Sounders Hopes Dashed by Late LAFC Winner Before World Cup Break
It was all going to plan for the Seattle Sounders through eight games.
Sitting at 6-1-1 with the best defense in the league, head coach Brian Schmetzer’s squad looked to insert itself into the top of the Supporters Shield Race with a road game against flailing Sporting Kansas City and a three-match homestand coming.
Instead of thriving on the schedule, Seattle went 1-1-2 heading into a key road date with a struggling LAFC squad (7-5-3), fresh off three losses, on the final Sunday before the June World Cup Break.
Seattle managed to play a scoreless game through 85 minutes, bringing on offensive subs late to try and steal three points. But it was the home team that notched the win, as midfielder Timothy Tillman came out of nowhere late to slam a cross-goal service past Andrew Thomas for the win.
Seattle dropped to 7-3-3 and into sixth place out west with nearly two months to go before its return to play against Portland on July 16.
Washington State Baseball Wins Mountain West, Earns NCAA Tournament Bid
The Washington State Cougars baseball team is officially headed back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010 after defeating San Diego State 14-4 Sunday afternoon to win the Mountain West Championship. The Cougars earned the conference’s automatic bid and completed one of the program’s biggest turnarounds in recent history.
The Cougars entered their winner take all game with a 29-26 overall record and finished second in the Mountain West standings with a 15-9 conference record, trailing only San Diego State in the standings. After finishing 18-36 a season ago, Washington State returned much of the same roster and turned that experience into a postseason run that few expected.
Washington State opened the conference tournament Friday night with a 5-1 win over Air Force to advance to the semifinals. On Saturday, the Cougars faced top-seeded San Diego State and pulled off a 14-9 upset to move into the championship game undefeated.
San Diego State stayed alive later that day by defeating Air Force 11-8 in an elimination game, setting up a rematch with Washington State on Sunday. Because the Cougars had not yet lost in the double-elimination tournament, the Aztecs needed to beat Washington State twice to claim the championship and NCAA Tournament berth.
Instant Takeaways: Storm Trample Mystics in Awa Fam’s Debut
Rookie No. 3 pick Awa Fam made her WNBA debut, and the Seattle Storm carried their momentum from Friday’s win into a 97-85 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Sunday, May 24, at Climate Pledge Arena.
Still without Ezi Magbegor and Dominique Malonga, the Storm finally got the second of their two prized rookie draft pick on the court for the first time. Katie Lou Samuelson also made her season debut, playing her first game for the Storm since 2021.
The final score makes it look closer than it was. This was a game the Storm dominated from the end of the first quarter to the final buzzer, making it by far their best game of the season against a quality opponent.
Kraken the Ice: How Can Seattle Execute ‘Prolific” Offseason?
The Seattle Kraken eye a “prolific offseason" with a new regime in charge after missing the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons, but will bold words translate to pivotal on-ice upgrades?
On a new Kraken the Ice podcast, Emerald City Spectrum writer Nick Lee breaks down the Kraken’s ambitions, highlighting key offseason tasks like re-signing Bobby McMann and leveraging two first-round draft picks for maximum impact, potentially looking to acquire a proven scoring blue liner via trade. The discussion explores possibilities on defense and offense, including spotlighting prospects such as Chase Reid, Ethan Belchetz, and Dax Rudolph to bolster Seattle’s roster. Can management deliver meaningful roster changes, and will hard decisions - such as potentially moving Shane Wright - help reset the franchise’s direction?
Washington State Lands Pair of Commitments for 2027 Recruiting Class
With the 2026 season still months away, recruiting for the class of 2027 is already beginning to take shape in Pullman. New Washington State Cougars head coach Kirby Moore has wasted little time putting together the foundation of his first full recruiting class, landing five commitments early in the cycle.
Two of those early pledges come from the West Coast, representing important additions on both sides of the ball as Moore looks to establish the future identity of the program heading into a new-look Pac-12 conference.
What stands out about Wazzu’s two most decorated recruits signed so far in the 2027 recruiting cycle?
Mariners Show Mediocre Makeup, Roll Over Dead in 5-0 Defeat to Royals
Friday’s game, a 5-0 loss for the Mariners, was over in the first inning. It didn’t matter how many ostensibly good hitters were in the lineup, and it wouldn’t have mattered if Cal Raleigh had been healthy and swinging. George Kirby got the benefit of the baseball world’s decision in eons past to go with ERA instead of RA/9, therefore getting the quality start. In fairness to him, an error (this time J.P. Crawford quite literally dropping the ball while standing on second base when Cole Young sent him a toss for a force out, rather hilariously charged as a throwing error on Young) directly led to that first inning becoming a three-run frame instead of a one-run frame, but Kirby didn’t do well to avoid contact in those situations, with far too much tilted chucking down the pipe.
Royals starter Stephen Kolek cruised from the first inning to the last, becoming the fourth pitcher league-wide to log a complete game shutout. Simply by throwing strikes and forcing the Mariners to make contact, the hurler broke them down as a light touch breaks a rust-ridden nail. Despite striking out only two batters, the Mariners got just four hits in 32 at-bats. Outside of Luke Raley and Cole Young, they got none. The team barely even looked sharp enough to be in the defending-everything-means-defending-nothing zone of bad hitting; they simply appeared to give up right off the rip.
Perhaps that is a little inaccurate. After all, when Raley and Young knocked a pair of one-out singles in the top of the second, the M’s had the beginnings of some sort of rally. It was quickly snuffed out as Dominic Canzone swung at a changeup in the dirt and grounded into a double play.
No Reason to Worry About Devon Witherspoon’s Future With Seahawks Beyond 2026
Close to two months after the team opted to pick up his fifth-year option, the Seattle Seahawks have yet to ink star cornerback Devon Witherspoon to a lucrative multi-year extension, creating questions about when the two sides will strike a deal as the 2026 season rapidly approaches.
From Seattle’s perspective, not having a new contract in place with the former top-five draft choice isn’t a result of not trying or not being interested in rewarding him with a well-earned raise as one of the highest paid players at his position. As reported by Emerald City Spectrum back in March after the team picked up options for Witherspoon and receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, general manager John Schneider and the front office had already been in extension discussions with representatives for both players prior to that point, agreeing to a record-breaking four-year, $168.6 million deal with the latter on March 23.
Now two months after Smith-Njigba signed the dotted line to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, Witherspoon still does not have a new deal of his own, however. According to Brady Henderson of ESPN, the two sides do not appear to be “close to an agreement” at this point, a revelation that may make a large portion of the fan base feel uneasy about the situation.
It’s possible Witherspoon and his agency made their desires to make him the highest-paid cornerback in football known right out of the gate and unlike with Smith-Njigba, the Seahawks balked at such an investment, instead countering with their perceived contract value for the All-Pro. Drawing such a line in the sand has been known to irk a star player or two over the years and can certainly complicate matters trying to get the two sides back on track towards a new deal.
WATCH: Reign Break Scoreless Streak, Beat Expansion Boston 2-1
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali breaks down a 2-1 win for the Seattle Reign over the Boston Legacy (2-6-3) on Friday night. Seattle improved to 4-4-2 and broke a five-game scoreless streak thanks to goals from Sofia Huerta and Maddie Dahlien, conceding a late stoppage-time goal to spoil a clean-sheet performance.
M’s Take Close, Stable Pitcher’s Duel to Begin Road Trip in Kansas City
The Mariners have seen games take wild courses in Kauffman Stadium over the past few years, but on Friday night, it was remarkably stable. Both teams struggled quite a bit at the plate, leading to a low-scoring pitcher’s duel, but one home run for the visitors led to Seattle taking a 2-0 lead and the M’s bullpen went all according to plan.
Logan Gilbert threw nearly six shutout innings, recovering from his seven-run disaster against the Padres.
The last time Logan Gilbert had gone out to the mound, he had thrown 21 of his 27 first pitches for strikes, yet the San Diego Padres jumped on them for seven runs in total. Gilbert threw 15 of 21 first pitches for strikes on Friday, yet he kept the opposing Royals scoreless.
Talking with the media before the game, manager Dan Wilson downplayed concerns that the Mariners’ strike-throwing had allowed hitters to sit on and ambush early strikes.
“We do attack the zone, we do want to get ahead, and I think it’s a different at-bat when you do,” Wilson said before Friday’s game. “I think the good always outweighs the bad when it comes to that.”
Of course, the devil is in the details. Looking at a map of these first pitches, with those against San Diego on the left and those against Kansas City on the right, there are a couple things that are clear.
Gonzaga Baseball Loses Twice in Scottsdale, Eliminated From WCC Tournament
Despite cruising through the regular season conference slate by winning 22 of 27 games, Gonzaga baseball (35-19) sputtered during the WCC tournament in Scottsdale, falling twice in the double-elimination style bracket.
First punched in the mouth by Saint Mary’s, the Zags were defeated 13-4 on Thursday, but still had the security blanket of playing another game. But instead of taking advantage of its position as the No. 1 seed, GU lost again on Friday, unable to complete a comeback against San Francisco after falling behind early. Each of the team’s two first-team All-WCC starters didn’t provide the outings they’ve grown accustomed to logging, while the offense also lacked juice and cohesion, specifically in the power department.
The ramifications of the Bulldogs’ early departure from the conference tournament are severe: even as a top-50 team in the country per RPI heading into the postseason, the WCC was a one-bid league more likely than not. By not winning a game in Arizona, the Zags might’ve played themselves out of any shot at an at-large bid, which would mean their season is already over.
Instant Takeaways: Cooke, Johnson Fuel Storm to Decisive Win Over Sun
The Storm erased a sloppy first quarter and stonewalled the Sun the rest of the way in a 77-59 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Friday, May 22, at Climate Pledge Arena.
Zia Cooke (career-high 25 points) and Flau’jae Johnson (17) combined for 42 points in a landmark day for both players. The Storm shook off any memory of the home loss to the Sun on Wednesday, scoring consistently and thwarting any offense Connecticut tried to piece together.
The Sun shot just 37% from the field and rarely were uncontested after the opening period. Seattle rolled that defense into offense, which hasn’t been a consistent theme so far this season.
Even without Awa Fam, who was activated Friday, Ezi Magbegor and Dominique Malonga, the Storm got all the production it needed from other areas of the roster.
From Seattle to São Paulo: Inside the Passion of Seahawks Fans Abroad
Following a sports team from across continents and oceans is an exercise in pure devotion. For international NFL fans, there are no local broadcasts by default, no casual watercooler chats at work, and "prime-time football" often translates to either an early wake-up call or a bedtime ending in “AM.” Yet, the global reach of the NFL is exploding, and few fanbases showcase this border-crossing passion quite like the Seattle Seahawks' international community, particularly in Brazil.
Despite the NFL assigning official marketing rights for Brazil to other franchises like the Dolphins and Eagles under its Global Markets Program, the "12s" have organically grown into one of the country's top five largest NFL fanbases. Propelled by the legendary "Legion of Boom" era and a cultural grit that mirrors Seattle's own, Brazilian 12s are redefining what it means to be a hometown fan.
To understand how this connection bridges thousands of miles, I chatted with a dedicated Seahawks fan from Brazil, who shared her journey from navigating sparse TV coverage to losing her voice during a Super Bowl run, all while balancing her love for American football against a deeply rooted local soccer culture.
She goes under the name “Lumen Loud” on X. She is also a contributor for Rapinas do Mar (@rapinasdomar), a site created in 2018 “to provide and share news and content in Portuguese—in a more accessible format—for American football fans, a community that is steadily growing in our country, and especially for the "12s" in Brazil” (translated from Portuguese into English from their website.
She was kind enough to answer questions for us at Emerald City Spectrum (ECS).
Storm Activate Awa Fam, Sign Joyner Holmes to Hardship Contract
The Seattle Storm made two moves ahead of their second straight bout with the Connecticut Sun on Friday, May 22, at Climate Pledge Arena.
Seattle activated rookie No. 3 overall pick Awa Fam now that she has joined the team and also signed forward Joyner Holmes to a hardship contract on Friday.
The Storm have been without Ezi Magbegor since the season began, and Dominique Malonga has now missed two games due to a concussion. Her status for Friday’s game against the Sun is uncertain, but the signing of Holmes suggests she will still be on the sidelines.
Pre-OTAs Projection: Which Defensive Players Will Make Seahawks’ 53-Man Roster in 2026?
Edging the Houston Texans for the NFL’s defensive scoring title, the Seattle Seahawks used a stingy, aggressive attack to stymie opponents throughout the 2025 season and put a bow on a magical year dominating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX.
Now set to begin their title defense with OTAs kicking off next week, in news that won’t be so welcomed by the rest of the league, the Seahawks will have the vast majority of their starters from last year’s squad back in 2026. Though they lost cornerback Riq Woolen, safety Coby Bryant, and outside linebacker Boye Mafe this offseason, nine of the 11 players who logged at least 600 snaps in the regular season last year will return, and the team shrewdly attempted to replace those departed players in free agency and the draft.
With that said, coach Mike Macdonald and his staff have work to do at several positions finding the best personnel to offset the aforementioned departures, particularly in the secondary with noteworthy vacancies at cornerback and safety to address. And with four draft picks invested in the defensive backfield, the competition will be an intense one in Seattle vying for only a handful of spots on one of the most talented rosters in the NFL.
Rumbling into OTAs at the VMAC, which defensive players will survive cuts to make Seattle’s opening week roster?
Pre-OTAs Projection: Which Offensive Players Will Make Seahawks’ 53-Man Roster in 2026?
Lighting up scoreboards from start to finish, the Seattle Seahawks leaned on a potent offense that ranked in the top five in the NFL last season to finish with 17 wins and capture the second Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.
As they embark on their title defense with the final phase of the offseason program starting next week, the Seahawks will have most of the band back together from last year’s Super Bowl squad. All 11 players who logged at least 700 offensive snaps will return, and with the exception of running back Ken Walker III, every starter from last season remains under contract, presenting unprecedented continuity for a defending NFL champion.
With that continuity, however, few roster spots will be available on the offensive side of the ball as competitions heat up in coming weeks leading up to the start of training camp. Even for reserves who played snaps last season, with a new crop of rookies and free agent signees on board, there won’t be any guarantee of sticking around on the 53-man roster this time around on one of the NFL’s deepest teams.
Rumbling into OTAs at the VMAC, which offensive players will survive cuts to make Seattle’s opening week roster?
Gonzaga Boosts Frontcourt With Izan Almansa as Eligibility Concerns Remain
The Gonzaga Bulldogs made a major frontcourt splash with the reported commitment of 6-10 Spanish forward Izan Almansa, setting up one of the most intriguing big man rotations in college hoops.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Howard Woodard spotlights Almansa’s journey from Real Madrid and G League Ignite to the NBL’s Perth Wildcats and now the NCAA and how his arrival potentially bolsters Gonzaga’s depth alongside Masamba Diop and Braden Huff, and coach Mark Few’s navigation of the NCAA eligibility maze as the Zags aim to build one of the nation's most formidable frontcourts for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
Hot Corner J.P? Crawford Aims to Prolong Mariners’ Career With Position Change
Colt Emerson is in the big leagues, hopefully to stay as a centerpiece for the Seattle Mariners. He’s a hotshot 20-year-old shortstop who bats left, throws right, and stands about six feet tall, coming to the show as one of the top prospects in the sport.
Interestingly, that’s exactly how you could’ve described J.P. Crawford when he debuted with the Philadelphia Phillies a decade ago. Back in 2016, MLB Pipeline ranked him as the No. 5 prospect in all of baseball and seemed like the next big thing at shortstop.
It wasn’t a linear climb for Crawford, however. In Philadelphia, he never realized that potential and fell out of favor with that front office. After the 2018 season, he was traded by the Phillies with Carlos Santana to the Seattle Mariners for Juan Nicasio, James Pazos, and Jean Segura.
It wasn’t an immediate success in Seattle, either. In parts of two seasons, he batted .237 with a .680 OPS and below average 88 OPS+. However, he won his first career Gold Glove at shortstop in 2020. 2021 is where things began to click for Crawford in a Mariners uniform, collecting 169 hits and posting 3.7 WAR. From there, he has been the franchise’s staple at shortstop.
Arozarena, Mariners Gut Out Series Win vs. White Sox
It would be quite an understatement to say a Wednesday win was badly needed after the gut-punch the Mariners had suffered on Tuesday.
Luckily for Seattle (with luck indeed on the team’s side more often than not), the M’s gutted out the afternoon rubber match, defying even a no-outs, bases loaded miss to put up five runs and win the game 5-4. It was their first one-run win since May 4 and 24th win on the whole year, though they still sit three games under despite heroics from Randy Arozarena and Jhonny Pereda.
Emerson Hancock pitched an uneasy five innings but avoided extra damage.
Wednesday’s game gave Mariners starter Emerson Hancock the chance for revenge on the only team to yet put up a crooked number on him in 2026. Results were mixed innings-wise, but the hurler kept the White Sox to far less runs than the five he had given up in Chicago.
The strangeness of the sport was on display in the second and third innings for the Mariners starter. Despite a whistle-clean first inning, Hancock lost his control in the second, unable to figure out the release point on his fastball. One heater after another flew high and away to the lefty Colson Montgomery for a leadoff five-pitch walk, followed by four straight up and in to Chase Meidroth. He tried to get his feel back with a sweeper to Jarred Kelenic, only for it to bounce out of Jhonny Pereda’s reach and advance the runners - but the wild pitch scarcely mattered since Kelenic walked anyway.
O’Dea’s Tevita Nonu Latest Win as Huskies Look to Load Up on the Defensive Line
After three years of playing catch-up to build a defensive front capable of holding up in the Big Ten, the Washington Huskies appear to be loading up for the long term.
While head coach Jedd Fisch and defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi look far and wide for tall and wide bodies, the latest recruiting win is just a few miles from Huskies Stadium. Tevita Nonu, a 6-4, 270-pound Class of 2027 defensive lineman from O’Dea High School, committed to Washington on Tuesday.
Nonu chose Washington over Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon and Arizona. This was a crucial win for UW.
Analysis: Investigating Seahawks’ Key Defensive Position Battles Entering OTAs
Set to kick off OTAs next week at the VMAC, the Seattle Seahawks will welcome back plenty of familiar faces from their Super Bowl squad. Even with Riq Woolen, Coby Bryant, and Boye Mafe gone, 11 of the 13 players who logged at least 700 defensive snaps in 2025 remain under contract heading into the new season, presenting rare continuity for a defending champion.
Thanks to the minimal changes, Seattle will open the final phase of the offseason program without many starting jobs up for grabs on defense, leaving rotational reserve roles as the main competitions to play out over the summer. The entire interior defensive line and linebacker corps will return from last year’s Super Bowl squad along with the majority of key starters back in the secondary, headlined by All-Pro Devon Witherspoon and rising star Nick Emmanwori.
But while few starting jobs may be on the line, the Seahawks should still have some enticing competitions on tap on the defensive side of the football when they hit the practice field next week, including a pair of significant openings to replace Woolen and Bryant in the secondary that will be buoyed by using four draft picks at the two positions last month.
Which battles offer the most intrigue with two months until the start of training camp?
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