The junior fullback had bookend 100-yard games last week. He rushed 23 times for 126 yards Monday in a 30-20 victory over the Mariner sophomores and carried 17 times for 119 yards Saturday in a 28-18 victory over LaSalle of Yakima.
Archbishop Murphy coach Terry Ennis said the two games were breakout performances for the first-year player.
“He has made steady progress,” Ennis said. “He’s gaining confidence. The last couple of games the defenses have dictated that the fullback was going to get the ball a lot and he really responded well.”
Ennis said the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder is starting to grasp some football concepts he didn’t quite understand early in the season.
“He’s starting to utilize his blockers as the plays are designed,” Ennis said.
Other top football performers: Nolan Perkl, Lake Stevens; Matt Williams, Lake Stevens; Justin Washington, Kamiak; Josh Rodland, Snohomish; Tim Lockhart, Snohomish; Joe Plucker, Snohomish; Tony Hall, Oak Harbor; Josh Carswell, Monroe; Julian Bomar, Stanwood; Tyler Breum, Stanwood; Jason Morris, Jackson; Craig Chambers, Jackson; Ian Barron, Coupeville; Jer Roesler, Sultan; Drew Davison, Sultan.
The senior hitter came up big in M-P’s biggest game of the season. She had 26 kills and four blocks as the Tomahawks handed Kamiak its first defeat of the season, 3-1 Thursday, and took over first place in the Western Conference 4A standings. She also had 15 kills in a 3-0 victory over Edmonds-Woodway on Tuesday.
“She was a major contributor Thursday,” said M-P coach Shelly Johnson. “That was one of her best matches of the year.”
Johnson said Isaksen has been M-P’s “go-to” player all season.
“I told our setter, ‘If we need a knockout, get it to her.’ We set her 61 times,” Johnson said. “She tried to put away every chance she had and the other team was really keeping tabs on her. You could hear them calling out where she was and where to go to block her.”
Johnson said the 6-footer is left-handed, which presents defenses with a different look.
“And she’s really good at reading the court, looking for a hole and putting it where there’s no one defending,” Johnson said.
Other top volleyball performers: Uchechi Acholonu, Shorecrest; Sarah Ingram, Lynnwood; Liz Holton, Cascade; LuAnn Anderson, Cascade; Rachel Schmidt, Meadowdale; Becky Werten, Lynnwood; Jenna Huston, Lynnwood; Erin Hussey, South Whidbey; Ashley Quinn, Granite Falls; Casey West, Darrington; Michelle Meece, Darrington.
Other top girls soccer performers: Tara Darrow, Meadowdale; Ashley, Nelson, Monroe; Krista Graybill, Edmonds-Woodway.
Other top boys soccer performers: Marc Medema, Mount Vernon Christian;; Peter Voges, Grace Academy.
Other top boys tennis performers: Jamie Stoner, Sehome; Todd Jones, Shorewood; Divakar Gupta, Shorewood.
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