Monday, November 15, 2010

Hoquiam, WA Basketball Games

By Ines Gutierrez

Basketball is one of the strong suits of the Hoquiam High School Athletics department and they gladly proved this in 2004 when they became state champions and won the 2A championship with a deliberate and outstanding 28 wins and no loss record to beat. And proudly with much pomp, Hoquiam City and its very proud residents can lay claim to a whole lot of other sporting conquest throughout its very passionate sports history but this is not the only thing the local people are so stirred about.

The long standing rivalry between Aberdeen and Hoquiam Grizzlies and what a rivalry it is, 100 years in total excluding this one the 101st became possible in 2006 when the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) altered the enrollment limit for the 2A categorization permitting Aberdeen to drop to 2A along with other school s and creating another league. On October 14, 2006 the Grizzlies defeated with class the Aberdeen team 20 to 6 in classic tradition of football greatness.

Another big event is the Hoquiam Grizzly Alumni Cross Country Invitational, one of the largest long distance running competitions in the whole of Washington coast and Hoquiam City and it townsfolk have been sponsoring this yearly event since 1981. The run is participated in by no less than one thousand people from more than thirty five schools from all around. This event opens up the town to visitors and participants alike who never get tired of the town's tender, loving and caring attitude towards them year in year out.

The city offers a plethora of other sporting meets that give aficionados a variety of interesting events to choose from. It has its world famous Logger's Playday an annual event that happens every September, same month as the volleyball tourney and of course the Alumni wrestling matches carried out during the start of the year in January. These collection of competitive events keep alive the spirit of sportsmanship and sense community belonging for the people of the city in the so called Olympic Peninsula.

Aberdeen and Hoquiam High Schools continue their personal rivalry in another event that demonstrates strength of character and community service for both sides and that is the annual, fall food drive, more affectionately referred to as the "Food Ball" an activity dedicated by the city high school's in providing food stuff to low-income families in the area. This endeavor is a time honored tradition that everyone is very much elated with since it is all about helping others.

The city also became the base for the Western Baseball League's Grays Harbor Gulls from the year 1995 to 1997. The games they played were held at the Olympic Stadium, which is listed at the National Registry of Historic Places. In place of the baseball team the stadium is now the proud home of the Grays Harbor Bearcats a team under development for the North American Football League or NAFL.

Listing town's menagerie of athletic events for the entire year, they have the much awaited and ancient event of glorious football rivalry between the Hoquiam team and those of the city in the east Aberdeen, which lost to Hoquiam in 2006 by 14 points, just so to remind them and the biggest and amazing cross country race, the Grizzly Alumni Cross Country event, they also have the Alumni Wrestling Tournament held in January and the September special's such as the Lumberjack's competitions and the volleyball tournament and the basketball league and state championships.

The city has a very colorful and eventful roster of wins and championships in both local and state sporting events; 2007 - Girls Wrestling, 2006 - Girls Fast pitch, 2004 - Boys Basketball, 1988 - Boys Wrestling, 1983 - Boys Track & Field, 1980 - Boys Baseball, 1942 - Boys Basketball, 1939 - Boys Basketball.

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