Spring Playoff Update - Thursday, May 21

The spring playoff stretch is nearing its end. This week’s update includes a pair of hard-fought playoff exits, a historic state championship, and exciting previews of the upcoming Bi-District and State Championships. Do not miss the opportunity to come out and support your Blazers at the final athletic events of the school year!

 

Makenna K. ’27 continued her outstanding postseason run last Friday, defeating her opponent from Bear Creek in straight sets, 6-2 and 6-1, in the Emerald Sound Conference (ESC) Tournament. It marked the fourth meeting between the two players this season, and once again Makenna rose to the occasion to secure the ESC #2 singles spot heading into the State Championships. The returning state runner-up now heads to Yakima as one of the favorites to make another deep run at the WIAA State Tournament.

 

The Golf Team’s trip to the State Championships was nothing short of historic. The Blazers opened the tournament in spectacular fashion, with four golfers advancing to day two and the boys team building a commanding fifteen-stroke lead after the opening round. Justin C. ’28 delivered one of the greatest performances in program history, firing a six-under sixty-six to take first place overall while setting a new Bush school record and posting the fourth-lowest first-round score in 1A State Tournament history. Freshman standout Aydin M. ’29 followed closely behind in third place after an outstanding three-under sixty-nine, while Jonathan H. ’28 secured a top-ten spot with a strong seventy-seven. Neil N. ’28 narrowly missed the cut with a respectable eighty-three, and first alternate Alex V. ’29 gained valuable experience supporting the team throughout the tournament. On the girls side, Meredith C. ’26 shot an eighty-eight to advance to day two.

 

The momentum carried into the final round, where the Blazers secured the program’s first boys golf state championship in more than twenty-five years. Justin finished third overall with a two-day score of 135, while Aydin capped an incredible freshman campaign with a 138 and a top finish of his own. Jonathan’s strong twelfth-place finish played an important role in clinching the title. Meredith also closed out an outstanding tournament, finishing ninth overall with a two-day total of 174 and earning a state medalist finish.

Congratulations to the Golf Program on a historic season that included back-to-back conference championships and a long-awaited state title.

 

The Boys Varsity Soccer season came to an end in an epic playoff clash against rival UPrep in a rematch of last year’s State Championship game. As expected, the matchup was a battle from start to finish. Strong defensive play from both sides limited clear scoring opportunities throughout the game. UPrep found the breakthrough goal in the first half before shifting its focus almost entirely to defending in the second. Bush controlled possession for much of the second half and kept the large Blazer crowd on edge as the team searched for an equalizer. Despite weathering the physical play and generating several dangerous opportunities, the Blazers were ultimately unable to find the back of the net, falling 0-1. “Although we fell short of our ultimate goal, there is still so much to celebrate. This team represented our school and program with pride, character, and passion throughout the season. I’m incredibly grateful to our players, parents, coaching staff, athletics staff, and supporters for everything you contributed along the way,” reflected Head Coach Marcelino Dumpit Jr.

 

The Girls Varsity Ultimate team, Hush, faced a tough challenge in the DiscNW State Championship quarterfinals against tournament favorite Garfield. While Garfield ultimately proved too strong, Hush matched the intensity throughout the game and generated several exciting scoring opportunities that energized the Hush supporters in attendance. The season-ending loss marked the conclusion of a highly successful year for the program, including its first State Championship appearance since 2019. The experience gained - especially by the team’s underclassmen - should position Hush well for future postseason runs.

 

Bush Track & Field delivered an outstanding performance at the District Championships, piling up personal records, district titles, and Bi-District qualifiers across two impressive days of competition.

 

Day one featured a number of breakout performances, including Annika C. ’26 posting the best discus series of her career with a massive PR of 76’10”. Xander T. ’26 continued his one of a kind track & field career by winning the district title in the 110m hurdles before breaking the 11-second barrier in the 100m dash with a season-best 10.99 to finish second overall and score 18 points for the Blazers. In the distance events, Kai A. ’26, Leo N. ’27, and Luke M. ’28 all qualified for Bi-Districts in the 1600m, while Leo later doubled back to place fourth in the 400m. Ryan E. ’27 battled through illness to qualify in a loaded girls 1600m field, and Helena P. ’29 capped the night with a breakout 400m performance to secure her own Bi-District berth. The Blazers also received strong performances from freshmen Kate F., Valerie M.-S., and Lily A., who continued their impressive sprint seasons.

 

The momentum continued into day two despite rain and difficult conditions. Helena soared to a massive personal-best jump of 16’10” to win the girls long jump title, while Kate added a sixth-place finish and another PR. Leo delivered one of the top distance performances of the meet, running a breakout 1:56.25 in the 800m to finish third and automatically qualify for Bi-Districts. Xander added another district title in the 300m hurdles, while Kai and Luke secured qualification spots in the 3200m. Ryan qualified in the girls 3200m despite continuing to battle illness, and Ella M. capped off an impressive freshman season with a massive 41-second PR. Additional highlights included strong relay performances, PRs from Valerie, Lily, Scarlett N. ’28, and Ada O. ’28. When the final scores were tallied, the boys team finished fifth overall and the girls placed sixth, with a large contingent of Blazers advancing to this week’s Bi-District Championships at Granite Falls.