WHAT! 3 Wrestlers Going on to STATE!!

Early this season my girls asked if we would be going to Tacoma for the state tournament.  I had to honestly say that I wasn't sure.  They reassured me that we would because Troy was going to make it to state.  Wow.  They were right.  And Nick and Kody made it too!  My parents are coming into town on Friday.  Guess we will be driving to Tacoma from the airport.  

Shorewood wrestlers qualify for state tournament

Kody Carpenter (in blue) will wrestle at State
Photo by Wayne Pridemore

The WIAA 3A Region 3 tournament was held at Everett High

School on Friday and Saturday this week.

Joining the Wesco South 3A schools were the Wesco North 

3A and the Mid-Colombia Conference from the Tri-Cities area.

Shorewood qualified 9 wrestlers to wrestle for one of four 

qualifying berths to the state tournament next week.

After a grueling two day affair, three T-Birds wrestled 

their way into State. 

Sophomore Nick Lotz 3rd @ 106lbs, 

freshman Kody Carpenter 4th @ 113lbs and 

senior Troy Beach 4th @ 195lbs will be representing 

Shorewood under the lights of the Tacoma Dome.

Second Alternates for the T-Birds include senior 

Tae Thongdee 6th @138lbs and

senior Elias Thorne 6th @152lbs. 

Shorewood placed 7th out of 15 teams. 

Wrestling starts at 10:00am in the Tacoma Dome 

on Friday morning.

--Derek Norton

http://www.shorelineareanews.com/2017/02/shorewood-wrestlers-qualify-for-state.html?m=1

Shorewood Places 3rd in District

I'm not going to lie.  When we started this wrestling season, I had many many doubts about how this team would do.  It was Derek's first year coaching without Clark in many years.  It was a season where every time we turned around it seemed like our hopes were dashed.  Several key wrestlers from last year's team didn't come back.  It was heart breaking and brutal.  I gave Derek the business and just wanted him to quit.  But, Nortons don't quit.  So he persevered.  And these boys stepped up big time.  I'm so so proud of them (and the managers who supported the team!)  We are taking 12 guys next weekend to regionals.  Definitely a record of some kind.  It was a year of growth for us.  And I'm thinking that next week I will be making an announcement about a little/big change in our family as I've applied for a part-time teaching job that starts mid-March.  Trish, back in the classroom?  YES!  And I can't stop smiling.  Even if these students will be a little younger than my previous classroom experience.  Stay tuned!

Three local wrestlers capture league titles at Wesco 3A South wrestling tournament

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2017

Jubilant Shorewood team and friends
Photo by Tricia Norton

The post season is upon us. Edmonds Woodway hosted the Wesco 3A South wrestling tournament Saturday. The schools competing for individual titles were Edmonds Woodway, Lynnwood, Meadowdale, Shorecrest, and Shorewood.

Shorewood only filled 14 of their 28 allotted spots but still managed to finish in 3rd place just ahead of the Lynnwood grapplers.

Nick Lotz tops the 106lb group and goes to
Region 3 Championships
Photo by Tricia Norton

Two Shorewood wrestlers, Nick Lotz at 106lbs and Troy Beach at 195lbs, captured league titles.

Capturing a league title for Shorecrest was Kaiya Conway-Yasuyama at 113lbs.

The top four placers at every weight class advance to the WIAA 3A Region 3 Championships next Friday and Saturday up at Everett High School. Fifth and sixth place finishers will be first and second alternates respectively.

Troy Beach captured the 195lb weight group
and advances to Region 3 Championships
Photo by Tricia Norton

Individual district placers for Shorewood were:

106 - Nick Lotz 1st
113 - Kody Carpenter 4th
113 - Kellen Davis 5th
120  -Richard Street 3rd
120 - Curt Tanaka 4th
132 - Devin Leach 6th
138 -Tae Thongdee 2nd
145 - Mark Yamane 5th
152 - Elias Thorne 4th
160 - Esdras Valladares 2nd
182 - Philip Ball 3rd
195 -Troy Beach 1st

Shorecrest individual placers were:

113 - Kaiya Conway-Yasuyama  1st
113 - Roman Shadduck 6th
126 - Trentyn Good 5th
132 - Connor Block 3rd
138 - Emmett Mueller 5th
152 - Zane Smith 6th
152 - Ian Mortenson 5th
160 - Spencer Loreen 6th
170 - Michael Borg 6th
195 - Raymond Ricketts-Smith 4th
220 - Simon Dalton 3rd
285 - David Rivera  2nd

Team Scores:

1.  Edmonds-Woodway  428.0
2.  Meadowdale  207.5
3.  Shorewood  182.5
4.  Lynnwood  180.5
5.     Shorecrest  136.0

--Derek Norton

Girl Quotes

This weekend Aunt Maren took the girls to the UW girls basketball game.  They had a blast.  While they were gone, we went to dinner with some friends.  I didn't pay attention to the game time or what time they might get home.  Maren dropped them off and we weren't home yet.  When we got home about 30 minutes later, they confronted us at the door.  "Where were you guys!  What took you so long to get home?  We were worried!"  HA!  What a role reversal.  In truth though, they had a good time playing while they were "waiting and worrying" so it was all good.  

Libby gets tired of Sarah always reading on the toilet.  So, she decided to take matters into her own hands with this declaration.  I refused to "singh" it.  But we did have a family council to discuss the issue and made some recommendations to Sarah.  

-Use the bathroom farthest from the rest of the family activity.  

-When someone knocks, put the book down and finish up.  

-Consider a 20 minute time limit.  We will see how that goes.

We had a Sunday Seminar last night for the kids to share what they have been learning.
 It was pretty fun to hear Libby's poems.  

We haven't had many spirit days this year at school, so the girls were SO excited for decade day.  Libby wanted a poodle skirt so she could take her matching American girl doll.  Her teacher even let her sit the AG doll on her desk all day.  I can imagine it was a (non)productive day with that doll there.  

Sarah fit into the Martha Washington Costume perfectly!  She regretted her decision a little in that it isn't as comfy or "cute" as Libby's costume.  But she looked amazing!

Ben Quotes

Yesterday Ben was playing with his sisters in the afternoon.  He was getting really emotional and frustrated.  I ended up sending them all to their rooms where he proceeded to cry and tantrum for several minutes.  I knew that his basic problem was hunger, but I was trying to finish up something before I made dinner.  I was giving him a minute and then I was going to offer him a snack.  Before I could do that, he came in, tears drying and said, "Mom, I'm think I'm just hungry."  I'm so impressed that he figured that out!  (Now if only I had been a good enough mommy to preempt the whole thing with a timely snack, but still!)

I am also still trying to figure out his shyness.  The girls are NOT shy.  They love to perform and get attention. Ben is less excited about such things.  I didn't even realize this until the wedding in the fall when he didn't want to dance down the aisle by himself.  Decade day was another chance to realize this.  He didn't want to dress up.  NOT AT ALL.  So, he didn't.  I couldn't quite figure out what the deal was.  But I just let that one go.

Yesterday in church Ben leaned over and said, "I'm glad Donald Trump isn't in our ward."  Me too Ben.  Me too.

The best conversation of the week was walking to school.  Sarah and I were talking about hand-me-downs.  She was saying how fun it is that she fits into my shirts.  Libby gets her hand-me-downs, etc.  Then Ben chimes in that he really does not want any hand-me-downs, especially not from dad.  I reassured him that it would be YEARS before he could wear any hand-me-downs from dad.  In fact, maybe he would never be dad's size (unless he lifted lots of weights).  But I told Ben that some of his favorite clothes are hand-me-downs from some of our friends.  He reassured me as I was dropping him off that he is opposed to hand-me-downs.  Then he said, "What are hand-me-downs?"

HA!  I love this kid despite his recent bedwetting!  Poor guy.  I need to watch his fluid intake a little better.  Last year he had trouble during whole30, then it went away and now has resurfaced.  He is just sleeping too soundly.

Despite Ben's assertion that he isn't sure about wrestling, he wore his singlet almost all weekend.  He even had a friend put one on too!

Regular Season Wrap Up

It was a good wrestling season for the Norton family. (And of course it is far from over for Coach Norton since the high school still has post-season tournaments and the middle school season starts this week.  But my "coaching" is over, whew!)
All 3 kids started wrestling for the first time.  We were talking about it last night.  They are all pretty proud of various aspects of their wrestling career thus far.  Ben liked it the least in some ways.  But he had to wrestle a couple of really tough kids every day.  Next year, when he (hopefully) isn't the smallest kid in the room, and when he has more experience than those who will be beginners next year, it'll be more fun.
As for Shorewood, they had a better than expected season.  Actually that's not true.  There were 3 guys (at least) who would have made this team truly amazing but didn't turn out for various reasons.  But, once it became clear that they wouldn't be joining the team, this team did great work without them.  Coach Norton and his assistants made some great strides this year too. Figuring life out without Coach Clark was an adjustment that they made pretty well.

Ben's wrestling stance is so cute.  

The joy in Sarah's face is so amazing.  She hadn't ever taken Libby down all season.

Ben coming up from the bottom.  I'm not sure that he took anyone down during the season, but he got to his base and tried to come back up!

Sarah on top (The next few photos are by Teri Nelson, she's fabulous)

Libby going after Sarah

Libby taking down Josh.  

Coach Trish

SW beats Shorecrest!  The T-birds lost their last two matches of the season, but the victory over Shorecrest was decisive and sweet.

The T-bird 2016-2017 team.  

 

Kid Quotes

It has been awhile since I have done a kid quote post.  But here are some of my favorites from this week.

Sarah:  "Mom, it's your birthday, you can do anything you want.  Anything legal that is."

            "Please don't wear sweats tonight when we go out for your birthday."

Ben:  When asked if he likes wrestling: "No, I hate it.  I just get squished like a bug."

         "Mom, can I clean the bathroom now?"  (WHY YES!)

         

Libby:  "NOT THE PLAYROOM!  That room is so hard to clean!  Please let me clean a bathroom!"  (Seriously!  And the playroom wasn't even bad!)

           "NOT LONG DIVISION!!!"  

            

Reflections on Turning 40

Yesterday I got my birthday package from my mom.  It had a framed version of the saying, "In Scrabble, Forty is only 11."
I also weighed in on my scale that tells my Metabolic Age and it said 22.
Ben's kindergarten class had me at pegged at somewhere between 23 and 26 when I asked.
My body feels much better than it did at 38 or 39.  So, I'm just going to ignore the numbers and say that I am happy to be alive.

I feel grateful for what I have been able to accomplish, for the help of my parents, husband, friends, and kids that have encouraged and supported me.
I have a Bachelor's degree.  A Master's Degree.  I have taught students in Juvenile Detention, High School, Sunday School, Relief Society, Group Exercise, the Wrestling Room, and right now in my own personal training studio.
I have 3 kids that are the joy of my life.  And the challenge of my life.
I have an amazing husband and great friends.
I got to celebrate and relax for a weekend in Vegas before the big day.  It was the perfect RESET.
I came back recharged and ready to evaluate where I am and where I want to go this year.
I am still evaluating, so who knows.  I may be in the same place next year.  But if I am, I know that it is a pretty good place to be.