The Herald’s 2024 All-Area baseball team

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

Karsten Sweum, sr., P-DH, Glacier Peak

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Coach of the Year

Dan Somoza, Edmonds-Woodway

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year. The Warriors lost four all-league selections — including 2023 All-Area Player of the Year Dylan Schlenger — after a 2023 Class 3A state quarterfinal appearance. Edmonds-Woodway, led by a young starting pitching staff and a pesky team at the plate and in the field, advanced to the state semifinals this season and finished with a 21-6 record.

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First team

Luca Morales, jr., C, Everett

Morales batted .328 with seven doubles and three triples while proving to be a strong backstop for the Everett pitching staff.

Talan Zenk, sr., IF, Mountlake Terrace

A strong Player of the Year contender, Zenk’s blend of power and speed on the bases helped the Hawks finish second in the Wesco 3A/2A South and win the Class 3A District 1 tournament. Zenk batted .423 while getting on base 57% of the time. He drove in 21 runs and stole 24 bases. He ratcheted it up in Terrace’s run to state, going 9-for-18 at the plate with three doubles. He hit a grand glam home run in the last at bat of his high school career.

Jace Hampson, sr. IF, Lynnwood

The athletic, Oregon-bound shortstop and pitcher was a first-team All-Wesco 3A/2A South player as a pitcher and an infielder this season.

Cruz Escandon, soph., IF, Edmonds-Woodway

Escandon swiped 23 bases in 24 attempts this season while batting .380 and driving in 18 runs. His emergence as a sophomore helped a young Edmonds-Woodway team advance all the way to the Class 3A state semifinals.

Kanata Barber, soph., IF, Shorewood

Barber put together a strong season and was named first-team All-Wesco 3A/2A South as he helped the Stormrays get to the second round of the district tournament.

Julian Wilson, jr., OF, Lake Stevens

Wilson batted .412 with six doubles to help Lake Stevens lead the Wesco 4A with 5.5 runs scored per league game this season.

Seth Danielson, soph., OF, Lake Stevens

Danielson kept opposing pitchers busy with a .583 on-base percentage while batting .415 and driving in 10 runs.

Diego Escandon, sr., OF, Edmonds-Woodway

Not too many balls dropped in for base hits with the Columbia Basin College-bound Escandon patrolling center field. Escandon also batted .311 with 15 extra-base hits (nine doubles, four triples, two homers).

Harlan Rowe, sr., UT, Monroe

Rowe, very strongly considered for Player of the Year, was perhaps the deadliest hitter in the area this season. He scorched the league with .540 batting average and a 1.556 OPS, fueled by 12 doubles, four triples and a homer. Rowe drove in 20 runs and stole 13 bases. He was also a solid No. 2 pitcher for Monroe, helping the Bearcats finish 13-1 in the Wesco 3A South.

Braedon Requa, sr., DH, Stanwood

Requa was much more than a DH this season. As one of the area’s best defensive catchers and capable of playing multiple infield spots, we had to get him on the the team somehow. Requa batted .441 with a .574 on-base percentage while driving in 20 runs and stealing 13 bases.

Karsten Sweum, sr., P, Glacier Peak

The letter “K” is short for strikeout, and “K” was used a lot in the scorebook this season when Sweum was on the mound. The Gonzaga-bound pitcher struck out 76 batters in 35 2/3 innings while allowing just an .085 batting average to hitters.

Trey Nance, sr., P, Lake Stevens

Nance, who will pitch for Everett Community College next season, struck out 54 batters in 44 2/3 innings and finished with a 0.52 earned-run average.

Owen Meek, soph., P, Mountlake Terrace

Meek finished with a 6-1 record this season, aided by two complete games as he led Terrace the Class 3A District 1 title. He helped the Hawks run to the Class 3A state tournament, pitching 19 innings in three postseason games while allowing just four earned runs.

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Second Team

Bryan Ho, sr., C, Jackson

Ho batted .425 and drove in 13 runs to help Jackson win the Wesco 4A league and finish 15-7 overall.

Sean Bang, sr., IF, Jackson

The Big Bend Community College-bound shortstop recorded a .369 batting average while getting on base 49.4% of the time.

Luke Doman, jr., IF, Glacier Peak

Mentioned by Grizzlies coach Bob Blair as the team’s most consistent offensive performer, the second baseman hit .379 with five doubles while driving in 10 runs.

Aspen Alexander, jr. IF, Lake Stevens

The University of Washington commit hit five doubles and a homer to help lead a potent Vikings offense.

Kealoha Kepoo-Sabate, soph., IF, Meadowdale

Kepoo-Sabate showed a strong combination of defense, power and speed for the Mavericks. He hit six doubles and a triple while stealing 11 bases during his sophomore campaign.

Kohl Gruender, sr., OF, Edmonds-Woodway

Gruender started slow, but finished strong with a .394 batting average and .494 on-base percentage. The right fielder teamed with center fielder Diego Escandon for a strong outfield that led the Warriors to the Class 3A state semifinals.

Shane Nelson, sr., OF, Marysville-Pilchuck

Full stats were not available for Nelson, but we were intrigued enough to put what appeared to be one of the more consistent hitters on the team. We found box scores for 14 of the 19 games for the Tomahawks’ 1-18 season. Nelson had hits in 13 of those games, going 19-for-37 with five doubles, a triple and a grand slam home run.

Malikhi Emery-Henderson, sr. OF, Meadowdale

Emery-Henderson, a speedy center fielder, hit five doubles, a triple, a homer and stole 12 bases while batting .306 with a .427 on-base percentage.

Jake Lockwood, sr., UT, Shorecrest

Lockwood, who will pitch for Shoreline Community College next season, went 4-0 with a 1.33 ERA and struck out 56 hitters. He was also solid at the plate with a .322 batting average and a .452 on-base percentage while driving in 17 runs.

Cole McCourt, jr., DH, Archbishop Murphy

McCourt batted .402 with a .475 on-base percentage and drove in nine runs. He also stole 10 bases and played multiple positions for the Wildcats.

Lukas Wanke, soph., P, Edmonds-Woodway

The innings eater tossed 67 1/3 innings with six complete games and five shutouts to lead E-W to a state semifinal. He struck out 60 batters and finished with a 1.04 ERA, receiving very strong first-team consideration.

AJ Welch, soph., P, Monroe

Welch finished 7-1 while striking out 52 batters in 45 1/3 innings. His 1.08 ERA helped the Bearcats win the Wesco 3A/2A North with a 13-1 league record.

Luke Davis, soph., P, Snohomish

Davis rounds out our young second-team pitching staff. He struck out 47 in 34 1/3 innings and finished the season with a 1.84 ERA.