of-the-weird. He also enjoys writing about himself in the third person.
PC boasts another D-I hoops player
Published on Thu, Nov 10, 2011Read More Dashiell
Yeah, I know, I already blogged about this kid. But basketball fans on this peninsula are going to love J.T. Terrell.
Had a chance to sit down briefly with the young man yesterday at the college following him signing his National Letter of Intent to play at USC next fall. He seems like a humble, sweet guy looking for some peace and quiet for his sophomore year.
For a bit of back story, Terrell was one of the top freshmen in the ACC when he played for Wake Forest last year. Then he got in a spot of trouble. According to his attorney, J.T. was charged with driving while impaired and was arrested by Winston-Salem Police. He then withdrew from Wake and started looking at his options.
Soon after he made a 3,000-mile-plus trip to the left coast to play at a junior college. His journey shows how small the basketball circles are, as a former coach and his mom started asking around and found Lance Von Vogt, now the head coach at Peninsula.
“It’s quiet. There’s nothing here,” Terrell observed as we talked. He didn’t mean that like an insult. Seems like he’s found a play to play minus distractions, a place to keep him out of trouble.
I suppose one can find trouble anywhere. But considering the issues going on in college sports (Penn State et al) this has the makings of a feel-good story. Hard not to pull for a guy trying to do things right.
Peninsula College has had its share of Division I basketball players, from Divaldo Mbunga going to Montana State to Ray Munyagi at Idaho State, Bernie Fryer to Brigham Young and finally to Justin Murray, a walk-on at Washington State.
Now, Terrell. The college celebrated his signing yesterday (Nov. 9) with teammates, coaches and athletic director Rick Ross surrounding him.
“This isn’t something that happens every day,” Von Vogt said.
Terrell should be something special for the season peninsula hoop fans get to see him. He scored 29 in about a half of play in the Pirates’ first scrimmage, and they play at a jamboree in Bellevue on Nov. 11 and at home against the Seattle Mountaineers on Nov. 19 (game time is 7 p.m.).
The P.C. men are the defending NWAACC champions. With Terrell, they just got ridiculously better. Get your tickets now.
Check out a story on Terrell next week in the Gazette’s print edition.
SHS sports
Not to be totally outshined, Sequim High hoops will be rolling soon. Sequim’s girls should be even better this season with that junior trio combo of Taylor Balkan, Haleigh Harrison and Rylleigh Zbaraschuk with more experience. The three are done with volleyball, albeit grudgingly, and should improve on the Wolves’ 11-14 mark in 2010-11.
The boys’ team should be particularly interesting. The majority of the squad didn’t play fall sports, so all they did this autumn is hit the weights and get bigger, stronger and faster. Corbin Webb likes his team’s chances this fall, particularly with having the likes of Gabe Carter, Jayson Brocklesby, Evan Still and company hitting the court.
Oh, and that football team is still playing, right? Friday night, 6 p.m. in Poulsbo against WF West of Chehalis. The Bearcats, like Sequim got bumped from the 2A state tourney in the first round in 2010. They fell 28-14 to eventual runner-up Archbishop Murphy. The year before, WF West advanced to the second round before getting knocked off by Archbishop again, this time in the quarterfinals.
Sequim’s best finish was also in 2009, also a quarterfinal berth — a 31-0 loss to eventual state champ Lynden.
Should be a heck of a game. I’m predicting a Sequim win, but it’s going to be close yet again, something like 34-28.
Had a chance to sit down briefly with the young man yesterday at the college following him signing his National Letter of Intent to play at USC next fall. He seems like a humble, sweet guy looking for some peace and quiet for his sophomore year.
For a bit of back story, Terrell was one of the top freshmen in the ACC when he played for Wake Forest last year. Then he got in a spot of trouble. According to his attorney, J.T. was charged with driving while impaired and was arrested by Winston-Salem Police. He then withdrew from Wake and started looking at his options.
Soon after he made a 3,000-mile-plus trip to the left coast to play at a junior college. His journey shows how small the basketball circles are, as a former coach and his mom started asking around and found Lance Von Vogt, now the head coach at Peninsula.
“It’s quiet. There’s nothing here,” Terrell observed as we talked. He didn’t mean that like an insult. Seems like he’s found a play to play minus distractions, a place to keep him out of trouble.
I suppose one can find trouble anywhere. But considering the issues going on in college sports (Penn State et al) this has the makings of a feel-good story. Hard not to pull for a guy trying to do things right.
Peninsula College has had its share of Division I basketball players, from Divaldo Mbunga going to Montana State to Ray Munyagi at Idaho State, Bernie Fryer to Brigham Young and finally to Justin Murray, a walk-on at Washington State.
Now, Terrell. The college celebrated his signing yesterday (Nov. 9) with teammates, coaches and athletic director Rick Ross surrounding him.
“This isn’t something that happens every day,” Von Vogt said.
Terrell should be something special for the season peninsula hoop fans get to see him. He scored 29 in about a half of play in the Pirates’ first scrimmage, and they play at a jamboree in Bellevue on Nov. 11 and at home against the Seattle Mountaineers on Nov. 19 (game time is 7 p.m.).
The P.C. men are the defending NWAACC champions. With Terrell, they just got ridiculously better. Get your tickets now.
Check out a story on Terrell next week in the Gazette’s print edition.
SHS sports
Not to be totally outshined, Sequim High hoops will be rolling soon. Sequim’s girls should be even better this season with that junior trio combo of Taylor Balkan, Haleigh Harrison and Rylleigh Zbaraschuk with more experience. The three are done with volleyball, albeit grudgingly, and should improve on the Wolves’ 11-14 mark in 2010-11.
The boys’ team should be particularly interesting. The majority of the squad didn’t play fall sports, so all they did this autumn is hit the weights and get bigger, stronger and faster. Corbin Webb likes his team’s chances this fall, particularly with having the likes of Gabe Carter, Jayson Brocklesby, Evan Still and company hitting the court.
Oh, and that football team is still playing, right? Friday night, 6 p.m. in Poulsbo against WF West of Chehalis. The Bearcats, like Sequim got bumped from the 2A state tourney in the first round in 2010. They fell 28-14 to eventual runner-up Archbishop Murphy. The year before, WF West advanced to the second round before getting knocked off by Archbishop again, this time in the quarterfinals.
Sequim’s best finish was also in 2009, also a quarterfinal berth — a 31-0 loss to eventual state champ Lynden.
Should be a heck of a game. I’m predicting a Sequim win, but it’s going to be close yet again, something like 34-28.
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