EVERETT — Last month J Hopkins wanted to bring another state team track and field championship back to Everett High School.
It didn’t happen for the senior and his teammates, who won the Class 3A team title in 2007. But on Wednesday Hopkins won a prestigious individual award that he was happy to symbolically share with his peers.
“I had to bring one home for Everett High School,” Hopkins told the crowd at Everett Civic Auditorium after he was named one of two winners during the 47th annual Walsh-Platt Athletic Scholarship presentation.
Hopkins, a two-time state track champion in the 300-meter hurdles, will compete for Washington State University. Receiving the Walsh-Platt award, which includes a $5,000 scholarship, helped ease the frustration of not defending the 3A team crown at the state meet in Pasco.
“I wouldn’t say it redeemed us physically, but it feels like it does mentally. So in my eyes this is just as good as winning a state title,” said Hopkins.
The other Walsh-Platt winner was Jackson High’s Kristi Kingma.
Walsh-Platt scholarships are annually awarded to one senior boy and one senior girl from an Everett School District high school (Cascade, Everett and Jackson). Student-athletes must earn at least two varsity letters in a sport and letter in at least one other sport. They also must have at least a 2.5 grade-point average, display exceptional school citizenship and participate in community service.
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Kingma, a University of Washington basketball recruit, earned 12 varsity letters at Jackson in soccer, basketball and track. She was The Herald’s All-Area Girls Basketball Player of the Year the past two seasons and the 2007 All-Area Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
“It just makes me so proud to see what kind of overall person she’s grown into, from an athlete to a student,” said Gregg Kingma, Kristi Kingma’s dad.
It was a big night for the Kingma family. Before Kristi received her award, her parents, Gregg and Gail Kingma, were honored as Jackson’s Mom and Pop of the Year for their steady support of the Timberwolves’ girls soccer and girls hoops programs.
The other Walsh-Platt candidates were Kara Matsuzawa, Olivia Condotta, Nick Morrison and Jason Covert of Cascade; Lauren Hope, Rendel Jones, Jake Anstett and Maggie Burton of Everett, and Ashley Todd, Danny Oh and Myles Bittinger of Jackson.
Guest speaker Faith Ireland — a retired Washington Supreme Court Justice who became a competitive powerlifter — congratulated the candidates on their achievements and encouraged them to always seek new challenges.
“It’s never too late and you’re never too busy,” Ireland said.
The following honors were also announced:
Coaches of the year: Jake Huizinga (Cascade football), Jane Johnson (Everett girls golf) and Mike Moran (Jackson softball).
Mom and Pop of the Year: Debbie and Ken Shewfelt (Cascade), Ken and Debbie Anstett (Everett) and Julie Tarr (Everett).
Writer Mike Cane: mcane@heraldnet.com. Check out the prep sports blog Double Team at www.heraldnet.com/doubleteam.
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