Prep football: Lynnwood’s Meinken makes 3A all-state list

Published 10:59 pm Friday, December 19, 2008

SEATTLE — It’s difficult to obtain much recognition when you play for a winless team. That makes Geoff Meinken’s postseason all the more remarkable.

First, the Lynnwood standout received and verbally accepted a scholarship offer from Stanford University. Now, he has been voted to the Associated Press high school football all-state team. Meinken, a 6-foot-3, 260-pound defensive lineman, was named to the Class 3A first team.

Glacier Peak defensive lineman John Froland received honorable mention on the 3A team.

Three Archbishop Murphy players were named to the 2A first team. Glade Hall was selected as an offensive lineman. CJ Milburn was picked at linebacker. And JD Melton was selected at defensive back. Murphy defensive lineman JJ Quinlan received honorable mention.

King’s linebacker Paul Lutgen made the 1A first team.

Although they contain nearly 20 percent of the state’s 4A schools, the two Wesco leagues were shut out when it came to the first team. The South was completely blanked. Two North players received honorable mention: Lake Stevens wide receiver Colton Tupen and Arlington defensive back Dylan Lindberg.

Meanwhile, Jake Heaps, the highly regarded junior quarterback from Skyline High School in the Seattle suburb of Sammamish, was voted the player of the year. Heaps, who has yet to lose a game, picked up all but three votes for state player of the year — the other votes went to Prosser’s Kirby Moore (two votes) and Heaps’ Skyline teammate Gino Simone (one vote). He also was named the Class 4A player of the year.

Moore was the overwhelming choice as the Class 2A player of the year. Peter Nguyen of Bellevue (3A); Derek Todd of Cashmere (1A); Creighton Alford of Asotin (2B) and Garrett Blauert of LaCrosse-Washtucna-Kahlotus (1B) also picked up player of the year honors for their classes.