A6 BAKER CITY HERALD • THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2022
SPORTS
Seahawks shake up: Seattle
trades Wilson, releases Wagner
Last remaining
starters from Super
Bowl-winning team
BY TIM BOOTH
Associated Press
SEATTLE — With two
brush strokes over the span
of about 10 hours, the Seattle
Seahawks said goodbye to gi-
ant foundations of their Super
Bowl history.
Gone is quarterback Russell
Wilson, traded to Denver in
a blockbuster move. Gone is
Bobby Wagner, the defensive
stalwart and likely future Hall
of Famer, released as part of a
salary cap squeeze.
So long history. Hello, re-
build.
That is the apparent direc-
tion the Seahawks are headed
after a Tuesday, March 8, that
won’t be forgotten by their fans.
The team agreed to send Wil-
son to Denver early in the day,
according to two people famil-
iar with the negotiations who
spoke to The Associated Press
on the condition of anonymity
because the trade can’t be an-
nounced until after the start of
the new league year next week.
Hours later, Wagner con-
firmed to the AP that the Se-
ahawks had informed him he
was being released, his $20
million salary cap hit for 2022
deemed too much for Seattle
to absorb.
And with that, the final two
starters still around from Seat-
tle’s Super Bowl winning team
from 2013 — ones that seemed
destined to be lifelong players
for the team — were no longer
Seahawks.
Their situations differed.
Wilson had to waive a no-trade
clause to accept the move to
Denver. Wagner spoke at the
end of the season of wanting
to return but also knew the
weight of his contract.
“I understand there is a busi-
ness side to this, but there’s a
lot of optimism on my end that
I’ll be back,” Wagner said in
early January. “I’m not worried
about it. Obviously, I can’t con-
trol everything. I can only con-
trol my part.”
Monica Herndon/Philadelphia Inquirer-TNS, File
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson throws a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 30,
2020, in Philadelphia.
No matter the reasons be-
hind their departures, it’s a
massive change for the Sea-
hawks.
For the majority of 10 sea-
sons, the leaders on both
sides of the ball for Seattle
were never questioned. Taken
in the same draft one round
apart in 2012, Wagner and
Wilson walked into Seattle’s
practice facility and almost
immediately laid claim to
spots they never relinquished
other than for injury.
Wagner was a six-time first-
team All-Pro selection, build-
ing a resume that no matter
the next phase of his career is
likely good enough for a gold
jacket and induction to the
Hall of Fame.
Wilson will forever be the
starting quarterback of Seat-
tle’s first Super Bowl champi-
onship team, and for a decade
gave the Seahawks a franchise
QB and one of the most excit-
ing players in the league.
Just days after coach Pete
Carroll and general manager
John Schneider indicated at
the NFL combine that Seattle
wasn’t open for business re-
garding Wilson, the duo made
arguably the most impactful
trade in franchise history.
In some ways, they are stak-
ing their reputations to be-
ing able to find Seattle’s next
quarterback, and the addi-
tional move to release Wagner
only added to the major ques-
tions about where the fran-
chise goes next.
Is this the start of a full re-
build for the Seahawks with a
head coach that will turn 71 in
September?
Do the Seahawks believe
quarterbacks Drew Lock
— reportedly part of the
trade — or Jacob Eason have
the chance to be the starter
this fall?
Did Seattle fall in love with
one of the quarterbacks at the
combine and is hoping to land
another Wilson-like home
run in the draft?
Or will the Seahawks use
the capital obtained in the
Wilson deal to try and find
another veteran quarterback
available either in free agency
or via trade?
Those answers will come
beginning with the start of
the new league year. None
may be able to satisfy Seattle’s
fans stinging from the trade.
The news of Wilson’s trade
and Wagner’s release evoked
painful reminders for those
fans of the past when some
of the top players in their re-
spective sports called Seattle
home only to be dealt away.
Ken Griffey Jr. was seem-
ingly in the prime of his Hall
of Fame career and arguably
the best player in baseball
when he was traded by the
Mariners to the Cincinnati
Reds before the 2000 season.
Gary Payton was a Seattle Su-
perSonics lifer and the face
of the franchise when a spat
with ownership led to his
trade to Milwaukee in 2002.
The Seahawks went down
this road of saying goodbye to
fan favorites in the previous
years with the likes of Richard
Sherman, Earl Thomas and
others that were keys to that
Super Bowl team.
And now it’s Wilson and
Wagner added to that list.
Baker girls, boys open play at
Class 4A state tournament
The Baker girls and boys basketball teams, competing
in the state tournament in the same year for the first time
since 1998, open tournament play Thursday, March 10, at
Coos Bay.
The Baker girls (20-5), who won the last state tourna-
ment, played in 2019, will take on Corbett (21-3) in a quar-
terfinal game at 7 p.m. at Marshfield High School. If the
Bulldogs win, they will play the winner of the Madras-Cas-
cade game in a semifinal on Friday, March 11, at 8:15 p.m.
at Marshfield. If the Bulldogs lose, they would play either
Madras or Cascade on Friday at 10:45 a.m. at North Bend
High School.
The Baker boys, 19-6 on the season, will take on top-
seeded Junction City (22-3) Thursday at 2 p.m. at North
Bend High School. If the Bulldogs win, they would play in
a semifinal on Friday, March 11, at 1:30 p.m. at Marshfield
High School against the winner of Thursday’s quarterfinal
between Philomath and Seaside. If Baker loses Thursday, it
would play the loser of the Philomath-Seaside game on Fri-
day at 9 a.m. at Marshfield High School.
The girls championship game is set for Saturday, March
12, at 8:30 p.m. at Marshfield. The boys title game will be
Saturday at 5:45 p.m. at Marshfield.
All tournament games will be broadcast live on the NFHS
network, nfhsnetwork.com., a paid subscription service.
Score updates will be posted at www.bakercityherald.com
and on the Baker City Herald Facebook page.
No. 1 Gonzaga outlasts
No. 17 Saint Mary’s,
wins WCC tourney
Mary’s coach Randy Bennett
said. “There’s a lot of things
LAS VEGAS — Chet
you have to do right to have
Holmgren spent most of his a chance and we did that for
night frustrated as he got
a while, but you have to do it
banged around and shots
for 40 minutes.”
clanged away. Drew Timme,
Gonzaga (26-3) spent
except for a spurt early in
a good portion of its 25th
the second half, found little straight WCC title game try-
room to pull off his variety
ing to shake the gritty Gaels.
of drop steps and up-and-
The Zags had a hard time
unders.
getting out in transition, had
Gonzaga still found a way to work through multiple
to pick apart one of the na-
options to get decent looks
tion’s toughest defenses and and found passing lanes
win another West Coast
clogged with Gaels.
Conference title.
None of it slowed them
These Zags are deep, dan- down.
gerous and may be poised
Gonzaga shot 58% and hit
for another extended March nine straight shots during a
run.
stretch in the second half to
Andrew Nembhard scored pull away after Saint Mary’s
19 points, Rasir Bolton
had cut the lead to two.
added 18 and top-ranked
Nembhard and Bolton led
Gonzaga outlasted No. 17
the way, combining for 17
Saint Mary’s 82-69 Tuesday straight points to all but lock
night to win its eighth WCC up a No. 1 seed in the NCAA
tournament title in nine
Tournament for the Zags.
years.
“We had to dig very, very
“Their offense is as good deep,” Gonzaga coach Mark
as any in the country,” Saint Few said.
BY JOHN MARSHALL
AP Basketball Writer
March
26-27
Saturday 9:00 am–5:00 pm
Sunday
9:00 am–3:00 pm
DESCHUTES COUNT Y
FAIR & EXPO CENTER
REDMOND
•
OREGON
PRESENTED BY
PASSENGER/LT/SUV TIRES
TOURING A/S
PASSENGER
ALL-SEASON TIRE
OUR BEST PASSENGER
ALL-SEASON TIRE
OUR BEST
ALL-TERRAIN TIRE
ROAD CONTROL
REPUTATION
OPEN RANGE A/T
ALL-SEASON TREAD
SMOOTH, QUIET RIDE
SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE
QUIET RIDE
SUPERIOR BRAKING
QUIET RIDE
5 Buck Breakfast
SAT. MORNING 8–10
WINTER TIRES
While supplies last
Sponsored by McDonalds
All proceeds to benefit Perfect Balance
KIDS’ ZONE
PROJECTS AND FUN ACTIVITIES
ALL THINGS AGRICULTURE
STUDDABLE WINTER
PASSENGER/LT/SUV TIRE
STUDLESS WINTER
PASSENGER/SUV TIRE
HIMALAYA
OBSERVE GSI-5
WINTERCAT
ENHANCED GRIP
EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE
SMOOTH RIDE
INCREASED STABILITY
ADVANCED WINTER TRACTION
TREAD PATTERNS MAY VARY
STUDDABLE WINTER
PASSENGER/LT/SUV TIRE
TREAD PATTERNS MAY VARY
Clint Johnson Working
Dog Demonstrations
SAT. 11–NOON • SUN. 10–11
Early Day Gas Engine
and Tractor Display
with Demonstrations
TIRE CHAINS
Feel more confident driving in winter conditions
with a set of tire chains. We can help you get
the right set of chains for your vehicle, and if you
happen to not need them, we offer a full refund.
For instructions on how to install
chains, text CHAINS to 52225.
VIEW PRICES AND SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AT LESSCHWAB.COM
LEW BROS TIRE
(541) 523-3679
210 Bridge St., Baker City, OR 97814