June:
Medical Lake athletes earn spring All-NEA honors
Medical Lake High School’s spring sports teams enjoyed a variety of success and that translated into a host of athletes being honored by selection on All-Northeast A-League teams.
Those included Nick Rosenbeck offensive MVP, Steven Robo, Taye Jones as well as James Pivonka and Carter Pivonka who were all first team picks in soccer. Track athlete Jaxyn Farmen was tabbed as the Most Valuable Female Jumper. Hannah Petek earned a first-team nod in softball and Suzanne Shores was a second-team selection. Noah Ray collected a first-team, honor in tennis and Ben Evans was the first-team designated hitter.
Lemaster retiring for good - really
Few believed that Leroy Lemaster had finally coached his last crew of kids in tennis. But the 80-year-old icon of Medical Lake tennis, who has coached young kids for decades assures he is retiring — really.
Lemaster first coached at Medical Lake in 1965, ushering in a program that finally offered varsity letters. He took some time off due to his real job at Lakeland Village, returning in 1992.
That began a head coaching tenure which lasted steadily until 2008 and resumed in 2011 and 2012 before retiring to a volunteer assistant role. Along the way came winning back-to-back state championships in 2004 and 2005. Lemaster was also able to coach his own kids, Ty and Tressa. Lemaster also had the honor of coaching his grandson Dallon Bogart in 2007 and watching he and Tyler LeMasters take third place at state.
September:
ML volleyball losing streak comes to end
Medical Lake head volleyball coach Todd Harr can check off yet another preseason goal for his team.
A 3-1 win over visiting Newport on Sept. 13 ended a winless streak in Northeast A League play dating back to Oct. 27, 2015, a string of 31 consecutive matches. The last NEA victory for Medical Lake happened against Riverside, 3-1.
Later, the Cardinals would add another accomplishment with a playoff berth and an opening-round win.
21 and done – Cards snap losing streak
Medical Lake used a fast start to get the lead, then relied on a staunch defense to seal the school’s and new coach Jeremy Bahr’s first football victory in over two years, topping visiting 2B Dayton-Waitsburg 44-0 in a nonleague game Sept. 21 at Holliday Field. The win ended a 21-game losing streak dating back to Oct. 30, 2015, when the Cardinals concluded the Wes Hobbs’ era with a 27-12 win over Chewelah.
Medical Lake ends long football drought with Freeman
A week after snapping one lengthy losing streak in football, Medical Lake ended one even longer.
Things certainly did not start well for Medical Lake in an Oct. 4 Northeast A League home football game against Freeman as the Cardinals botched the recovery of the opening kickoff.
But they definitely finished the right way with the Cardinals taking an edge-of-the-seat 16-14 Northeast A League win over the Scotties.
The victory was the first for Medical Lake over Freeman in eight games, but more notable, it was 1996 when the Cards last won in the series. That span includes 13 years when the school was playing in the 2A Frontier League.
October:
Medical Lake announces 2018 Athletic Hall of Fame
The addition of four new members to the Medical Lake High School Athletic Hall of Fame brought the number in the group to 53. They were honored at halftime of the Oct. 12 Cardinal football game and officially inducted during a dinner on Saturday, Oct. 13.
The inductees in the 11th annual edition of the Hall of Fame included three-sport star Alison Stitt (Biggs) from the class of 1999; basketball standout Paul Butorac, class of 2002; Roger Hoell, class of 1976 who played football and baseball and Chuck Van Matre from the class of 1974 a multi-sport athlete who participated in football, basketball and track during the transition of MLHS athletics from the Northeast A League to the 2A Frontier League.
Cards return to state cross country
The Medical Lake program that began by getting a couple of feet inside the door nine years ago, and over the last half-dozen seasons has become a dominant force in boys’ high school cross country in Washington state, earned a team spot in the state 1A championships.
This was the seventh year in a row the Cardinals have sent a team to state where they have won three titles, including the 2017 1A boys crown. They ultimately finished ninth.
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