Editor’s note: The Player of the Year and All-Area teams were chosen by The Herald sports staff based on coach recommendations, season statistics and first-hand observations.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Yanina Sherwood, jr., P, Jackson
Click here for The Herald’s player of the year story on Sherwood
COACH OF THE YEAR
Kyle Peacocke, Jackson
Peacocke led the Timberwolves to a 26-1 record which concluded with Jackson’s third Class 4A state championship since 2018, and its first since 2019 while finishing fifth at state in 2022. The Wolves allowed just 0.9 runs per game, while giving up no more than three runs to any team as they captured their sixth Class 4A District 1 tournament title since 2015, and their first since 2019.
FIRST TEAM
Yanina Sherwood, jr., P, Jackson
Sherwood collected 255 strikeouts over 164 innings pitched, posting a school record 24-1 record in the circle as she helped spearhead Jackson to a Class 4A state title and district championship. The UNLV commit posted a 0.55 earned-run average, holding opposing batters to a .141 batting average. The junior ace gave up just 13 earned runs on the year and was crowned Washington’s state player of the year by both MaxPreps and SBLive. She also proved to be a threat at the plate, posting a .381 batting average while delivering five home runs and 24 RBI.
Faith Jordan, sr., P, Glacier Peak
Jordan was one of the best two-way threats in the area in 2023. In the circle, she pitched 80 innings and compiled 126 strikeouts with a 1.01 earned-run average and a 1.108 WHIP. She boasted a .972 fielding percentage as a shortstop and batted .411 at the plate with a .477 on-base percentage. The Fresno State signee added eight homers and 43 RBI for the Grizzlies as they took home second place in the Class 4A state tournament with a 23-5 overall record.
Skyla Bristol, sr., P, Snohomish
Bristol recorded 132 strikeouts over 66 innings and a 0.64 earned-run average while allowing just 13 hits and nine runs scored in her time in the circle. She was equally as dangerous as a batter, racking up 38 hits, 29 RBI and 24 runs scored as she batted .514 on the year with a .556 on-base percentage. Bristol helped lead the 23-4 Panthers to a runner-up finish in the Class 3A state tournament.
Cameron Dunn, sr., C, Mountlake Terrace
As one of the area’s strongest power hitters, Dunn racked up 30 home runs over three seasons for the Hawks, with 10 coming in 2023. The Providence College bound catcher batted .429 for the season with a .566 on-base percentage. She totaled 34 RBI, 29 runs scored while drawing 20 walks. She provided seven stolen bases as Terrace clinched a Class 3A state tournament berth.
Maddie Knowles, sr., UTL, Cedarcrest
Knowles laid out 12 homers in 2023 for the Red Wolves as they grabbed a Class 2A state tournament berth, finishing 16-10. She held a .987 fielding percentage from behind the plate and sported a .394 batting average. The Iowa State signee and 3A/2A Wesco League MVP totaled 26 hits, 45 RBI and five doubles.
Rachel Sysum, jr., IF, Jackson
Sysum went off for 15 home runs and 42 runs scored for the Timberwolves in 2023. Both were school records for the junior and Fresno State commit. With a .400 batting average, Sysum put together an eye-popping 1.432 on-base plus slugging percentage, adding eight doubles and a triple as she helped lift Jackson to a Class 4A state title.
Emma Hansen, sr., IF, Snohomish
Hansen batted .500 on the year for Snohomish with 39 total hits with a sturdy .576 on-base percentage. The first-team all-Wesco pick delivered 13 homers, 38 RBI and scored 43 runs. In the infield, her fielding percentage came in at .886 as she was a key piece in the Panthers second-place finish in the Class 3A state tourney.
Samantha Rohwer, sr., IF, Kamiak
Rohwer collected nine homers for the Knights as Kamiak reached the Class 4A state tournament in 2023. Rohwer batted .479 for the season with a .624 on-base percentage, totaling 34 hits. She tallied nine home runs (two grand slams), 43 RBI, six doubles and a triple while putting up a .906 fielding percentage from the shortstop position.
Teagan Carroll, sr., IF, Marysville-Getchell
Carroll, a two-time first team All-Wesco league pick, batted .544 for the Chargers. The senior sported a .644 on-base percentage, delivering 11 doubles, six home runs and 25 RBI with a 1.029 slugging percentage. She struck out just one time in 88 plate appearances.
Scarlette Chapman, jr., DP, Kamiak
Chapman batted an off-the-charts .674 with a .692 on-base percentage for the Knights as they made the Class 4A state tournament. She collected a league-best 64 hits, adding 50 RBI and 43 runs scored. She added 15 doubles and four homers. At first base, she didn’t record an error as she finished the year with a 1.000 fielding percentage.
Laila Carpenter, sr., OF, Glacier Peak
Carpenter was a consistent force for the Grizzlies as they etched their way to a runner-up finish in the Class 4A state tournament. The Western Washington commit batted .452 with a .544 on-base percentage and a .929 slugging rate. Her nine home runs were a team-best as she added five triples and 33 RBI.
Abby Surowiec, sr., OF, Cascade
Surowiec was a true workhorse for the Bruins and was dominant on both sides of the field in Cascade’s run to the Class 3A state tournament. At the plate, Surowiec totaled 42 hits with nine homers and 37 RBI while batting .512. She also stole 14 bases. In the circle, the Pacific University commit collected 169 total strikeouts.
Karsen Bilow, jr., OF, Stanwood
Bilow helped the Spartans to a state tournament berth after they came in as the last seed in the District 1 Class 3A tournament. She had a .556 on-base percentage while batting .470 on the year. She totaled 39 hits, seven homers and 31 RBI. She compiled a .944 fielding percentage as a center fielder.
SECOND TEAM
Maya Mesa, jr., P, Glacier Peak
Maya Mesa was a strikeout machine for the Grizzlies as they made the Class 4A state title game. Over 88 innings in the circle, Mesa had 198 strikeouts (2.25 per inning) with a 1.273 ERA. Her opponents batted .137 against her. The Seattle University commit doubled as one of the area’s top first base options as well, totaling 62 player outs with a .960 fielding percentage. At the plate, she finished with a .375 batting average, offering nine doubles and six home runs.
Ellie Gilbert, jr., P, Mountlake Terrace
Gilbert went 11-3 in the circle for the Hawks, hanging up 126 total strikeouts while holding opposing batters to a .243 on-base percentage. Her only credited loss of the regular season came against Cascade, while her other two came in the postseason; one against Snohomish in the district championship, with the other came in the state tournament against Mt. Spokane.
Charli Pugmire, soph., Lake Stevens
Pugmire had an impressive sophomore season in the circle for the Vikings, earning a 4A first team all-Wesco nod. Across 46.2 innings pitched, she had 47 strikeouts and 16 walks. She held a 2.25 earned-run average, while holding batters to a .218 average.
Leneyah Mitchell, jr., C, Jackson
Mitchell caught behind the plate for the Timberwolves in all but five innings on the season and led the team in fielding percentage. She also provided consistency for Jackson as a batter, connecting on .354 of her hits. She finished the year with 28 RBI, seven doubles and two home runs.
Jaidyn Wilson, jr., UTL, Cascade
Wilson batted .512 at the plate for the Bruins as they trekked their way back to the state tournament for the second straight year. The junior struck out just eight times in 90 plate appearances, tallying a team-high 43 hits.
Hailey Pelletier, jr., IF, Jackson
Pelletier led the Timberwolves with a team-best .429 batting average. She totaled 27 RBI and nine doubles, adding five homers, one of which came in Jackson’s walk-off district championship victory over Bothell.
Haylee Kim, jr., IF, Lake Stevens
Kim ended the year with 16 multi-base hits as she batted .483 with a .551 on-base percentage. The junior recorded 13 RBI, 20 runs scored, eight walks and five stolen bases. She also compiled a .936 fielding percentage as a shortstop.
Anniston Oylear, sr., IF, Monroe
Oylear finished the season with a .473 batting average for the Bearcats , adding a .890 slugging rate as she recorded 29 RBI, four homers, seven doubles and two triples. As a defender, she posted a .892 fielding percentage.
Rubi Lopez, soph., IF, Stanwood
Lopez batted .552 with a .659 on-base percentage for the Spartans. She ended the season with a whopping 37 stolen bases in as many attempts, recording 37 hits and 35 runs scored.
Taylor Millar, sr., DP, Everett
Millar played multiple positions for the Seagulls over the course of the year as she posted a .443 batting average with a .514 on-base percentage. She spent time as a shortstop and pitcher. In the circle, she recorded eight wins and chalked up 91 strikeouts across 81 innings.
Shayne Hoekendorf, sr., OF, Everett
Hoekendorf strung together 17 multi-base hits and was a first team All-Wesco league pick in the 3A/2A division. She scored 37 runs for Seagulls, while batting .429 on the season.
Lily Balgos, soph., OF, Marysville-Getchell
Balgos was on fire at the plate for the Chargers this past spring, batting .620 on the year. She delivered 13 multi-hit games with three homers. She added 18 RBI and stole 26 bases.
Bella Bombach, sr., OF, Archbishop Murphy
Bombach batted an even .500 for the Wildcats, who ended the season one game away from a Class 2A state tournament berth. She sported a 1.261 on-base plus slugging rate and led the team with 12 doubles. She added 16 RBI and seven stolen bases, as she scored 26 runs. She had a .928 fielding percentage.
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