Rams lead Athlete of the Year nominees

YAKIMA, Wash. — Perfect on the court this past season, the West Valley volleyball team was as dominant when it came to nominations for the Athlete of the Year awards.

The Rams squad, which finished the season 35-0 and claimed its first state championship in more than 20 years, garnered five nominations — three in the athlete category, coach Katie Hinckley and the team.

Whether West Valley continues its dominance will be decided Wednesday, June 6 at the Yakima Valley Sports Awards luncheon.

The awards, sponsored by the Yakima Herald-Republic, KIMA-TV, Pepsi, Town Square Media, Yakima Parks and Recreation and the Yakima Valley Sports Commission, will be presented at the Yakima Convention Center.

The finalists and winners are selected by the Herald-Republic sports staff. The Monday Morning Quarterbacks Club also has a vote in the final balloting.

The Eisenhower cross country program, which had quite the haul at last spring’s luncheon, also has its share of finalists.

Three Ike boys runners and three girls runners, along with coach Phil English are all up for the awards.

English, who was the fall coach winner and also claimed the Jack Cleveland Coaching Award last June, Mayra Chavez and the Cadets boys squad — which shared the fall and overall team of the year honors last spring — are back looking for repeat victories.

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

Kyle Chapman, Eisenhower, senior

In his second 4A state meet, Chapman ran third for the Cadets while taking 40 seconds off his time.

Alberto Melchor, Davis, senior

Melchor dipped under 16 minutes in his first state meet, running 15:52 for 19th place in the 4A race.

Jeffrey Ott, Ellensburg, senior

Unbeaten in CWAC races for two years, Ott placed seventh in his fourth straight trip to 2A state.

Jaziel Rodriguez, Eisenhower, senior

On the awards podium for the second straight year, Rodriguez placed 10th in the 4A state race.

Santos Vargas, Eisenhower, senior

Ike’s top runner all season, Vargas placed third at state with the Valley’s best time by 23 seconds.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

Mayra Chavez

Eisenhower, senior

With the Valley’s best time at state, Chavez placed sixth in the 4A race in her third straight trip to Pasco.

Kolby Childers

Prosser, junior

Running under 20 minutes at state, Childers was the CWAC’s top runner at regional and state.

Kaitlin Kaluzny

Davis, senior

Won 4A district and regional titles, set a Valley record in the Sunfair Invite and placed 19th at state.

Alyssa Pena

Eisenhower, sophomore

Pena ran third for the Cadets in the state meet, slicing 38 seconds off her time as a freshman.

Elise Tello

Eisenhower, sophomore

Placed third at district, fourth at regional and 12th at state, clocking the Valley’s second-best time.

FOOTBALL

Kolney Cassel

Eisenhower, junior

Co-offensive player of the year in CBBN 4A, Cassel set school records with 2,664 passing yards and 27 TDs.

Denzel Jones

Eisenhower, senior

School records of 75 receptions, 1,494 yards and 22 TDs for the CBBN 4A co-offensive player of the year.

Mike Jones

Eisenhower, senior

Offensive lineman of the year in CBBN 4A for team that averaged 451 yards, unanimous first team both ways.

Cooper Kupp

Davis, senior

Unanimous all-CBBN 4A at DB and WR, Kupp set school records with 60 receptions, 1,059 yards and 22 TDs.

Deion Wright

Davis, senior

League-leading school records of 2,988 passing yards and 34 TDs, both CBBN 4A/Big Nine records.

GIRLS SOCCER

Lindsay Burns

West Valley, junior

Voted by coaches as a CBBN 3A first-team all-league defender for the third straight year.

Yasi Mohsenian

East Valley, senior

The CWAC offensive MVP scored 13 goals for the unbeaten league champs and district champs.

Mackenna Morton

Davis, junior

The CBBN 4A co-MVP, Morton’s 14 goals led Pirates to a 13-6 record and one win from state.

Helen Petersen

Prosser, senior

Petersen scored a Valley-best 36 goals to push her career total to 151, an all-time Valley record.

Delaney Romero

Naches Valley, junior

Voted the SCAC MVP, Romero rolled up 20 goals for the league runner-up during its 14-3-1 season.

GIRLS SWIMMING

Keely Hausken

West Valley, senior

The 3A district champ in the 100 back competed in four events during her fourth trip to state.

Landon Hopkins

Eisenhower, freshman

Valley leader in the 100 back placed 10th at state and ranks sixth on the Valley’s all-time list.

Hailey Rankin

Prosser, junior

The Valley leader in four events, Rankin was 2A state runner-up in the 100 fly and 500 free.

Heather Seaman

West Valley, senior

Competing at 3A state in four events, Seaman moved up to fifth on Valley’s all-time 100 free list.

Taylor Wilson

Ellensburg, freshman

Wilson rose to third on Valley’s all-time rankings in the 100 breast and fourth in the 100 free.

VOLLEYBALL

Justine Benner

Naches Valley, senior

After sharing the SCAC West MVP award in 2010, Benner owned the honor for herself this season.

Tori Dexter

Selah, senior

The two-time first-team CWAC outside hitter was also the best passer for unbeaten league champs.

Morgan McDowell

West Valley, senior

The Rams’ star outside hitter was named MVP of the CBBN 3A season and again at the 3A state tournament.

Julia Nathe

West Valley, junior

The three-year starting setter was a first-team all-league pick and made the state all-tournament team.

Linnea Phillips

West Valley, senior

Anchoring West Valley’s defense at libero, Phillips was CBBN 3A first team and all-tournament at state.

COACHES

Phil English

Eisenhower cross country

Boys and girls won league, district and regional titles, then boys were second at state with the girls fifth.

Dan Eyman

Eisenhower football

The Cadets were 8-2 with an offense that led the CBBN 4A in average yards (451.6) and scoring (41.5).

Lindsey Golob

Zillah volleyball

The SCAC West coach of the year guided the Leopards to a 12-0 league season and district title.

Katie Hinckley

West Valley volleyball

The CBBN 3A coach of the year led the Rams to a 35-0 season capped by a 3A state-tournament title.

Tim Ostrander

East Valley girls soccer

Ostrander has 33 wins in two seasons, including a 17-1-1 campaign in 2011 with league, district titles.

TEAMS

Eisenhower boys cross country

After losing two key seniors to graduation, the Cadets earned a second-place 4A state trophy.

La Salle girls soccer

The SCAC champs were 10-0 in league, won the district title and reached the 1A state quarterfinals.

Selah volleyball

The CWAC regular-season champs won district and regional titles and placed third at 2A state.

Prosser football

Unbeaten in the CWAC, the Mustangs reached the 2A state semifinals with an 11-game win streak.

West Valley volleyball

The Rams were 14-0 in league, won two tourney titles and captured the 3A state title to finish 35-0.