All told, Sequim High School’s 2018 spring was — quite literally — a banner season. With some SHS teams earning their first state tourney win (boys soccer) to another coming within a match of a doubles championship (girls tennis) to another racking up seven medals at the state final (track and field), there were plenty of reasons for Wolves fans to cheer.
Fellow Olympic League coaches saw fit to recognize those efforts, awarding the Wolves three league MVP honors — two of those on the links.
Boys golf
After a stellar spring in 2017 that saw a sophomore and two freshmen play their way to the state 2A tourney’s second-day cut, Sequim’s boys golf squad was primed for a big year — and the Wolves responded. A quarter of Sequim players played their way to second place trophy at the state finals in Richland this May, the best finish for Sequim’s boys golf squad in school history.
Sophomore Paul Jacobsen was named the Olympic League MVP after earning medalist honors at three league meets and edging teammate Blake Wiker for the Olympic League tourney title.
Wiker, a junior and the league’s 2017 MVP, was named to the first team along with sophomore teammate Andrew Vanderberg.
Josiah Carter, a senior, joined the trio on the league’s first team, while junior Liam Payne was selected for the second team.
Wiker tied for 10th, Jacobsen tied for 13th, Vanderberg tied for 25th and Carter was 70th at the state 2A finals.
Kingston’s boys took home the league sportsmanship award.
Girls golf
After Sequim’s Alex McMenamin dominated the league fairways for four years (2014-2017), this was Sarah Shea’s year.
The Sequim High graduate-to-be earned medalist honors in each league meet, blew away the competition in the league championship and then drove, chipped and putted her way to a tie for fifth place at the state 2A tournament in Richland — thereby earning Olympic League MVP honors.
Shea will tee it up for the Western Washington University Vikings in the fall — where her brother (and former two-time league MVP) Jack Shea is playing.
Sequim’s Samantha Smith, a senior, and Madison Uranga, a junior, were named to the All-Olympic League first team. Both qualified for the state 2A tourney, where Smith tied for 44th and Uranga was 54th.
Olympic’s girls were awarded the league’s Sportsmanship honor.
Boys soccer
A first — and unexpected — state playoff victory, a breakout performance from a sophomore forward, a big contribution from an exchange student … and leading the way, their senior captain.
The Wolves wrote a memorable season on the pitch in 2018, and for his leadership along the way SHS senior Liam Harris was named the Olympic League MVP.
Harris became the program’s all-time leading scorer with his 41st goal on April 24, and added a pair more in district play as the Wolves went 3-1 and qualified for the state 2A tourney. He also had 12 assists along the way.
Named to the All-Olympic League first team were Sequim’s Ryan Tolberd and Hayuk Minano, while senior Mathew Craig and junior Sean Weber, both defenders, were named to the second team.
Tolberd, just a sophomore, broke the school’s single-season mark of 18 goals and finished with 21 goals; his 27 scores over two seasons now ranks fifth all-time behind Harris, Kai Antrim (40), Evan Still (29) and Kelly Hardin (28).
Minano, an exchange student from Spain, tallied 15 assists this spring to break Vann Brasher’s single-season school mark (13, in 2004).
Craig and Weber led a Sequim defense that allowed 13 goals in their final 11 games leading up to the state tourney.
Sequim fell 7-1 to Toppenish but earned a victory after the Wildcats forfeited the game for using an ineligible player. Sequim lost 4-3 loss to Burlington-Edison in the quarterfinals, but their top-eight finish was the program’s best.
Kingston had a trio of seniors — Adin Bowers, Ian Schmid and Peter Sustad — on the league’s first team, along with Port Angeles’ Ben Schneider. The league’ Sportsmanship Award went to Olympic.
Fastpitch
Sequim junior Isabelle Dennis was named to the All-Olympic League first team while a trio of Wolves were selected for the second team following Sequim’s West Central District tourney-qualifying season.
Infielders Bobbi Sparks (junior, shortstop) and Bryanna Dominguez (sophomore, third base), along with freshman outfielder Jayla Julmist were named to the second team.
Sequim was 6-6 in league play and went 2-2 at districts, coming within one win of a state 2A tournament berth. Their spring included a late-season, non-league win over league champ Port Angeles.
Natalie Steinman of Port Angeles was named the league’s Most Valuable Player while Olympic posted six players on the first team.
Kingston was awarded the league’s Sportsmanship Award.
Baseball
Sequim may have missed the postseason but a pair of Wolves shone brightly on the diamond.
Junior first baseman Johnnie Young and senior southpaw pitcher Ian Miller were named to the All-Olympic League second team.
Young led the club with a 3.54 batting average and six doubles. His 17 hits were second on the team (to Miller) and his 10 stole bases were second to brother Michael’s 11 thefts.
Miller paced the Sequim pitching staff with 41 strikeouts over nearly 34 innings, while his earned-run average (4.16) was third.
Five Port Angeles Roughriders — Bo Bradow, Colton McGuffey, Ethan Floodstrom and Brody Merritt for two positions — were named to the first team.
North Kitsap junior Kyle Green was named the league’s MVP while Kingston took home the Sportsmanship Award.
