Ike Ditzenberger’s touchdown
With the cooperation of the Lake Stevens football team, Ike Ditzenberger, who has Down syndrome and plays for the Snohomish High School football team, scored a 51-yard touchdown during a September 24 game at Snohomish.
Washington State high school football championship in slow-motion
In shooting the WIAA 4A state championships this year, I decided to try playing around with slow-motion. This is my first attempt at taking video shot at 60 frames per second and slowing it down to 24 frames per second. It was fun and I like the effect, but I think I’ll play more with switching between real time and slow motion on my next project.
Ferris defeated Skyline, 24-16, in the 2010 4A state football championship game at the Tacoma Dome on December 4, 2010. This video includes game highlights in slow motion.
Changing course: Melvin Jones
According to Melvin Jones, his life before meeting Jennifer Annable and Kasey Porrier was on a “downhill slope.” A sophomore at Chief Sealth High School with zero credits, he was on a path to dropping out. With help, Jones was able to change course and is now planning on graduating from Portland State University in June. For more on Melvin Jones, read “Unexpected son, unexpected mother” by Seattle Times sports columnist Jerry Brewer and view the photo gallery by Seattle Times photographer Erika Schultz.
Ike Ditzenberger’s touchdown
This is a great story that shows some of the good that can happen when schools and communities commit to inclusion. A few years ago, Ike Ditzenberger, a Snohomish High School student who has Down syndrome, was beginning to disengage from others. He then joined the football team. Meeting Ike, it was great to see how much he interacts with his classmates. He’s a part of the team. The video below is the story of how Ike scored a touchdown. Seattle Times sports columnist Steve Kelley did a great job with this column. And Seattle Times photographer Mark Harrison captured great moments in this photo gallery.
With the cooperation of the Lake Stevens football team, Ike Ditzenberger, who has Down syndrome and plays for the Snohomish High School football team, scored a 51-yard touchdown during a September 24 game at Snohomish.
High School robotics competition
Teams from 64 high school teams design and build robots in order to compete in a modified game of mechanical soccer at Key Arena in the FIRST Microsoft Seattle Regional 2010.
3A tournament: Cleveland wins championship
Unranked Cleveland ended top-ranked Holy Names’ 19-game winning streak to win the 3A championship at the Tacoma Dome.
Kentwood plays Jackson for 4A state basketball championship
Kentwood defeated Jackson 67-58 to win the 2010 Washington state 4A boys’ basketball championship at the Tacoma Dome.
No excuses: A.J. Leitch wrestles without forearms
This is a great example of how text, photos and video can all come together to for a great package. Mason Kelley’s story, captures the background story and the voices from the stands watching A.J. wrestle in a wonderful way. The photo essay by Erika Schultz shows A.J. in a variety of situations, from home to school to the wrestling mat. The video (below) gives A.J. his own voice and allows the audience to see him do a push-up, to see him compete on the mat. With each medium allowed to do what it does best, the audience gets a thorough understanding of this high schooler and the odds he defeats every day.
It was an honor to work with A.J. and an honor to work with Erika and Mason as a team.
Born without forearms, Sammamish High School’s A.J. Leitch overcomes the effects of TAR syndrome on the wrestling mat.
2009 High School Football Championships
I’ve always loved covering high school state tournaments. This is my first year shooting video. As a still photographer, I’ve always been interested in the culture of sport – everything happening around the field as well as on it. In these videos, I tried to feature the bands as well as the teams.
My first soccer video
With MLS Cup coming up, I thought I’d try my hand at making a soccer video. I’ve shot stills of soccer more times than I can count. But I’ve never done soccer video before. So, I made this video on a high school tournament game between Mercer Island and Glacier Peak.
Sehome plays Squalicum baseball
Sehome's Ben Wilson (7) slides into home past Squalicum's Benton Loney (20) in the sixth inning for Sehome's fifth run at Squalicum High School on Monday, April 27, 2009. Sehome won, 7-1.
Whatcom County Championship golf tournament
Ferndale's Mandy Wittmier tees off through the rain on the third hole at Sudden Valley Golf Course during the Whatcom County Championship golf tournament on Monday, March 30, 2009. Wittimier will be leading the Ferndale team this season through tough competition from other Whatcom County schools, including Sehome High School and Bellingham High School.
Meridian High School soccer
Meridian's Anatoli Datskiy (19) heads the ball during the second half of their game against Burlington-Edison at Meridian High School on Wednesday, April 1, 2009. Meridian won, 1-0.
Washington State High School Basketball Championships
This year, I covered several local teams as they tried to pursue the state’s biggest prize in high school basketball. Two teams went all the way: Squalicum boys and Lynden girls. Both state trophies ended up here in Whatcom County. It was amazing to be a part of the journey. Everyone was so kind to me, I’m really thankful I was able to follow these teams.
Members of the Squalicum team douse head coach Dave Dickson with water as he enters the locker room following Squalicum's victory over Burlington-Edison to become the 2A Washington State Boys Basketball Champions at the Yakima SunDome on Saturday, March 14, 2009.
Member of the Squalicum boys team take pictures of head coach Dave Dickson kissing the state championship trophy in their locker room after winning the 2A state championship over Burlington-Edison at the Yakima SunDome on Saturday, March 14, 2009.
Lynden's Hannah Shine (20) tries to gain pull the ball away from Eatonville's Emma Loftis (11) during the first round of the 2A State Basketball Championships at the Yakima SunDome on Wednesday, March 11, 2009. Lynden beat Eatonville, 55-24, and will advance to play Ellensburg on Thursday.
Lynden's Brandi Benner (3) and Ellensburg's Kim Kelly (15) both fall to the court as they chase a loose ball during the second round of the 2A State Basketball Championships at the Yakima SunDome on Thursday, March 12, 2009. Lynden won, 42-32, and will advance to play Spokane West Valley on Friday.
Lynden's Hannah Shine (20) grabs the ball in front of Archbishop Murphy's Sam Pettinger (22) during the 2A Washington State Girls Basketball Championship game at the Yakima SunDome on Saturday, March 14, 2009. Lynden won, 48-41, to become the state champions.
The Lynden girls team celebrates after beating Archbishop Murphy, 48-41, to become the 2A Washington State champions at the Yakima SunDome on Saturday, March 14, 2009.
During the 2A Washington State Basketball Championship at the Yakima SunDome on Saturday, March 14, 2009.
2008 Wrestling State championship
Sehome's Thayne Yazzie and Riverside's Jacob Desroches spin upside down on their heads during a 160-pound 2A match during the first day of the 2008 Mat Classic XX wrestling state championship at the Tacoma Dome. Yazzie lost the match.
Mount Baker's Ashlee Phy flexes her arms, celebrating her victory over Skyline's Alexis Willcher for the 145-pound girls championship title as well as a team title for the Mount Baker girls team during the 2008 Mat Classic XX wrestling state championship at the Tacoma Dome. In order for Mount Baker's girls team to win the state title, Phy needed to win by a pin and she did.
Blaine head coach Craig Foster comforts Blaine's Jacob Humphrey after Humphrey lost to Black Hills' Nick Burnham in the 119-pound 2A championship match during the 2008 Mat Classic XX wrestling state championship at the Tacoma Dome. For the second year in a row, Humphrey won second place in his division.
This was my first year covering a wrestling state championship. I am very thankful that I was able to be there. The emotion that the athletes showed on the mats was amazing. I was deeply impressed by all of them and hope to be able to photograph more wrestling events in the future.
Cross Country Athletes of the Year
Sehome's Annie Moore, left, and Clinton Overman have been named the All-County Cross Country athletes of the year for 2008. Under the leadership of Moore and Overman, both the girls and boys teams at Sehome High School won the 2008 cross country 2A state championships. As individuals, Moore finished ninth and Overman finished second.