Community Sports

2023-24 Super Seniors | Gig Harbor High School

With the recent finish of the high school sports season, Gig Harbor Now presents its Super Seniors for the 2023-24 sports year. Super Seniors recognizes seniors who had huge impacts on their teams during their careers at Peninsula and Gig Harbor high schools.

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 as well as water polo and lacrosse.

The award is based on the athletes’ complete high school career, rather than an individual season. The following are the Gig Harbor High School Super Seniors for the 2023-24 sports year starting with the fall sports participants.

Girls cross country: Alex Ferrier

Ferrier was an outstanding runner for the Tides’ cross country team, which finished fourth in the state’s Class 3A rankings. She was the third-fastest runner for the Tides and finished 25th at state to earn her team 21 points towards their 176 total.

Cross country requires stamina and perseverance and miles of road work to find small improvements. Ferrier found time to train year-round even though she participated in three other sports for the Tides, including starting at point guard for the basketball team and competing in swimming and track and field.

Ferrier’s time of 19:21 at the Class 3A state meet made her the sixth-fastest senior there and qualified her for the state Senior All Star Race.

“Alex is one of the more memorable athletes of recent years,” Gig Harbor track coach Kevin Eager said. “She’s one of my favorite kids both as a student and as an athlete, because in both cases, she holds herself to a super high standard and relies on a disciplined work ethic that you just don’t see. I mean, I can’t explain to you what a dedicated student she is and how much her teammates love her.”

Football: Benji Park

Park, a quarterback, capped off a terrific 2023 football season by being voted first-team All South Sound Conference by the league’s coaches.

Up until his third game as a senior he was primarily a tight end, defensive end and backup quarterback. But all that changed when he entered Fish Bowl following an injury to Tides starter Koi Calhoun.

Park came in like Clark Kent but played like Superman, completing 9 of 11 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for a third. Park rallied Gig Harbor to a 21-20 win over Peninsula, sealing the deal by plowing over the goal line with less than a minute to play.

He built on that game by displaying a strong arm that could throw footballs deep and on time as well as displaying touch on shorter throws. At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, he had the size to see the field and the smarts to know where the defense wasn’t as he had minimal interceptions during the season. He combined that with the athletic ability to scramble or buy time in the pocket and led the Tides to a conference title game against Yelm before settling for a second-place SSC finish. Park’s play and humble demeanor gave the Tides a dependable leader who they could count on. His clutch play in the Fish Bowl won’t soon be forgotten by Gig Harbor fans.

Boys cross country: Jonathon Miles

Miles was the second-fastest senior cross country runner in the state and finished fifth in the Class 3A state championship race in Pasco last fall.

Racing came natural to Miles. He was a successful youth race car driver with ambitions in that sport before track coach Kevin Eager told Miles’ parents that “this kid could be really, really good” and possibly could run his way to a college scholarship. His parents took his advice and Miles focused on racing in running shoes. The decision paid off as Miles will run for the University of Michigan next fall.

Miles laid down a blistering 4:08.82 mile time at the University of Oregon for a new Gig Harbor school record and won numerous cross county races. He also claimed South Sound Conference track titles in the 800 and 1,600 meters placed second at state in the 800.

Blessed with a strong set of legs with an excellent lung capacity that was developed after countless training runs in the pouring rain, Miles relied on his racing past to set up unsuspecting runners before bursting ahead at precisely the right time.

“He understands positioning and strategy in races and just makes racing look easy compared to most kids,” Eager said. “He never makes tactical errors compared to other athletes, and is pretty unique in that respect.”

Girls swimming: Ashlyn Pepich

Pepich was a versatile swimmer who competed in individual races and as part of fantastic relay teams over her career. She won three 500-meter freestyle conference championships and two 200-meter freestyle conference championships.

She was the Tides’ most successful female swimmer her senior season as she finished 12th at state in the 500 freestyle.

“Ashlyn is an ideal athlete with a measurable determination to always perform at a high quality level,” Tides coach Mike Kelly said. “I’ve never witnessed her ever give up, as she always gave her best effort.”

Pepich finished high school with a 3.9 GPA and will attend UCLA in the fall. Pepich had a laser focus when it came to being prepared for her races and had a huge cardio capacity which helped her maintain her pace during long swims. “She always had a positive mindset that helped her to get through the challenges. Although she is very humble, she absolutely loved to race, so her drive and competitiveness were always apparent during her efforts.” Kelly said.

Girls soccer: Sophie Blake

Blake was a first-team all-conference midfielder and won the Most Valuable Offensive player award from a position that requires her to play defense long stretches of the game. But Blake was talented enough to do it all,
as she was a big part of a three-year state run by the Tides. They won over 80 percent of their games during Blake’s career, sharing a league championship with Peninsula in her junior year and winning outright titles her sophomore and senior years.

Blake had the speed and footwork skills necessary to dribble by defenders and the accuracy to make pinpoint passes to streaking forwards for goals. But to win the offensive MVP as a midfielder in a league stacked with talented scorers, a player has to have more than one-off goals. Blake’s strong right leg and accuracy made her the player who took penalty kicks and she rarely missed when given a chance. She also had the aggression and uncanny ability to leap high in the air for headers. The University of Washington has invited Blake to play for the Huskies next year.

Boys tennis: Rylan Coovert

Coovert qualified for state twice as a doubles player with Hugh Vicente. The duo won an individual conference title and helped the Tides to a SSC championship.

Coovert had a reliable baseline game and even ground strokes from both sides and anticipated opponents’ shots well. With the doubles court being larger, Coovert used his quickness to cover corners or return lobs, making the Tides duo very difficult to win points against.

Coovert also racked up an SSC doubles championship his junior season and was a three-year varsity player. He played singles during league play as the second-seeded Tide behind Vicente. He was very rarely beaten in singles as a senior, but chose to pair with Vicente for the doubles draw of the state tourney in Vancouver in May.

Boys basketball: Luke Allison

Allison, a 6-foot-8 center, transferred to Gig Harbor after his freshman season at Bothell High School. He became a dependable low-post scorer and above-the-rim rebounder for the Tides, who finished one game shy of the Class 3A state tournament.

Allison put together a solid stretch of games during the conference season and was rewarded with a first-team all-SSC pick at center. Allison had an effective drop step to jump hook move that proved difficult to defend. He shot over 50 percent from the field and averaged over two blocks per game.

Allison had seven double-doubles (double digits in points and rebounds) and scored a career-high 25 points on 12 of 14 shooting in a win at Central Kitsap. Allison showed physical and mental toughness throughout his career. He would often dish out punishment to opponents who tried to attack the rim or establish deep post positioning.

He also displayed the mental toughness to persevere through a difficult sophomore season after losing his father, who was instrumental in his basketball development, to cancer. Allison averaged a tick over 13 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as a senior.

Girls basketball: Taylor Schwab

Schwab was a scoring machine and a fine all-around player as a shooting guard for the Tides. She was a four-year varsity player who eclipsed the 1,000-point career scoring plateau.

Schwab was an excellent shooter who had the speed and ball handling ability to leave defenders behind and get to the rim for athletic finishes at the cup. She averaged 22.5 points, five rebounds and four assists per game and had four 30-point outings as a senior.

Schwab was voted first-team All-South Sound Conference as a sophomore and a senior and second-team during a junior year disrupted by injuries. Schwab was the focal point of every opponent’s defensive game plan but continually found ways to score. She was also an excellent free throw shooter who could be counted on late in games. Pressure-packed situations never seemed to bother her.

Schwab was stingy on the defensive end as she often used her high basketball IQ to anticipate passes that she intercepted and turned into layups. A two-year captain, Schwab will certainly be remembered for her silky jumper and killer crossovers but possibly even more so for her intensity as she displayed a competitive fire and a absolute desire to win, every time she stepped on to the court.

Boys swimming: Grant Huston

Grant Huston secured his Super Senior award by winning state championships in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle last winter. The 6-foot-5 Huston also set several Gig Harbor school records during his dominating career.

His freestyle stroke is frenetic and spastic but also smooth at the same time. Even more impressive than his speed were his flip turns, executed with perfect timing and spacing that allowed his feet to touch the pool edge perfectly with both legs bent and loaded before exploding off in the other direction before his arms and feet started to churn again.

Growing up kayaking and canoeing helped him with his strength and stamina. A successful high school water polo career only expanded his lung capacity. Huston owns school records in the 100 and 200 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke — and that included breaking a couple of his older brother Drew’s records.

Drew just competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials, so beating his records is really an accomplishment. “My brother’s records were always something I’ve been trying to chase down. I’m all over the school record board myself now and I’m happy about that,” Huston said after his state championship victories.

Boys diving: Wriley Savage

Consistent growth and development characterized Savage’s diving career.

His love of the sport began after the COVID season, when he turned out for the diving team without much knowledge but plenty of enthusiasm and energy. He turned that enthusiasm into a ninth-place finish at state his junior year and began his senior year more determined than ever. With that determination and coaching from Troy Arnold and others, the degree of difficulty on his dives steadily increased.

With that improvement came a sixth place finish in the state tournament his senior year.

“Wriley’s zeal for diving and personal improvement were enjoyable to observe. His growth, development, and success were amazing,” said Tide coach, Mike Kelly.

Girls volleyball: Lydia Ward

Ward stood out for a variety of reasons on the volleyball court. Opposing league coaches made her stand out even more when they named her with the conference’s Most Valuable Player as a senior.

Ward played setter, which is the quarterback of the offense. She made plenty of passes that resulted in spikes for points. And just when you thought she would set the ball, she instead would pull off a back handed, no-look slap shot that would fool the blockers and land in the opposing court for a winner.

Born into an athletic family (her brother Mathias is the school’s basketball scoring leader) Ward excelled on the court with a blend of power and touch, aggression and poise. She was first-team all-SSC as a junior and led her team to the state tournament as a senior. She also possessed a formidable jump serve that often resulted in aces.

When games got close, coach Slade Klein would substitute in a setter and move Ward to outside hitter. She would impress again with thunderous kills down the stretch to win games.

Fastpitch: Emma Vandervort

Vandervort was a hard-throwing pitcher for a Tides team that advanced to the state tournament. The senior was also a valuable infielder and hitter who was a huge part of the Tides’ fastpitch success over the last few years.

Voted a first-team all-SSC pitcher by league coaches as a senior after a second team selection as a junior, Vandervort was known for her control on the mound, while mixing speeds to confuse opposing hitters.

She put up a .507 batting average and .533 on-base percentage at the plate. She played the outfield and flashed the speed to keep balls in front of her, while making athletic catches and decisive throws to keep runners from advancing. Her signature game came against Peninsula, when Vandervort led the Tides to victory after going 4-4 at the plate with five RBI. If that wasn’t enough, she pitched in that game as well, tossing a scoreless inning while striking out two of the three Seahawks she faced.

“Emma is a very athletic player with a super competitive attitude. She was always working hard and leading by example and I never had to worry if she was going to be prepared,” Tides head coach Jim Peschek said.

Boys golf: Chet West

West was a three-time All-SSC player who finished seventh at state in 2023 after being second on day one of the Class 3A championships. He led his team to eighth-, fourth- and third-place finishes at state during his career.

Blessed with terrific hands around the greens, West was a danger to hole out with a chip shot anywhere inside of 20 yards. He also was equipped with very strong legs and great balance, which allowed him to create high club speeds with a short, controlled backswing. Mix that with a almost machine-like pre-swing routine and a meticulous
surveillance of the greens on all putt attempts and you have the attributes of one of Gig Harbor’s all-time best golfers.

Tides golf coach Shane Henderson recounted a time when West almost had an elusive albatross at a 559-yard hole at Gamble Sands. West’s approach shot barely slid by the cup by one inch before he dropped the return putt for eagle.

An albatross is said to be even more difficult than a hole in one and golfers have played for years to never come close to approaching the feat. But golf is much more than just low scores on the card, West also played the gentleman’s game the right way, with class and humility as he often showed grace and encouragement for conference opponents who struggled to keep up with his pace. “More than anything, I think it was Chet’s high internal drive to be the best, that led him to so much success on the golf course,” Henderson said.

Girls tennis: Sophie Fraser

Fraser was Gig Harbor’s No. 2 singles player and did not lose a second singles match all year (she also went 2-1 playing first singles as a senior). Combining a compact game of placement and power, Fraser used the whole court to move her opponent around before striking for winners. Coach Lorrie Wood described Fraser as an excellent teammate and somebody they could all count on to deliver a point for their team.

Fraser played second doubles as a junior and helped the Tides capture an SSC title in 2023. If you add up the last two years of results from Fraser’s matches her winning percentage is nearly 90 percent. “Most of all Sophie was a fighter, a solid player and a good teammate,” Wood said.

Girls lacrosse: Courtney Myers

In sports that employ a goalie, teams are often thought to be only as good as the player at that position. That was certainly true about the RipTides lacrosse team, which is made up of both Tides and Seahawks. Myers has been as dependable as Northwest rain in the winter. She was a first-team all-conference goalie the last two seasons.

Myers displayed cat-like quickness and excellent hand-eye coordination to stop shots coming from all angles during a rebuilding senior year, when new defenders were aplenty. Myers always chose to motivate her
teammates and they voted her “Most Supportive Teammate” this season. “Courtney played varsity for four years, even playing goalie for us as a freshman,” coach Madison Lancaster said. “She was a very skilled player that always mentored and looked out for younger teammates.”

Boys soccer: Tyler Dull

The quick, high-scoring forward led the Tides to the state tournament the last two years. Dull possessed excellent ball skills that enabled him to break down defenders, split double teams and score from difficult angles. Despite being the center of defensive attention, Dull scored nine goals and had seven assists his senior year en route to being named the SSC’s Most Valuable Player. He was second-team All-SSC as a junior.

Dull was an unselfish player who would draw the defense and pass to the open man. Dull stood out to head coach Joe Ross because of his team-first attitude that saw him sacrifice his scoring numbers for the good of the team.

“Tyler plays each game with passion, relentlessness and commitment,” Ross said. “It was so, so obvious how much that Tyler loves the game!”

Baseball: Josh Dunham

Dunham was a hard-charging right fielder with a powerful arm and level swing who batted over .300 and led the team in RBI as a junior. That sensational year featured a torrid three-game stretch when Dunham went 7-9 with a home run, three triples, two doubles, seven runs, nine RBI and three stolen bases. Opposing coaches pitched around Dunham every chance they got.

His success at the plate ebbed during his senior year. Defenses keyed in on him and pitchers rarely gave him good pitches to hit. But the Super Senior award is based on the athlete’s total career. Besides, Dunham contributed much to the Tides’ state tournament run as a senior not just as a hitter but as a relief pitcher.

Dunham brought his fastball that approached 90 mph in as a closer to defeat the league-champion Capital Cougars and propel his team to the state tournament. As a senior, Dunham pitched 14 innings and struck out 20 with a 2.97 ERA.

Girls water polo: Frances Benson

Benson led the Tides in scoring as Gig Harbor finished third at state. Benson has a sling shot for an arm, next-level cardio capacity and legs that could tread water forever before rising above defenders to shoot. She was voted first-team all conference as a junior and both all-conference and all-state as a senior.

Benson was also an accomplished swimmer on the Tides team and used her outright speed up the pool to get out in front of defenders. Plus she had the strength to play for position with defenders harassing her in the middle of the pool. Born into a water polo family, Benson will play Division I water polo at Fresno Pacific University with her sister, Tatum.

Girls golf: Hailey Gray

Gray, a long hitter off the tee with a reliable short game, was a regular contributor during three years of varsity action. Gig Harbor qualified for state in each of her three years, placing fourth in both 2023 and 2024.

Tides coach Jeff Milbourn said Gray’s greatest strength was her commitment to improvement. “She would practice well beyond our team practice schedule as well as competing in junior events in the off-season,” Milbourn said. “Hailey was a strong player and a great teammate and we’re certainly gonna miss her.”

Boys track and field: Ben Stevens

Stevens was a sprinting specialist who was plain nitro on a race track. He is blessed with a freakish type of body that was both muscular and flexible and featured a pair of huge calves that allowed him to launch from the starting blocks and take command of a race early. Stevens excelled in the 100, 200, and 400 meters and was a member of the third-fastest 4×400 team in the state in 2023. That’s the year Stevens set SSC conference records and won the top male athlete award at the SSC conference championships.

A nagging hamstring injury took away much of Stevens’ senior season, but the sprinter still won league titles in the 100 meters and 4×100 relay. Stevens fought through injury to finish sixth in the state in the 200 meters.

Stevens owns Gig Harbor school record in the 200 (22.07) and will run at Portland State University.

Boys lacrosse: Tyler Buys

Buys was a determined goal scorer with stick skills that were both explosive and deceptive, as the senior found ways to score goals from tricky angles. The tenacious Buys bounced off defenders while maintaining his balance and fired rockets past opposing goalies with regularity.

Buys also came up big when his team needed it most, scoring multiple goals in the Tides’ win in the last Baggataway Bowl, the crosstown rivalry game that Peninsula had won three straight times. Buys helped end that streak while showcasing his skills as a scorer and as a passer.

Girls track and field: Maura Lenzi, Kate Jones, Danica Olsen

Anyone that knows me knows I’m not fond of ties and determining a winner is one of the most thrilling aspect of sports. But the first tie in the history of the Super Senior award goes to three seniors who participated on Gig Harbor’s state-champion 4×400 relay team.

Looking at their accomplishments and overall strengths plus their contributions to their team made it impossible to single out just one athlete. The tight teammates will be linked forever as state champions.

How close were they? Jones was the fastest individual runner at state, making a 400m appearance with her smooth strides. But Lenzi ran the fastest split time with the baton in her hand by over a second in the championship race. And Olsen, the leadoff runner, was more explosive and better out of the blocks and gave the Tides the very important lead after the first leg.

Plus each participant was part of a rigorous off season workout plan that brought them to the brink of exhaustion. All deserved the Super Senior award as their collective time of 3:57.90 won a state championship by an impressive four seconds.

Boys water polo: Jackson Davis

Davis was a physical player who used a stout frame to repeatedly harass opponents into turnovers but also had the swimming speed to race down the pool and whip a cross court pass to a open teammate or launch a rocket for a goal.

Described as an intelligent player who was always a few steps ahead strategically, Davis was a leader in and out of the pool for the Tides. That leadership was evident in big game matches as Davis was always intense and very vocal with his teammates who voted him captain during his senior year. Davis will play Division I water polo for Chapman College in Orange County, California.