Garfield High won for the first time in nearly two years (more on CDNews), and only the second time since 2005, beating rivals Franklin 14-6. Tony Wroten, a junior who’s one of the top basketball recruits in the nation, caught an 11-yard touchdown pass and had two interceptions in the game. Pierre Wright, another basketball player, had 97 yards rushing.

Wroten’s had a fun couple of weeks–on August 22 he played in the Boost Mobile Elite 24 game in New York City, as did Kentwood High’s Josh Smith. Wroten and Smith even got a little run at Madison Square Garden as part of their visit to NYC. Smith, incidentally, is also playing football this year, though I can’t tell if he played in Kentwood’s season-opening win.

Garfield’s next game is Thursday at 5 p.m. at Memorial Stadium vs. Inglemoor. I may try to catch that!

Photo courtesy of indefatigable Neighborlogs intern Lucas Anderson.

If Seahawks Nation was Russian Orthodox, there’d be bells ringing from here to Omsk now that Brian Russell’s been cut.

Writes John Morgan of Field Gulls: “This is the single best news of the entire offseason. Pop your best beer, everybody, this is time to get drunk and more drunk!”

For the basic Brian Russell hating primer, read this classic post by Captain Caveman of Kissing Suzy Kolber.

An excerpt: “You know how Reed Doughty is the only white guy on the Redskins’ defense, and how funny it is because he sucks? Brian Russell is the broke man’s Reed Doughty. To call him the Tarvaris Jackson of safeties would be a compliment.” Glorious. (For more Russell hate, see here and here.)

Now Russell is gone (leading Capt. Caveman to post the celebratory “So Long, F-ckface“), and–oh, it gets better–the Seahawks’ new safety is University of Washington Huskies legend Lawyer Milloy.

HOOOOORAAAYYY! Milloy is 35 years old, so his best years are behind him, but it’s better than not having any best years like Russell.

Other Seahawks transaction news on cutdown day, ranked in order of interest:

— Marcus Trufant placed on the physically unable to perform list, he’s ineligible for the first six games.

— D.D. Lewis cut.

— Olindo Mare won the kicking battle, as Brandon Coutu is cut. (May we now forever forget about drafting special teams players? The Hawks drafted two in ’08, neither even played a down.)

— 7th-round pick Nick Reed made the team.

The full cut list.

The Hawks open the season against St. Louis Saturday at Qwest Field.

Luke French didn’t help his chances for making the 2010 rotation by lasting just 3.2 innings against the putrid A’s offense. An Adam Kennedy single plated the A’s fifth run, chasing French in the fourth. Jason Vargas–another ’10 rotation candidate–threw 2.1 IP of hitless relief, but then Miguel Batista came in and you can fill in the rest.

(Note: Less than a month of Miguel Batista left! It’s like finally getting to the end of a really icky box of cereal.)

Ichiro had three hits to get within one of 2,000 for his career, and Mike Sweeney had four hits, which puts him just nine shy of 1,500 on his career. Why aren’t the Japanese media covering that? Racists.

In other hit counting news, Rob Johnson had one, which gives him three on his career. Just kidding, Rob! Keep at it; Dan Wilson couldn’t hit for shit as a rookie either.

M’s play Oakland at 1 p.m. tomorrow, Doug Fister against Gio Gonzalez.

“That was fun!” Among the many phrases overheard at Husky Stadium Saturday that weren’t audible last season.

Despite the loss, Husky fans were positively giddy during and after. This was one of those odd games, childhood friend David observed, where the losing team’s fans left happier than the winning team’s did.

Because LSU was supposed to throttle the Huskies. They didn’t. Washington could’ve–and maybe should’ve–beaten the Tigers.

Washington outgained LSU 478 to 321. Take away two key Husky mistakes a Jake Locker interception that LSU returned for a TD, and Chris Polk’s fumble at the LSU 5–and the Dawgs are your upset winners. As defensive lineman Alameda Ta’amu put it afterwards: “We cannot have any dumb-ass plays.”

Despite their critical mistakes, Locker and Polk were the brightest spots for the Dawgs.

Polk didn’t shy from contact, hit holes fast, and pushed for extra yardage. His 90 yards rushing was more than any Husky back managed in 10 of last year’s 12 games.

Locker’s 321 yards passing is the second-highest total of his career. Better yet, he showed improved decision-making, especially near halftime when two throwaways allowed the Huskies time to kick a field goal.

And let’s add a shoutout to true freshman James Johnson, who Steve Sarkisian called the biggest get of this year’s recruiting class. Johnson had six catches including a TD.

Encouraging performances against a top ten team.

Let’s not overlook the glaring deficiencies. Safety Greg Walker twice whiffed on open field tackles, permitting LSU touchdowns each time. Devin Aguilar dropped a perfectly-thrown Locker pass inside the ten yard line in the fourth quarter. The defensive front line proved unable to pressure LSU quarterback James Jefferson.

Said coach Sarkisian after the game:

“I think the initial goal I set earlier in the week is that when this game was done, that other football team respected us. I have a feeling they respect the Washington Husky football team.”

Maybe more importantly, Coach Sark, the fans respect your team too.

Check out this play UW recruit Chris Young of Auburn High, who Scout.com rates as the #21 OLB in the class of ’09. He body-slams a punt returner. If you want to know more about Young, Sandy Ringer of the Times profiled him last week.

(HT: Seattle Times High School Sports Blog)