Bumming around town with Bill Bumerton

Bumerton is a retired Navy fighter pilot who had been missing in action for several years while he traversed the globe looking for greener grass. He discovered the grass is only greener here (it’s blue in Kentucky), so he returned to again take charge of his 1954 green Hudson Hornet that has been in storage, refilled his pipe, and is ready to continue his smokin’ ways. Here is what he recently told us at the Sports Paper.

 

The Bremerton Jaguars track and field program seems to have stunning young athletes every year, and this year apparently is no different, Big Dawg.  The district Junior Olympics meet his this weekend is in Seattle and coach Tim Lavin is hopeful more than a few Jaguars will get through the meet and advance to the JO Regional in two weeks (the top eight from the district advance to regionals). He has his fingers crossed for De’Andre Sincere, Jaleel Elmore, Taylor Nichols, Bryanna Elmore and Malcolm Dewalt, all of who have top 10 performances in the country for their age group.  You know, Big Dawg, that Jaleel Elmore had the best 200 time (23.04) in the country this spring while competing as a ninth-grader at Fairview Junior High. Sincere had the top long jump in the country (20 feet, five and half inches) and third best 100 time of 11.34. while competing as an eighth-grader at Central Kitsap Junior High. Elmore was hurt early in the spring track and field season and didn’t compete for most of the season, but he appears to be healthy now. The top three from regionals advance to the Junior Olympics in North Carolina at the end of July. … You just did a column on John Hubble for the Kitsap Sun and in it you missed how great a singer he was. So you get 20 lashes with a wet noodle, Big Dawg.  According to reader Jim Oas, Hubbell plays guitar and sings fantastic children’s songs. “I brought him to Royal Ranger Camp in the 1990s – 900 plus men and boys and John led the worship time for the kids and kept them laughing, singing and dancing with him the whole time he sang and played the guitar,”  Oas wrote in an email. “He also, for 20 years, has hosted and led Royal Family Kids Camp – a secular, non-Christian,  organization that has week long camps for foster kids.” … Five members of the Bainbridge Island Girls Lacrosse varsity team that went unbeaten and won the state title made All-American status. Senior goalie Maddie Stevenson and senior defender Regan Wortley were named All-Americans and Wortley, junior midfielder Salli Marx, junior defender Indigo Larsen and junior defender Cappy Yarbrough were named Academic All-Americans. Stevenson heads to Denver University this fall to play for the D-1 Pioneers. They were ranked No. 13 in the country this year. Stevenson made the All-State first team for the fourth straight year. Also on the all-state first teams were Marx and Wortley. Making the All-State second team was sophomore midfielder Paige Brigham. Stevenson, Marx, Brigham Yarbrough made the Alki All-Conference team in the Washington Schoolgirls Lacrosse Association.

LEFT TO RIGHT: REGAN WORTLEY, MADDIE STEVENSON, PAIGE BRIGHAM, CAPPY YARBROUGH, SALLI MARX

 

 

… Good thing Big Dawg you haven’t signed up for  the Spokane Hoopfest that takes place June 29-30. Man, you would not be able to last 30 seconds with the physical shape you are in. As it is, guys who are a little younger and in much better shape are having a hard time getting ready for it. Clay Moyle, former Bainbridge athlete who writes for this rag, just sent you an email complaining about all the pain and effort he and his teammates are going through to get ready for it. Teammate David Campbell is limping to the hoopfest after going down while playing the other day and Moyle and Dave Woodman, another teammate, are going to chiropractors to get their backs straighten out. But they all promise to show up for the Hoopfest. Moyle writes they ought to let each team have eight bodies instead of four on the rosters for guys over 50. For guys like you, Big Dawg, who are over 100, they would have to allow a village on the roster. … I’m beginning to agree with you Big Dawg that they should fire that Wedge guy. Those Marinaros of yours just can’t see to get over the hump, and it may be because Wedge doesn’t exhibit that fire, that passion, that can fire up his guys.