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Archives for August 2016

Two Things To Watch in Seahawks versus Raiders

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Wilson and KearseThe Seattle Seahawks finished their final preseason practice Wednesday morning, packed their  packs and headed to Oakland to take on the Oakland Raiders 7:00 p.m. PT  in the final preseason match up before the home opener on Sunday September 11th against the Miami Dolphins. Thursdays game will serve as a last chance for some players to show the coaches they can help the team. Time is of the essence for the fringe players as the team must trim its current roster of 75 players to 53 on Saturday September 3rd by 1 p.m PT  per league guidelines.

Here are three things to keep an eye on during Thursdays  preseason finale.

1. Offensive Line. 

This is where the rubber meets the road for the Seahawks offensive line candidates. Justin Britt has solidified his position as the starting center and rookie Germain Ifedi ( right guard ) and  Mark Glowinski ( left guard) look to be keepers at the respective guard positions. Garry Gilliam, J’ Marcus Webb and Bradley Sowell are three players battling for two positions. Sowell started at left tackle and Gilliam started at right tackle during last Thursdays 27 to 17 win over the Dallas Cowboys. All three players had a good week of practice with Sowell  apparently gaining the edge at left tackle, leaving Webb and Gilliam battling for the right tackle spot.

“We have a competition at that spot, which is good,” head coach Pete Carroll said of the right tackle battle.“This game will be important again for those guys. We think both of those can play right now, so we’re in good shape there.”

Like any well seasoned and successful coach, Carroll would not divulge any more insight as to what we will see on Thursday until Thursday. The game in the game will be to see where, when and how long Webb, Sowell and Gilliam play.

2. Running Back

Thomas Rawls looks to be fully recovered from his injury and Carroll was smug about the possibility of Rawls seeing some action on Thursday night. What is clear is that Rawls will be ready for the opener along with Christine Michael who has matured on and off the field into a professional  running back in the NFL. The coaches has said all along that they love the short term progress from Michael and just need consistency.

With Rawls and Michael looking like they are capable and ready, the question that will need to be answered will be who will back them up. Rookies, Troymaine Pope Alex Collins and C.J. Prosise are vying for a spot in the backfield and will be looking to impress the coaches when their number is called Thursday night.  Pope’s number has been called and he has answered the call by gaining 110 yards on 16 carries.

C. J. Prosise
C. J. Prosise

Collins and Prosise have the biggest hurdles to overcome. Collins has gained 37 yards on 12 carries. The lack of production does not fall squarely on Collins however according to Carroll.

“He’s had some games where he’s had inopportune plays where we got knocked around at the line of scrimmage and he didn’t get a good shot. So this is a really good shot for him to show.’’ Carroll said. ” He has had a really good camp and been good on pass protection.”

Prosise’s situation has been a little different in that he has been hampered by a hamstring injury and saw his first action in last week in Dallas game. Like Collins, Prosise will get plenty of action on Thursday night to show his worth.

” We are gonna get a good look at guys in this game, and C.J. needs to play more football so he will get out there “, said Carroll. “C. J. has done nothing but positive stuff, everything he has  done looks good and we are excited about it, he needs game time.”

Thursdays game will be the 11th-straight year the Seahawks will end their preseason facing the Raiders. In the eleven game stretch, eights games have been in Seattle and three  Oakland.

NWFacts Week One Prep Rankings

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Devin Culp Gonzaga Prep
Devin Culp Gonzaga Prep

The WIAA Football season will officially begin this Thursday September September 2nd. The future Division Players have been practicing since August 17th and you can bet like the college and pro players the youngsters are ready to get the season underway. Each week the The Facts will release a weekly Prep Football top ten ranking courtesy of our Prep Football columnist Michael Bible Jr.

NWFACTS Power Rankings

1#EastSide Catholic (3A)

2015  3A  State Champs

2#Gonzaga Prep (4A)

2015  4A Champs

3#Skyline (4A)

2015  Runner ups

4#Camas (4A)

5#Graham-Kapowsin (4A)

6#Sumner (4A)

7#Richland(4A)

8#Kamiakin (3A)

9#Skyview (4A)

10#Lakes (3A)

Hunter Bryant
Hunter Bryant EastSide Catholic

Here some notable games to keep an eye out on, opening prep weekend.

Thursday Sept 1
Glacier Peak @ Bothell 7pm

Friday Sept 2
Kentwood @ Woodlinville 7pm
#3 Skyline @ #7 Richland 7pm
Lincoln @ O’Dea 7pm
#2 Gonzaga Prep @ #1 Eastside Catholic 7pm*Game Of The Week*

Connor Weddington
Connor Weddington Sumner High School

Players to watch  during this weekends action include

Foster  Sarrell – Graham-Kapowsin  High School Sr.  OT

Hunter Bryant – Eastside Catholic Sr. TE

Connor Weddington – Sumner Sr. RB

Salvon Almed – Juanita Class- Sr. RB

Henry Bainivalu – Skyline  Sr OT

Cade Otten – Tumwater  Sr. Pos TE

Devin Culp – Gonzaga Prep Jr  WR

Jacob Sirmon – Bothell Jr  QB

Chris Lafau – Eastside Catholic

Class- Sr. Pos- RB Ht 6.0 Wt- 210

Andrew Boston – Emeral Ridge Sr.  WR

Dylan Morris – Graham-Kapowsin S0. QB

Tre Weed – Sumner  Jr. WR

Foster Sarrell
Foster Sarrell Graham-Kapowsin High School
Andrew Boston (Emerald Ridge High School)
Andrew Boston Emerald Ridge High School

Seattle Seahawks trim roster to 75

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Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll

The Seattle Seahawks finalized their roster to 75 players Tuesday afternoon before the league mandated deadline time of 1 p.m PT. The Seahawks waived RB Zac Brooks LB Quayshawn Nealy, LB Pete Robertson, G Kristjan Sokoli and center Patrick Lewis. The Seahawks waived  five more players under the injured /waived tag meaning the players can return to the club if they clear waivers.

Those five players were RB George Farmer, CB Trevon Reed, DE Josh Shirley and WR Kevin Smith. The release of center Patrick Lewis means that the experiment of moving Justin Britt from  guard to center has been a success and Lewis became expendable.

Second year man Mark Glowinski and rookie Germain Ifedi looked to have solidified their positions as starting guards, Ifedi on the right and Glowinski on the left. What is not so clear is who will be be starting at left tackle and right tackle when the Seahawks  kickoff  the regular season by hosting the Miami Dolphins on September 11th. Garry Gilliam is listed as number one at left tackle while J’Marcus Webb is listed as number one at right tackle going  into Thursdays last preseason game at Oakland.

The Seahawks began the roster cut down process on Monday when the team announced the release of founding “Legion of Boom ” member Brandon Browner, fullback Kyle Coleman, receiver Montario Hunter, defensive end De Angelo Tyson and the injured/waived release of Deshon Foxx. Brown joined the Seahawks in 2011 and was a starter until the 213 season . Browner played for the New England Patriots in 2014 and the New Orleans Saints in 2015  before returning the Seahawks this summer.

Portland Timbers trash Seattle Sounders 4-2

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Sounders interim coach Brian Schmetzer
Sounders interim coach Brian Schmetzer

Sunday’s game against the Portland Timbers (9-10-8 41 pts) in Portland was always going to to be a recipe for disaster before the game time whistle blew for the Seattle Sounders (9-13-4 31pts). Two days before your rubber match with your biggest rival you find out that your best player has been diagnosed with a medical condition and is sidelined indefinitely. You dominated your opponent 3-1 just seven days earlier.

With revenge, payback and pride against a heavy hearted opponent, the Portland Timbers went at their rivals with reckless abandonment.The Timbers sent midfielders Darlington Nagbe and Lucas Melano wide on the flanks to create space in the middle for  center midfielder Diego Valeri.

Given time and space in the middle, Valerie had his option to look for the speedy midfielders barreling down the field towards the Seattle goal or striker Fernando Adi who was posted in the Seattle goal box.

The result was three Portland goals in a span of 13 minutes as  the Seattle defense was stretched and undermanned. Right back Vytautas Adriuskevicius put the home side up after just 16 minutes of play with a right footed off a corner kick by Jack Jewsbury.

Fernado Adi made it 2-0 five minutes later and Lucas Melano completed the goal scoring barrage eight minutes later to give the home side the 3-0 lead after just 29 minutes of play. The Sounders inability to regroup and get a foot hold in the game cost them one more time as Steven Taylor made it 4-0 one minute before half time.

“I am trying to thing whether I should   just say they played really well or was it something we did wrong, I accept the blame for the first half,” Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said after the game. “Its my job to make sure the team is prepared and that did not happen, give credit where credit is due, Portland came out and scored the timely goal on the set piece, that kinda started us reeling backwards a bit.

The Sounders restored some pride and respectability when Andre Ivanschitz and Jordan Morris had back to back goals ten minutes into the second and the deficit was cut to 4-2. While the Sounders had a couple other looks at the Portland goal they where never able to get any closer than the two goal margin.

Center back Roman Torres came in for Brad Evans who switched to right back for Tyrone Mears at halftime to see his first action in 11 months for the Sounders since suffering an ACL injury last September.

With the win the Timbers stay four points ahead of the Sounders in the race for the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Seattle Sounders to face Portland Timbers without Clint Dempsey

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A somber mood hung over the Seattle Sounders (9-4-12, 31 points)

Sounders Clint Dempsey ( Sounders.com)
Sounders Clint Dempsey ( Sounders.com)

practice facility Friday morning once news of Clint Dempsey’s health concerns were made public. The All-Star forward and  arguable one of the greatest soccer products of American Soccer, will immediately stop participating  in any  further soccer activities for Club and Country due to an irregular heartbeat that will require  further testing.

“We have Clint’s best interest at heart first and foremost. He’s been calm in our conversations with him. ” Said Sounders general manager and president  of soccer Garth Lagerwey said Friday after the teams practice session.” Anytime someone tells you something about your body then that’s an issue of some concern, but he’s been real mature and real professional about this.”

There is never a good time for life’s trial and tribulations. Unforeseen life changing events have no boundaries, no time table and no discrimination. The good news is that Dempsey will be treated by the best medical professionals and surrounded by loving family and friends who will help him with the recovery process once the testing and evaluation process is complete.

As for the Sounders, they will continue to prepare for their third Derby match with the Portland Timbers (8-8-10, 32 points ) Sunday ( 2 p.m. PST) afternoon in Portland.

“All of our thoughts go out to him and his health, he has a family so his health is number one, number two when I spoke to Clint yesterday on the phone, he was upbeat, positive, wants the team to do well on Sunday.” A somber Sounder interim head coach Brian Schmetzer said  after the teams practice Friday afternoon.

As for facing the Timbers and continuing the teams unbeaten streak since he took over ( 3-0 2) , Schmetzer believes a  solid and sound  effort from every player  will be required if the Sounders are to get a result.

“Chance reaction is going to be key for us, because we cannot bunker against a good Portland team for 90 minutes,  we are going out and attack, we are going to try to score, I think Joevin Jones and Tyrone Mears have done a really good job of pushing the issue from the flanks.

It is going to take good team defense, creating chances, playing hard and playing firm are the ingredients that go into winning road games in this league.”

Sundays game will be the rubber match between the Cascadia Rivals with  each team having won the home game with an identical score of 3-1. Seattle has played one fewer game and trail the Timbers who hold the sixth and final playoff spot in the conference by one point.

Seattle Seahawks prevail 27 to 17 over Dallas Cowboys in intense Third Preseason Game

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Seahawks EndzoneSeattle quarterback Russell Wilson led a solid Seattle offensive outing as  the Seattle Seahawks beat the Dallas Cowboys 27 to 10 Thursday night at Century Link Field. Dallas quarterback Tony Romo was injured on the the Cowboys opening drive and left the game due to a back injury.

Back up quarterback Zack Prescott took over and showed that he is an able back up to Romo, when he hit Jason intensity on a 17 yard pass in the back of the endzone to give Dallas the 7-0.

Seattle answered the Dallas scoring play with a 27 yard field goal from Steven Hauschka and took the lead when Russell Wilson hit Paul Richardson on a 9 yard pass play for the 10-7 lead.

Wilson was 4-4 on the drive as he used his arm as well as his legs to escape the on rushing Dallas defenders.

The preseason contest had every bit the feel of a regular season game with starters from both sides seeing significant playing time. The Cowboys starters played one half and the Seahawks offensive starters played the first two series of the third quarter.

” Game three of the preseason is like a mock game of a regular season game, ” said Seahawks cornerback Deshawn Shead after the game. ” We treat this as the best dress rehearsal going into the season, that the intensity of it, we treat every game like its a championship game but this was an opportunity for us to prove that we can come back to Century Link and win at home.”

Seattle backup quarterback Trevone Boykin scrambled down the left end of the field for a 16 yard touchdown after he relieved Wilson on the Seahawks third offensive series of the third quarter. Seahawks running Christine Michael looked to have cemented his place in the Seahawks backfield with a solid performance in which he gained 58 yards on seven carries. Rookie C.J. Prosise saw his first preseason action, and finished the game with 23 yards on four carries.

The Seahawks have the next two days off and will return to work on Sunday as they prepare for their last preseason game against the Oakland Raiders in the Bay Area on Thursday, September 2nd at 7 p.m PT.

Seattle Seahawks to scrutinize backfield vs Dallas Cowboys

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Darrell BevellThe Seattle Seahawks will use Thursday nights (7 p.m PT) exhibition against the Dallas Cowboys to reestablish their identity. Not to assert that the Seahawks have had an identity crisis, merely pointing out that the emergence of quarterback Russell Wilson as one of the top quarterback in the league and the retirement of Marshawn Lynch has some believing the Seattle Seahawks are shifting from their historic identity as a running football team to a passing team.

Long before beast mode, there was ” Ground Chuck”. A reference to former head coach Chuck Knox emphasis on the run. The Seahawks have a rich  history of elite running backs, Shaun Alexander (2000-2008),Chris Warren (1990-1997), Curt Warner (1983-1990),  and current running backs coach and the franchise first running back Sherman Smith (1976-1982) who is also the current running backs coach.

” We look for a running back who can make people miss and be a physical runner at the same time, said Smith during this weeks minicamp.” We want player who is productive, dependable and able to take care of the football.”

All systems seem to be ago last season when Thomas Rawls amply filled in for Lynch who was bothered by an abdomen injury before his off season retirement. When Rawls went down with a fractured ankle against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14th the Seahawks had to improvise and the success made many wonder if they would abandon the run.

Despite skepticism from individuals individuals outside of the organization, the Seahawks continued to talk about how they are a run first team regardless of who is carrying the ball.

The Seahawks just didn’t talk about being a run first team they acted, the team promptly drafted C.J Prosise, Alex Collins and Zac Brooks during this years draft and signed free agents Troymaine Pope and Christine Micheal.

The acquisitions were not  an indictment on wether Rawls would  fully recover from his injury but more a statement about the teams commitment to the running game. Rawls has had a productive rehab and is slated to be the starter on opening day. From there the picture gets muddled.

C.J. Prosise  and Zac Brooks have been hampered by hamstring injuries and both need a good game on Thursday night to convince coaches they can play a significant role in the teams offense. Prosise will be making his preseason with the team while  Brooks had two carries for ten yards in last Thursdays  18 to 11 losss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Two players who raised eyebrows in the lost to the Vikings where , Troymaine Pope and Christian Michael. Pope finished the night with 86yards and a touchdown on ten carries, while Michael had 55 yards on ten carries. Alex Collins had 13 yards on six carries.

With the Seattle starters expected to play past the third quarter, Thursday will provide opportunity for the players to improve their chances of making the team.

” The running back look good, we are handling all of the situations well, and we are putting up some good numbers,” said offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell  after a team workout this week. ” That’s where we are, that’s who we are and that’s where we want to start.I like where we are at.”

Fast forward to Thursday nights game and what you have is an opportunity for the players to leave a positive impression on the coaching staff as deadlines for roster cuts approach.

Roster cut down dates

Tuesday, August 30 90-man roster cutdown to maximum of 75 players by 1 p.m. (PT) Saturday, September 3 Roster reduction to 53 players by 1 p.m. (PT)

Sunday, September 4 Clubs may establish practice squad of 10 players

Seattle Sounders face Houston Dynamo with full squad

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Cristian Roldan celebrates after his goal. (Seattle Sounders FC)
Cristian Roldan celebrates after his goal.
(Seattle Sounders FC)

The Seattle Sounders ( 9-12-3 , 30 points) will take on the Houston Dynamo( 5-10-9, 24 points), Wednesday Night ( 9 p.m. ET) at BBVA Compass Stadium with a healthy and highly spirited club that is full of belief and optimism.

The Sounders roll into Houston riding a three game win streak that has put them in the hunt for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.The Sounders are coming off an impressive 3-1 victory over arch-rivals Portland Timbers Sunday evening at CenturyLink Field. Clint Dempsey led the Sounders with two goals and Cristian Roldan iced the game with an 83rd minute goal.

The Sounders have seen a meteoric rise in their offense, since signing Uruguay National Nicolas Lodeiro on July 27th a day after parting ways with eight year head coach Sigi Schmid.

In addition to inserting Lodeiro into the line up, Seattle interim head coach Brian Schmetzer  implemented a 4-1-2-3 line up and put an emphasis on team defense, while pushing outside backs, Joevin Jones and Tryone Mears to make overlapping runs down the field to spread opponent defenses to make room for Lodeiro, Roldan  and Asvaldo Alonso to roam in the middle of the and create passing lanes for Clint Dempsey and Jordan Morris

The extra time and space with the ball has resulted in a resurgent of the  Sounders offense. Dempsey has scored five goals in four games since Lodeiro joined the club. Morris and Dempsey are tied for the team lead for goals scored with eight. Roldan has two goals and two assists in the past four games.

Schmetzer’s all hands on deck defensive philosophy was given a huge boost when the club announced Tuesday night that defender Roman Torres had been activated from the Disabled list and was immediately available for first team duty.

Full of momentum and swagger  the  question is can the  Sounders  stay focused against a Houston team that despite coming off an Friday impressive 2-1 win over  the San Jose Earthquakes sits last place in the Western Conference.

The win at Avaya Stadium was Houston’s first victory since July 2 and their second in 12 matches after Wade Barrett took over as interim head coach.
Dynamo keeper Joe Willis and forward David Horst joined Sounder players Clint Dempsey and Cristian Roldan on this weeks MLS team of the Week.

This will be the second meeting between the two teams this season. They drew 1-1 on April 10 in their first contest, with Seattle defender Chad Marshall scoring deep in second half stoppage time to cancel out Giles Barnes’ first-half goal at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Dynamo have never lost to Sounders FC in Houston in six meetings (three wins and three draws).
 

Sounders Dempsey and Roldan named to MLS team of Week

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Roldan and Dempsey (Sounders FC)
Roldan and Dempsey
(Sounders FC)

Seattle Sounders players Cristian Roldan and Clint Dempsey were named to MLS’s  team of the Week for Week 24. The duo were instrumental in helping the Seattle Sounders to a 3-1 win over the Portland Timbers Sunday night at CenturyLink Field. Sounder Captain Brad Evans was also named to the team of the Week  as an honorable mention. It was the Rave Greens  third consecutive.

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Dempsey scored the games first goal with a well struck penalty in the 61st minute and completed the brace in the 80th minute when he made good on a Cristian Roldan pass. Roldan went from passer to scorer in the 83rd minute when he scored from a flick on header pass by  Evans. Congrats to our “Team of the Week.”

Roldan now has two goals, two assists and has drawn two penalties in the last four matches since interim head coach Brian Schmetzer took over.

The Sounders will be back in action Wednesday night when the take on the Houston Dynamo in Houston 6 p.m. PT.

Dempsey double propels Sounders to 3-1 win over Timbers.

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Sounders:TimberThe Seattle Sounders ( 9-12-3, 30 points) continued their march towards respectability and the MLS Playoffs with a 3-1 trashing of Cascadia rivals Portland Timbers (8-9-8, 32 points) Sunday night in front of 53, 302 Green clad fans chanting then on and thirsting for a Sounder victory.

Seattle forward Clint Dempsey obliged the crowd with two goals and Cristian Roldan sent the Rave Green faithful to Nirvana with his 83rd minute goal that sealed the victory and pushed the Sounders undefeated record to four games.

After playing to a scoreless first half stalemate, the Sounders changed to a team attacking style that used the speed of its midfield players and the tactical shift put the Timbers on the back foot because they could not keep up with the speed of the Seattle attack.

” We made a slight adjustment to our spacing at halftime and we where able to find our rhythm,” Sounders interim head coach Brian Schmezter said after the game.

Seattle’s first break came in the 60th minute when it was awarded a penalty when Portland defender Jack McInerney fouled Cristian Roldan in the box and the Sounders were awarded a penalty that Clint Dempsey into the back of the net for the 1-nil lead.

 

The Timbers nearly leveled the score three minutes when McInerney had a point blank shot that Seattle goal keeper Stefan Frei blocked with his feet.


The heart stopping save by Frei inspired his teammates and the Sounders continued their assault on the Timber defense and the result was Dempsey’s second goal of the game and the game winner at the 79th minute mark.

The goal brought relief and adulation to the Rave Green faithful who began a stadium wide celebration in the stands. The celebration turned into an outright block party four minutes later when Cristian Roldan stretched the Sounders lead to 3-0 with eight minutes to go.

Portland’s Fanendo Adi scored a stoppage time goal for the visitors but it was to little too late as the Sounders moved within two points of the Timbers having played two less games.

The Sounders will travel to Houston on Wednesday to take on the Houston Dynamo. Win over the Dynamo would vault Seattle into the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.