Your 2016 1A Olympic League baseball MVP — Coupeville catcher Cole Payne. (Sylvia Hurlburt photo)
Cole Payne is going out on top.
The Coupeville High School senior, who fought through injury to lead the Wolves to their first baseball league title in 25 years this spring, was tabbed as the MVP of the 1A Olympic League in coach’s voting.
Payne is the second CHS athlete to win top honors in the league, following in the footsteps of two-time girls’ basketball MVP Makana Stone.
A force both at the plate as a hitter and behind it as a catcher, Payne topped a 13-man All-League team released Monday afternoon.
Joining him as First-Team All-League players were senior pitcher CJ Smith, sophomore pitcher Hunter Smith and freshman third baseman Matt Hilborn.
The team features seven seniors, three juniors, two sophomores and one freshman.
Coupeville also received the award for best coaching staff, while Port Townsend took home the sportsmanship award.
The complete All-League team:
Cole Payne (C) Coupeville
George Harris (Inf) Klahowya
Henry Lovekamp (Inf) Chimacum
Matt Hillborn (Inf) Coupeville
Hayden Trull (Inf) Klahowya
Jakob Wittig (C) Klahowya
Berkley Hill (Utility) Port Townsend
Dylan Zuber (OF) Klahowya
Troy Porter (OF) Klahowya
Logan Shaw (OF) Chimacum
CJ Smith (P) Coupeville
Nate Hough (P) Klahowya
Hunter Smith (P) Coupeville
Coupeville Sports 
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