Athletes of the Week
Published 9:00 pm Monday, February 9, 2004
The senior 130-pounder was named the Wrestler of the Year in the North Cascades Conference by the league’s coaches. He improved his season record to 27-0 by winning the 130-pound championship in the Class 2A subregionals on Saturday. Conley pinned Lakewood’s Joe Edmonds in the final.
“He really impressed everybody with his win over Edmonds,” Sultan coach Wes Fischer said.
Fischer said Conley surprised Edmonds with a rarely seen move called a “spladle,” which Conley picked up while competing in the Rocky Mountain Nationals.
“Colorado wrestlers use it quite a bit,” Fischer said. “It was pretty awesome. The coaches were saying, “‘What is that?’ or ‘I haven’t seen that in years.’”
Conley, a state champion last year at 125 pounds, has won more than 40 matches in a row. He last lost during a holiday tournament in December, 2002.
“He has his goals clearly defined,” Fischer said. “He figures our where he wants to be and when well in advance.”
Fischer said Conley, who posted a 3.9 grade-point average in the fall quarter, is considering continuing his wrestling career in college.
Other top wrestling performers: Trenton Tuiasosopo, Mariner; Lester Brown, Lake Stevens; Norman Orr, Marysville-Pilchuck; Matt Leonard, Lake Stevens; Jonny Gilbertson, Cascade; Riley Cornett, Stanwood; Curtis Mather, Stanwood; Phil Jordan, Everett; Jon Ogden, Everett; Tyler Hill, Everett; Zach Ordona, Everett; J.T. Kane, Everett; Andrew Dunn, Mariner; Justin Boyce, Everett; Michael Bell, Mariner.
The senior guard scored 24 points in a 74-60 victory over Edmonds-Woodway. Her fifth 3-point field goal of the night started a 17-7 game-deciding run in the fourth quarter. She scored 23 points in a 60-41 win over Kamiak. She made four 3-pointers and shot 8-for-11 from the field. She played sparingly in a 68-28 win over Lynnwood, but still scored nine points on 3-for-5 shooting from behind the 3-point arc.
“She made some huge threes (vs. Edmonds-Woodway) and also played good defense,” Meadowdale coach Karen Blair said. “She did a little bit of everything.”
Blair said Martin is averaging 35 percent on her 3-point attempts.
“She has a great sense of timing and her teammates are setting screens to get her open and delivering the ball to her in positions where she can catch and shoot.”
Meadowdale uses a 10- to 12-player rotation, so Martin doesn’t get as many minutes as she might in another system.
“She’s real efficient with her time on the floor,” Blair said. “She had a great shooting performance Friday (vs. Kamiak).”
Other top girls basketball performers: Nichole Megard, Granite Falls; Sarah Mosiman, King’s; Allison Vanderwerff, Shoreline Christian; Casandra Saluskin, Tulalip Heritage; Randi Richardson, Arlington; Erin McEntire, Mountlake Terrace; Becca Crossen, Everett; Mary Tseng, Shorecrest; Banimi Lawson, Shorecrest; Lauren Smith, Lakewood; Amy Jones, Darrington; Emilee Eisinger, Jackson; Sam McCracken, Jackson; Heidi McNeill, Oak Harbor; Kirsten Thompson, Monroe; Lisa Coate, Archbishop Murphy; Vanessa Davis, Coupeville; Tara Holgate, Snohomish County Christian; Rachel Brown, Master’s Touch; Casey Jensen, Granite Falls.
Boys basketball player of the week: Daes Kaufman, Stanwood.
Other top boys basketball performers: Tyler Long, Lake Stevens; Jeremy Brown, Oak Harbor; Marcus Ferguson, Oak Harbor; Tyler Martinez, Kamiak; Delvaughn Tinned, Mariner; Aaron Cartwright, Mariner; Bryce Levin, Everett; Michael Hudson, Everett; Wes Taylor, Archbishop Murphy; Cory Pablo, Tulalip Heritage; Travis Tornga, South Whidbey; Kyle McGillen, South Whidbey; Kevin Willard, Granite Falls; Andrew Pettersen, Cascade; Rob Diederichs, Shorewood; Allen Black, Coupeville; Kyle Olin, Master’s Touch; Garth Brandal, Shoreline Christian; Blaine Brown, Skykomish; Colin Matteson, Meadowdale; Corey Hall, Jackson; Chris Chase, Shorecrest.
Boys swimming athletes of the week: Jason Merrifield, Kyle Asp, Jon Keane and Derek Shiu, Meadowdale.
Other top boys swimming performers: Joel Holyan and Robert Calamia, Mariner.
Girls bowling athlete of the week: Jennifer Whetzel, Jackson.
Other top girls bowling performers: Jennifer Michel, Everett; Markeeta Munger, Cascade.
John McDonald, Prep Editor
