TNT readers say this high school boys team was the best of 2024-25
Voting is now closed for The News Tribune’s High School Boys Team of the Year for 2024-25 seasons. Thanks to everyone who voted and supported local student-athletes.
The News Tribune’s High School Boys Team of the Year is:
Sumner football
As time expired in the 4A championship at Husky Stadium, kicker Austin Ferencz drilled the title-winning 21-yard field goal that lifted Sumner over Camas, 27-24, and delivered head coach Keith Ross’ first ring in 23 years at the helm. All-Area RB Steele Isaacs put the offense on his back with 129 carries for 668 yards and nine touchdowns in four playoff games, notching at least 125+ rush yards and two scores in each. The Spartans went undefeated (13-0) against in-state programs.
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Annie Wright basketball — Beyond 1A’s basketball landscape, Annie Wright made their case as one of the Northwest’s best hoops programs with TNT All-Area Player of the Year Jeremiah Harshman and a 23-2 overall record. The Golden Gators stunned eventual 3A champion Rainier Beach in their road opener, 74-70, and cruised to the state’s 1A trophy with four tournament wins by double-digits. Featured Indiana State signee and TNT All-Area F/G Martin Kaupanger.
Puyallup baseball — Finished the season with a 28-1 record, an undefeated run through the non-league and 4A SPSL schedule, won the 4A District 3/4 title and advanced to the 4A state tournament semifinals, falling to eventual champion Lake Washington in Yakima. Ended the season ranked No. 23 in the country by MaxPreps and was in the top five for much of the season.
Puyallup basketball — Drew Jones and the Vikings’ thrilling run to the 4A championship game and eventual runner-up finish in the Tacoma Dome had Puyallup partying like it was 1971. The 4A SPSL champions finished 23-8 and upset both No. 7 Mount Si and No. 6 West Valley in the state bracket. Jones, the 4A State Tournament MVP, became the first player in school history to complete his career with 1,000 points and 300 assists.
Orting wrestling — The state’s freight-train wrestling program captured its fourth-straight 2A team title and boasted six individual champions at the Tacoma Dome’s Mat Classic XXXVI: Nery Rivas (106), Trevor Anderson (120), Alan Salguero Jr. (138), Michael Fritz (144), Quentin Harding (157), and Levi DiCugno (175). Salguero Jr. and Harding claimed their fourth individual titles, joining a club of 27 wrestlers in state history to accomplish the feat.
Sumner football — As time expired in the 4A championship at Husky Stadium, kicker Austin Ferencz drilled the title-winning 21-yard field goal that lifted Sumner over Camas, 27-24, and delivered head coach Keith Ross’ first ring in 23 years at the helm. All-Area RB Steele Isaacs put the offense on his back with 129 carries for 668 yards and nine touchdowns in four playoff games, notching at least 125+ rush yards and two scores in each. The Spartans went undefeated (13-0) against in-state programs.
Tahoma wrestling — Claimed repeat 4A Boys team titles at the Tacoma Dome’s Mat Classic XXXVI, paced by 4A 126 champion Owen Marshall and state runners-up Isac Deonigi (157) and Adriano Perez (175).
Tumwater football — With its tried-and-true Wing-T offense, Tumwater rolled to 13 straight wins before falling to Anacortes in the 2A championship for a second-straight year. A dozen T-Birds rushed for more than 100 yards last fall (4,413 total rush yards) and Tumwater’s defense allowed just 96 total points in 14 games. 2A Evergreen Defensive co-MVP Beckett Wall tackled 95 with six sacks, three blocked kicks, and four batted balls.
White River wrestling — Hornets duo Caleb Dale (3A 150) and Riley Simmons (215) claimed individual championships at the Tacoma Dome’s Mat Classic XXXVI that powered White River’s program to the first-place title (252) in a two-team race over Hermiston (242.5).
This story was originally published June 23, 2025 at 12:56 PM.
