Mayer was named to the all-area team as a defender. She was the Nisqually League’s defensive MVP with 151 clearances, eight goals and three assists. She was the only player from a 1A team honored. The News Tribune’s sports reporters also chose nine 4A, one 3A and one 2A.

“Katie is one of the most talented, and most competitive, defensive players that I have ever coached,” says head coach Jim Dempsey. “However, what is more impressive is that she can play any position that we ask her to play. She even had a shut-out in 20 minutes of playing goalkeeper for us this season! She is a great team player and the CWA girls soccer program is fortunate to have her as a player and a leader.”

Iverson received honorable mention for his role on the defensive line.

Head Coach Mike Finch was delighted with the News Tribune’s selection of Iverson. “Standing at 6’8″ 240 pounds, Beau has the physical gifts necessary to become a top talent in the state. Beau’s length, wing span, and strength make him nearly impossible to block off the edge. In fact, he led the Nisqually League during the regular season with 7.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss with a lot of finger tip tackles that most defenders would not be able to reach. As a Tight End, Beau provided us the flexibility to have an inside power running game within our offense. Primarily a run blocker, Beau did finish the season with 9 receptions for 100 yards. We are grateful for his contributions to the 2011 team and excited for his return in 2012.”

Tarrier sports fans won’t have to wait until next fall to see either of these athletes in action. Iverson is also a member of the boys basketball team and Mayer will run track in the spring.

Photos by Ed Beck

1.) CWA Beginning School students put on their annual production of the Native American folktale The Rainbow Crow.  The littlest Tarriers took on roles that ranged from forest animals to the Great Sky Spirit.  Check out the trailer for the movie!

2.) Third grade students planted trees in cooperation with the Nisqually tribe as part of their study of the Nisqually Watershed.  The students take a field trip once a month exploring a different part of the Nisqually River from Mt. Rainier down to the Puget Sound.

3.) Second graders learned about the inner workings of a computer on a technology field trip to The Apple Store.  Students also received some instructions on how to use diagnostic tools to assess the “health” of a computer.

4.) Trailer runners!  Lower School students at the end of the weekly “trail run” at the start of Thursday morning recess.  Fun and fitness are always the result as students enjoy the trekking the trail through the woods behind school with CWA faculty.

5.) Zoo fun: First grade students listen to instructions on a recent field trip to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.  The students paid particular attention to animals from the desert as they prepared to write desert stories.

Cross-Country
Junior runner David Goldstone finished second at state, leading his team to a fourth place finish. Goldstone has now been invited to compete in the Border Clash race in Oregon on November 20, an honor only extended to the top two Washington state finishers. After beating Goldstone at the Westside Classic meet to become the tri-district champion, CWA junior Ruben Riordan took third in state, finishing just nine seconds behind his teammate.   Also contributing to the team victory were junior Travis Hensley, freshman Nick Laberge, junior Dylan Harper, sophomore Drake Birnbaum and senior Bob Thureson.

“It’s a very difficult course,” Coach Jaime O’Dell commented after the team returned home from Pasco. “It’s hilly, windy and a larger race than any of the others our athletes run during the regular season. It can be very intimidating but despite the tough course, five of our boys set personal bests which is simply not expected on the state course.”

For the boys team, this is the best finish since the 2003-2005 seasons when CWA runners Tommy Wyatt, Alex Crabill and Peter Browne won the state championship in three consecutive years.

At the tri-district competition, junior Sarah Dimakis finished third for the girls, setting a new personal record, and sophomore Bryn Mayo came in fourth. Both advanced to state where they ran well in very cold weather.

Tennis
The boys tennis team had a fantastic fall. The team won the league tournament held at Vashon and the district tournament in Seattle. Senior Daniel Ham, junior Austin Kelley, freshman Teddy Grenley, freshman Philip Grenley, senior Tim Chang, and junior Evan Valentine won the quad-district title and all qualified for the state tournament in May. This is CWA’s second consecutive quad-district championship and in the spring the Tarriers will defend their state title, hoping to win three in a row.

Football
The CWA football team concluded the regular season as co-champions of the Nisqually League. This is the first time since 1989 that CWA’s football team was tied for or won the championship. CWA hosted Meridian High School at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood where the teams battled in the district playoffs for a trip to state. It was the Tarriers first district game since 1998. The Tarriers held Meridian to a 14-14 tie in the first half, but when the Trojans abandoned their passing-game CWA fell behind in the third quarter. They pulled within two to bring the score to 22-20, but then fell behind again and lost by a final score of 42-27.

Coach Mike Finch, now in his fourth year at CWA, picked up all-league Coach of the Year honors as many of his players were honored for their efforts. Junior running back Colin Reynolds, senior tackle Nick Mungia, and junior tight-end Beau Iverson were named first team offense. Mungia and Iverson were also named to first-team defense as a linebacker and lineman. Senior linebacker Alex Nielson and senior secondary Chris Lee were also named to the first-team defense. For special teams, senior Alex Dennis was named first-team as a kicker and second-team as a punter. Second-team honors on offense went to junior quarterback Fritz Jacobson. Senior Parker Rush was named second-team defense for his efforts as a lineman.

Volleyball
The volleyball team advanced to the district playoffs by defeating Orting 3-1 in their last match.. The team finished the season strong with three critical wins to make the playoffs. Their first and last playoff game was against Lynden Christian. The team played a great match but lost 3-0.

Soccer
The girls’ soccer team played well this fall and has won several important games. While the team did not advance into the post season this year, they were very competitive with other teams in the league.

Click here for full coverage of the NCAA Division III women’s soccer championship tournament.

Elsewhere in college sports

In her senior season at the University of Washington, goalkeeper Jorde LaFontaine-Kussmann ’07 was named to the second-team All-Pac-12, named GoHuskies.com Student-Athlete of the Week on Sept. 12, and named the Portland/Nike Invitational Defensive MVP for a performance in which she made 13 saves and allowed just one goal against the Huskies.

In football, Ishmael Stinson ’09 helped the Division II Central Washington University defeat Dixie State 42-14 in the Wildcats last game of the season. Stinson, a sophomore, rushed for a season-high 129 yards and had a touchdown in that game. Stinson ranks fourth in total contributions to the team’s offensive efforts this season and sixth for all purposes.

We would love to report more highlights from alums playing college sports. If you have news to share, please email Althea Cawley-Murphree at acawley-murphree at charleswright.org.

Anthony Wohns of Tacoma, Nicole Ebalo of Olympia and Sarah Yamamoto of Lakewood were all honored as National Merit Semifinalists. This year CWA’s Commended Scholars are Timothy Chang of Gig Harbor, Paige Henderson of Port Orchard, Sydney Hughes of Olympia, Kajsa Mayo of Gig Harbor, Justice Nichols of Fircrest, Decker Nielsen of University Place, Sarah Sadlier of Gig Harbor, Peter Schilling of Tacoma, Ashley Thomas of Auburn, Jay Um of Gig Harbor, and Joshua Zhu of Tacoma.

These fourteen students have also excelled in many other academic and co-curricular pursuits.  The group includes:

•    Ten student athletes (Wohns, Chang, Henderson, Hughes, Mayo, Nichols, Nielsen, Sadlier, Schilling and Um);
•    Nine musicians, actors and actresses (Wohns, Yamamoto, Chang, Henderson, Nielsen, Sadlier, Schilling, Thomas and Um);
•    Nine Knowledge Bowl team members (Wohs, Ebalo, Yamamoto, Chang, Mayo, Nichols, Sadlier, Schilling and Zhu);
•    Seven volunteers who have far exceeded the school’s community service expectation (Wohns, Ebalo, Chang, Nielsen, Sadlier, Schilling and Zhu);
•    Six study-body or club leaders (Ebalo, Yamamoto, Chang, Henderson, Nielsen, and Sadlier);
•    Five Model UN team members (Wohns, Ebalo, Sadlier, Thomas and Zhu);
•    Three National History Day contestants (Chang, Schilling and Sadlier);
•    Two visual artistis (Hughes and Zhu); and
•    Two lit mag staffers (Hughes and Thomas).

1 & 2) CWA Third Grade students on their field trip to Mt. Rainier National Park. As part of their focus on studying the Nisqually Watershed from mountain to Sound, the Third Graders will take a field trip a month studying everything from the salmon life cycle and hydroelectric power to understanding the various ecosystems along the Nisqually River.

2) First grade members of the CWA Chess Club show off their new team t-shirts. Weekly beginning to advanced chess players work with coaches from Chess4Life to improve their chess game. Emphasis is put on improving skills as well as fair play and good sportsmanship.

3) The 3rd/4th Grade CWA football team line up versus Orting. The team consists of CWA students as well as students from local schools interested in learning the game and having fun.

4) Back to pass! The CWA 5th/6th grade team in a recent contest. Athletics continue to play an important role for CWA students as they strive to be their best in mind, body and spirit.

5) Finishing strong! CWA Running Club students ran hard at the last meet of the year. Meeting twice a week through the first part of the school year, teacher and parent volunteer coaches put emphasis on personal improvement and having fun.

1) CWA Kindergarteners ready for the Annual Apple Squeeze!

2) 78 CWA Lower School students ran at the second cross country meet of the year.

3) Hands-on learning: 5th grade students conduct an archaeological dig on campus.

4) First place with second place nowhere in sight!

5) CWA Lower School students hone their chess skills every Wednesday at Chess Club.

Since it’s the first Five Photo Friday of the school year, we’re throwing in a bonus. Lower School artists imaged “whirled peace” on Pinwheels for Peace Day, an international event. The project was part of Ms. Candy’s art class.

Williams applied to 13 schools she thought represented the full continuum. Then, to her tremendous surprise, she was accepted by 12 of those 13 schools. The only trouble with that bit of good fortune was that the full weight of choosing a college then fell on her shoulders and her shoulders alone. She wound up at Dartmouth, the school she originally considered a reach, but with so many options on the table it was not an easy decision.

Williams attended CWA from kindergarten and for all 13 years she was an athlete, musician and leader among her peers. She was one of only two girls in her graduating class who completed 12 seasons of competitive high school athletics. She played volleyball and basketball and sprinted for the track team all through Middle and Upper School, serving as a team captain for all three sports both her junior and senior years.

She won two state championship titles in the 4×100 meter relay (2009 and 2010) and had three second-place finishes at state in the 4×200 (2008, 2009 and 2010). She was a member of the three most successful Tarrier volleyball teams in school history. She played club volleyball for four years outside of school and coached a team of fellow CWA athletes after finishing her senior season. Williams was named the school’s most outstanding female athlete at the end of her senior year and nominated for The News Tribune’s female athlete of the year award.

Athletics were not the only activities keeping her busy. She sang in school choirs all through Upper School and competed her senior year at the state solo and ensemble competition with a quartet. Williams was also a member of the Green Key club and was very involved in community service. She was elected by her peers to be the ASB community service head her senior year. She volunteered as a tutor with Stand Up for Kids, an outreach program for homeless and at-risk youth. She also worked with the school’s Chapel Home, Boys and Girls Clubs, and global outreach programs. She served as the President of the Tacoma chapter of Jack and Jill America, Inc, a youth leadership development organization. Her senior year, Williams became an actress and Brendan Rome cast her in the role of Salome in his one act by the same name.

Academically, Williams also excelled in many areas, especially English, history, Spanish and science. She loved working on her junior research project and wrote an essay about her experience with that English paper for Ties last summer. She credits Creighton King (English), Neil Biermann (science), Howard Wouters (math) and Coaches Rob Scotlan and Mindy McGrath as some of her greatest influences at CWA.

Williams particularly loved her forensics class. “Since the third grade, I have wanted to spend my life investigating the dead to bring answers to the living,” she says. “My passion only deepened when I began taking Mr. Biermann’s forensics science class my senior year. I got hands-on experience with mini investigations so I know this is what I want to spend my life doing. I love not knowing the answers because I love discovering. I love figuring things out for myself and this is still what attracts me to the role of a coroner or medical examiner today. Many might ask whose aspiration it would be to sit with dead people all day… but someone has to do it and it might as well be someone who is genuinely curious and passionate about the matter.”

Perhaps it part because she has so many strengths and interests, the college selection process was hard for Williams. “I had a very long list of colleges, right up until I made my final choice,” she says. “I started with a summer tour of West Coast schools with my parents the summer before my junior year, then took a similar tour of East Coast schools before my senior year. In total I saw almost 30 schools. I looked at every type of college and university because I thought it would at least help me decide what sort of school I did not want to attend.

“I decided that I would probably prefer a smaller school and that I liked the idea of attending school on the East Coast, especially since I think I will probably move back to the West Coast to begin my career. Beyond that, touring schools did not particularly help me narrow down my list. I decide to apply to 13 schools – more than most students do – and just see what happened. I assumed the schools’ decisions would narrow the list considerably. I applied regular-decision to mostly liberal arts schools on the East Coast but I also applied to a few in California and one in Washington.

“Dartmouth was the big reach on my list. It was secretly my number one, but I only told a few people that. I was intimidated by its selectivity – less than 10 percent of applicants get in – so although I knew I wanted to run in college, I didn’t even bother to contact the Dartmouth coach. It seemed like a waste of time because I really didn’t think I was going to get in.”

What Williams most liked about Dartmouth was not the prestige of its Ivy League status, but the feeling she got on campus. “I visited in the summer and it was the only campus that felt alive. There were lots of students there and everyone was studying and laughing and having fun. Everyone was happy. It seemed like they were a bunch of Rachaels.”

The decision letter began arriving in February and one after another brought good news. The first eleven decisions she received were all acceptances. Because she wanted to run for the track team, she found herself leaning toward Colgate and Davidson, confident that she could make either Division I team. She had several conversations with their coaches.

The twelfth decision Williams received was a denial and she consoled herself that getting into eleven of thirteen schools was really pretty good. The Dartmouth decision was schedule for the very same day, so she figured she would check online before telling her parents. To her tremendous surprise, she found she had been accepted. “I ran into the other room and told my dad, then went right upstairs to update my Facebook status and call my best friend,” she recalls. “I decided to surprise my mom when she came home but yeah, I told everyone on Facebook first.”

Once the excitement wore off, Williams faced a difficult decision. She was still feeling a little intimidated by Dartmouth’s academic reputation and she was not sure she could run there. More research was necessary. She emailed the coach who responded: “Your times look like the people I would have talked to (while recruiting). I’ll put you on the summer workout list.”

With the possibility of running on the table, she booked a flight to visit the school a second time. This trip she made solo. “After the last performance of One Acts, I changed my clothes at school and went straight to the airport. I had to be back at CWA on Tuesday so it was a quick trip two-night trip. I mainly listened to what people had to say. I sat in on a Spanish class and I thought the professor was really funny. Apparently a rat had disturbed his last class by running through the classroom and he kept making jokes about the rat.”

Williams spent both nights in the dorms. The first night she stayed with Tori Portnow, a 2010 graduate of CWA. “We talked about the transition and how prepared she felt,” says Williams. “Her answers really pointed me in the right direction. I was concerned about the weather – I thought I was going to freeze to death and I still do, actually – and about the academic rigor. Because we come from the same high school, her comparisons of the programs were really helpful and I gained a lot of confidence from our conversations.”

As a pre-med student, Williams knows her chosen course of study will be challenging. She will likely major in biochemistry or neurology. “Dartmouth has a really strong premed program and the number one student-faculty research program, so if I want to do research as an undergrad, this will definitely be the school to do that,” she says.

Williams also made time to visit with members of the track team. She thought long and hard about what made her a successful student athlete in high school. “I think what makes me successful in the classroom is knowing that I have so much to do that I have to balance and manage my time well. The more free time I have, the less I manage my time well. Athletics provides structure and I make more efficient time of the work time I create for myself. Running in college will help me be a better student and it will provide an emotional release that keeps me well rounded.

“By the end of the visit, I was sure I wanted to attend Dartmouth. For such a serious academic school, Dartmouth students know how to have fun. It feels kind of like Charles Wright, really. There isn’t a person there who doesn’t have pride in the school and I think that’s really important.”

When she arrived home in Tacoma, Williams got online to make decision official and after notifying the admissions office she sent an email to the track coach. Because track is a winter and spring sport, she does not need to report to campus early. She does need to stay healthy and after rehabbing an injury for several months, she’s making that a top priority. Once the big decision was behind her, Williams relaxed and enjoyed the end of her senior year. Her peers selected her as one of three student graduation speakers, an honor she greatly appreciated. “I’m just really going to miss this place and everyone who helped shape me into the person I am today,” she says.

The quartet went two and two in the competition. Their first loss was at the hands of the team that eventually won the tournament for their age bracket. They all look forward to playing basketball together throughout Middle and Upper School.