Sports

Seahawks’ Griffin, Tides’ Cedarland named league’s top volleyball, football players

Peninsula and Gig Harbor fall sports teams were well represented on the South Sound 3A all-league squads, particularly those that played deep into the postseason.

League champion Peninsula (21-1) dominated the all-conference volleyball team as it did most of its foes in finishing 21-1, stumbling only against Mead in the state championship match. Junior Langley Griffin was named the league’s most valuable player and Katrina Cardinal earned coach of the year. Three other Seahawks — seniors Tommi Gallucci, Lauren Wittmers and Kadence Stoddard — made the first team.

“I think you have to go back to 1987 for the last time we had a league title in volleyball,” said Peninsula athletic director and football coach Ross Filkins. “Katrina Cardinal and her staff did a phenomenal job setting the tone and establishing the culture of the program. They were certainly tested this year, but they went through all the way undefeated until the state championship. They learned so much along the way. It’s a program we can all be so proud of.”

Cardinal said it was team balance that spurred its success.

“Our team was like a machine where all parts had to be working with one another to run,” she said. “Everyone had their role, and played it beautifully. That is why we had the success we did. If we didn’t have the bench players pushing the starters every day at practice, we would not have had the success we had. If either one of our middle blockers was having an off day, we would not have been able to align our defenders. If the our serve receivers were not on point, our offense would have never been as successful as they were. It truly was a magical year, where everyone played their part, and played it incredibly well.”

Also tops in his sport was football MVP Hudson Cedarland of Gig Harbor (4-3 league, 6-4 overall), which reached the first round of the playoffs. Cedarland, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound outside linebacker and wide receiver, has committed to Washington State University. He finished with 106 tackles, including nine for loss, and two sacks, plus snagged 43 passes for 771 yards and 10 touchdowns, and ran for three more scores.

“Not only does he have incredible stats, but he is also an outstanding student, great leader, a super talented kid with a great work ethic,” said Tides coach George Fairhart. “We have really enjoyed working with him the past four years. It will be fun to see what the future holds for him.”

Gig Harbor linebacker/wide receiver Hudson Cedarland was named the South Sound 3A Conference’s most valuable player. Kevin Doucette / Gig Harbor Now

Though Cedarland has committed to WSU, he has offers from several other Division 1 schools.

“We will find out on signing day where he decides to go,” Fairhart said.

Tides players named to the South Sound Conference’s first team include senior Parker Born at both tight end (33 catches, 566 yards, 3 TDs) and linebacker (85 tackles, 2 for loss, 2 sacks), senior wide receiver Cole Rushforth (39 catches, 590 yards, 7 TDs) and junior defensive back Christian Parrish (46 tackles, 6 interceptions).

“Great all-around player, never left the field, played multiple positions on offense,” Fairhart said of Born. “Parker is a great student, has an incredible work ethic and is an outstanding leader. Excited to see what the future holds for him.”

Peninsula senior Hall Schmidt earned top lineman recognition after the league co-champs (5-0, 7-2) won their playoff opener before falling.

Peninsula’s Hall Schmidt (74) was named the Sound Sound 3A Conference’s top lineman. Photo courtesy of Ed Johnson

“Hall is somebody we can certainly be proud of,” Filkins said of the 6-foot-7, 290-pound two-way star who will stick to offense next year at Boise State University. “He is a player who had to earn this opportunity. He just steadily improved. He has worked extremely hard for the four years since he’s been in high school. Whether on or off the field, he’s been a great example for our school and our community.”

Schmidt, who started three years with the Seahawks, also received offers from three Pac-12 schools, Filkins said.

Three other Seahawks earned first-team honors — senior offensive lineman Taylor Jones, junior defensive lineman Grady Johnson and senior linebacker Josh Hinkel.

League titlist Gig Harbor (19-2-1), which captured fourth place in the state 3A soccer tournament, put three players on the first team — senior forward Alexa Thoms and senior midfielders Ella Hatteberg and Lily Paulson. The Tides outscored their opponents 112-15. Thoms racked up 25 goals and 14 assists, Hatteberg, who will play at the University of Arizona next year, had 14 goals and 14 assists, and Point Loma Nazarene-bound Paulson contributed 14 goals and 13 assists.

They were joined by three players from rival Peninsula — senior forward Janae Lewis, senior midfielder Sinead Duffy and senior goalkeeper Paige Broadrick.

VOLLEYBALL

MVP — Langley Griffin, Peninsula, jr.
Co-Offensive MVPs — Brooke Parsons, North Thurston, sr.; Camryn Lingenbrink, Central Kitsap, sr.
Defensive MVP — Carley Wilson, Central Kitsap, sr.
Coach of the Year — Katrina Cardinal, Peninsula

FIRST TEAM

Tommi Gallucci, Peninsula, sr.
Lauren Wittmers, Peninsula, sr.
Kadence Stoddard, Peninsula, sr.
Cat Calma, Central Kitsap, sr.
Alexis Meyer, North Thurston, soph.
Laney Sneva, North Thurston, jr.
Becca Roy, Central Kitsap, sr.

SECOND TEAM

Mckenzie Uyehara, North Thurston, jr.
Ellinor Davis, Capital, fr.
Lydia Ward, Gig Harbor, soph.
Camryn Kelly, Gig Harbor, jr.
Elle Copeland, Timberline, sr.
Jaelynn Carrier, Yelm, sr.
Molly Corak, Yelm, sr.

HONORABLE MENTION

Audrey Allen, Gig Harbor, sr.
Sam Ford, Peninsula, sr.

GIRLS SOCCER

Offensive MVP — Caroline Penner, Capital, sr.
Defensive MVP — Destinee Robertson, Timberline, sr.

FIRST TEAM

F — Janae Lewis, Peninsula, sr.
F — Kaylie Mehlenbeck, Central Kitsap, sr.
F — Alexa Thoms, Gig Harbor, sr.
M — Lindsey Crowe, Timberline, sr.
M — Sinead Duffy, Peninsula, sr.
M — Ella Hatteberg, Gig Harbor, sr.
M — Lily Paulson, Gig Harbor, sr.
M — Kayden Perigo, Capital, soph.
M — Ella Smith, Central Kitsap, jr.
D — Kori Harshman, Central Kitsap, sr.
D — Savannah Reece, Central Kitsap, jr.
GK — Paige Broadrick, Peninsula, sr.

SECOND TEAM

F — Elizabeth Celemens, North Thurston, jr.
F — Maylania Mikaele, Timberline, soph.
M — Sophie Blake, Gig Harbor, soph.
M — Lindsay McGaughy, Capital, sr.
M — Payton Smith, North Thurston, fr.
M — Ashley Wright, Gig Harbor, sr.
M — Ailin Zhang, Central Kitsap, sr.
D — Meridee Hill, Yelm, jr.
D — Ashley Jones, Gig Harbor, sr.
D — Jordyn Thomas, River Ridge, sr.
D — Ailish Watson, Central Kitsap, sr.
GK — Rachel Remnet, Central Kitsap, soph.

HONORABLE MENTION

D — Sarah Ehler, Gig Harbor, soph.
D — Emma Krueger, Peninsula, soph.
F — Elise Miller, Gig Harbor, fr.

FOOTBALL

MVP — Hudson Cedarland, Gig Harbor, sr.
Offensive MVP — Kyler Ronquillo, Yelm, jr.
Defensive MVP — Ray Wright, Yelm, jr.
Lineman — Hall Schmidt, Peninsula, sr.
Coaching Staff — Timberline, Yelm

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

QB — Jackson Brown, Timberline, jr.
RB — Brayden Platt, Yelm, soph.
RB — Kouper Hall, Central Kitsap, jr.
WR — Franco Segura, Timberline, sr.
WR — Cole Rushforth, Gig Harbor, sr.
WR — Dantae Robinson, River Ridge, sr.
TE — Parker Born, Gig Harbor, sr.
OL — Cooper Carlson, Capital, sr.
OL — Taylor Jones, Peninsula, sr.
OL — Kollin Gifford, Yelm, sr.
OL — Vaiyon Montira, Central Kitsap, sr.
OL — Aidan Anderson, North Thurston, jr.

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

DL — Logan Platt, Yelm, sr.
DL — Grady Johnson, Peninsula, jr.
DL — Caleb Anderson, Central Kitsap, sr.
DL — Ian Williams, River Ridge, jr.
LB — Josh Hinkel, Peninsula, sr.
LB — Kaleb Mcneely, Timberline, jr.
LB — Parker Born, Gig Harbor, sr.
LB — Braden Platt, Yelm, soph.
DB — Kyler Ronquillo, Yelm, jr.
DB — Christian Parrish, Gig Harbor, jr.
DB — Martin Aunese, Timberline, sr.
DB — Cameron Hashimoto, Timberline, sr.

FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS

K — Gage Pedro, Timberline, soph.
P — Skyler Perrotti, Capital, sr.

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

QB — Will Landram, Gig Harbor, jr.
RB — Jake Kennedy, Capital, sr.
RB — Ethan Hogan, Peninsula, sr.
WR — Mykale Whitehead, Timberline, sr.
WR — Aden Schaler, Yelm, jr.
WR — Nathaniel Paul, Yelm sr.
TE — Caleb Novak, Peninsula, sr.
OL — Brayden Boyd, Timberline, sr.
OL — Grady Johnson, Peninsula, jr.
OL — Dawson Williams, Central Kitsap, jr.
OL — Sonny Grob, Central Kitsap, sr.
OL — Bryce Switzer, Capital, sr.

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

DL — Kelvin Gardner, Central Kitsap, sr.
DL — Gavin Robinson, Gig Harbor, sr.
DL — Jabrayan Richburg, Capital, jr.
DL — Aidan Anderson, North Thurston, jr.
LB — Johnny Mapu, River Ridge, jr.
LB — William Carreto, Yelm, jr.
LB — Easton Herdman, Central Kitsap, sr.
LB — Jones Stalker, Peninsula, jr.
DB — Austin Hanson, Peninsula, sr.
DB — Micah Stringfield, Central Kitsap, jr.
DB — Isaac Smith, Peninsula, jr.
DB — Paavan Bankston, Yelm, jr.

SECOND TEAM SPECIALISTS

Ret — Josiah Johnson, Central Kitsap, jr.
Ret — Colin Montgomery, Gig Harbor, jr.

HONORABLE MENTION

K — Jacob Decker, Gig Harbor, sr.
OL — Trevor Dixon, Gig Harbor, jr.
DL — Nick Fortney, Gig Harbor, jr.
LB — Kale Probst, Gig Harbor, sr.
QB — Jake Bice, Peninsula, sr.
RB — Josh Hinkel, Peninsula, sr.
K — Brady Laybourn, Peninsula, jr.
WR — Dan Meddaugh, Peninsula, jr.
DL — Tanner Staben, Peninsula, jr.
LB — Marshall Turnbull, Peninsula, sr.