First photo: Skyview’s state champion men’s tennis team. Back row, from left: Sean Wilcox, Alex Teipel and Jonathan Hutley; front row, from left: Assistant Coach Jackie Gibbs, Tyler Church, Andrew Kabacy, Christopher Sheppert, Joey Gaylor and Coach Jay Gowen. Not pictured: Kevin Barth, Evan Blade, Jaxon Mills, Sam Sugarman, Chase Verbout, Manager Amy Schneider and Assistant Coaches Scott Binkley and Todd Staples
Second photo: Three-time state golf champion Spencer Tibbits, center, with Coach Mike Witkowski on left and Fort Vancouver High School Athletic Director John Schultz on right
Third photo: State discus champion Connor Jensen of Skyview High School, left, with Coach Steve Kizer
Highlights include three individual titles and one team championship
Congratulations to the following student-athletes for placing in the top 10 at the spring 2017 state championships!
Tennis
Skyview High School’s Andrew Kabacy won the men’s 4A state singles title, becoming the school’s first male tennis player to do so. In addition, the Storm tennis team claimed the men’s 4A team championship. The team includes Christopher Sheppert, Joey Gaylor, Kevin Barth, Evan Blade, Tyler Church, Jonathan Hutley, Jaxon Mills, Sam Sugarman, Alex Teipel, Chase Verbout, Sean Wilcox and Manager Amy Schneider. Jay Gowen is the head coach. Scott Binkley, Jackie Gibbs and Todd Staples are assistant coaches.
In the 4A women’s tournament, Sarah Morgan and Karly Metz swung their rackets to eighth in the doubles competition. Skyview finished in eighth in the team competition. Their coaches are Gowen, Binkley, Gibbs and Staples.
Faith Grisham of Columbia River High School clinched fourth in the women’s 2A singles competition at the state tournament. In addition, Columbia River tied for sixth in the team competition. Jim Sevall is her coach.
Track and field
Connor Jensen of Skyview High School landed gold in the discus and silver in the shot put at the 4A men’s state meet. Fellow Storm athlete Ethan Gould was third in the high jump. They were joined in top-10 honors by teammates Ezekiel Oien, eighth in the 1,600-meter run; Taylor Vo, ninth in the shot put; and Samuel Gunn, 10th place in the pole vault.
At the 4A women’s state track meet, Skyview’s Krystal Kaufman crossed the finish line of the 800-meter run in fifth. Teammate Maddie Bretzing tied for ninth place in the pole vault.
Skyview’s track coaches include Julian Williams, men’s head coach; John Yajko, women’s head coach; and Assistant Coaches John Skoog, Tamra Coplen, Megan Humphrey, Steve Kizer, Travis Gunn, Kaley Williams, Chris Erdman and Scott Rice.
Ellie Walker of Columbia River High School nabbed silver in the 100-meter hurdles at the women’s 2A state meet. Giovanna Rhoads, also of River, leapt to sixth place in the high jump and 10th place in the triple jump. Michelle Buss is the women’s varsity track coach.
Meanwhile, fellow River athlete Mason Schell hurled the shot put to sixth place and discus to 10th place. Art Sandison is the men’s varsity track coach.
Baseball
Skyview High School’s baseball team placed third in the 4A state tournament. The varsity team includes Brody Barnum, Cooper Barnum, Johnny Carter, Daniel Copeland, Noah Guyette, Carter Hill, Tanner Jacques, Nick Jennings, Liam Kerr, Michael Lundgren, Ryan McAbel, Alex Miller, Brent Monahan, Carson Mowrer, Ryan Pitts, Nick Prater, Hunter Renne, Max Rose, Isaiah Rupp and Chris Swan. Seth Johnson is the head coach; Eric Miller, Brian Hansen, Stu Bussey and Pat Spellmeyer are assistant coaches.
Golf
In the 3A men’s state tournament, Fort Vancouver High School’s Spencer Tibbits was victorious for the third time. Mike Witkowski coaches Tibbits.
Columbia River High School’s Kyle Gomez tied for fifth in the 2A men’s state tournament. The River team took second, with the efforts of Gomez, Jacob Larson, who tied for 13th place; Joe Beuselinck, a Vancouver School of Arts and Academics student golfing for Columbia River, who tied in 16th place; Spencer Long; Mason Waite; and Jacob Barnes. David Long and Bob Nelson are their coaches.