Boys notebook: Piper-Jordan's shot 'greatest feeling in world'

TACOMA — Andre Piper-Jordan didn't get to finish his senior football season because of a fracture of a bone in his right leg late in the season.

The start to his basketball season was delayed until January while the leg healed.

Yesterday, he made up for lost time by making the shot of his life as time expired yesterday to keep Federal Way (18-10) alive in the tournament.

Jordan's 23-foot jumper eliminated Eastlake 64-63.

"I knew I had to get something up," said Jordan, who saw only 2 seconds on the clock when he got the ball. He described the thrill of watching the net swish as "the greatest feeling in the world."

Jordan is headed for Eastern Washington University on a football scholarship to play either cornerback or wide receiver. Yesterday's triumph was a come-from-behind win as Eastlake had led 40-24 at halftime.

The loss was the sixth straight at state for Eastlake (17-9) dating to 1999, when the Wolves lost in their semifinal and third-place game and finished sixth.

Coach is best dressed

The best-dressed coach in the tournament has to be Federal Way's Jerome Collins, who wore a snappy gold suit Wednesday, then followed with a rust sport coat with stripes yesterday.

"What are you wearing tomorrow, coach?" he was asked.

"Don't know yet," said Collins with a smile.

Whatever it is, it will be an anticipated event.

Walla Walla's smart hire

Walla Walla's trip to the boys state tournament could be linked to the hiring of a new principal at Walla Walla last summer. The principal is Brian Pendleton, who coached Kentridge to the 1992 Class 4A state championship. Pendleton was the principal at Sequim for three years, where his older son, Chris, helped lead Sequim to eighth place at the 2001 3A state tournament.

Bryce Pendleton, a 5-foot-11 junior guard, starts for Walla Walla and averages 9.9 points.

Finders keepers in Pasco

Pasco senior Kris Groce emerged from the locker room the same way he says he has all season — with a ball tucked under his right arm.

But it's not just any ball.

It's covered with signatures, nicknames and symbols, all written in varying shades of black ink.

Some of Pasco's players found the ball during their summer season and eventually, it wound up in Groce's possession. One day, Groce said, teammate Will Hargrow signed the ball.

Senior Peter Gadd followed, then Groce and Trevor Dunstan did it, too. Now, it seems, everybody in the Tri-Cities town has left their mark.

"I've been carrying it around all season," Groce said. "But it's like a team ball, pretty much. Fans have signed it, everybody."

Notes

• This is Franklin's fifth trip to the state tournament in its six seasons as a member of the KingCo Conference. Garfield, which didn't make the tournament this year, also has made five trips. Among suburban schools in the league, Eastlake is making its second trip since the city schools (Franklin, Garfield and Roosevelt) joined KingCo and Redmond has been once.

• Among the chants of Franklin students after Oregon-bound Aaron Brooks made plays in yesterday's quarterfinal win over Pasco were: "All-American! All-American!", "Quack! Quack! Quack!" and "NBA! NBA!"

Franklin students also chanted their area code "206! 206!" when they were ahead late in the game against the Bulldogs, from area code 509.

• Today's 11 a.m. loser-out game between Bethel and South Kitsap is a rematch from Day 3 of last year's tournament. Bethel scored only seven points in the first half and lost 48-21.

• Strangest score of the day: Kentwood 6, Central Valley 5 after one quarter.

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