The 2022-23 high school sports seasons came to a close with a flurry of action over Memorial Day weekend.
So, it’s time to take a look at which area high school athletic programs delivered the greatest collective performances over the school year.
The Herald Athletic Cup is back for its third edition.
Once again, it’s the Vikings from Lake Stevens who reign supreme.
Lake Stevens racked up 139.5 points to capture the 2022-23 edition of the Herald Athletic Cup, which rewards local high schools for their athletic success over the past school year. The Vikings also won last year’s competition and led the 2019-2020 competition before the spring sports seasons were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no Herald Athletic Cup for the 2020-21 school year due to the pandemic.
Schools receive points based on where their teams finished in their respective state tournaments or state competitions.
Shorewood took second with 113.5 points, Jackson third with 112, Kamiak fourth with 107 and Stanwood fifth with 94.
Below is an explanation of the points system, followed by a look at the top 10 schools in the standings.
POINTS SYSTEM
Schools are awarded 25 points for a state title and 20 points for a second-place state finish. From there, the scoring decreases by one point for every state placing — all the way down to two points for 20th place.
In the case of a tie in state placing, teams receive the average number of points for however many teams were part of the tie. For example, a three-way tie for sixth place would give a team 15 points — the average number of points for places six through eight.
The same concept applies to sports where not every state placing is determined. For example, if a soccer team loses in the state quarterfinals, that would be considered a four-way tie for fifth place and would be worth 15.5 points — the average number of points for places five through eight.
1. LAKE STEVENS — 139.5 points
The Vikings produced another banner year with nine teams earning points in this competition, including seven teams with top-eight state finishes in Class 4A. The powerhouse football team led the way, claiming its first-ever 4A state championship while making its third title game appearance since 2018. After winning the state title last spring, boys track and field placed second at state. Volleyball made its second run to the state championship game over the past three postseasons and posted a runner-up finish. Boys cross country and boys wrestling both notched sixth-place finishes at state. Girls Wrestling tied for seventh at state and girls cross country took eighth to round out the top-eight state placers. Girls track and field and boys swim and dive added top-16 placings.
Football: 1st place — 25 points
Boys track & field: 2nd place — 20 points
Volleyball: 2nd place — 20 points
Boys cross country: 6th place — 16 points
Boys wrestling: 6th place — 16 points
Girls wrestling: T-7th place — 14.5 points
Girls cross country: 8th place — 14 points
Girls track & field: 14th place — 8 points
Boys swim & dive: 16th place —6 points
2. SHOREWOOD — 113.5 points
The Stormrays showed a quality of depth with 11 squads posting points in this competition. Girls tennis headlined the year with a pair of singles state placers leading to a third-place team finish. Girls soccer made its third consecutive postseason appearance and reached the quarterfinals. Boys cross country and boys golf added a pair of top-10 finishes. The baseball and boys soccer teams each reached the round of 16. The swim and dive teams, girls track and field and girls wrestling rounded out the scoring with top-16 placings. This is the Stormrays’ highest finish in the Herald Athletic Cup, topping an eighth-place mark from last year. Shorewood made the biggest year-to-year jump of any school in the top 10.
Girls tennis: 3rd place — 19 points
Girls soccer: quarterfinals — 15.5 points
Boys cross country: 9th place — 13 points
Boys golf: 9th place — 13 points
Boys tennis: 10th place — 12 points
Baseball: round of 16 — 9.5 points
Boys soccer: round of 16 — 9.5 points
Girls swim & dive: 15th place — 7 points
Girls track & field: T-15th place — 6.5 points
Girls wrestling: T-16th place, 5.5 points
Boys swim & dive: 14th place — 4 points
3. JACKSON — 112 points
The winner of the inaugural Herald Athletic Cup is in the top three for the third consecutive time on the strength of a trio of top-five state placings. Softball led the charge with a nearly perfect 28-1 record and a run to its third state title in the past four postseasons. After winning the state title last spring, boys tennis tied for second this time around, which was spearheaded by singles state champion sophomore Ben Lee. Girls swim and dive placed in the top five for the sixth time in the past eight postseasons. Volleyball placed seventh and earned its best finish at the state tournament in a decade. Baseball reached the quarterfinals in its first state appearance since 2018. Boys swim and dive and girls tennis rounded out the state placers with 11th-place finishes.
Softball: 1st place — 25 points
Boys tennis: T-2nd place — 19 points
Girls swim & dive: 5th place — 17 points
Baseball: quarterfinals — 15.5 points
Volleyball: 7th place — 15 points
Boys swim & dive: 11th place — 11 points
Girls Tennis: T-11th place — 9.5 points
4. KAMIAK — 107 points
The Knights received top-10 placings from six programs. Boys track and field carried the torch with its third-place finish on the strength of two individual state champions and a pair of runner-up finishes. Girls swim and dive continued its strong tradition with a seventh-place finish. Softball, which made its first state appearance in 17 years, also placed seventh. The golf teams and girls track and field each delivered top-10 finishes for Kamiak. Girls tennis and boys cross country rounded out the scoring by finishing 11th and 13th, respectively. This is the highest appearance in this competition for the Knights, who were sixth last season.
Boys track & field: 3rd place — 19 points
Girls swim & dive: 7th place — 15 points
Softball: T-7th place — 14.5 points
Boys golf: 8th place — 14 points
Girls track & field: 8th place — 14 points
Girls golf: 10th place — 12 points
Girls tennis: T-11th place — 9.5 points
Boys cross country: 13th place — 9 points
5. STANWOOD — 94 points
The Spartans followed a year full of milestones with another year full of milestones. Boys wrestling earned a program-best third place finish at state, which included eight individual state placers and four top-three medalists. Girls basketball made its fourth state appearance in the past five postseasons and delivered a program-best fourth-place trophy. Football secured its first-ever run of back-to-back state playoff appearances and reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 1996. Girls track and field notched the area’s top 3A placing at seventh. Boys golf added a top-10 finish. Softball made a Cinderella run from lowest seed at districts to its first state berth since 2010, placing 13th. Girls tennis rounded out the scoring with a 14th-place finish. This is Stanwood’s highest appearance in this competition, topping seventh place last year.
Boys wrestling: 3rd place — 19 points
Girls basketball: 4th place — 18 points
Football: quarterfinals — 15.5 points
Girls track & field: 7th place — 15 points
Boys golf: 10th place — 12 points
Softball: T-13th place — 7.5 points
Girls tennis: T-14th place — 7 points
6. SNOHOMISH — 92.5 points
The Panthers led the way in program depth this school year with an area-high 12 teams scoring points in this competition. Softball continued its winning ways and reached state for the eighth consecutive time, made the championship game for the third time since 2016 and finished as the runner-up. Boys golf earned Snohomish’s other top-10 placing by taking eighth. The tennis teams, volleyball, girls swim and dive, girls cross country and boys track and field all posted top-15 placings. Girls soccer reached state four the fourth consecutive season and made the round of 16. Boys swim and dive, girls golf and girls track and field rounded out the scoring with top-20 finishes.
Softball: 2nd place — 20 points
Boys golf: 8th place — 14 points
Boys tennis: T-11th place — 9.5 points
Girls swim & dive: 14th place — 8 points
Girls cross country: 14th place — 8 points
Volleyball: T-13th — 7.5 points
Girls tennis: T-14th place — 7 points
Boys track & field: T-15th place — 6 points
Boys swim & dive: 17th place — 5 points
Girls soccer: round of 16 — 3.5 points
Girls golf: 20th place — 2 points
Girls track & field: T-20th place — 2 points
7. SHORECREST — 85 points
The Scots had five teams deliver top-12 state placings, including the girls soccer team taking fourth during its 10th consecutive postseason appearance for its best finish since 2015. Boys basketball reached the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2016. The swim and dive teams and boys cross country rounded out the top-12 placers for Shorecrest. Boys soccer, girls cross country and girls golf added top-20 placings for the Scots.
Girls soccer: 4th place — 18 points
Boys Basketball: quarterfinals — 14.5 points
Boys swim & dive: 8th place, 14 points
Boys cross country: 11th place — 11 points
Girls swim & dive: 12th place — 10 points
Boys soccer: Round of 16 — 9.5 points
Girls cross country: 17th place — 5 points
Girls golf: 19th place — 3 points
8. ARLINGTON — 79 points
A third consecutive run to the state semifinals and third straight top-five state trophy from the girls basketball team led the way for the Eagles. Boys basketball reached the round of 12 in its first trip to the Tacoma Dome since 2013. Girls wrestling delivered an 11th-place finish. Boys track and field and boys wrestling each had an individual state champion and placed 12th and 13th, respectively. The cross country teams and boys tennis each added top-16 placings.
Girls basketball: 5th place — 17 points
Boys basketball: round of 12 — 11.5 points
Girls wrestling: 11th place — 11 points
Boys track & field: T-12th place — 9.5 points
Boys wrestling: 13th place — 9 points
Boys cross country: 14th place — 8 points
Boys tennis: 15th place — 7 points
Girls cross country: 16th place — 6 points
9. ARCHBISHOP MURPHY — 64 points
A strong showing at spring state tournaments buoyed the Wildcats. Boys golf placed third behind the strength of two top-six individual finishes. Baseball reached the state quarterfinals for a third consecutive postseason. Boys tennis was represented at state for the first time and placed 11th. Boys soccer made it back to the state playoffs for the first time since a run of 10 straight berths from 2009-18. Boys swim and dive rounded out the scoring with a 13th-place finish.
Boys golf: 3rd place — 19 points
Baseball: quarterfinals — 15.5 points
Boys tennis: 11th place — 11 points
Boys soccer: round of 16 — 9.5 points
Boys swim & dive: 13th place — 9 points
10. EDMONDS-WOODWAY — 58.5 points
The Warriors also did most of their damage during spring state tournaments, with all but three points in this competition being scored in May. The tennis teams sent a combined seven athletes (six boys, one girl) to state tournaments. The boys team, which played its regular season and district tournament in the fall and state tournament in the spring, earned the school’s top finish at third. The girls placed 17th. Boys soccer made the state semifinals and matched the best finish in program history by taking fourth. Baseball reached state for the fifth straight time and made the quarterfinals for the third time during that stretch. Boys cross country chipped in a 19th-place finish.
Boys tennis: 3rd place — 19 points
Boys soccer: 4th place — 18 points
Baseball: quarterfinals — 14.5 points
Girls tennis: T-17th place — 4 points
Boys cross country: 19th place — 3 points
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