PLAYER OF THE YEAR

HEATH SOWERS

School: Ferndale

Year: senior

Position: forward

What he did: Proved to be one of the top forwards in the Northwest Conference with a league-best 22 goals in just 16 matches. ... Also recorded four assists to total a conference-best 48 points. ... Scored goals in 14 of Ferndale's 16 matches and scored 56.4 percent of all the Golden Eagles' goals. ...Had five multi-goal games, including back-to-back hat tricks. ... An All-NWC first-team selection.

Coach's quote: "This was by far (Sowers') best year to date. He's played for me for four years, and he has been getting better every year. He really produced goals this year and proved he's the threat he is. He came into his own and took on that position of being a producer of goals. He can pretty much do anything. He's a trunk. He's a very stout kid who's hard to out-physical off the ball." - Scott Browne

COACH OF THE YEAR

JOE MCAULIFFE

School: Squalicum

What he did: Guided the Storm to a Northwest Conference title and a league record of 11-0-2. ... Helped Squalicum earn District 1's No. 2 seed in the Class 2A State Tournament where the Storm lost in the quarterfinals. ... Coached three All-NWC first-team selections in midfielder David Starkovich, forward Spencer Wolfe and defender Hans Kogan. ... Selected All-NWC Coach of the Year.

DAVID ABBOTT-SMITH

School: Sehome

Year: sophomore

Position: midfield

What he did: Burst onto the NWC scene with 10 goals and 15 assists - one shy of the league's top mark. ... A major reason the Mariners scored the second-most goals in the NWC. ... Has a canny ability to work into the attack and set up teammates with scoring opportunities. ... A second-team All-NWC selection. ... Helped Sehome earn a 9-2-2 record in conference play and a berth in the Class 2A State Tournament.

Coach's quote: "(Abbott-Smith) is a very special player. He is very skillful, and he reads the game exceptionally well. He has a very high soccer IQ and, on top of that, he has the skillfulness. He just came up with some awesome goals this year, and he made assists all the way through the season. He's just a fantastic soccer player, and he's only going to get better." - John Sylvester

ISAAC BOGART

School: Lynden

Year: junior

Position: defender

What he did: Regarded by some as the top defender in the Northwest Conference. ... A complete player who loves the game and uses his combination of quickness and toughness to get forwards off the ball. ... A fixture on a defense that allowed just 24 goals and had four shutouts during the regular season. ... A second-team All-NWC selection. ... Helped the Lions win five of their last six matches and finish with a 7-5-1 league record.

Coach's quote: "(Bogart) was our other captain with Logan (Smith) first and foremost. In my opinion, he is the top defender in the league. He is a complete defender, and he can score and play well in the air. He loves the game and is constantly in the Crossfire program down south. He has a huge future in college. He was our leader in the back and helped organize a very young team with a young goalkeeper."

JOHN GONZALES

School: Ferndale

Year: senior

Position: defender

What he did: Displayed a fearless attitude on the back line and also showed an innate ability to make runs and work into the attack. ... A two-time captain for the Golden Eagles who provided tremendous leadership. ... A second-team All-NWC selection. ... Led a defense that allowed 31 goals and posted four shutouts in 16 matches. ... Helped Ferndale to a 6-7-0 league record.

Coach's quote: "It was his second year being a captain, and he's got a captain presence on the field. He gets (the team) going, and everyone knows it's time to work when John is on the field. He's soft-spoken and makes the guys want to play with him and try harder. He's fearless in any situation and didn't back down from anyone. He also had a willingness to go forward and join the attack. That's a quality John possesses that not everyone has in his position." - Scott Browne

JAKE HAGGEN

School: Sehome

Year: senior

Position: defender

What he did: Used his unique blend of quickness and physicality to consistently knock opposing attackers off the ball. ... Led a defense that allowed just 23 goals and posted seven shutouts. ... Displayed a high work rate by getting involved in the attack. ... Scored one goal and handed out six assists. ... Helped the Mariners to a 9-2-2 league record and a Class 2A State Tournament berth. ... A first-team All-NWC selection.

Coach's quote: "He has really had a strong couple of years. He played all the time last year and, now this year, is just a rock back there on the back line. He is a very smart defender and is always a step ahead of you. He has extreme quickness and athleticism and was very consistent. (Consistency) is something good defenders have to have. You have to be able to count on them. Jake very much fell into that category. As an attacking player, he got some assists for us and set things up with some good crosses." - John Sylvester

HANS KOGAN

School: Squalicum

Year: sophomore

Position: defender

What he did: Burst onto the scene in his first full year on varsity, quickly developing into one of the top defenders in the league. ... Utilized his mixture of size and quickness to create problems for opposing attackers. ... Helped man a defense that allowed 22 goals - a tie for fewest in the NWC. ... A first-team All-NWC selection. ... Helped the Storm advance to the Class 2A State quarterfinals and win an NWC title with a league record of 11-0-2.

Coach's quote: "(Hans) was just a nice surprise this year. We knew he was going to be a good player. He played JV last year and got a little varsity time. I knew he would make varsity, but I didn't know he'd be such a crucial defender for us. He's a big boy. He's great in the air, and he's very fast. He's a handful for attackers and is very reliable. You like to have someone who is big and strong in the back, and that's what we have for the next couple years." - Joe McAuliffe

WILL LEWIS

School: Bellingham

Year: senior

Position: defender

What he did: Provided tremendous stability on the backline with his impressive work rate. ... Displayed the ability to win headers, tackles and 50-50 balls. ... Scored two goals and recorded one assist. ... Helped post 10 shutouts in 22 games and manned a defense that allowed 23 goals. ... A first-team All-NWC selection. ... Helped the Red Raiders reach the Class 2A state quarterfinals and earn a league record of 7-1-5.

Coach's quote: "Will's best quality is his work rate. He was a beast. He was an animal. He won headers, won tackles and even went on attacking runs. With his abilities, he could do for the team what Auden Schilder did. He was a rock in the back and was very dependable. You always knew what you were going to get from him. One hundred percent of the time he did whatever he could do, if that meant throwing his body on the line or getting in the attack. He even scored a couple times." - Matt Zigulis

JIMMY MACQUARRIE

School: Sehome

Year: senior

Position: midfield

What he did: A staple in the midfield during his four-year Sehome soccer career. ... Earned All-NWC first-team honors. ... Recorded a team-high 13 goals working out of an attacking mid role. ... Also handed out three assists. ... Had four multi-goal matches, including one hat trick and both goals in Sehome's Class 2A state opening-round loss. ... Led the Mariners to a 9-2-2 league record and a third-place finish in the NWC.

Coach's quote: "I think particularly this season, he just really matured in every way. He became a more dominant player, and I think that was special. He has very good vision and very good skill. He's a player that connects really well with everyone else around him. In the big moments, he made something happen to get that game-winning goal. He was one of the guys we counted on, and he became more of a scorer, too." - John Sylvester

RILEY MICHEL

School: Bellingham

Year: senior

Position: midfield

What he did: An exemplary teammate, player and student athlete. ... Team co-captain with goalkeeper Auden Schilder. ... Played an integral role in Bellingham's midfield with his work rate and ability to control ball possession. ... Scored three times and tallied seven assists. ... Helped the Red Raiders advance to the Class 2A state quarterfinals and earn a 7-1-5 league mark. ... A first-team All-NWC selection.

Coach's quote: "His intangibles were the best quality he gave to the team. He's a natural leader and puts the team before himself. He was a tremendous asset on the field and helped everyone stay together. He was very committed to the team and really applied himself to do what he could, whether that meant finding himself playing a more defensive role. Having him as a captain, I never had to worry about what was happening on the field. I had complete trust in Riley." - Matt Zigulis

AUDEN SCHILDER

School: Bellingham

Year: junior

Position: goalkeeper

What he did: Started in goal for a Red Raiders team that allowed 23 goals all season. ... Posted 10 shutouts in 22 games. ... A first-team All-NWC selection. ... Has a unique blend of agility, fearlessness and size with his 6-foot-4 frame. ... Also has a long wingspan, which presents problems to opposing forwards. ... Helped Bellingham to a 7-1-5 league record and a spot in the Class 2A state quarterfinals.

Coach's quote: "He was a rock in the back of our defense. He was our safety net and has a dependable quality that is hard to get out of a goalkeeper. You could trust him, and he not only brings a physical dimension but, mentally, he gives us that confidence that allows us to take risks. He was definitely someone that led by example and always worked hard. He always brought a positive demeanor that would help out the team." - Matt Zigulis

ADAM SMILEY

School: Squalicum

Year: junior

Position: midfield

What he did: Proved to be the top distributor in the Northwest Conference with a league-best 16 assists. ... Also netted the third most goals on the team with seven. ... Formed arguably the top midfield in the conference with David Starkovich. ... Helped Squalicum win an NWC title with a league record of 11-0-2. ... A key reason the Storm advanced to the Class 2A state quarterfinals.

Coach's quote: "I think he's a really skilled player. He probably has the most individual skill on the team, and he's really played at a high level. He did a lot of things this season that surprised people and surprised me. I think (being the NWC assist leader) speaks to his leadership. Some skillful players wait for the ball to get to them. He works off the ball really well. He played both ends and was always working hard to get up on the attack. That's where all the assists came from." - Joe McAuliffe

LOGAN SMITH

School: Lynden

Year: junior

Position: midfield

What he did: Was a force in the midfield all season for Lynden with his impressive work rate. ... Increased his production from 2011 by recording 11 goals and adding six assists. ... A first-team All-NWC selection. ... Led Lynden to a 7-5-1 league record. ... Helped the Lions make a strong run at the end of the season, winning five of their last six matches.

Coach's quote: "(Smith) is the heart and soul of our team. As a sophomore, he was a great playmaker. This year he has become a complete player for us. He really led with his mouth, but he also leads with his play, being a hard-working player. He's super talented and consistent." - Drew Smiley

DAVID STARKOVICH

School: Squalicum

Year: senior

Position: midfield

What he did: Showed his great footwork, field vision, agility, strength and ability to finish all season. ... Served as team co-captain with forward Spencer Wolfe. ... Combined with Adam Smiley to form one of the most dynamic midfields in the conference. ... Scored 13 goals and recorded five assists. ... Led the Storm to an NWC title and a league record of 11-0-2. ... Helped Squalicum reach the Class 2A state quarterfinals. ... A first-team All-NWC selection.

Coach's quote: "David is all about his athleticism. He's such an incredible fast and powerful player. He likes to take a foray and charge up the field and take people on. He had several memorable runs he's finished off-balance or in a way most players would never think of. (Because of his strength), he rarely ever goes into a 50-50 ball and loses. It's not just his upper body, but it's his first step and quickness." - Joe McAuliffe

ARTURO TORRES

School: Lynden

Year: junior

Position: forward

What he did: Increased scoring production from three goals in 2011 to 14 goals in 2012. ... Developed into one of the premier forwards in the Northwest Conference. ... Led Lynden to a 7-5-1 league record. ... The combination of Torres and midfielder Logan Smith created fits for opposing defenders as the season went on. ... Should contend for the goal scoring title in 2013. ... A second-team All-NWC selection.

Coach's quote: "I think he went from two or three goals last year to 14 or 15 goals this season. It was fantastic to quadruple his production from last year. He proved he could be a top-class striker in the league. Opportunistic would be the best way to describe him. He's not slow, but he's not super fast. He's not big and he's not small. He takes advantage of his opportunities." - Drew Smiley

ARIE VANDERSTAAY

School: Bellingham

Year: senior

Position: forward

What he did: Developed into not only Bellingham's top goal scorer but one of the most feared forwards in the Northwest Conference. ... Scored 18 goals - third most in the league - after scoring six times in 2011. ... Helped the Red Raiders earn a league record of 7-1-5 and advance to the Class 2A state quarterfinals. ... Displayed masterful footwork and a tremendous ability to take on and beat defenders. ... A first-team All-NWC selection.

Coach's quote: "He is just so dynamic and has the ability to take players on with the ball, shoot and score. Someone with his skill level causes teams to defend differently. He was being marked by guys that may have caused more space to open up for other players. He was so dynamic in the attack, and his stats don't lie. It's not easy to follow in the shoes of a Matt Sanchez, but he did so in a great way. It wasn't surprising to me. I knew he was capable of it." - Matt Zigulis

SPENCER WOLFE

School: Squalicum

Year: senior

Position: forward

What he did: Proved his versatility during the season by making a move from midfield to forward. ... Helped the Storm win the Northwest Conference title and advance to the Class 2A state quarterfinals. ... Collected 13 goals and handed out 11 assists. ... Has tremendous footwork and field vision. ... Served as team co-captain and helped Squalicum to an 11-0-2 league record. ... A first-team All-NWC selection.

Coach's quote: "Spencer was a leader on the team from the get-go as one of our captains. With him and David (Starkovich) and Adam (Smiley), we had one of the strongest midfields. We moved him up to forward to increase our scoring opportunities. He was great, because he was the hardest working forward. He was steady and collected the ball under pressure. He ended up having a lot of crucial game finishers." - Joe McAuliffe

HONORABLE MENTION

Player School

Junior Castro Meridian

Ryan Chang Squalicum

Brad Dale Bellingham

Toby Dalla Santa Lynden Christian

Emile Diffley Bellingham

Sam Frakes Bellingham

Cody Fransen Lynden Christian

Hector Gutierrez Lynden

Luis Gutierrez Lynden

Jacob Highleyman Sehome

Tom Hirsh Squalicum

Conlon Kiffney Sehome

Alexander Kochman Sehome

William Kok Lynden Christian

Alex Kooi Lynden Christian

Ryan Lowry Squalicum

Kody Moreno Meridian

Luis Morin Ferndale

Lucas Reardon Lynden Christian

Drew Ronson Sehome

Mike Senko Squalicum

Reed Welch Bellingham

Reach ANDREW LANG atandrew.lang@bellinghamherald.com or call ext. 862.