Athletes of the year: The best senior male athletes in the South Sound
SENIOR ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
4A NPSL — CASCADE
4A NPSL Cascade athlete of the year: J.J. Young, Mount Rainier — Excelled in football, basketball and track and field, leading the Rams to success they hadn’t seen in a long time. He won a state track title (4x400 relay), averaged a double-double in basketball (earning all-league) and was the all-purpose player of the year in the league for football. Not that there weren’t other good athletes. Kentwood’s Darius LuBom was all-league in football and then led the basketball team to the 4A state title as a two-time league MVP. Hazen’s Joe Tryon committed to UW for football and Kennedy’s Jared Thurber was a standout in football, basketball and baseball.
Kennedy Catholic – Jared Thurber
Kentlake – Niklas Henning
Kentridge – JaQuan Dubose
Tahoma – Josh Smith
4A NPSL — OLYMPIC
4A NPSL Olympic athlete of the year: Gabe Togia, Federal Way — The Gonzaga baseball commit as a catcher was also Federal Way’s quarterback in the Fall. He tops a league that included baseball MVP Alex McBee of Auburn Mountainview, Auburn Riverside’s Andy Starkel (a standout kicker in football and goalkeeper in soccer), state track champion Kemuel Santana of Decatur, WSU baseball commit Mason De La Cruz of Jefferson and state soccer champion Austin Stafford of Beamer.
Auburn – Bryan Thornquist
Auburn Mountainview – Alex McBee
Auburn Riverside – Andy Starkel
Decatur – Kemuel Santana
Enumclaw – Jacob Revell
Thomas Jefferson – Mason De La Cruz
4A SPSL
4A SPSL athlete of the year: Connor Wedington, Sumner — What a league this was. Outstanding athletes at every school including Graham-Kapowsin’s U.S. Army All-American lineman Foster Sarell and two TNT All-Area players of the year (Wedington, football; Puyallup’s Michael Spellacy, baseball). Wedington, a Stanford football signee, is the first Sumner student-athlete to play football for an FBS school since the 1960s. He also qualified for state track in the 100 and 4x100 relay, has a 3.83 GPA and has been involved in his community, speaking at the elementary school and being a Spart Crew Leader. He’ll be joined at Stanford by Sarell. Bellarmine’s Christian Moore and Emerald Ridge’s Andrew Boston were standout football and basketball players; Curtis’ Calhoun Helmberger won a state wrestling title and was a standout in football and track; Olympia’s Scott Gunther started in football and baseball; South Kitsap’s Nolan Van Amen won five individual state titles (three in discus, two in shot put); and Rogers’ Omarei Gregory won the state triple jump title.
Bellarmine Prep – Christian Moore
Curtis – Calhoun Helmberger
Graham-Kapowsin – Foster Sarell
Olympia – Scott Gunther
3A PIERCE COUNTY LEAGUE
3A PCL athlete of the year: Caleb Davis, Bonney Lake — Eastern Washington football signee was the 3A PCL MVP as an offensive lineman, defensive lineman and punter in football and reached state in shot put and discus during track and field season. Bethel’s Dante Springsteen capped his wrestling season with a state title, Lincoln’s William Willsey competed in football, wrestling and baseball.
Lakes – Dedrian Milligan
Lincoln – William Willsey
Mount Tahoma – Jalil Massey
Spanaway Lake – Freddie Green
Stadium – Blake Wilcox
Wilson – Elijah Jones
3A SOUTH SOUND CONFERENCE
3A SSC athlete of the year: Brandon Thompson, Yelm — First-team all-league in football and second-team all-league in baseball. Thompson also had a 3.69 GPA. Gig Harbor’s Alex Emery was a starting center and snapped every play for three years on three state-bound football teams. He also had a 3.9 GPA.
Capital – Tanner Johnson
Central Kitsap – DeAndre Sincere
Gig Harbor – Alex Emery
North Thurston – Tommy Johnson
Peninsula – Michael Campigotto
Shelton – Kyle Kimball
Timberline – Parker Risk
2A SPSL — MOUNTAIN
2A SPSL Mountain athlete of the year: Wesley Nixon, Fife— An All-Area football and baseball player for Fife also tried out for the swim team thisyear, was the ASB activities coordinator and had 3.68 GPA. Headed to PLU. He just edges Franklin Pierce’s Willie Patterson, who was the 2A SPSL Mountain MVP in football and also reached state in track and field.
Franklin Pierce – Willie Patterson
Lindbergh – Derek Anderson
Washington – DeAndre Williams
2A SPSL — SOUND
2A SPSL Sound athlete of the year — Marques Hampton Jr., Steilacoom — He’s heading to Eastern Washington University for football, but also did basketball and track and field. Set Steilacoom’s school record for receiving yards as a junior (1,102). Eatonville’s Brooks Moeller was all-league in football, basketball and baseball and River Ridge’s Josh Braverman won state track titles in the 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles.
Clover Park – Joseph Claypoole
Highline – Benji Box
Orting – Austin Spader
Tyee – Habib Barry
OTHERS
Northwest Christian – Luke Schilter
Pope John Paul II – Hieu Vu
Life Christian – Luke Lovelady
Tacoma Baptist – Noah Leaman
Vashon Island – Bryce Hoisington
preps@thenewstribune.com
This story was originally published June 20, 2017 at 10:00 PM with the headline "Athletes of the year: The best senior male athletes in the South Sound."