Cedar Park Christian-Mountlake Terrace senior Erwin Weary was voted the Class 1B boys basketball state player of the year by the Associated Press.
The 6-foot-4 point guard averaged 25.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game while leading the Lions to a 27-4 record and the 1B state quarterfinals.
It was just the second season of high school basketball for Weary, who was cut from the Edmonds-Woodway program as a freshman and sophomore. He then transferred to CPC-Mountlake Terrace and starred the past two seasons for the Lions.
“I’m thankful that I’ve been able to play basketball — that I had an opportunity to play and show my skills,” Weary said.
“Being cut and then coming back two years later and being player of the year is a blessing,” he added. “And I’m thankful for my parents that they supported me all the way through.”
Weary also was named the 1B state player of the year by the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association last month.
“He’s a 6-4 point guard … who can shoot it, has good range (and) can handle the ball,” CPC-Mountlake Terrace coach Scott Moe said. “He’s a tough matchup.
“Teams couldn’t press us, and it was tough to guard us (man-to-man) because he could score against anybody. And if they played zone, well, then he could slice it up.”
Weary is one of seven local players who earned first-team all-state honors, joining Kamiak senior guard Carson Tuttle (4A boys), Lake Stevens senior forward Kylee Griffen (4A girls), Lakewood senior guard Jelly Perry (2A girls), Archbishop Murphy junior guard Emily Rodabaugh (2A girls), South Whidbey senior guard Lewis Pope (1A boys) and Cedar Park Christian-Bothell senior guard George Reidy (1A boys).
The players of the year and all-state teams were determined in voting by sportswriters and editors from around the state. The results were announced Tuesday.
Tuttle, a Texas A&M University-Commerce signee, averaged 22 points and 4.3 assists per game while leading Kamiak to the 4A state quarterfinals for the first time in program history. He scored a school-record 52 points during a Dec. 30 holiday tournament game in Southern California and was named The Herald’s Boys Basketball Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Griffen, a Gonzaga University signee, averaged 20.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and three assists per game while leading Lake Stevens to a 19-5 record and 4A Hardwood Classic appearance. She tied a single-game school record with 42 points against Seattle Prep on Dec. 22 and was named The Herald’s Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
Perry, a 5-foot-7 guard, averaged 17.4 points, 15.5 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game for Lakewood. She recorded a double-double in 20 of 21 games and grabbed a season-high 26 rebounds in a Dec. 11 win over Bellingham.
Rodabaugh averaged 15.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.4 steals per game while leading Archbishop Murphy to a 24-3 record and the 2A state title game, where the Wildcats lost to W.F. West.
Pope, a Central Washington University signee, averaged 23.8 points, seven rebounds and four assists per game while leading Cascade Conference champion South Whidbey to the program’s first league title since 1989. The 6-foot-4 guard shot 42.6 percent from 3-point range and scored a season-high 41 points in a Jan. 19 win over Archbishop Murphy.
Reidy averaged 26.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and three steals per game for CPC-Bothell. The 6-foot-5 guard was named WIBCA’s 1A state player of the year.
Local players who earned AP all-state honorable mentions were Stanwood senior guard Ashley Alter (3A girls), Mountlake Terrace senior Khyree Armstead (2A boys) and CPC-Bothell sophomore Irena Korolenko (1A girls).
Rainier Beach senior Kevin Porter Jr. and Central Valley senior Lexie Hull were voted the AP’s overall state players of the year.
Porter, a USC signee, averaged 27 points and 14 rebounds in leading Rainier Beach to the 3A state title game, where the Vikings fell to Garfield.
Hull, a Stanford University signee, averaged 20.4 points and 8.4 rebounds in leading Central Valley to an undefeated season and the 4A state title.
Boys players of the year by classification were: Gonzaga Prep junior Anton Watson (4A); Porter Jr. (3A); Selah junior Elijah Pepper (2A); Lynden Christian junior Cole Bajema (1A); Kittitas junior Brock Ravet (2B); and Weary (1B).
Girls players of the year by classification were: Hull (4A); Gig Harbor junior Brynna Maxwell (3A); W.F. West senior Kiara Steen (2A); Cashmere sophomore Hailey Van Lith (1A); Colfax senior Carmen Gfeller (2B); and Colton junior Dakota Patchen (1B).
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BOYS
Player of the year, all classes—Kevin Porter Jr., sr., Rainier Beach.
CLASS 4A
Player of the year—Anton Watson, jr., Gonzaga Prep.
First team—Anton Watson, jr., Gonzaga Prep; Jaden McDaniels, jr., Federal Way; Carson Tuttle, sr., Kamiak; Kaden Anderson, sr., Enumclaw; Riley Sorn sr., Richland.
Honorable mention—Cameron Tyson, sr., Bothell; Naje Smith, sr., Lewis & Clark.
CLASS 3A
Player of the year—Kevin Porter Jr., sr., Rainier Beach.
First team—Kevin Porter Jr., sr., Rainier Beach; Emmitt Matthews Jr., sr., Wilson; Erik Stevenson, sr., Timberline; C.J. Elleby, sr., Cleveland; J’Raan Brooks, sr., Garfield.
Honorable mention—P.J. Fuller, jr., Garfield.
CLASS 2A
Player of the year—Elijah Pepper, jr., Selah.
First team—Elijah Pepper, jr., Selah; Demetrius Crosby II, sr., Foss; Christian Zamora, jr., Lynden; Steele Venters, jr., Ellensburg; Clayton Whitman, jr., Lynden.
Honorable mention—Micah Pollard, jr., Foss; Khyree Armstead, sr., Mountlake Terrace; Trystan Lowry, sr., Anacortes; Jordan Thomas, sr., W.F. West.; Zac Olmstead, sr., North Kitsap; Tyler Berger, sr., Mark Morris.
CLASS 1A
Player of the year—Cole Bajema, jr., Lynden Christian.
First team—Cole Bajema, jr., Lynden Christian; George Reidy, sr., Cedar Park Christian (Bothell); Lewis Pope, sr., South Whidbey; Michael Coumont, sr., Freeman; Antonio Salinas, jr., Zillah.
Honorable mention—Kobe Kohls, sr., Naches Valley; Casey Bauman, sr., Nooksack Valley.
CLASS 2B
Player of the year—Brock Ravet, jr., Kittitas.
First team—Brock Ravet, jr., Kittitas; Matt Poquette, sr., Morton-White Pass; Cody Young, sr., Adna; Erik Farias, jr., St. George’s; Joe Taylor, jr., Brewster.
Honorable mention—Justin Jeske, sr., Liberty (Spangle); Reece Wallace, sr., Toledo; Carson Cloaninger, jr., Colfax.
CLASS 1B
Player of the year—Erwin Weary, sr., Cedar Park Christian-Mountlake Terrace.
First team—Erwin Weary, sr., Cedar Park Christian-Mountlake Terrace; PJ Talen, sr., Tacoma Baptist; Maguire Isaak, jr., Almira/Coulee-Hartline; Luke Wagenaar, sr., Sunnyside Christian; Zach Cain, sr., Taholah.
Honorable mention—Ryan Moffet, so., Odessa; Cade Bosma, sr., Sunnyside Christian; Jacob Tewalt, sr., Pomeroy; Brandon Flett, sr., Wellpinit.
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GIRLS
Player of the year, all classes—Lexie Hull, sr., Central Valley.
CLASS 4A
Player of the year—Lexie Hull, sr., Central Valley.
First team—Lexie Hull, sr., Central Valley; Kylee Griffen, sr., Lake Stevens; Jamie Loera, sr., Moses Lake; Shalyse Smith, sr., Bellarmine Prep; Lacie Hull, sr., Central Valley.
Honorable mention—Jade Loville, sr., Skyline; JaQuaya Miller, jr., Kentridge; Gina Marxen, sr., Eastlake.
CLASS 3A
Player of the year—Brynna Maxwell, jr., Gig Harbor.
First team—Brynna Maxwell, jr., Gig Harbor; Oumou Toure, jr., Kamiakin; Belle Frazier, jr., Peninsula; Brooke Walling, jr., Prairie; Dalayah Daniels, so., Garfield.
Honorable mention—Grace Sarver, sr., West Seattle; Kondalia Montgomery, sr., Lincoln; Ashley Alter, sr., Stanwood.
CLASS 2A
Player of the year—Kiara Steen, sr., W.F. West.
First team—Kiara Steen, sr., W.F. West; Jelly Perry, sr., Lakewood; Emily Rodabaugh, jr., Archbishop Murphy; Beyonce Bea, jr., Washougal; Marissa Cortes, jr., Prosser.
Honorable mention—Genesis Wilkinson, jr., East Valley (Spokane); Erika Brumfield, jr., W.F. West; Jenni Johnson, sr., Toppenish; Georgia Lavinder, sr., White River; Julia Johnson, sr., W.F. West; Lindsey Nurmi, sr., Black Hills.
CLASS 1A
Player of the year—Hailey Van Lith, so., Cashmere.
First team—Hailey Van Lith, so., Cashmere; Julianna Walker, fr., Annie Wright; Katrina Gimmaka, sr., Nooksack Valley; Samantha Bowman, sr., Zillah; Avery Dykstra, sr., Lynden Christian.
Honorable mention—Irena Korolenko, so., Cedar Park Christian (Bothell); Taylor Stephens, jr., La Center; Isabela Hernandez, jr., Lynden Christian; Sienna Swannack, sr., Lakeside.
CLASS 2B
Player of the year—Carmen Gfeller, sr., Colfax.
First team—Carmen Gfeller, sr., Colfax; Talia von Oelhoffen, fr., Tri-Cities Prep; Melissa Lee, sr., Napavine; Makenzie Kaech, sr., Ilwako; Sydney Abbott, sr., Davenport.
Honorable mention—Britnee Guerrero, sr., Mabton; Mollie Olson, sr., Napavine; Alea Yun, jr., Life Christian; Cece Bergquist, sr., St. George’s
CLASS 1B
Player of the year—Dakota Patchen, jr., Colton.
First team—Dakota Patchen, jr., Colton; Gabi Isaak, jr., Almira/Coulee-Hartline; Sailor Liefke, sr., Sunnyside Christian; Nayha Mills, sr., Yakama Tribal; Tiffany Boutain, sr., Almira/Coulee-Hartline.
Honorable mention—Gabi Rick, sr., Selkirk; Emily Banks, sr., Sunnyside Christian; Maddy Dixon, so., Pomeroy; Gina McCaulley, sr., Neah Bay; Katie Arrasmith, sr., Garfield-Palouse.
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