Community Sports

2022-23 Super Seniors: Peninsula High School

With the 2023-24 high school sports season approaching — football practice starts Aug. 16 — Gig Harbor Now presents its Super Seniors for the 2022-23 sports year.

Super Seniors is a look at the seniors who had huge impacts on their teams during their careers at Gig Harbor or Peninsula high schools. This 2023 class persevered through a pandemic to display their skill and passion for sports.

Although many senior athletes excelled at multiple sports, an athlete can only be selected once on our list. We selected Super Seniors in South Sound Conference-sanctioned sports. The award is based on the athletes’ complete high school careers, rather than a individual season.

These are the Peninsula High School Super Seniors for the 2022-23 sports year. Click here to see the Gig Harbor Super Seniors for 2022-23.

Girls Cross Country: Natalie Boden

Natalie Boden was a consistent runner for the Seahawks who was always near the top of South Sound Conference meets. She qualified for the state championships every year she ran except for 2019. Coach Tyler Nugent said she was a consistent leader throughout her career as evidenced by her selection as team captain by her Peninsula teammates. At state, she ran a 21:34 to add points for the Seahawks, who finished sixth in the state.

Football: Dane Meddaugh

Dane Meddaugh played wide receiver and cornerback for the Seahawks. He finished his career with 68 receptions for 12 touchdowns while averaging 14.7 yards per catch. On defense, he compiled 36 tackles with 12 assists during his senior year. “Dane was a high-character athlete who always put the team first,” Peninsula coach Ross Filkins said. “He is a leader by example who put everything he had into each play, each practice, and each game.”

Peninsula’s Dane Meddaugh (5) hauls in a pass in the end zone ahead of Central Kitsap’s Jimmy Buie (20) for a touchdown in Silverdale on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022.

Peninsula High senior Langley Griffin was named South Sound Conference most valuable player. Bryce Carithers

Volleyball: Langley Griffin

Langley Griffin, a four-year starter, led her team to a Class 3A second-place finish at state as a junior and a fifth-place finish as a senior, along with back-to-back conference and district titles. Griffin amassed 605 kills, 76 blocks, 601 digs and 147 aces at Peninsula. “Langley is an incredible athlete who worked really hard in the weight room and on the court to be elite,” coach Katrina Cardinal said. “She’s a star on the front row and that’s what most people are in awe of, but my favorite part of that kid is her hustle and relentless pursuit of the ball.”

Boys tennis: Elliot Siddall

Elliot Siddall was a two-time No. 1 singles player at Peninsula who covered the court quickly and combined powerful ground strokes with a punishing serve. He was the first alternate to the state tournament twice after  narrowly losing his final matches in a competitive District 3/4 championships. “Elliot is a naturally gifted multisport athlete who played singles all four years,” Peninsula assistant coach Britt Mayer said. “The top position in singles is always tough. He’s a great player that the team will definitely miss next year.”

Elliot Siddall

Girls Soccer: Stella Demianiw

Stella Demianiw played primarily as a defensive center-midfielder during her four-year career with Peninsula. Her teammates voted her as their “Purdy Grit” award winner that characterizes the player who leaves it all on the field, game after game. As a rugged defender and physical force, she managed 12 assists and 10 goals during her career and continually prevented opponents from getting in position to score. Her most important goal of her career came with only two seconds remaining versus Gig Harbor. She placed a ball just over the goalie’s reach to tie Gig Harbor and save the Seahawks’ undefeated conference regular season. The goal also clinched a share of the league title with the Tides and propelled the Seahawks to state.

Peninsula’s Stella Demianiw scored the tying goal with only 2 seconds remaining to assure Peninsula a share of the South Sound Conference championship with Gig Harbor. Bryce Carithers

Boys cross country: Logan Parrish

Logan Parrish was a consistent top performer for the Seahawks and one of Peninsula’s best cross country runners for several years in a row. Track coach Tyler Nugent described Parrish as a “tireless worker.” Parrish was a three-time state qualifier in cross country. Parrish placed 17th out of 193 runners at the Class 3A state meet last season in a time of 16:23.10.

Logan Parrish

Girls Swimming: Brogan Braaten

Brogan Braaten was a top female senior swimmer for the Seahawks because of her versatility in the pool. She qualified for state in the 200m individual medley and the backstroke, where she turned in a impressive time of 1:04.50 to earn valuable points for Peninsula’s team. Coach Tim Messersmith said Braaten was a talented and reliable swimmer who always worked hard to continually improve.

Boys basketball: Gabe Sarno

Gabe Sarno was a three-year varsity player and the Seahawks’ top rebounder in 2023 at 7.9 rebounds per game. On offense, Sarno averaged 11.7 points per game and played the post at an undersized 6-foot-3. The rugged defender would dive on any loose ball and continuously infused his team with energy. His Seahawk coach Sean Muelinburg credited Sarno’s “huge work ethic” as the reason for his success: “Gabe continued to improve because of his hard work and the desire to make himself and his team better.”

Gabe Sarno

Girls basketball: Brooke Zimmerman

Versatile scorer Brooke Zimmerman was a three-level scorer with her ability to drive, post up or shoot. A two-year starter — it would have been three years but for a knee injury that derailed her sophomore season — she was a tough cover for SSC opponents. Zimmerman was a key player for the Seahawks during their league championship season of 2023 and their back-to-back state trips during her junior and senior seasons. She collected 334 rebounds during her career and finished with 507 points, while shooting 44% from the field and 34% from three point land.

Peninsula’s Brooke Zimmerman drives against Spanaway Lake. Bryce Carithers

Wrestling: Emmett Casey

Two-time Mat Classic participant Emmett Casey finished his senior season sixth in the state at 160 pounds and was often dominant in doing so. He won 20 matches by pin during a remarkable 23-8 season. He finished eighth at his 152 pound weight class as a junior in 2022. Emmett and both of his brothers (2020 160-pound state champion Nolan and 2019 160-pound runner-up Issac) had successful state appearances to become one of the top wrestling families to ever perform for Peninsula High.

Peninsula’s Emmett Casey and Gig Harbor’s Emilio Fajardo wrestle at 160 pounds. Photo courtesy of Leanne Casey

Boys swimming: Hunter Hobbs

Hunter Hobbs was a two-time district champion in the highly competitive individual medley event, which requires versatility and stamina. Hobbs was a two-time South Sound Conference whose his strongest individual race was the butterfly, according to retiring coach Tim Messersmith.

Peninsula’s Hunter Hobbs Peninsula High School swimming

Baseball: Payton Knowles

Payton Knowles transferred from Gig Harbor after his sophomore season and had an impressive junior season in helping the Seahawks win a league baseball title. He had a career .511 batting average and .734 slugging percentage for the Seahawks and amassed 71 hits, 14 doubles, seven triples and 37 RBI. He struck out only seven times in two years. Knowles will play college baseball at Gonzaga.

Peninsula’s Payton Knowles connects on a belt-high fastball.

Fastpitch: Alli Kimball

Alli Kimball became the Seahawks’ all-time leader in career strikeouts with 599, whiffing over half the batters she faced in her remarkable career. She finished with a stingy 1.07 ERA as a senior and held opponents to a .167 batting average. Kimball pitched every inning in four state tournament games that culminated in the Class 3A state championship for the 29-2 Seahawks. She pitched two perfect games and threw multiple no hitters during her career while also also playing a fine shortstop when not pitching. At the plate, Kimball hit a three-run home run to clinch the state championship and had a .552 batting average in 2023. She will play next at Western Washington University.

Alli Kimball pitches during the state tournament. Photo courtesy Peninsula High School

Boys soccer: Sam Sutherland

Sam Sutherland helped the Seahawks win a conference title and advance to state in 2022. The left wing  scored 16 goals during his career and set up his teammates with a impressive 26 assists as well. “Sam is a fast and powerful player with a really good left foot,” Peninsula coach Ozer Kocdemir said. “Whenever the ball was played into space and Sam attacked it, we knew that he would either deliver a quality cross, a pass or if he was closer to the goal, he would score.”

Sam Sutherland

Girls track and field: Hannah Lee

Hannah Lee won five state track and field medals for the Seahawks and broke numerous school records along the way. She currently holds the school records for both the 1,600 meters and the distance medley relay. Lee was also the first Seahawk participant to break 11 minutes for 3,200 meters. She is the second fastest in school history for the 800 meters and 3,200 meters. Lee was voted team captain by her teammates and also placed first at two national level meets, the 2023 Brooks PR Invitational, (1 mile run) and at the 2021 USATF Junior Olympics 3000 meter run as well as being the Seahawks top cross country runner in the fall.

Hannah Lee

Boys track and field: Nathan Kuhnau

Nathan Kuhnau  took fourth place in 300 intermediate hurdles at the 2023 Class 3A state championships while breaking the Peninsula High School record with the time of 38.31 seconds. He also earned the South Sound Conference record by running 39.28 seconds in the conference championships in May.

Boys golf: Jackson Tull

Jackson Tull, a long hitter from the tee box with exceptional touch around the greens, won every South Sound Conference match he played in 2023, except one, and advanced to the state tournament. Seahawks golf coach Kristi Whitcher said: “Jackson is a one handicap who efficiently combined power and touch on the course, to continually post low scores for us.”

Girls golf: Hallee Graf

Hallee Graf was a two-time conference champion, a two time district runner up and placed twice at state during her illustrious high school career. In her sophomore year She finished second at districts as a sophomore, then won league, was runner-up at district and finished eighth at state as a junior. She improved to seventh at state as a senior, firing a two-day 155 at Hawks Prairie. She had three eagles and a best score of 36 for nine holes.

Hallee Graf of Peninsula finished seventh at the Class 3A state tournament. Phot courtesy Peninsula High golf

Girls tennis: Ashley Hall

Ashley Hall was a three year varsity player who started playing doubles her sophomore year before becoming the Seahawks No. 1 singles player her junior and senior seasons. Hall used a powerful serve and was consistent from the baseline on her way to posting winning records during all three seasons. Assistant coach Britt Mayer said: “Ashley is such a lovely player and individual, that was always positive, motivated, and a great tennis player.“