Sage Arends rolls into action. (Julie Wheat photos)
It’s the premier pitch conference in Washington.
The Northwest 2B/1B League has produced four of the last five 2B/1B boys’ soccer state champs and taken 13 of 20 tourney trophies in that time.
So, when it comes time for coaches to pick their best players, it’s ultra-competitive.
This time around was no different, with Orcas Island — which has played in five straight state title games, winning three — having the league MVP in senior Joaquin Shanks Morales.
The Vikings also collected the Team Sportsmanship trophy, while Mount Vernon Christian leader Jeremiah Wohlgemuth was tapped as Coach of the Year.
Coupeville, which was in playoff contention until the final day of the season, landed two players on the Honorable Mention list, with juniors Sage Arends and Sam Richards earning props for their play.
Arends punched in seven goals for the Wolves, while Richards stood tall as a goalkeeper, fending off some of the most-potent offenses in the game.
Sam Richards gets his props.
First-Team:
Emilio Bayas – Senior – Friday Harbor
Isidro Churape – Junior – Friday Harbor
Anthony Conejo – Senior – Orcas Island
Junior Conejo Medina – Sophomore – Orcas Island
Zane Dahlberg – Junior – Mount Vernon Christian
Abdul Guzman – Junior – Friday Harbor
Timoteo Malo – Junior – Orcas Island
Andres Meissner – Senior – Lopez Island
Kaleb Otis – Junior – La Conner
Sean Russell – Senior – Mount Vernon Christian
Ryker Stewart – Senior – Grace Academy
Second-Team:
Ben Letsche – Junior – Providence Classical Christian
Mickael Mbuyu – Senior – Cedar Park Christian-Lynnwood
Connor Mounts – Sophomore – Mount Vernon Christian
Logan Mounts – Senior – Mount Vernon Christian
Elias Poole – Junior – Providence Classical Christian
Lauro Quintero Carrion – Senior – Orcas Island
Oliver Rick – Senior – Lopez Island
Angelo Vaccarella – Senior – Orcas Island
Sam Vaccarella – Sophomore – Orcas Island
Walker Wohlgemuth – Freshman – Mount Vernon Christian
Grady Woodmansee – Sophomore – Mount Vernon Christian
Honorable Mention:
Jayce Anderson – Senior – Grace Academy
Eric Apopei – Junior – Providence Classical Christian
Sage Arends – Junior – Coupeville
Forrest Goodremont – Junior – Friday Harbor
Huck Henderson – Sophomore – Lopez Island
Kaden Horn – Sophomore – Friday Harbor
Paul Kloss – Sophomore – Providence Classical Christian
Riley Miller – Junior – Friday Harbor
Kale Navarette-Higgins – Junior – La Conner
Lydia Negash – Junior – Cedar Park Christian-Lynnwood
Sam Richards – Junior – Coupeville
Lane Tenborg – Senior – Mount Vernon Christian
Nolan Wohlgemuth – Junior – Mount Vernon Christian
Coupeville Sports 