by MICHAEL DASHIELL
Sequim Gazette
Several Sequim-area athletes are battling for athletic glory this academic year at colleges and universities across the region and beyond.
Here are brief updates on who’s where and doing what.
(Editor’s note: Those who know of other Sequim-area athletes competing at higher ed. schools, let us know at miked@sequimgazette.com.)
Sunma Agostine played forward for the Shoreline Dolphins soccer squad in the fall. The Dolphins went 8-7-5 and barely missed the NWAACC tournament. Agostine was a standout soccer and basketball player for Sequim High.
Christina Bruce is racing for the University of Great Falls cross-country squad. Bruce is a 5-foot 2-inch junior with a psychology major. Bruce also runs for the Argos’ track and field squad, which kicks off the 2012 season at the Montana State Open in Bozeman on Jan. 27. While at Sequim High, Bruce was a four-time state cross-country meet competitor.
Allison Cutting is a sophomore and running for Seattle Pacific University’s Falcons. As a freshman she earned SPU’s MVP/low-point award. As a sophomore, she finished in the top 40 at the Greater Northwest Athletic Conference championships on Oct. 22, helping Seattle Pacific earn a fifth-place finish out of 10 teams. Cutting, a physiology major at SPU, went on to place 71st overall and fifth on the team at the NCAA West Regionals in Spokane on Nov. 5. Cutting also runs track for the Falcons, posting a strong freshman campaign that saw her take third in the mile at the GNAC championships. The Falcons are in action at the University of Washington Invitational in Seattle on Jan. 27-28. Cutting was a state champion in both cross-country and track and field while running at Sequim High School.
Zane Carey plays soccer at Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore. The 6-foot 4-inch sophomore is majoring in exercise science. The Wildcats struggled in 2011, posting a 2-14-1 overall mark. Carey played in 10 games this fall, predominantly at midfield. While at Sequim, Carey was an all-league player in his junior and senior seasons.
Thomas Gallagher plays for the Georgetown Hoyas’ football squad. Gallagher is a 6-foot 5-inch, 345-pound offensive lineman and sophomore at the Washington, D.C., school. He helped the Hoyas to an 8-3 mark in 2011 as Georgetown rushed for 147.5 yards per contest and 16 rushing touchdowns. Georgetown fell to Lehigh in the Patriot League championship game on Nov. 12. Gallagher played in nine games and made seven starts, all at either right or left guard. At Sequim High, Gallagher was twice named to the All-Washington state football team as an honorable mention.
Ben Grubb is playing baseball at Portland University. The 6-foot 3-inch catcher/infielder is a senior who played at Lower Columbia College, one of the top junior college programs in the Northwest. In 2011, Grubb appeared in 47 games — 40 starts — with most appearances behind the plate. He had 10 extra base hits and 18 RBIs in 141 at-bats. At Lower Columbia, he was a two-time All West First Team and All-NWAACC First Team player. In Sequim, he was a three-time all-league first teamer.
Reed Gunstone is playing tennis at Pacific Lutheran University. The 6-foot sophomore was 7-11 in singles, including 6-6 against conference foes, during PLU’s 2011 season. The 2012 campaign picks up in mid-February. In Sequim, he qualified for the state tourney in his final three seasons in doubles play, earning top-five finishes in 2009 and 2010.
Ethan Hinton and Joe Hutchison are both wrestling for Southern Oregon University’s Raiders. Hinton is a 5-foot 10-inch sophomore wrestling in the 184-pound weight class and has a 4-8 record thus far, often wrestling up a weight class at 197 pounds; he is majoring in physical education. Hutchison is a 5-foot 4-inch sophomore wrestling in the 133-pound weight class with a 2-3 match record. The Raiders are 6-2 in dual meets this season. While wrestling at Sequim, both were two-time state placers at MatClassic, Washington state’s prep wrestling finals.
Lea Hopson is an infielder/catcher at Southern Idaho, a 5-foot 7-inch freshman. Hopson and teammates aim to help the Golden Eagles improve on their impressive 45-17 mark in 2011. In Sequim as a junior, she was named co-MVP of the Olympic League after hitting .720 with 13 home runs. As a senior, she won the MVP award outright with a .672 average, nine home runs and 45 RBIs during the regular season, helping Sequim to its first softball state title in school history.
Anna LaBeaume is a two-sport star at Linfield College. Playing for the women’s soccer squad this fall, the 5-foot 6-inch sophomore saw action in 18 games and had one score — a game-winner against Puget Sound on Sept. 18. Linfield finished 14-3-3 overall and 11-2-3 in the Northwest Conference. In track and field, LaBeaume recorded the third-best mark in Linfield history in the shot put as a freshman, qualifying for nationals that year and placing 12th in the event. Linfield opened the 2012 track season at the Washington State Indoor Open in Pullman on Jan. 14. LaBeaume is majoring in English/creative writing/communications. As a Sequim Wolf, LaBeaume lettered eight times in track and soccer and was a two-time state shot put champion.
Audrey Lichten races for the Linfield College’s cross-country squad. The freshman is majoring in electronic arts and plans to run for Linfield’s track and field team as well. Lichten placed 160th overall and fifth on her squad in the 700-plus-runner NCAA Division-III cross-country regionals in Claremont, Calif., on Nov. 12. Linfield finished fifth of 21 teams. Linfield’s track season is under way after the Jan. 14 Washington State Indoor Open. Linfield competes at the Washington Indoor Invitational in Seattle on Jan. 27. While in Sequim, Lichten starred in cross-country and track, earning state berths in both sports all four years. She earned four medals (top eight place finishes) in track and field as a Wolf.
Kincaid Nichols is a junior racing short sprints for Central Washington University’s track and field squad. The Wildcats also feature three Port Angeles grads — Stuart Des Rochers, Kaylee Baumstark and Shelby Napiontek — on their 2011-2012 roster. A two-sport star at Sequim High (football, track), Nichols won the 2009 state 2A 100-meter title.
Madison Zbaraschuk is a catcher for the University of Missouri-St. Louis softball squad. The 5-foot 10-inch freshman is majoring in biology. In Sequim, she was an all-league first team player in softball and volleyball. As a senior at Sequim, she hit .700 as the undefeated Wolves won the school’s first softball state title.
Zoei Zbaraschuk is golfing for Sonoma State University. The 5-foot 2-inch sophomore is in her second season playing for the Seawolves. In Sonoma State’s final fall match, Zbaraschuk tied for 21st out of 50 golfers (and third-best on her team) at the Dennis Rose Invitational, Oct. 30-Nov. 1, in Waikoloa, Hawaii. Sonoma State, which placed fourth in the nine-team invite, is off until the spring season picks back up in early February. As a Sequim Wolf, Zbaraschuk was a four-time state competitor, finishing as high as fifth in her senior season (2010).
