SunDome, hospitality get high marks

By SCOTT SANDSBERRY
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

It had been 10 years since Anacortes athletic director Rick Mergenthaler had been in the SunDome, which has had significant renovation since then. He had also never been to a state tournament here. And, much to his surprise, he’s loving it.

“I was not looking forward to coming here,” said Mergenthaler, whose boys team upended Quincy in Wednesday’s opening round. “When I came in, I thought, unbelievable. This is beautiful. Two years ago, we went to Tacoma, and the atmosphere here is so much better, so much more personal, right down to the spaghetti feed last night. They do introductions, they make you feel so welcome.

“I’ll tell you, we’re just excited and thrilled to be here — and shocked to see this beautiful facility. Oh my gosh, they’ve done a beautiful job.”

Dave Dickson, coach of the top-ranked Squalicum boys, had already seen the SunDome, having brought a team to the SunDome Showdown in January. But he, too, was pleasantly surprised.

“I think it’s a great facility,” he said. “Another thing I really like is the very nice way we’re getting treated at the hotel and by the people here. There’s a personal touch I haven’t seen at tournaments on the west side. I really appreciate that.”

THE LONG RUN: Ultramarathoners have nothing on some of the basketball teams that have made it to the SunDome over this year’s back-to-back-to-back string of state tournaments, each of which has had at least one really long run.

Two weeks ago in the Class 1B, Rosalia’s boys scored the last 21 points in their 63-53 comeback win over Lummi, and the eventual champion Colton girls scored the first 32 points of their opening-round 66-15 victory over Wishkah Valley.

In last Saturday’s 1A boys championship game, Vashon scored 22 unanswered points en route to its lopsided 49-24 thrashing of King’s. Lynden Christian’s girls put together a 35-1 in a rout of Onalaska.

On Wednesday, the Lyncs’ crosstown rivals, Lynden, continued the trend of one-sided stretches with 22 straight points in the Lion girls’ 55-24 victory over Eatonville, turning their 11-7 advantage into a 33-7 laugher.

BIG BAND MUSIC: It’s been nearly a half-century since Sultan’s only trip to the boys state tournament, but members of the school’s renowned music program has been making plenty of long trips since. A regular top placer in band competitions around the Pacific Northwest, the Turks’ marching band led a parade at Disneyland in 2006 and almost annually been the band sweepstakes winner at the Victoria (B.C.) Days Parade, while the school’s jazz band, honor choir, show choir and musical production programs are well-known throughout the state.

Here’s a mind-blowing number. Two weeks ago, the SunDome hosted the Class 1B state tournament, for schools with 87 students or fewer. Sultan brought its band to the Dome this week ... with 90 musicians.

SHORT JUMPERS: There’s a definite Washington State University feel to this week’s proceedings in the SunDome. North Mason’s John Fullington, a 6-foot-6 junior who’s one of the Bulldogs’ leading scorers (11.4), has verbally committed to play for WSU’s football after his 2010 graduation. (He’s a tight end and defensive back for North Mason.) Pullman’s girls team has a couple of recognizable last names on its roster — Amy Sterk and Jordan Levenseller, the daughters of WSU’s athletic director (Jim Sterk) and receivers coach (Mike Levenseller). In the first half of Wednesday’s 12:30 p.m. girls game between Hockinson and Othello, the two teams combined to shot a frigid 22 percent. Shooting in the first half of the next game, between Burlington-Edison and West Valley (Spokane), was even more awry: a cumulative 20.4 percent.