South Whidbey athletes collect all-league honors

By Jim Waller • November 10, 2018 1:30 am

South Whidbey High School made a strong impression on the North Sound Conference in the league’s initial season.

The conference recently announced all-league honors for the fall, and the Falcons received 34, earning the same as private school and sports power King’s.

The two schools easily outdistanced Cedar Park Christian-Bothell, which received the third-most selections, 20.

Granite Falls earned 16, Coupeville 14 and Sultan eight.

King’s received 20 first-team picks to the Falcons’ 15.

South Whidbey racked up the 34 selections although it won only one fall team title, boys cross country. The Falcons, however, did not finish lower than third in any sport.

King’s earned crowns in soccer, volleyball and girls cross country.

Cedar Park Christian took the football title.

South Whidbey was also second in soccer and girls cross country and third in football and volleyball.

The North Sound Conference does not offer boys tennis, so the Falcons competed in the Emerald City League, where it placed sixth out of eight schools.

Cross Country

South Whidbey’s most dominate showing in the all-league listings came in cross country where the Falcons collected 13 of the 28 awards.

Three boys — senior Callahan Yale, junior Michael Cepowski and sophomore Thomas Simms — and one girl — sophomore Kaia Swegler Richmond — were first-team selections.

For the boys, senior Eli Walton and sophomores Aidan Donnelly, Cooper Ullmann and Reilly McVay were all named to the second team.

Junior Flannery Friedman and sophomores Grace Huffman, Natalie Rodriguez and Laila Gmerek were second-team choices for the girls.

Coach Doug Fulton earned Coach of the Year honors.

Soccer

Three Falcons were first-team selections in soccer: senior Maddy Drye (defender) and juniors Alison Papritz (forward) and Mallory Drye (midfielder).

Juniors Ashley Ricketts (forward) and Lila McCleary (defender) and sophomore Kelly Murnane (midfielder) were second-teamers.

Volleyball

In volleyball, senior Emma Leggett (outside hitter) earned first-team honors while senior Chloe Johnson (setter) and sophomore Emma Hodson (middle blocker) were second-team choices.

Football

Senior Clay O’Brien (running back, linebacker) and junior Wyatt De Mers (offensive line, defensive line) were both two-way, first-team selections in football.

Senior Kody Newman was first-team defensive back and second-team quarterback.

Juniors Kobe Balora (offensive line) and Kole Nelson (tight end) were other first-team selections.

Earning second-team honors were seniors Caden Spear (defensive back) and Carter Snelling-Hanel (defensive line) and juniors Alex Black (wide receiver), Lewis Mattson (offensive line) and Aiden Coleman (linebacker).