Vote now for The News Tribune’s 2025-26 Boys Athlete of the Year
Vote now for The News Tribune’s 2025-26 Boys Athlete of the Year. Voting will remain open until noon Monday, June 22.
The poll is located below. You can read about all of the candidates and their accomplishments below.
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Trevor Anderson, Orting, jr. — Cardinals standout claimed his second state wrestling title (2A 126) at Mat Classic XXXVII, stunning three-time champion and Toppenish senior Steve Romero via 6-5 decision at the Tacoma Dome. 2025 TNT Untouchables selection and Edmonds Invite champion.
Henry Blake, Gig Harbor, sr. — A soccer standout who quickly became a star on the football field as well, Blake helped the Tides to a league soccer title in 2023 and district titles in 2023 and 2026. Helped the Tides to a fifth-place finish in the Class 3A state tournament in 2025 and a third-place finish in 2026. All-league selection in 2024 and 2025, 3A PSL co-MVP and TNT All-Area first-team selection in 2026 after scoring 16 goals and tallying nine assists for the Tides in the spring. First-team 3A PSL selection in football in 2025. Oregon State soccer commit.
Eddie Bruner Jr., Lincoln, sr. — Abes sprinter successfully defended two state titles at the WIAA track and field championships (Mount Tahoma High School) in the 3A Boys 4x100M Relay (41.86) and 3A Boys 400M Dash (46.62).
Jaxon Budd, Tumwater, sr. — Senior claimed the 2A Boys Long Jump state title with a new meet record (24-2) at the WIAA track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in May. Last fall, the quarterback of Tumwater’s football team guided the T-Birds to their third-straight 2A state championship game and runner-up finish, totaling 14 touchdowns (12 Pass, 2 Rush).
Benton Coffey, Charles Wright, sr. — Starred in both football and soccer at Charles Wright, an integral part of the chemistry of both teams.
Derek Colman-Brusa, Kennedy Catholic, sr. — Game-wrecking edge rusher was the state’s top football recruit last fall, bulldozing Kennedy Catholic’s way to the Class 4A state tournament. Three-time TNT All-Area selection and two-time 4A NPSL Player of the Year logged 50 tackles (19 TFL), eight sacks and two blocked kicks. Colman-Brusa signed with the University of Washington over Ohio State, Oregon, and others.
Felix Diaz, Mount Tahoma, sr. — One of Mount Tahoma’s top two-way players starred at running back and defensive back for the football team last fall, erupting for a 51-yard touchdown run and grabbing an interception in the school’s first state championship game appearance since 1980. 3A PSL first-team DB finished his senior season with 12 rushing touchdowns and three picks.
Caden Durocher, Olympia, sr. — Senior claimed the 4A Boys 800M Run state title with a new meet record (1:49.74) at the WIAA track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in May.
Elijah Durr, Mount Tahoma, sr. — One of the state’s top all-around football players impacted all three phases of the game, leading Mount Tahoma to its first state championship game since 1980. TNT All-Area Co-Player of the Year totaled 427 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on offense, returning three punts for touchdowns and blocking five kicks on special teams. Lockdown corner and 2025 Gatorade state player of the year tallied 35 tackles, three interceptions and broke up four passes. UW signee.
Izear Ferguson, Sumner, sr. — Sprinter won state titles in the 4A Boys 100M Dash (10.58) and 4A Boys 200M Dash (21.51) at the WIAA track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in May. Ferguson played defensive back for Sumner’s 4A championship football team last fall, grabbing two interceptions.
Amin Fidaar, Rogers, sr. — Distance specialist claimed the 4A Boys 1600M Run state title with a new meet record (4:04.57) at the WIAA championships at Mount Tahoma High School in May. Also the winner of the South Sound Invite in the 800 and 1,600, winner of the Nike Jesuit 1,500, winner of the 4A SPSL 800, the District 3/4 800 and 1,600.
Shaun Griffith, Sumner, sr. — 4A SPSL Co-Defensive Player of the Year “plays harder than anyone” longtime Sumner head coach Keith Ross has guided in 28 years. Disrupting defensive lineman with a relentless motor helped deliver the football team’s repeat 4A state title at Husky Stadium last fall, logging 84 total tackles (15 TFL) with nine sacks.
Dominique Harper, River Ridge, sr. — 3A PSL Nisqually co-MVP led the basketball team to the state tournament for the first time since 2016. His 46 blocks in the 2025-26 season were the second-most all-time in school history. Had 351 points and 191 rebounds last winter and will continue his basketball career at William Woods University.
Shan Jones, Mount Tahoma, sr. — 3A PSL first-team linebacker paced the football team in tackles (134) and sparked Mount Tahoma’s run to the 3A championship game with two interceptions against Eastside Catholic in the state semifinals. Jones tallied 25.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
Matthew Ledbetter, Kentlake, jr. — Kentlake’s hero delivered the Class 3A state title with an extra-inning, game-winning hit in the championship game last month in Everett. 3A NPSL first-team selection hit .398 with 27 RBI this spring, posting an 8-1 record and 1.72 ERA on the mound (56.2 IP).
Lawson Looker, Puyallup, sr. — Three-sport athlete played football, basketball and golf for the Vikings. Earned first-team honors and was a TNT first-team All-Area selection in football, catching 42 passes for 1,005 yards and 14 touchdowns. In basketball, a second-team selection who helped the Vikings to the 4A District 3/4 title and another Class 4A state tournament appearance at the Tacoma Dome. In golf, Looker was a top 10 finisher in districts and a 4A state tournament participant. Indiana State University football commit.
Owen Marshall, Tahoma, jr. — Two-time TNT Untouchables selection won his second state title (4A 132) at Mat Classic XXXVII inside the Tacoma Dome in February. Junior with deceptive strength and speed won titles at Tri-State, Rose City (OR) and the Edmonds Invite, finishing sixth at the nationally-recognized Doc Buchanan Invitational (CA).
Michael Masini, Gig Harbor, sr. — Senior forward leaves the Tides basketball program with 18 school records to his name, including single-season points (620), career points (1,533), single-game rebounds (23), single-season rebounds (345) and career rebounds (863). West Point (Army) commit and double-double machine averaged 25.5 points and 12.1 rebounds for Gig Harbor this winter.
Lazarus McEwen, Capital, soph. — Rising star won his second state title (3A 113) in as many years inside the Tacoma Dome at Mat Classic XXXVII.
Lance McGee, Sumner, sr. — Star running back carried Sumner to back-to-back 4A state titles, setting championship-game records in carries (46), rushing yards (368) and touchdowns (6) in an overtime win over Lake Stevens at Husky Stadium last December. Washington State football signee finished his senior season with 2,489 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns on 251 carries.
Jamaize McGriff, Emerald Ridge, sr. — Two-way force on South Hill powered Emerald Ridge’s best postseason finish in program history. The 6-foot-7 wing’s 14 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, two steals and 1.8 blocks per game led the Jaguars to the state tournament’s fifth-place trophy, including a quarterfinal win over No. 1 Mount Si at the Tacoma Dome in March. TNT All-Area selection and 4A SPSL North Co-Defensive MVP.
Christopher Moore, Kentlake, sr. — TNT All-Area Two-Way Baseball Player of the Year powered Kentlake to the Class 3A state title with 40 RBI at the plate (.571 AVG) and a 0.66 ERA on the mound (52.1 IP). UW commit.
Lucas Morgan, Sumner, sr. — TNT All-Area boys soccer player of the year anchored the back line for the 4A SPSL champions and led Sumner to the Class 4A state championship game, a run that included a 3-1 win over top-seeded Stadium in the quarterfinals. Sumner beat Lewis and Clark, Stadium and Newport before falling to Eastmont in the title game. Morgan, who scored five goals, had an assist and was integral in nine Sumner clean sheets. His soccer IQ and distributing ability out of the back gave Sumner the freedom and ability to send numbers forward in the attack. Seattle Pacific commit.
Will Nasinec, Puyallup, sr. — All-level scorer finished second on the school’s all-time scoring leaderboard (1,424 points), guiding the Vikings to the 4A District 3/4 title and a state quarterfinal appearance at the Tacoma Dome. Nasinec’s 625 career rebounds put him third in Puyallup record books.
Wyatt Plyler, Sumner, sr. — The News Tribune’s 2026 All-Area baseball player of the year was the best player on the state’s best team, leading the Spartans to the Class 4A state title in the spring, the program’s first championship. Sumner’s five-tool, two-way star made an impact on the mound, in the outfield and in the batter’s box. Had a 9-1 record on the mound with 100 strikeouts and a 1.43 earned run average in 53.2 innings, which included a dominant outing in the Class 4A state semifinal win over Kamiakin, sending the Spartans through to the championship game. At the plate, with .383 with eight doubles, three triples, a home run and 25 RBI. Wake Forest commit is one of the state’s top recruits in the 2027 class.
Davion Shareef-Dulaney, Lincoln, soph. — The News Tribune’s 2026 All-Area boys basketball player of the year put on a show during his sophomore season. The late-game heroics in the 3A state semifinal win over Eastside Catholic might have turned Shareef-Dulaney into a household name around Washington, the peak of a star sophomore season. Shareef-Dulaney, who passed 1,000 career points in his first two high school seasons during this year’s district tournament, led the Abes to a 20-7 record, an upset win over No. 2 O’Dea in the regional round and to Lincoln’s first state championship game since 2002. 3A PSL Narrows first-team selection averaged 22.5 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Holds offers from UW, Utah, West Virginia and others.
Jonah Smith, Yelm, sr. — Three-sport athlete anchored the football team’s defensive line last fall, earning first-team 4A SPSL South honors. Smith wrestled in the winter, grabbing a third-place finish in the state tournament (4A 285) at Mat Classic XXXVII, and was a 4A SPSL second-team selection at third base for the baseball team this spring.
Mana Voss, Central Kitsap, jr. — Distance specialist claimed state titles in the 3A Boys 800M Run (1:51.09) and 3A Boys 1600M Run (4:06.55) at the WIAA track and field championships at Mount Tahoma High School in May.
Jayden Walker, Decatur, sr. — Three-year varsity letter award winner in boys wrestling and also a cross country participant, Walker placed second in the NPSL league wrestling tournament in the 175-pound weight class and seventh in the 3A classification at the Mat Classic state tournament.
Kasey Williams, Lincoln, sr. — The News Tribune’s 2024-25 Boys Athlete of the Year turned in another standout year as a three-sport athlete at Lincoln High. Williams starred at wide receiver and defensive back for the Abes football team, appearing twice on the 3A PSL Narrows first team, before helping Lincoln’s basketball program to the Class 3A state championship game at the Tacoma Dome. This spring, Williams ran the third leg of Lincoln’s 3A Boys 4x100M Relay and claimed back-to-back state titles (41.86).
This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 12:38 PM.
