Sports - High Schools

POSTED: Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009

PREP GIRLS' SOCCER: Ferndale's Steele selected conference's MVP

Ferndale junior Kaytlyn Steele was a nightmare for opponents to defend throughout the season, as she led the Northwest Conference with 12 assists and finished second in points after adding 12 goals.

Her efforts led Ferndale to a fourth-place finish in the NWC standings and helped her earn earn the conference's Most Valuable Player award when the All-NWC team was released on Tuesday, Nov. 24. The honors were selected by the conference coaches.

Steele was one of five repeat first-team selections from 2008, joining Burlington-Edison defender and 2008 MVP Mette Rousseau, Bellingham goalkeeper Hanna Wade, Sehome defender Kaya Jones and Mount Vernon forward Tia Brogna.

Jones and Steele were the only juniors who were repeat selections, but the rest of the first team was loaded with underclassmen - 12 in all.

In addition to Jones, Sehome had junior midfielder Sierra Loveland-Pope, sophomore midfielder Madison Heilmann and sophomore forward Jessica Bertucci on the first team. That quartet of youngsters helped lead the Mariners, who were the NWC's only team to advance to the state tournament, to a third-place finish in Class 2A.

In addition to Wade, Bellingham placed senior defender Janelle Paxton and junior midfielder Kim Cooper on the first team.

Steele's dangerous, speedy teammate Haley Locker also was a first-team pick at forward, as was Lynden Christian sophomore Coryn Bajema, who led the NWC with 17 goals.

Squalicum senior Amy Wilson also was a first-team pick at midfielder after helping the Storm finish third in the conference standings.

Mount Vernon's Gary Warman was the Coach of the Year, and the Bulldogs also placed goalkeeper Tiffany Cruse and defenders Kiahna Norman and Ashley Morrison on the first team. Anacortes midfielder Jasper Sortun rounded out the first team.

Whatcom County second-team selections were Bellingham's Emma Wayerski and Joy Robinette, Blaine's Samantha Nault, Lynden's Liz Webb, Mount Baker's Lauren Frey and Jamie Stoothoff, Meridian's Randi Donahue, Sehome's Tanya Haggen and Squalicum's Kara Merfeld and Bianca Long.

ALL-NORTHWEST CONFERENCE TEAM

Selected by conference's coaches

MVP: Kaytlyn Steele (Ferndale), jr.

Coach of the Year: Gary Warman (Mount Vernon)

First team

GOALKEEPER School Yr.

Hanna Wade Bellingham Sr.

Tiffany Cruse Mount Vernon Jr.

DEFENDER School Yr.

Mette Rousseau Burlington-Edison Sr.

Janelle Paxton Bellingham Sr.

Kiahna Norman Mount Vernon So.

Ashley Morrison Mount Vernon Jr.

Kaya Jones Sehome Jr.

MIDFIELDER School Yr.

Jasper Sortun Anacortes So.

Kim Cooper Bellingham Jr.

Sierra Loveland-Pope Sehome Jr.

Madison Heilmann Sehome So.

Amy Wilson Squalicum Sr.

FORWARD School Yr.

Haley Locker Ferndale Jr.

Coryn Bajema Lynden Christian So.

Tia Brogna Mount Vernon Sr.

Jessica Bertucci Sehome So.

Second team

GOALKEEPER School Yr.

Kara Merfeld Squalicum Sr.

DEFENDER School Yr.

Rylie Hill Burlington-Edison Sr.

Emma Wayerski Bellingham Jr.

Jamie Stoothoff Mount Baker Sr.

Jackie Divita Mount Vernon Jr.

Emily Bruscas Sedro-Woolley Jr.

MIDFIELDER School Yr.

Joy Robinette Bellingham Jr.

Lauren Frey Mount Baker Sr.

Randi Donahue Meridian So.

Emily Mattson Mount Vernon So.

Bianca Long Squalicum Sr.

FORWARD School Yr.

Bailey Gates Burlington-Edison Sr.

Samantha Nault Blaine Jr.

Liz Webb Lynden So.

Tanya Haggen Sehome Sr.

Honorable mention

GOALKEEPER School Yr.

Niki Stilwill Burlington-Edison Sr.

Erin Lapsansky Ferndale Sr.

Amanda Tapia Lynden Jr.

Leah Ford Mount Baker Sr.

Rachel Albert Sehome Fr.

Emme Moser Sedro-Woolley So.

DEFENDER School Yr.

Keidy Guillen Anacortes Sr.

Jenny Corning Burlington-Edison Sr.

Annali Wallin Bellingham Sr.

Bethany Dahl Blaine Jr.

Brianna Slaughter Ferndale Sr.

Hannah Young Ferndale So.

Kristina Nelson Ferndale So.

April Mulder Lynden Christian Sr.

Ashli Hollingsworth Lynden Jr.

Valeria Quiroz Lynden Fr.

Sam Logan Mount Baker So.

Kylee DeCook Mount Baker Sr.

Grace Lemley Mount Vernon Fr.

Jordan Murray Sehome Sr,.

Megan Schrupp Sehome Sr.

Haley Smith Sehom So.

Mackenzie McCleve Squalicum Sr.

Danielle Dorr Squalicum Jr.

Gabby Nunez Squalicum Sr.

Ebony Crawford Sedro-Woolley Jr.

Charissa Crawford Sedro-Woolley Jr.

MIDFIELDER School Yr.

Jessie Olsen Anacortes Sr.

Holly Bradley Burlington-Edison Jr.

Kayla Blier Blaine Sr.

Ashley Putman Mount Baker So.

Ella Salkeld Mount Baker Jr.

Monica Chavez Mount Vernon Jr.

Alicia Wolf Meridian Jr.

Kelsey Faber Nooksack Valley Sr.

Michelle Huttema Nooksack Valley Sr.

Erica Burch Sedro-Woolley Sr.

Ashlee Berg Sedro-Woolley So.

FORWARD School Yr.

Mariel McCown Anacortes So.

Kelli Bannerman Ferndale Fr.

Hannah Belanger Meridian So.

Jessica Wallace Squalicum Jr.

Marissa Klees Squalicum Sr.