Rec Sports Champions Announced
Summer League Deadlines Approaching
- June 3: softball and 3v3 basketball
- June 15: soccer, volleyball, and 5v5 basketball
The Winter 2024 Rec Sports season may have come to an end, but the champions live on, their team names forever etched in the Wall of Champions above court seven. For many, this season was an escape from the dark and damp Pacific Northwest winters, an excuse to gather with friends, and a way to sweat it out after a long day at work. The road to victory wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. It took lunch break strategy sessions, weekly babysitters, and countless group chat reminders to achieve this honor. Willamalane presents to you the Winter 2024 Willamalane Rec Sports Champions.
Basketball
Sunday Competitive League: Diverse City
It’s difficult to come up with yet another paragraph about this team as this is their fifth championship title since the inception of Willamalane Rec Sports. Even as the leagues grow in popularity, Diverse City remains a team to be feared. They entered the playoffs with only a 3-2 record and showed up when they needed to most, with Jeremy Salzman and Austin Sand leading a 22.5 win differential in their two playoff games. The Diverse City dynasty looks to be alive and kicking as they roll into the spring season of 2025.
Sunday Rec B League: B. Ballers
Third time is the charm. After two previous trips to the championship game with no hardware to show for it, the B. Ballers have finally clinched the title. They still have no hardware to show for it, but they did earn their place on the metaphorical (but also very real) Wall of Champions. James Cannon fired off 33 points to earn the big victory for B. Ballers in an electric championship game. Was this win a lucky strike, or has this team dialed in their talents? Will they be back for more?
Monday Competitive League: Square Deal Lumber
For a team known for their deals, there was only one deal the team was giving this season: you give them points, and they give you an “L.” These weren’t just bargain bin games but some top-of-the-line competition. With huge games from Zach Carter (21 points in the semi-finals) and Miles Haley (28 points in the final), the team was able to claim victory.
Monday Rec A League: Crash Outs 2.0
This team really shook things up in the Monday Rec A League and caused a few crash-outs from their opponents during the playoffs. The Crash Outs finished the regular season 0-5, then defied all odds by winning two straight games against tough competitors to capture the title. Will they crash hard next season or cause more destruction?
Monday Rec B League: Fine Quality Construction
The team famously got its name when multiple NBA general managers saw how their roster was built and exclaimed, “That's some fine quality construction.” With a 6-1 record being tied with both Ball Hogs and Team Boom, the title race was one of the closest in Willamalane Rec Sports history, as their record against these title contenders and margin of victory separated these teams at the top. Credit to all these excellent teams within the season, but with four players averaging over 10 points per game, it was hard to topple this well-balanced construction crew.
Tuesday 3v3 League: TJ Warren’s Bubble Buddies
Much like Lady Gaga in a 2018 Bradley Cooper film or T.J. Warren in the 2020 NBA Bubble Games, “A Star is Born.” With multiple big scoring games getting to 45-point windows early, these buckets on the team weren’t just “Shallow,” and a win was never “Too Far Gone.” For the championship players, they will keep saying “Always Remember Us This Way” no matter what happens next season. The 3v3 title belt is forever rotating now, so “Maybe it’s Time” for a new team to challenge for the championship. Just have to sign up for 3v3 basketball before you are “Out of Time” (June 3).
Volleyball
Wednesday Mixed League: Renegades
It’s unclear whether their team name was inspired by the X Ambassadors’ song, the rare Fortnite skin, or the Jeep crossover SUV. Either way, the Willamalane Coed Volleyball champs reign supreme. A huge, nearly undefeated season left other teams scrambling to try to beat the Renegades, but the gap at the front of the pack was insurmountable. To be the best, you have to beat the best, and the Renegades did just that, beating multiple former Willamalane Volleyball champs. With huge games by Daniel Lopes and Jazmine Kindell, there was no question that the next time people talk about hitting the Renegade, they will be talking about their next spike across the net.
Wednesday Women’s 4v4 League: Quad Squad
The newest power move to break into the quad committee, Quad Squad, has now taken the place of the Fantastic Four, who are very jealous of not thinking of the name “Quad Squad” before. With an undefeated season that finished with a razor-sharp championship game, the Quad Squad showed pure grit and leadership out on the court. The inaugural 4v4 champs had the perfect starting season, but can their quads keep this up?
Soccer
Wednesday 7v7 League: Relegated FC
Despite what the name might imply, Relegated were nowhere near the bottom scrap but rather the exact opposite. Much like the 2004 Porto FC, the team found success that was thought to be unlikely before that point. The team provided one of the first free agent team championships in any Willamalane Adult Sport league, making them look like they have been playing together for years. An entire team of talent, brought together by Willamalane Rec Sports.