Community Sports
Sports Beat | Tides overwhelm Seahawks in duel in the pool
Gig Harbor defeated Peninsula on Sept. 25 at Peninsula High School in a duel in the pool between two of the best girls swimming programs in the Puget Sound League.
The Tides won the Puget Sound League championship last year. It looks like they may be in line for another after defeating the Seahawks, 100-86.
The Tides have plenty of talented swimmers but are in somewhat of a rebuilding year, according to longtime coach Mike Kelly. Peninsula, coached by 20-year-old Hunter Hobbs, returns many swimmers from last year and were looking to upset their rivals.
“I think the friendly rivalry grows more and more each year as our team continues to improve,” Seahawk assistant coach Athena Petterson said. “I know the girls are more prepared this year than they’ve ever been and it’s going to be a meet that’s close the entire time.”
Race results
Gig Harbor’s 200-meter medley relay team of Jenna Nelson, Kaitlyn LaTendresse, Snegana Yestifieieva, and Hanna Bevans won by five seconds in the first race of the meet. Then Tides junior Eva Dahlin won the 200-meter freestyle by two seconds over impressive Seahawk freshman Boe Ballard before Audrey LaTendresse took the 200-meter individual medley in 2:43.88.
Audrey LaTendresse of Gig Harbor. Photo by Mike Kelly
With the Tides winning the first three races, it was crucial for the Seahawks to get a win next. Lee Gjertson provided it by winning the 50-meter freestyle in a blistering 27.29 seconds.
Next up were the divers. Gig Harbor freshman Jane Jackman burst on to the scene with an impressive performance, winning by 13 points over teammate Alexis Morgan.
Kaitlyn LaTendresse won the butterfly in 1:08.79, finishing less than a second ahead of Peninsula freshman Sophia Evers, before Gjertson won the 100-meter freestyle in 1:00.72.
Lee Gjertson of Peninsula. Photo by Athena Petterson
Peninsula sophomore Reese Miller won a long battle with Audrey LaTendresse in the 400-meter freestyle, finishing less than two seconds ahead in the endurance race.
Record-setting 200-meter freestyle
Peninsula kept the momentum going and broke a school record in the 200-meter freestyle relay when Gjertson, Ballard, Miller and Sophia Evers won in 1:53.45.
But the Tides won the next two races to secure the victory — Nelson by five seconds in the 100-meter backstroke and Kaitlyn LaTendresse in the breaststroke.
The best race of the day was next in the 400-meter freestyle relay. Peninsula’s team of Boe, Sydney Gardner, Miller and Gjertson held off the Tides by less than a second, 4:17.59 to 4:18.36, in a thrilling conclusion.
Both teams shared sincere congratulations after the meet and displayed impressive sportsmanship throughout the event highlighting the binds that have been built during years of club and youth swimming events together.
“I think the sportsmanship was immaculate throughout, this really is a friendly rivalry,” Petterson said.
Big Narrows opener for Gig Harbor
The Gig Harbor football team (2-1), ranked No. 12 in Class 3A by high school sports website MaxPreps, plays No. 5 Lincoln (3-0) at Roy Anderson Field at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26. The Puget Sound League Narrows Division opener could have repercussions well into November.
Gig Harbor traveled to Idaho on Sept. 19 and secured a hard-fought, 16-6 victory over Lake City of Coeur d’Alene. The Tide defense held the Timberwolves to just one touchdown and 211 total yards.
The Tides needed a strong defensive effort without two key offensive starters, quarterback Sawyer Hayes and running back Ian Schearer, who were out with injuries. The team got the job done with a punishing ground attack that gained a staggering 321 rushing yards.
A team won’t often win a game with just one pass completion for 11 yards, but the Tides managed it. That lone completion did put points on the board, though. Backup quarterback Sal Nuuhiwa Alob lofted a pass to Kingston Chambers for the game’s opening touchdown.
After that, it was all about the Wing T running game.
Dominant ground game
Four Tide running backs gained more than 60 yards by following the blocks of an impressive offensive line.
Wilson West had 76 yards on 11 carries, Taylor Carey had 63 yards on six carries and Max Schwab had 60 yards on three carries.
Gig Harbor running back Troy Arnold in a game played earlier this year. Photo by Bryce Carithers
Senior running back Troy Arnold went over 60 yards on a single play, which delivered the knockout punch late in the fourth quarter. He ran around the left end, got some key blocks by his wide receivers and turned on the jets down the sideline for a 61-yard touchdown.
Safety Henry Blake led the Tides defense with seven tackles and two sacks. Defensive end William Cody had five tackles, two for loss.
Tides coach Jeff Scoma was pleased that his team only turned the ball over once and committed just three penalties for 17 yards. He will be looking for that same type of discipline against Lincoln.
Gig Harbor expects Hayes and Schearer to be ready to face the Abes.
Mauro gets first win as Peninsula coach
First-year Peninsula coach Clay Mauro notched his first win with the school on Sept. 19, leading the Seahawks (1-2) to a wild home victory over Bonney Lake, 41-32.
The Seahawks were also without their starting quarterback after Talen McDonnell sustained a finger injury on his throwing hand. But senior backup Lucas Wiseman provided Peninsula with a steady performance.
Tough-as-nails senior running back Jacob Martin rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, with help from Peninsula’s physical offensive line.
Peninsula coach Clay Mauro during the 2025 Fish Bowl on Saturday, Sept. 6. Photo by Vince Dice
This game had a little bit of everything, including five fumbles by the Lions after Seahawk sticks that jarred the ball away. The game wasn’t decided until late in the fourth quarter, when the Lions’ final fumble gave the Seahawks the ball at the goal line and a dramatic first win.
Stars on offense, defense
Junior Aidan Muilenburg also scored two touchdowns for Peninsula, one on each side of the ball. He recovered a high snap in the end zone as a defensive end and caught a 10-yard touchdown pass as a tight end.
But Martin was the star on offense. He put his head down repeatedly to gain tough yardage and also showed nifty footwork, avoiding several Lions tacklers on a 55-yard run. He hauled in two catches for 32 yards to push his all-purpose yard total to 195.
Junior linebacker Kainoa Coit had another terrific game with 13 tackles and a tackle for loss. Coit, at 5-foot-10 and 210 pounds, is a hitter who wants all the smoke in the middle of the Seahawk defense. He has 32 tackles in three games, third-most in the Class 3A ranks of the WIAA.
Kanoia Coit of Peninsula is third in tackles in Class 3A. Photo by Bryce Carithers
Mauro could get his starting quarterback back for a Nisqually Division game at Capital at 7 p.m. Sept. 26. McDonnell, also the Seahawks’ punter, threw a perfect spiral on a fake punt against Bonney Lake.
McDonnell may be a game-time decision, but if he can play it will be a dual advantage for the Seahawks. Wiseman, a talented receiver and a big target, could then return to his H-back role on offense.
The Seahawks will look to avenge a 24-21 loss to Capital last season that was an absolute dog fight between two programs, which won’t be exchanging Christmas cards any time soon. Both teams have a long history of physical matchups against each other.
Tides sweep cross country event
The Gig Harbor cross country teams swept a meet at the picturesque wooded course of Sehmel Park on Sept. 17.
On the boys side, Gavin McKeegan of Gig Harbor out-kicked pre-race favorite Mana Voss of Central Kitsap to win in a time of 14:10.83 over the 4,150-meter course. McKeegan’s victory and several other strong efforts propelled Gig Harbor to victory with 24 points over Central Kitsap (34 points), Peninsula (79), Mount Tahoma (123) and Lincoln (132).
Knowing the home course may have been the advantage McKeegan needed. He emerged from the woods in a sprint for the finish line that left Voss two seconds behind.
Other top local finishers included Max Dower, third with a time of 14:17.06, and Jack Greer, fifth in 14:18.04. The top Peninsula boy was sophomore Wyatt Harding, 10th with a time of 14:56.90.
The Gig Harbor girls got an outstanding effort from senior Lejla Carlsson. Carlsson was locked in a tight race with Central Kitsap senior Audra Palmer before CK ninth grader Lola Gartner stole the show with a finishing kick.
Lejla Carlsson of Gig Harbor. Photo courtesy Gig Harbor cross country team
Carlsson’s time of 17:34.23 was just two seconds behind Gartner and helped the Tides finish first with 24 points. Central Kitsap scored 39 and Peninsula was third with 75 points.
Other Gig Harbor runners included Ella Savage (fourth), Hadiah Hallman (fifth), Maya Crane (sixth), Brynnlie Upchurch (seventh) and Clarabelle Simmonds (ninth). Sophomore Megan Dyer finished best for Peninsula, in tenth.