Community Sports
Sports Beat: Peninsula volleyball takes fifth at state
The Peninsula Seahawks volleyball team earned a 5th place finish by fighting through the consultation bracket at the Class 3A state championships at the Yakima SunDome on Nov. 17 and 18.
Peninsula’s fifth-place finish followed a runner-up finish in the 2021 tournament.
The third-seeded Seahawks opened the tourney in dominating fashion by defeating Lynnwood, 3-0. Peninsula survived a close first game winning 25-21, but then made some adjustments and cruised by the Royals in the next two games by scores of 25-11 and 25-10.
Seahawk senior Laney Sneva looks for the ace in a game played earlier this season. Bryce Carithers
Peninsula looked to have a more comfortable path to the semifinals when 11th-seeded Blanchet upset sixth-seeded Snohomish. However, Blanchet proved tougher than its ranking and won 3-1 to end the Seahawks’ state title aspirations.
The back-and-forth matchup was a lot closer than the 3-1 score would indicate, as the total points scored were 92-89 in favor of the Bears. The set scores were 25-20, 17-25, 25-22, and 25-22.
The Seahawks were devastated by the loss but did not pack it in like higher seeds sometimes do after an upset loss. How a team finishes a tournament says a lot about their resilience.
The Seahawks played inspired ball for head coach Katrina Cardinal against their next opponent, Ferndale. They won 25-22, 25-10 and 25-22 to advance to play for fifth or seventh place against fifth-seeded Bellevue.
The match turned out to be one of the best of the tournament. The Seahawks were pushed to their limits but ultimately survived a five-set thriller.
The Seahawks won the first game 25-18, lost the second 21-25, won the third 25-22, lost the fourth 20-25 and came through in the crucial fifth game with a 15-12 victory. The win secured a well deserved fifth place finish in the difficult 3A classification and brought Peninsula’s final record to a impressive 21-3 mark.
The Seahawks will say goodbye to four talented seniors with the graduation of Langley Griffin, Alex Sims, Olivia Beal, and Laney Sneva. That group’s record over the last two years is 42-4 with a second and fifth place finish at state.
All-South Sound Conference
The following is a list of the SSC all conference selections as voted on by conference coaches. SSC volleyball selections have not been reported and will be listed in next week’s Sports Beat.
Tide midfielder Sophie Blake(16) was voted Co- MVP of the SSC with teammate Samantha Huber. Bryce Carithers
Soccer
Co-Offensive MVPs: Sophie Blake, junior, Gig Harbor; and Samantha Huber, senior, Gig Harbor
First Team
- Emma Krueger, Peninsula, junior
- Stella Demianiw, Peninsula, senior
- Hailey Shride, Peninsula, sophomore
- Elise Miller, Gig Harbor, sophomore
- Addy Seher, Gig Harbor, senior
Second Team
- Anne Seim, Gig Harbor, senior
- Brooklyn Finch, Peninsula, freshman
- Makenna Getts, Peninsula, junior
Honorable Mention
- Elizabeth Hayes, Gig Harbor, freshman
- Sarah Ehler, Gig Harbor, junior
- Hailey Burris, Gig Harbor, senior
- Nora Sutherland, Peninsula, freshman
- Brylee Edmondson, Peninsula, sophomore
- Violet Portteus, Peninsula, senior
South Sound Conference 3A Football
First Team
Offense
- WR Dane Meddaugh, Peninsula, senior
- OL Grady Johnson, Peninsula, senior
- TE Cole Muillenburg, Peninsula, junior
- RB Issac Smith, Peninsula, senior
- QB Will Landram, Gig Harbor, senior
- WR Gavin Nash, Gig Harbor, senior
- OL Trevor Dixon, Gig Harbor, senior
Seahawks senior Jones Stalker catches a pass from his tight end position. The rugged senior was voted first-team all-South Sound Conference as a linebacker for Peninsula. Bryce Carithers
Defense
- DB Christian Parrish, Gig Harbor, senior
- LB Jones Stalker, Peninsula, senior
- DB Dane Meddaugh, Peninsula, senior
Special teams
- K Frankie Cross, Peninsula, senior
- K Boone Leverett, Gig Harbor, sophomore
Second Team
Offense
- RB Blaze Herbert, Gig Harbor, senior
- WR Ben Stevens, Gig Harbor, junior
- TE Benji Park, Gig Harbor, junior
- RB Aiden Lester, Peninsula, senior
- OL Tanner Staben, Peninsula, senior
Defense
- DL Grady Johnson, Peninsula, senior
- LB Casey Emmit, Peninsula, senior
- DB Ethan Fias, Peninsula, senior
- DL Nic Fortney, Gig Harbor, senior
Honorable mention
- DL Reece Jennings, Gig Harbor, senior
- WR Carson Griffin, Gig Harbor, senior
- LB Conner Burton, Peninsula, junior
- QB Payton Knowles, Peninsula, senior
- OL Trace Schumacher, Peninsula, junior
- OL Levi Semler, Peninsula, junior
Gig Harbor two way lineman Trevor Dixon (76) was was selected First Team All-South Sound Conference. Photo by Bryce Carithers Bryce Carithers
Puget Sound boys Water Polo League
First Team
- Joey Hughes Gig Harbor
- Adam Hurley Gig Harbor
- Quinn Middleton Gig Harbor
- Dylan Bassler Peninsula
Quinn Middleton of Gig Harbor was a first-team all-league water polo star. Gig Harbor water polo
Cross Country
First Team girls
Consists of the top 7 runners at the conference finals
- Electra Higgins Peninsula
- Reese Morkert, Gig Harbor (state champion)
- Taylor Sletner, Gig Harbor
- Hannah Lee, Peninsula
Second Team girls
Consists of finishers 8-14
- Kaley Fergus Gig Harbor
- Lejla Carllson Gig Harbor
- Alex Ferrier Gig Harbor
First Team boys
- Micah Galeana Gig Harbor
- Preston Fradet Gig Harbor
- Logan Parrish Peninsula
Second team boys
- Taylor Campbell Gig Harbor
- Cooper Leavengood Peninsula