This South Sound boys soccer team was voted as best team in 2021-22

Jon Manley
·11 min read

The 2021-22 school year brought plenty of high school state championships to the South Sound, from the Graham-Kapowsin football team steamrolling every opponent in its path last fall, to the Olympia baseball team riding its dominant pitching to a baseball state title in Pasco last month.

Which was the best team from the South Sound during the 2021-22 school year? We asked readers.

The Bellarmine Prep boys soccer team was voted by readers as the top high school sports team in the South Sound during the 2021-22 school year.

The Lions secured their third state title in school history in May, when they topped Skyline, 1-0, in the Class 4A championship game.

The win capped a 19-2-1 season for Bellarmine Prep, which also won the 4A South Puget Sound League title earlier this spring.

Thank you to everyone who voted and supported local student-athletes. Read about all of the local state championship teams from the 2021-22 school year and view the poll results below:

THE CONTENDERS

Graham-Kapowsin football (14-0, beat Lake Stevens in 4A state championship game, 44-7)

The Eagles weren’t just the best football team in the state last fall; The 2021 Graham-Kapowsin squad is in the discussion of the best high school football teams the state has ever seen. Playing in the tough 4A South Puget Sound League, no one even sniffed an upset against G-K, led by quarterback and Fresno State signee Joshua Wood, The News Tribune’s All-Area player of the year. Wood threw for 2,222 yards, 31 touchdowns and five interceptions, while adding 535 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. It wasn’t just Wood; Graham-Kapowsin had the state’s best offensive line, anchored by left tackle and Penn State commit Vega Ioane. Receiver Julian Mason (Idaho State), lineman Curtis Hill (Idaho State), and linebacker Jalen Davenport (uncommitted), were also first-team selections to the TNT’s All-Area team. Graham-Kapowsin wasn’t done winning a state title, though (which it did emphatically, thumping Lake Stevens in the 4A title game, 44-7). The Eagles followed up the state title by defeating nationally-ranked Collins Hill, the Georgia 7A state champion, in a nationally-televised game in Las Vegas in December. Wood threw the game-winning 32-yard touchdown pass with just seconds left in the game, sealing the 40-36 win and cementing Graham-Kapowsin’s status as one of the nation’s best teams.

Curtis boys basketball (26-2, beat Mount Si in 4A state championship game, 52-49)

Mount Si was the tournament’s top seed at the Tacoma Dome and the favorite to win the Class 4A title, coming into the tournament undefeated. The Wildcats remained undefeated all the way into the state championship game. Curtis, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, spoiled the party, beating Mount Si in the championship game, 52-49. Curtis junior Tyce Paulsen stole a pass near midcourt in overtime to give Curtis the late lead. Vikings’ super-sophomore Zoom Diallo scored a game-high 22 points in the championship game, including a free throw to force overtime. It was the program’s first state championship since 2013, when Curtis defeated Jackson in the championship game, 60-56. Curtis is the first Pierce County boys team to win a state title since Foss won the Class 2A title in 2017 and the first to win in 4A since Curtis won its last title. Diallo and Paulsen were both first-team selections to the TNT’s 2022 All-Area team.

Auburn boys basketball (27-2, beat Rainier Beach in the 3A state championship game, 58-48)

They say that the 3A boys basketball title goes through the Metro League, perennially one of the state’s best basketball leagues. Auburn took that challenge to heart, beating three Metro League teams in the state basketball tournament at the Tacoma Dome to lift the trophy: No. 1 Garfield in the quarterfinals, No. 5 Seattle Prep in the semifinals and No. 4 Rainier Beach in the championship game. It was the program’s first state title. Senior guard Tre Blassingame was the TNT’s 2022 All-Area player of the year. He scored 17 points and hauled in nine rebounds in the state championship game. With under a second to go against top-seeded Garfield in the quarterfinals, he made a pair of free throws to force overtime. Auburn guard Kaden Hansen was a second-team selection to the TNT’s All-Area team.

Curtis boys swim (4A state swim and dive champions)

It was quite a year for Curtis High School athletics, which included the boys swim and dive program’s first state title since 1992. Curtis senior Patrick Keough was the star of the show at the 4A state meet at the King County Aquatic Center, winning the 100-yard butterfly, the 200 freestyle and swimming anchor on both the Vikings’ 200 and 400 title-winning freestyle relays, which both set new meet records.

Orting head coach Jody Coleman lifts up Alan Salguero, Jr. after he beat Burlington Edison’s Chris Lopez Gonzales, 12-3, in the 106-pound 2A championship match at Mat Classic XXXIII on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Wash.
Orting head coach Jody Coleman lifts up Alan Salguero, Jr. after he beat Burlington Edison’s Chris Lopez Gonzales, 12-3, in the 106-pound 2A championship match at Mat Classic XXXIII on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Wash.

Orting boys wrestling (2A state boys wrestling champions)

Perhaps heralding the beginning of a wrestling dynasty in Class 2A in Washington, six Orting wrestlers won individual titles at Mat Classic XXXIII at the Tacoma Dome in the winter, en route to Orting’s team title. Owen Cline, Alan Salguero, Quentin Harding, Apollo Cruz, Bryan Dickerson and Dalton Reed all won titles for the Cardinals.

Olympia baseball (25-3, beat Puyallup in 4A state championship game, 7-6)

The clip has made rounds on social media: Olympia right fielder Taber Fast, a Texas Tech commit, throwing out the Puyallup base runner at the plate to end the 4A state championship game and seal the title for the Olympia Bears, 7-6. It was the program’s first title and came after a hard-fought game between the state’s two best teams, both from the 4A South Puget Sound League. Bears’ pitcher Rylan Haider went a perfect 10-0 on the year, posting a 0.89 earned run average. He was named both The News Tribune and The Olympian’s 2022 All-Area player of the year. Fast was also a first-team selection to the TNT’s All-Area team.

The Tumwater High School Baseball team won the school’s first state 2A championship on Saturday in Yakima.
The Tumwater High School Baseball team won the school’s first state 2A championship on Saturday in Yakima.

Tumwater baseball (21-6, beat Columbia River in 2A state championship game, 1-0)

It was the year of the pitcher in Thurston County. Jordan Hanson threw 6 and 2/3 shutout innings in the state championship game, allowing just four hits and two walks while striking out seven. Ryan Orr hit the game-winning single to give Tumwater the 1-0 win and the program’s first state title. Both Hanson and Orr were first-team selections to the TNT’s All-Area team. Hanson posted a 0.60 earned run average and Orr posted an 8-1 record with a 0.86 ERA.

Tumwater senior shortstop Aly Waltermeyer is The Olympian’s All-Area Softball Player of the Year after helping lead the T-Birds to the 2A state championship. She is shown at Olympia High School in Olympia, Washington on Wednesday, June 8, 2022.
Tumwater senior shortstop Aly Waltermeyer is The Olympian’s All-Area Softball Player of the Year after helping lead the T-Birds to the 2A state championship. She is shown at Olympia High School in Olympia, Washington on Wednesday, June 8, 2022.

Tumwater softball (23-2, beat Othello in 2A state championship game, 13-3)

Quite a spring for T-Birds sports, which included the Tumwater softball team tearing through the 2A state tournament bracket as a No. 6 seed and knocking off the No. 11, 3, 2 and 1 seeds to win the state title. Tumwater shortstop Aly Waltermeyer, a University of the Pacific signee, was named The Olympian’s All-Area player of the year after hitting .549, scoring 32 runs and driving in 21. All three of her home runs came at state. Pitcher Ella Ferguson and second baseman Jaylene Maniquez were both first-team selections to The Olympian’s All-Area team.

The Bellarmine Prep boys golf team won the Class 4A state team title on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at the Indian Summer Country Club in Olympia, Wash.
The Bellarmine Prep boys golf team won the Class 4A state team title on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at the Indian Summer Country Club in Olympia, Wash.

Bellarmine boys golf (won 4A state championship)

Freshman J.J. Bordeaux took second place overall in the Class 4A state golf tournament at Indian Summer Country Club in Olympia, shooting 142 (71, 71) in the two-day tournament, leading the Lions to the Class 4A state golf title, the school’s 12th all-time and 10th for longtime coach Steve George. Bellarmine’s Max Burns finished in fourth, shooting a 143 (70, 73) and Owen Price also notched a top-10 placement, firing a 151 (75, 76). Conner Conley finished 19th (75, 81), Karsten Miller 37th (81, 81) and Cole Wicklander 45th (77, 86).

White River girls golf (won 2A state championship)

Brooke Gelinas shot a two-day total of 141 (69, 72) at the Tumwater Valley Golf Club to win the 2A individual state title, edging Tumwater’s Lily McCauley, who carded a two-day 142 (70, 72). It was one of many fine performances from White River, which won the 2A team title. Senior Brooke Mahler finished third at 146 (73, 73), freshman Lexie Mahler took fifth at 152 (78, 74) and Alle Klemkow tied for 19th at 174 (82, 92).

Bellarmine boys soccer (19-2-1, beat Skyline in 4A state championship game, 1-0)

The Lions followed up the 4A SPSL regular season title by winning the whole thing, beating Skyline in the 4A state championship game at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup, 1-0. Defense was the name of the game for Bellarmine, which conceded just two goals over four state tournament games against Eastmont, Newport, Pasco and Skyline. Bellarmine junior center back Liam Miller was named The News Tribune’s 2022 All-Area player of the year, leading a dominant Lions’ back line. Forward Peter Radovich, midfielder Cael Tackett and defender Jack Radovich were first-team selections to the TNT’s All-Area team.

Curtis’ Ava Simms crosses the finish line just ahead of Richland’s Emma Wahlstrom in a heat of the 4A 4x200 relay at the State 2A, 3A, 4A track and field championships on Thursday, May 26, 2022, at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma Wash.
Curtis’ Ava Simms crosses the finish line just ahead of Richland’s Emma Wahlstrom in a heat of the 4A 4x200 relay at the State 2A, 3A, 4A track and field championships on Thursday, May 26, 2022, at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma Wash.

Curtis girls track (won 4A state championship)

The Vikings won the program’s first team state title since 2012, besting three-time defending champion Tahoma in the process. Sophomore Eliza White upset Bellarmine Prep’s Ella Borsheim for the 3,200 meters title (10:29.66). Ava Simms added an individual title in the 400 (57.1), as well as a third-place finish in the 200 (25.75). White also added another podium finish, taking second in the 1,600 (4:54.23), while Hazel Gaspaire finished third in the high jump (5-4). Abigail Klein added three individual podium finishes in the 100 hurdles (sixth, 16.03), 300 hurdles (fifth, 46.13) and high jump (sixth, 5-0), while Azariah Miller added a fifth-place finish in the triple jump (36-2). Curtis also placed in each of the three relays.

Capital girls track (won 3A state championship)

Capital won its first girls team championship behind two track event titles and two field titles — including three individual championships from Amanda and Hana Moll. Amanda Moll, the top-ranked girls pole vaulter in the nation this spring, secured her first state championship in the event (overall meet-record 14-6), while Hana Moll, ranked second nationally in the event, placed second (14-0). Amanda Moll also added a long jump title (17-8) and Hana Moll a 100 hurdles championship (14.66). The Cougars also posted a pair of podium finishes in the relays, including a title in the 4x100 race, with Kora Landers, Amanda Moll, Lucy Heminway and Hana Moll combining for a winning time of 49.24. Landers, Karina Greenlee, Heminway and Addison Harrington added a sixth-place finish in the 4x200 relay (1:47.18) and Landers another sixth-place finish in the 100 (12.63). Capital won the team championship with 54 points, ahead of Garfield (47), Kelso (44) and Hazen (38).

Tumwater’s Alyssa Duncan jumps to a second-place finish in the 2A girls long jump competition during the second day of the WIAA State Track and Field Championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington on Friday, May 27, 2022.
Tumwater’s Alyssa Duncan jumps to a second-place finish in the 2A girls long jump competition during the second day of the WIAA State Track and Field Championships at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Washington on Friday, May 27, 2022.

Tumwater girls track (won 2A state championship)

Tumwater ran away with the 2A girls championship, winning the first girls team crown in school history with 78 points, well out in front of defending champion Bellingham (51), Sehome (45) and Ellensburg (43). Natalie Sumrok won an individual championship in the javelin (126-2) and Alyssa Duncan won a triple jump title (37-2 1/4), pacing the T-Birds group. Ava Jones added points in the 100 (fourth, 12.57) and 200 (third, 25.9), Annabelle Clapp placed in both the 200 (eighth, 26.92) and 400 (second, 59.24), Duncan also had two more podium finishes in the 100 hurdles (third, 15.65) and long jump (second, 18-1) and Sumrok also placed in the shot put (sixth, 35-7 1/2). Tumwater boosted its winning team score with top-four finishes in each of the three relay races. The T-Birds won the first race run on the track Saturday morning, besting the field in the 4x200 when Mariah Jett, Clapp, Reese Heryford and Jones combined to post a season-best 1:44.67. Jett, Sumrok, Heryford and Duncan secured a fourth-place finish in the 4x100 (51.51), and Jones, Jett, Heryford and Clapp wrapped up the weekend with a third-place finish in the 4x400 (4:08.02).

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