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Posts Tagged ‘Happy birthday’

Big smile, big hits — only one Big O!!

Posted in Football, Happy birthday, tagged , , , , , , on January 16, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Oscar Liquidano and friends.

Oscar Liquidano and friends.

He couldn’t stay away.

A family move to Vegas threatened to break up the love affair between Oscar Liquidano and Cow Town, but things eventually came back around and Big O was returned to the town he was meant to be in.

His return to Whidbey, in time to join his teammates on the Wolf football squad in the early days of practice, was cause for universal joy.

A big, bad man on the gridiron who anchored the CHS line while also acting as a team captain, Oscar crushed hapless foes while always sporting the biggest smile in all the land.

The dude is that rare combination of a guy who has the imposing build of an enforcer, while being the first one to reach out to others with a smile and a joke.

He’s as rock solid as they come, and it’s great to see him getting the chance to finish his high school career where it started.

Whether competing — a three-sport athlete, he’s brought his power game to basketball and soccer in the past — or showing up for every game with girlfriend Ashlyn Miller to support his classmates, Mr. Liquidano is a class act.

He might have spent a bit of time away from The Rock, but we will always claim his as one of our own.

As he celebrates a birthday today, all the best, man. Good to see you home.

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Who’s the man? Brenden Gilbert’s the man!!

Posted in Football, Happy birthday, tagged , , , , , on January 14, 2015| Leave a Comment »

The man, the myth, the tacklin' machine -- Brenden Gilbert.

The man, the myth, the tacklin’ machine — Brenden Gilbert.

Brenden Gilbert has grown into being The Man.

From an eager kid who came up following in the footsteps of Wolf lineman extraordinaire Nick “The Big Hurt” Streubel, Gilbert has put on size and skill over the past couple of years.

Now, as he looks forward to his senior season next year, the two-way lineman is ready to step into the role of being the leader on the line.

With Jake and Josh Lord at his side, among others, Gilbert will lead the wrecking crew that opens holes on offense and closes them, emphatically, on defense.

Away from the gridiron, he’s an easy-going dude who supports his classmates, showing up at nearly every game, where he is among the loudest ‘n proudest CHS supporters.

The guy is quality through and through, on the field and off, and someone it’s easy for Wolf fans to hail as a bright, shining star.

As Gilbert celebrates a birthday today, we wish him all the best.

Keep on keepin’ on, Brenden. You have a town, a nation, behind you.

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The spirit is strong in this one!!

Posted in Cheer, Happy birthday, tagged , , , , , , on January 11, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Camilla Rische

Camilla Rische

There are rumors that, on the day of her birth, Camilla Rische’s first word was “rah” and not “wah.”

For, if a person can be born to be a cheerleader, surely she was.

Through rain or shine, sleet or howling wind, out on the football field or inside a cozy gym, Miss Rische is the very definition of “loud ‘n proud” come to life.

In more ways than one.

She is fiercely loyal to the Wolves, a vibrant, boisterous young woman whose voice rises above the din.

She’s not there on the sideline just to stand around. The girl has work to get done.

But she’s also fiercely loyal to her family, starting with younger brothers Grey Rische and Jared Helmstadter.

The first time I ever spoke to her was when I was talking to her grandmother in the stands before a basketball game.

We were discussing Jared, as I was about to write a story about his amazing journey from being a preemie to becoming a rampaging force of nature on the basketball court.

Camilla, rocking back and forth in her seat, suddenly leaned forward and, in a voice that carried the same weight as Marlon Brando in The Godfather, informed me of the correct spelling of Helmstadter.

“H-e-l-m-s-t-a-gets complicated here-d-t-e-r!”

Long pause, eyebrow cocked…

“So get it right!!”

Long pause, then an explosion of giggles as she sat back in her seat.

That is Camilla.

Full of life, irrepressible, joyous, ready to smack you upside the head, sweet smile intact, if you mess with her family.

She is one-of-a-kind and Wolf Nation has benefited greatly from her presence the past few years.

As she celebrates a birthday today, we want to wish her all the best. May your day shine as brightly as you do, Miss Rische.

And, if you notice, I spelled Helmstadter correctly. So, there’s that, too.

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Love and joy, one table at a time!!

Posted in Happy birthday, Not sports? Tough!, tagged , , , , on January 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »

bobbie

Happy birthday, Bobbie Dunnaway (top, far right).

Always a smile.

Through easy times and tough times, Bobbie Dunnaway’s warm smile has never altered.

It is not easy to be a waitress, regardless of the restaurant.

Customers, frankly, can be ignorant asses at times, especially in an era where every bite has to be photographed with a cell phone and Yelp allows you to spew your entitled idiocy.

I’m sure it would be nice to know that the kitchen always had your back and was fully appreciative of how often you, the waitress, were saving them, covering for them, putting a positive spin on their mistakes.

Nice, but rarely true.

The waitress is always in the line of fire, particularly in a restaurant where there is nowhere for them to hide.

It is hard to always keep that smile in place. Harder to make people believe the smile is always real.

With Bobbie, it is real.

Genuinely a warm, inviting person, she remains one of the friendliest people I have ever worked with.

Watching her go-go-go, staying one step ahead of the crush while remaining positive, always, is a testament to her character.

As she celebrates a birthday today, surrounded by her children and grandchildren in Vegas, it may be a bittersweet one for her.

She has suffered great loss recently, but she is as strong a person as you will meet, and I hope she knows how much support she has around her.

Bobbie, you are truly loved, by those who work with you, by your family, by those whose lives merely brush against yours for one night in a restaurant.

You make each of our lives better with your presence. Always know how much you are appreciated, how deeply you are cared about.

Happy birthday, Bobbie.

I hope that this day, and all that will come after it, bring you joy. That would repay you, just a bit, for how much joy you have brought to others.

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The grin never fades!!

Posted in Boys Basketball, Happy birthday, tagged , , , , on January 8, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Gavin O' Keefe (John Fisken photos)

   Gavin O’Keefe always had a good relationship with the camera. (John Fisken photos)

Senior Night with dad Tim.

Senior Night with dad Tim.

Gavin O’Keefe enjoyed himself.

While male high school athletes as a group seem to think they’ll only be taken seriously if they scowl in pictures, Gavin is grinning in almost every photo from his days as a Wolf.

He spent too little time on the court, twice suffering broken legs that curtailed his basketball career at Coupeville High School.

But he never stopped working, never stopped rehabbing, always fought to get back out on the hardwood.

And when he was there, the ball rat-a-tatting off the floor and his fingertips, he was happy.

Gavin embraced every moment he was allowed to have, from his days as a wide-eyed freshman to the final moments of his senior season last year.

The guy looks like an old school basketball player, like he could have stepped right out of Hoosiers, and he played the game with a joy that was infectious.

Part of a hoops-rich family that also gave CHS older brother Kramer and sister Kendra, Gavin celebrates his 19th birthday today.

And while he’s no longer suiting up for the Wolves, he’s still playing hoops, making an appearance at the recent Tom Roehl Roundball Classic.

As he hits another milestone, we want to take a moment to wish him the best.

Happy birthday to a guy who, win or lose, always had the time of his life out there on the court.

It was a thrill to watch you play, Mr. O’Keefe. Never lose that joy.

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