Looking back at Kitsap's top sports stories from 2022

When it came time to rummaging through my memory bank to gather the top sports stories from 2022, I was once again reminded how good it felt not having the COVID-19 pandemic dominating the headlines.

As you may recall, 2021 saw us begin to break free from pandemic restrictions, but not completely. High school athletics returned for short seasons in the first half of the year, yet state championship events remained a no-go until fall arrived. Even during the autumn months, teams still dealt with postponed events and cancelled games due to COVID outbreaks.

That's what sticks with me most about 2022: for the most part, Kitsap's best athletes were able to return to normal and do things that aren't so normal. We had a teen phenom become a millionaire. At the state level, we had title-winning teams, individual champions — and others that came oh-so-close.

So without further delay, let's take a look back at the most notable stories from the past 12 months:

Five champions crowned at Mat Classic

The return of the state wrestling championships at the Tacoma Dome after a one-year hiatus saw West Sound produce five champions: South Kitsap's Stone Hartford and Mitchell Neiner, Bremerton's Thor and Lars Michaelson and North Kitsap's Sofian Hammou. The only time West Sound produced more state champions at the annual February tournament was in 2011.

All five of these wrestlers were first-time state champions. Another interesting note? All five were underclassmen and are back this winter to compete for more titles.

North Kitsap third in state basketball, swimming

Having won its first Class 2A state boys basketball title in 2020, North Kitsap returned in 2022 with a good chance for another as the No. 1 seed in March’s state tournament.

A cold-shooting effort in the state semifinals against Pullman cost North Kitsap a chance to play for the title, which eventually went to Lynden, but the Vikings bounced back to claim third place with a dominant effort against R.A. Long. North Kitsap finished 24-4 and saw Kitsap Sun boys basketball player of the year Jonas La Tour sign with Seattle Pacific University.

At the state swim/diving competition in Federal Way last winter, North Kitsap's Isaac Beers topped the 2A field in the 100 freestyle and backstroke, while teaming with Ian Stefanski, Mac MacKinnon and James Correll to win the 200 free relay. The Vikings finished third as a team.

Olympic College men's basketball claims region crown

Olympic College's men's basketball program experienced a rebirth during the winter of 2022 as the Rangers won the Northwest Athletic Conference's North Region title for the first time since 1995.

Led by 26-year-old head coach and former South Kitsap standout Ryley Callaghan, OC finished 21-8 and reached the semifinals of the NWAC tournament. The Rangers suffered a 77-76 loss to eventual champion Yakima Valley, losing a six-point lead in the game's final 45 seconds.

Track and field athletes secure eight state titles

Spring time saw the return of the state high school track and field championships for the first time since 2019. Between the Class 4A/3A/2A meet at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma and the 1A/2B/1B meet at Eastern Washington University in Cheney, West Sound produced eight titles.

Klahowya's Kelton Gagnon, the Kitsap Sun co-male athlete of the year in 2022, dominated the boys distance races in 1A. He won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 (Gagnon's time of 1:52.78 in the 800 set a new 1A state record). In 1B, Crosspoint's Zach Lampkin claimed the boys' 100 and 200 titles.

South Kitsap's quartet of Ella and Elise Hopper, Savannah Kambich and Marissa Crane took first in the 4x200 and 4x400 relays and finished second in the 4x100, helping the Wolves place second in the team standings behind 4A champion Curtis. Ella Hopper, the Kitsap Sun's female athlete of the year for 2022, added a title in the 300 hurdles.

Atlanta Braves draft Bainbridge phenom Ritchie

Bainbridge Island's JR Ritchie became the highest Major League Baseball draft pick from Kitsap County in more than three decades when the Atlanta Braves selected him 35th overall during a July draft gathering in Los Angeles.

During his senior season at Bainbridge High School, Ritchie finished 7-0 with two earned runs allowed in 35 and 1/3 innings. The 19-year-ld right-hander struck out 74 batters while allowing just 12 hits and four walks. He missed the Class 3A state tournament due to COVID-19.

Ritchie went to Atlanta as a Competitive Balance Round A pick after the first round, becoming the highest draft pick from Kitsap County since North Kitsap's Aaron Sele went 23rd to the Boston Red Sox in 1991. He signed a contract with $2.4 million before pitching 14.1 innings at rookie ball and single-A. He amassed a 1.88 earned run average with 14 strikeouts and five walks.

Central Kitsap claims state cross country title

South Kitsap became the first girls cross country program to win a state title, way back in 1997.

In November, Central Kitsap joined the Wolves by claiming a state championship of its own. The Cougars took top honors at the 3A title race at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco. Central Kitsap scored 70 points to finish ahead of South Sound Conference rival Gig Harbor (89).

Sophomore Clare Herring led Central Kitsap with a second-place time of 18 minutes, 24.1 seconds. She finished just one tenth of a second behind Gig Harbor's Reese Morkert.

Third state title for Klahowya girls soccer

Klahowya's girls soccer team secured the program's third state title in November as the Eagles topped Lynden Christian 3-1 in the 1A championship game at Shoreline Stadium. It marked the third state title for Klahowya head coach Troy Oelschlager, whose program previously earned championships in 1999 and 2014.

Amira Lyons, Tori Peters and Bailey Watland scored for the Eagles, who overcame a 1-0 deficit in the victory. Klahowya finished with a record of 18-1-0.

North Kitsap football takes second in 2A thriller

North Kitsap's historic playoff run nearly produced the school's first football state title in December. In the end, the Vikings came up short, falling to defending champion Lynden, 31-24, in the 2A title game in Puyallup. North Kitsap tied the game at 24-all early in the fourth quarter before Lynden embarked on a 19-play, 80-scoring drive with a minute remaining.

North Kitsap (12-2) became the first football team from Kitsap County to reach a state championship game in football since South Kitsap in 1997. Edging Anacortes 10-7 in the quarterfinals, North Kitsap fell behind W.F. West 15-0 in the semifinals before rallying for a 29-22 win.

Vikings junior Logan Sloman earned Kitsap Sun football player of the year honors after setting single-season setting school records for receptions (71), receiving yardage (1,008) and receiving touchdowns (14).

Jeff Graham covers high school sports for the Kitsap Sun. Reach him at jgraham@kitsapsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Jeff Graham: Kitsap's top sports stories from 2022