Sequim’s Wolves wound up sharing the Olympic League championship with rival Port Angeles, but they took the lion’s share of spots on the all-Olympic League team.
Nine Sequim players — one from each position — were selected for league honors last week, headlined by senior pitcher Makayla Bentz’s pick as Most Valuable Player. Bentz went 15-2 with a 0.85 earned-run-average and 102 strikeouts in 99 innings pitched. She gave up just 48 hits and 34 walks. She was honorable mention as a sophomore and was first team all-league pitcher last year.
“One of the bigger differences was that my pitching was stronger than the past few years,” Makayla Bentz said.
She said the game that stands out to her was the tie-breaking game in Port Angeles to earn an Olympic League co-championship with them.
“That was the best games for us. We really wanted to get that win,” she said.
Bentz also was named to the Kitsap Sun’s All-West Sound Softball Team.
Senior first baseman Alexas Besand and third baseman Olivia Kirsch were named to the all-league first team. Besand hit .397 with a team-high five home runs, 36 RBIs and .735 slugging percentage while Kirsch hit .397 with 16 RBIs. Besand was second-team all-league in 2011 and is now first-team all league for three years at first base.
Earning spots on the all-league second team were catcher Mackenzie Bentz, shortstop Mary Lu Clift and outfielders Melissa Lewis and Shelby Lott. Mackenzie Bentz hit .370 with 17 RBIs. Clift hit .362 with four triples (tied for the team lead), three home runs, 24 RBIs and a team-high 16 steals. Lewis hit .413 with 12 extra-base hits and 28 RBIs. Lott led the team with a .427 batting average.
Sequim’s all-league honorable mentions were second baseman Haylie Wilson and outfielder Tia Bourm. Wilson hit .333 and Bourm hit .292.
The league’s Coach of the Year is Port Angeles’ Randy Steinman. Port Angeles and North Mason shared the Sportsmanship award.
Wright, Johnston lead way for Wolfpack
Seniors led the way for Sequim High baseball, with outfielder Brett Wright and pitcher Nick Johnston earning all-league first team kudos last week.
Wright led the Wolves with a .443 batting average, 1.065 OPS, 27 hits and 15 stolen bases. He was an honorable mention in 2013 after hitting .415.
Johnston led Sequim with four wins, 2.20 earned-run-average, 63 strikeouts in 51 innings and two saves. He also hit .300 at the plate. He was an all-league second-teamer in 2013 at first base.
Sequim sophomore second baseman Evan Hurn was named an all-league second team infielder. Hurn was third on the team with a .359 batting average and had three of the team’s four triples. He tied for the team lead with 14 RBIs and had 11 steals, second only to Wright.
Honorable mentions for the Wolves include freshman infielder Dylan Lott, junior pitcher Tanner Rhodefer and sophomore pitcher Nigel Christian. Lott hit .268 with a team-high nine doubles. He added 14 RBIs and had seven steals. Rhodefer was second on the team with a 2.23 ERA and held opposing batters to a team-best .145 average. Christian had three wins — tied for second on the Wolves — and had a 3.00 ERA and 33 strikeouts.
Olympic senior Shane Matheny was named league MVP. Dan Zuber of Klahowya was named Coach of the Year and North Mason took home the Sportsmanship award.
Defense leads Sequim High’s soccer picks
Sequim’s stout defense shone bright in the spring and Olympic League coaches took note. SHS defensemen Hector Baylon and Bailey Collins were named all-Olympic League first team players while defenseman Lijah Sanford and midfielder Nic Baird were named to the second team.
Baylon and Collins marked top forwards from other teams, Sequim coach Dave Brasher noted, for a backfield that allowed just 1.3 goals per game and posted six shutouts. Sanford led the defense and had three goals and two assists while Baird chipped in six goals and seven assists.
Sequim’s all-league honorable mentions included Eli Berg, Cameron Chase and Thomas Winfield. Berg had two goals and 11 assists while Chase had nine goals and three assists. Winfield led the Wolves with 11 goals and added four assists.
Kingston defender Tommy Nitchman was named Olympic League MVP. Klahowya’s Jeff Quinn was named Coach of the Year while his Eagles and Bremerton shared the league’s Sportsmanship award.
