By Kitsap News Group Sports Writers
The All-Kitsap County teams are compiled by the sports writers for the Bainbridge Island Review, the Bremerton Patriot, the Central Kitsap Reporter, the North Kitsap Herald and the Port Orchard Independent. Candidates for the team are nominated by the writers for their respective areas. The nominees are then voted on by the writers, with the top vote-getters making the teams. Two honorable mentions are selected from each school for each sport. The teams include the best players from area schools that not only performed well individually, but played a role in the success of their team as well.
Below is the All-Kitsap County Girls Soccer Team. The AKC Volleyball and Football teams will will follow.
2007 All-Kitsap County Girls Soccer Team
F — Brandi Hamre, Central Kitsap, senior — Few Kitsap players possess the powerful shot Hamre hammered her opponents with this season. Hamre, one of the West Sound’s top goal scorers since her sophomore season with CK (she started as a freshman), set career bests for herself this season with a mind-boggling 26 goals, accounting for more than half of the Cougars’ scoring this fall. But that wasn’t her only asset, as Hamre, heading to Seattle Pacific University next year, also dished out nine assists. Overall, Hamre scored 65 goals and assisted on 28 more in her four years that included an injury-shortened 2006.
F — Jacki Hill, Bremerton, senior — Hill, a very dangerous forward for the Knights, created a match-up problem for every team she faced. Her state-track-championship speed was a huge bonus on the soccer pitch. Despite routinely having two defenders marking her throughout matches, she still scored 16 goals and made five assists. She ended her high school career tied for the all-time school record in goals with 45.
F — Siara Byers, North Kitsap, sophomore — Byers was one of the speediest forwards in the Narrows League. She finished with a team-high 16 goals for the Vikings despite being double- and tripled- teamed by opponents throughout the season. In the Vikings’ final game of the season, Central Kitsap surrounded Byers nearly every time she touched the ball. Byers returns next season as one of the premier players in not only the Narrows League, but the entire state.
MF — Liz Curry, Olympic, senior — As versatile as they come, Curry was the strongest Oly player on the field no matter where on the field she was. Curry led the Trojans with 15 goals and 12 assists, but more importantly, helped lead Oly to it’s first state playoff berth in seven years. In the state game, Curry displayed her on-field flexibility by dropping back to sweeper after an injury and ejection, helping stop powerhouse Lakeside from additional scoring in the 1-0 loss. Curry, bound for the University of New Hampshire, is going to be tough for Olympic to replace not only with her game, but her knowledge, as coach Steve Haggerty joked she’d make a great coach, “if she wasn’t so smart.”
MF — Sierra Cook, Klahowya, senior — In her only year playing for Klahowya, Cook made her presence felt. The Eagle senior whose been a force on the club scene for some time, Cook notched 20 goals while assisting on eight more. Previously a state-placing cross country runner for the Eagles, Cook used that experience to not only blow by defenders with her breakaway speed, but also to run the field, utilizing her stamina to maintain those runs. Cook helped Klahowya advance to state for the first time since 2001 and nearly helped Klahowya advance farther, as the Eagles fell in a 1-0 (4-3 shootout) nailbiter.
MF — Hannah Anderson, Central Kitsap, sophomore — Anderson stepped up her game in her second season with the CK varsity squad, showing she’ll be one to help fill the void left by CK’s graduating seniors. Anderson provided CK a more-than-adequate second offensive option to Hamre, as Anderson poured in 13 goals and dished out 10 assists this season. Just a sophomore, Anderson should only continue to improve as her high school career unfolds.
MF — Stephanie Skelly, North Kitsap, senior — Skelly was the straw that stirred the drink for the Vikings this season. Skelly scored 12 goals and added a team-high seven assists in her memorable senior campaign. She had the ability to score whenever she touched the ball and had even a better ability at setting up her teammates for easy shots on goal. Skelly would draw the defense in on a number of occasions before passing off to a teammate who would crush the ball towards the goalie, and was the fastest player on the team.
D — Jordan King, Central Kitsap, senior — Considered one of, if not the toughest defender in the county, King battled back from an injury that sidelined her in 2006 to help lead CK back within a game of the state tournament. King was not only a strong marker, assigned to opposing team’s toughest weapons, but also had one of the strongest kicking legs on the team, sending deep clearance balls almost anywhere she wanted upfield. She also scored three goals while assisting two more. King’s defense set a fine example for a young defensive Cougar core that should continue to pay dividends down the road.
D — Kayliegh Westerman, South Kitsap, senior — Led the Wolves defense that allowed just 10 goals during the regular season — the third fewest among 11 teams in the Narrows League.
“Kaileigh is really outgoing and hard working,” coach Scott Sodorff said. “There’s no one who’s going to give more effort than her.”
D — Ashley Polen, South Kitsap, senior — Polen finished with five goals and two assists despite missing some time with injury. Along with Westermann and Alyssa Nystrom, she helped the Wolves slow down the league’s top-scoring offense in a 3-1 win Sept. 27 against Olympia.
“Her knowledge is what sets her apart,” Sodorff said. “She does such a good job of knowing her responsibilities and making sure everyone does what they’re supposed to.”
GK — Pepper Fanua, Olympic, senior — No Kitsap keeper exuded more confidence between the posts than Fanua. The Olympic goalie had an outstanding 2007 season, as Olympic allowed just eight total goals this season. Fanua was responsible for 10 shutouts this season, including blanking tough teams from North Kitsap, Peninsula (twice) and Klahowya. While the Trojans will certainly miss Curry’s on-field presence, the team’s hardest player to replace will undoubtedly be the fearless Fanua, who made a habit of punching out corners and charging anyone who dared attempt to take her one-on-one.
Coach of the Year — Steve Haggerty, Olympic — Haggerty has long been regarded as one of the top coaches in the area. But 2007 was a special season for Olympic as the Trojans advanced back to the state tournament for the first time since 2000. Haggerty’s Trojans allowed just eight goals this year while scoring 61 of their own. Oly finished 14-2-0 overall, winning the Olympic League title for the second-consecutive season while also going undefeated in league for the second year. But the toughest test for Haggerty is yet to come, as the Trojans graduate seven players, each of whom were key for Oly.
Honorable mentions
D – Kathryn Deveraux, Bainbridge, senior
D — Karina Hoogstede, North Kitsap, senior — Hoogstede anchored a defense that only allowed 1.44 goals per game. She marked the opposing teams best player and usually shut her opponents down. While her name didn’t show up in the scorebook all too often, her play on the field was an instrumental part of the 2007 season for the Vikings.
MF — Meghan Antoni, Kingston, junior — Meghan Antoni was “Miss Do-it-all” for the Kingston Buccaneers this season. Antoni led the team from center midfield position, scoring seven goals while tallying six assists.
“Meghan was the hardest working most experienced person on the team,” coach Craig Smith said. “She was a big time leader for us. She was most marked player by other teams this year.”
GK — Ellen Boyd, Central Kitsap, senior
MF — Allie Brown, Olympic, junior
D — Anna Stewart, Klahowya, senior
UTIL — Katie Anderson, South Kitsap, senior
MF/F – Lucy Donohue, Bainbridge, senior
MF — Eyla Le, North Kitsap, freshman — Le was one of the Vikings smallest players but she clearly packed one of the biggest punches. The diminutive in stature Le finished her freshman year with five assists and two goals. Le controlled the transition game, setting up Skelly and Byers for countless breakaways through the middle of the field.
F — Kayla Campbell, Kingston, freshman — In just her first year of high school soccer Kayla Campbell was the Buccaneers leading goal scorer compiling eight goals and five assists on the season.
“She was our leading goal scorer. How many freshman can do it on a varsity team?” Smith asked. “She was the fastest player in the league and is a future college athlete. She’s a phenom.”
MF — Kate Berni, Central Kitsap, senior
D — Brielle and Amanda Kadramas, Olympic, juniors
D/MF — Jenna Whetsel, Klahowya, junior
MF — Kylie Balstad, South Kitsap, senior
MF — Kelsey Anchors, Olympic, senior
D — Alyssa Nystrom, South Kitsap, junior
D — Jenn Smalley, Bremerton, senior
D — Maddie Johnson, King’s West, senior
D — Kelsey Johnson, Bremerton, junior
GK — Lakiesha Nilles, King’s West, senior
