ARLINGTON — This year has been an exceptional one for Arlington and the surrounding area, with many firsts in both individual and team accomplishments.
There mostly three criteria that make a story interesting. The first is winning. Whether or not a team wins can be a deciding factor of how much attention it gets, but that is not what this list is about.
Not to be mistaken with the best seasons of the year, this list has not been created to rank the level of success a particular team had, but merely to discuss the significance one team or season had on its community’s history. Some deal with great stories of perseverance, and some potentially start traditions such as the top story:
#10 Lakewood Track to State
The Lakewood Cougars sent nine athletes to the state track meet this season, and one in emphatic fashion.
Senior pole vaulter Spencer Hulslander tied the district record with a 14-0 vault during the first day of the District 1 Meet in Bellingham. The state competition, however, was dominated by seniors as Lacey Nation (3,200), Cameron Hess (javelin), Payden Butler (javelin) and Taylor Guske (3,200) all finished inside the top three of their events.
#9 Going For The Gold
Arlington residents showed their talent knew no bounds as Cori Wreggelsworth and Austin Worthing each won a pair of gold medals at the state Special Olympics track and field meet, leading their team of 12 to 14 total medals. Wregglesworth, 19, and Worthing, 15, both won the 25- and 50-meter assisted walk and Ahna Mar, 10, won the softball throw. Brandon Edmonds, 16, won gold in the standing long jump and Xander Ryder, 11, won the 100-meter dash.
#8 A Once-In-A-Generation Event
While a trio of Stilly Valley all-stars went to state playoffs over the summer, the juniors baseball team did something that Generation Y’ers hadn’t seen yet.
The juniors survived a four-hour marathon — which included a rain delay — to defeat Pacific 18-9 July 7 at Evans Field.
Also reaching the state tournaments were the Stilly Cup junior softball and major all-stars.
#7 A Pair of Clutch Throwers
A freshman and sophomore stepped into the spotlight this past spring and made the best tosses of their young careers at the state track meet.
Then freshman Blake McPherson and sophomore Stephanie Van Slageren gave track fans a reason to be excited for this spring. Van Slageren’s second throw of the meet went a foot and a half farther than her previous career mark, traveling 128-2 and earning her fourth. Meanwhile, McPherson bested his career mark by three feet, throwing a 178-1 for 10th place.
#6 Arlington Girls CC Goes To State
With such a successful season, the Arlington girls felt disappointed by their No. 14 finish at state, but they had gone a long way since the summer. In truth, the Eagles had their best race of the season in Pasco, averaging a 20:23 finish that wasn’t necessarily spread out. It was common to see a cloud of blue pass by as Arlington ran in packs. Sophomore Teresa Wadey finished 19th at state, earning a trip to the Border Clash — an annual race between the top 50 Washington and Oregon runners.
Other team members include Katie Anderson (93rd place), Safa Pinkens (105th), Kristen Wreggelsworth (121st), Bryna Prause (129th), Kyle Kilmer (133rd) and Yuki Dorff (149th).
#5 Lakewood Boys CC Continues Streak
Sometimes a program is so used to winning the expectation of success is heightened.
This past fall, the Lakewood boys cross country team earned its 26th consecutive trip to the state tournament and placed fourth. Highlighting Lakewood’s success this season was a trio of seniors finishing in the top 30, starting with Taylor Guske’s fifth-place finish in the race. Following Guske was Chad Skiles at 24th and Nick Howe at 26th.
Other team members included Trent Tresch (57th place), Avery Jensen (61st), Mitchel Gogert (98th) and Kris Mugrage (106th).
#4 Myers and Dickerson Are Runners-up
The only two wrestlers that Arlington sent to the Mat Classic in 2009 were seniors Chris Myers and Bryant Dickerson. Both grapplers advanced to the 4A state championship matches of their respective weights in the Tacoma Dome and tried to be the first Eagle to earn an individual title.
Myers was the only wrestler in the 160-pound class to score a pin in the winner’s bracket, doing so in the first round. He then scored a pair of decisions, the first an 11-2 major and the second a 7-6 nail-biter.
Dickerson might have been the most dominant heavyweight at the Mat Classic, scoring a pair of pins and an 11-0 major decision to make his way to the championship bout against Decatur’s Tevyn Tillman.
#3 Ordonez Wins State Championship
State championships do mean something in this list, especially when they are a school’s first. Christina Ordonez trailblazed Lakewood’s preeminent individual wrestling championship so easily — with a first-round pin — it might make one wonder what took the Cougars so long to get it. Ordonez defeated Kentwood’s Antonia Nevajes to finish the season with a 19-0 record with 18 pins, wrestling at 152 pounds.
Sure, individual accomplishments aren’t typically what high school sports are all about, but dominating in such a way while not having someone to emulate is quite a story. Ordonez was one of three Lakewood state placers that year, and the first of 16 state placers and three Match Classic finalists in coach Tom O’Hara’s tutelage to break through with the title.
#2 Lakewood Girls Soccer
One of the more inspirational sports stories this season was born out of controversy.
The Lakewood Cougars suspended eight players — many of them starters — for the remainder of the season just two days before a winner-to-state game against Sehome. The Cougars lost 2-1, but behind coach Jeremiah Wohlgemuth, defeated Squalicum 1-0 to earn the first state trip in school history. Playing with just one bench player, the Cougars also won their first state game 2-1 over Klahowya.
Abby Burke, pictured left, scored two game-winning goals at state.
#1 Arlington High School Boys Tennis
Eagles coach Shawn Cunningham has been waiting four years for a season like his boys had in 2009, where they finished with a program-best 11-5 record, good for second place in the Wesco North.
The second-year Arlington varsity coach started out at the JV level, helping all players who were seniors in ‘09. The team included Ari Fernando, Austin Taylor, Eric McElroy, Marty Thordarson, Josiah Aylesworth, David Taft-Farren, Brent Thompson, Matt Peiffle, Tucker Degraffenreid and Taylor Hartsell.
Senior Thordarson, pictured left, went 16-0 in 2009 as the No. 3 singles player.
