Winner of The News Tribune’s Boys Athlete of the Year
Voting is now closed for The News Tribune’s Boys Athlete of the Year for 2024-25 high school seasons. Thanks to everyone who voted and supported local student-athletes.
The News Tribune’s Boys Athlete of the Year is:
Kasey Williams, Lincoln
Lincoln’s three-sport junior athlete and Abes sprinter captured two state titles at last month’s WIAA track and field meet at Mount Tahoma in the 3A Boys 4x100M (41.69) and 4x400M (3:20.26) relays. The two-way football standout (WR/DB) was named to the 3A PSL’s defensive first-team and offensive second-team with 57 receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns before earning all-league basketball honors with Lincoln’s state-tournament team.
The poll is located below. You can read about all of the candidates and their accomplishments below.
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Xavier Ahrens, Curtis, sr. — Three-sport athlete competed in football, basketball and track for the Vikings. 4A SPSL first-team selection at both linebacker and receiver, Ahrens posted 56 receptions for 668 yards and seven touchdowns, adding three interceptions on defense (13 career). Montana State football commit.
Nicholas ‘Nico’ Altheimer, Curtis, sr. — The state’s fastest high-school sprinter captured three titles at the WIAA State Track & Field Championships at Mount Tahoma last month with gold medals in the 4A Boys 100M Dash (10.59), 4A Boys 200M Dash (21.07), and 4A Boys 4x100M Relay (40.93). Altheimer was the anchor of Curtis’ state-record relay (40.84) in a May 30 preliminary and recorded WA’s quickest 100-meter (10.35) and 200-meter (21.02) times this spring.
JJ Bordeaux, Bellarmine Prep, sr. — Played basketball and golf for the Lions, earning 3A PSL all-league honorable mention recognition in hoops. On the golf course, was one of the state’s most highly-decorated golfers ever, earning three top-two finishes at the 4A state tournament and winning the individual title in 2024. Creighton golf signee.
Derek Colman-Brusa, Kennedy Catholic, jr. — The state’s top football recruit from the 2026 class and four-star edge rusher tackled 68 (25 TFL) with a dozen sacks and five forced fumbles for the Lancers last fall, earning offers from the likes of Ohio State, Oregon, Washington, and others. Two-time TNT All-Area football selection wrestled for Kennedy Catholic and finished sixth in the 4A Boys 285 bracket at the Tacoma Dome’s state meet.
Elijah Durr, Mount Tahoma, jr. — TNT All-Area football selection (WR/DB) was Mount Tahoma’s two-way standout with 502 receiving yards and eight touchdowns along with three interceptions and 29 tackles, netting a dozen Division-I offers to date. Durr won the bronze medal in the 3A Boys Triple Jump (45-11.25) on his home track at last month’s state track and field meet.
Easton Francis, Charles Wright Academy, sr. — Valley City State baseball commit earned 1A Nisqually first-team pitcher nods in 2024-25 and played both sides of the football for the Tarriers last fall. 1A Nisqually first-team linebacker and second-team running back.
Austin Gonia, Tenino, sr. — Four-time letter winner in football, basketball and baseball. First-team all-league receiver and defensive back in football, first-team all-league baseball and league MVP in basketball. Named to The Chronicle’s All-Area team in all three sports.
Carter Hansen, Auburn, sr. — The 4A NPSL basketball MVP last winter averaged 18 points, 5.1 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Was a two-time first-team selection, three-time league champion, three-time district champion and three-time state participant at Auburn.
Quentin Harding, Orting, sr. — The powerful 2A 157-pounder won four individual state titles throughout his Cardinals career and fueled Orting’s fourth-straight 2A team title. Harding is one of 27 wrestlers in state history to win four individual state wrestling titles.
Jeremiah Harshman, Annie Wright, sr. — TNT’s All-Area basketball player of the year was “a coach on the floor” throughout the Golden Gators’ 1A title run, a floor general point guard considered one of the state’s smoothest scorers. Harshman averaged 18 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists per game despite limited minutes in routine blowouts and delivered a dramatic, step-back buzzer-beater for third place at the prestigious Les Schwab Invitational in Oregon.
Spencer Holloway, Decatur, sr. — Led the Gators to the program’s first state tournament at quarterback. The 3A NPSL player of the year passed for 2,065 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushed 180 times for 700 yards and 13 touchdowns. 3A NPSL second-team selection on Decatur’s baseball team in the spring.
Drew Jones, Puyallup, sr. — TNT All-Area first-team selection was the Washington 4A state tournament MVP, leading the Vikings to the 4A title game for the first time since 1971. Averaged 20.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and four assists per game. 4A SPSL North MVP is the only player in Puyallup history to drop 1,000 career points and dish 300 career assists.
Austin May, Federal Way, sr. — TNT All-Area wide receiver and 3A NPSL co-Offensive Player of the Year piled 1,000 all-purpose yards (850 receiving) with 19 total touchdowns last fall, a speedy two-sport athlete who finished sixth in the 3A Boys 100M Dash (11.15) at last month’s state track and field meet at Mount Tahoma.
Parker Mady, Curtis, sr. — A two-way standout on the football field, Mady was a TNT All-Area selection in 2024 and leaves as the school’s all-time leader in receptions, touchdowns and all-purpose yards. 4A SPSL North MVP caught 78 passes for 1,104 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. 4A SPSL all-league honorable mention pick in baseball. Montana State football commit.
Mason Pike, Puyallup, sr. — TNT All-Area baseball player of the year posted a 5-1 record and 0.84 ERA this spring with fastballs flirting with triple-digits and nasty sliders, curveballs, and changeups. Early-round MLB Draft prospect and Puyallup’s best hitter posted career-highs in average (.482), RBI (28), doubles (14), and walks (20) and guided the Vikings to a 28-game win streak and national ranking. WA Gatorade Player of the Year and Oregon State commit.
Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, Bethel, sr. — At linebacker and receiver for the Bison, Rainey-Sale was a difference maker on the field and the TNT’s 2024 All-Area football player of the year. The 4A SPSL South division MVP had 98 tackles and an SPSL-leading 87 tackles in league play with four scores on defense, taking three interceptions back for touchdowns and one scooped fumble returned for a touchdown. At wide receiver on offense, had 10 touchdowns in 10 games. Signed with UW, choosing the Huskies over Oregon, Alabama, Miami, Texas and others.
Zack Robertson, Puyallup, sr. — The TNT’s All-Area boys soccer player of the year netted 30 goals and had 22 assists for the Vikings, leading Puyallup to another 4A state tournament appearance. 4A SPSL MVP is a Western Washington commit.
Alan ‘AJ’ Salguero Jr., Orting, sr. — The dominant 2A 138-pounder claimed his fourth individual state title at Tacoma Dome’s Mat Classic XXXVI and powered Orting’s dynasty to a fourth-straight team title. Salguero Jr. is one of 27 wrestlers in state history to win four individual state titles.
Cash Short, Tumwater, sr. — T-Birds LB/RB will attend Montana Tech on a football scholarship, a cornerstone on both sides of the ball for Tumwater’s 2A state runner-up team. Short was a three-time state wrestler and qualified for last month’s state track and field meet in four events, capturing a state title in the 2A Boys 4x100M Relay (41.78) that set a new school record. Added a fourth-place finish in the 2A Boys 400-meter dash (50.12). Washington State Football Coaches Association (WSFCA) 2A All-State first-team selection.
Dre Sio-Fetaui, Lincoln, sr. — Abes linebacker and PSL Narrows Defensive MVP was the state’s season leader in tackles (144), holding Division-I offers from Arizona and Nevada. Three-sport athlete finished third in the 3A Boys 215 wrestling bracket at February’s Mat Classic XXXVI and grabbed seventh in the 3A Boys Shot Put (51-7.75) at last month’s state track and field meet at Mount Tahoma.
Jonah Smith, Yelm, jr. — A three-sport athlete for the Tornados, Smith was a first-team 4A SPSL defensive line selection, took third place at the 4A state wrestling tournament in the heavyweight division and was the team’s starting third baseman and a pitcher for Yelm, leading the team the postseason for the first time in a decade.
Josiah Taijeron, Rogers, sr. — A standout on the football field and on the wrestling mat, Taijeron was a 4A SPSL first-team selection, racking up 1,228 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns at running back last fall. In wrestling, won the 4A state title in the 165-pound weight class.
Beckett Wall, Tumwater, sr. — Two-time TNT All-Area linebacker selection was a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks throughout Tumwater’s run to back-to-back 2A championship games with 95 tackles (25 for loss), six sacks, three blocked kicks, and four batted balls in 2024. T-Birds senior grabbed eighth place in the 2A Boys Javelin at the state track and field meet at Mount Tahoma last month.
Nehemiah Washington, Decatur, sr. — Starred for the rising football program, wrestled and participated in track and field. Was the 4A NPSL offensive player of the year and a first-team linebacker his junior season. Took second place at the Mat Classic wrestling tournament last winter. Utah State football commit.
Kasey Williams, Lincoln, jr. — Three-sport athlete and Abes sprinter captured two state titles at last month’s WIAA track and field meet at Mount Tahoma in the 3A Boys 4x100M (41.69) and 4x400M (3:20.26) relays. Two-way football standout (WR/DB) was named to the 3A PSL’s defensive first-team and offensive second-team with 57 receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns before earning all-league basketball honors with Lincoln’s state-tournament team.
This story was originally published June 17, 2025 at 1:37 PM.
