2005 A year of new beginnings

It was a year of mixed emotions for the Bremerton area, with highs and lows from season to season.

New faces hit the scene while familiar ones left. Old faces returned after time away and some that were leaving decided to stay.

But even the rollercoaster that is 2005 ends, and by and large, the Bremerton area should leave the ride feeling satisfied.

From start to finish, the Bremerton Patriot takes a look back at 2005’s top moments in sports.

A new year

The start of 2005 wrapped up the seasons that 2004 started, for better or worse for area teams.

It started with the Bremerton girls basketball team, which advanced beyond the Narrows League Tournament to battle with some of the region’s toughest at districts. After falling in the opener to Bethel, the Kights rebounded with a win over Kentwood. But BHS would go no farther, falling to Kentlake 56-52. That didn’t stop Bremerton’s Jenn Jacobs from claiming a Narrows League Bridge Division MVP award however.

On the boys side, it was King’s West that had a most magical ride to Spokane, returning home with a state trophy. The Warriors took sixth at the Class B state championships, led by Adam Shildmyer, Erik Bright and Jesse Reeves.

And while the Knights fielded no gymnastics team, Bremerton senior Jessica Lindberg went to state as part of Bainbridge’s team, finishing sixth in the vault and 32nd in the all-around competition.

Buddy Bennett also made state for wrestling, but suffered a quick exit despite a strong effort.

Springing forward

The Puget Sound Toma-hawks had one of the club’s most successful seasons, battling for the Northern Pacific Hockey League’s Cascade Cup. The Tommies, despite topping the Queen City Cutthroats in four straight games in the regular season, fell 3-1 in the series to their NorPac rivals.

The spring also brought new faces to the area, with new coaches throughout BHS. New baseball coach Joe Whitsett helped the Knights off to a 3-0 start (although the club went winless the rest of the way). He was joined by new softball coach Brooke Quam. Bremerton football coach Nate Gillam joined the fold when his hiring was announced in April, bringing a former Knight back to BHS.

Ukranian exchange student Lya Lya Chrona had state hopes for the Knights tennis team, advancing into the semifinals of the Narrows League Tournament before falling narrowly to Gig harbor’s Laura Finley. But what really stopped Chrona from going deep into the playoffs was school, as she had to return home prior to the district tournament to finish her senior exams in Ukraine.

The season may have been over, but Bright, Reeves and Shildmyer continued to make news for the Warriors, with all three heading to local college’s. Shildmyer chose Bremerton’s Olympic College, while Bright (Seattle Pacific University) and Reeves (Seattle Community College) crossed the water. Lady hoopster Kristin Anderson followed suit weeks later, signing to play for Oklahoma Baptist University.

Bremerton’s Joel Trudel continued his strong tennis play for Bremerton as well in his senior season, placing fifth at the state competition. Trudel would also jump to the next level, agreeing to continue his tennis career at the University of Idaho. But a very familiar face to Bremerton tennis also graced it courts for the last time in 2005. Ursula Huhta, BHS tennis coach of 11 years, decided to leave the program in June.

Boys of summer

The newly-minted Kitsap BlueJackets played their first game in the friendly confines of a lush Kitsap Fairgrounds Stadium on June 7, outlasting a perennial summer league powerhouse in the Aloha (Ore.) Knights, 6-3. Wins would come few and far between for the Jackets

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