The winter season brings a return to indoor sports on the Plateau. Here’s a look at how some of the Enumclaw and White River high school programs look as they start the 2023-24 campaign.
WHITE RIVER BOYS’ WRESTLING
In his second season at the White River helm, coach Josh Sneva has welcomed back several grapplers who helped the Hornets to an 11th-place finish at last season’s Class 2A state championships.
Sveva will get his first real look at this year’s squad tonight (Wednesday) when White River hosts the Steilacoom Sentinels and Foss Falcons. The double-dual meet kicks off the South Puget Sound League 2A season.
Top returnees: Hunter Oswold, junior, first team all-league last season and eighth place finisher at state meet. Caleb Dale, junior, second team all-league last season and sixth place at state meet. Riley Simmons, junior, first team all-league last season and third-place finisher at state meet.
Lost to graduation: Chase Campbell, second team all-league last season and eighth-place finisher at state meet. Caleb Evanger, fifth place at last season’s state meet.
WHITE RIVER GIRLS’ WRESTLING
One of the area’s consistently powerful wrestling programs opens the season with a new coach. Joe Cordes was picked to lead a team that placed second at last season’s state championships in the Tacoma Dome.
Team honors are nothing new for the Hornets, who registered second-place showings in 2022 and 2019 and claimed a team title in 2020.
Top returnees: Lilyana Lamothe, junior, first team all-league last season and finished second at state meet. Adriah Blue, senior, second team all-league and state meet participant a year ago. Gillian Tilton, sophomore, first team all-league. Amelia Miller, sophomore, second team all-league.
Lost to graduation: Anna DiCugno, last season’s league Wrestler of the Year capped an undefeated senior season with a state championship; she also was a first team, all-league honoree. Nicole Poussier, state champion as a senior and a first team, all-league selection.
ENUMCLAW BOYS’ WRESTLING
Coach Adam Eilers and his Hornet squad opened the season Dec. 2 with a tournament at Sumner High and will dive into South Puget Sound League 2A competition tonight (Wednesday).
The league opener will see EHS traveling to Fife to challenge the host Trojans and the Washington Patriots in double-dual action.
Under Eilers’ guidance the Hornets placed 13th at last year’s state 2A championships in Tacoma.
Top returnees: Mason Elder, junior, first team all-league last season and state meet participant. Caleb Grantham, junior, qualified for state meet last season. Devlyn Bradshaw, senior, team captain. Wyatt Gibson, senior, team captain.
Promising freshman: Cole Schumacher.
Lost to graduation: Westin Triplett, last year’s state champion at 160 pounds; had placed second at state meet as a junior. Zeke Luchi, second-place finisher at state meet a season ago.
Coach’s outlook: “We are a young team but wrestlers are working hard each and every day to become better.”
ENUMCLAW GIRLS’ WRESTLING
The girls’ wrestling program at EHS has struggled to gain momentum, but six athletes signed up for the winter season.
Chief among those is sophomore Madison Cooper. A season ago, she advanced to the regional tournament.
The Enumclaw crew will travel to Fife High School this afternoon (Wednesday) for a multi-team meet.
WHITE RIVER BOYS’ SWIMMING
The White River athletes opened the season yesterday (Tuesday) in nonleague fashion, traveling to Kent and competing in the YMCA pool. Also in the water were Enumclaw, Kentwood and Kent-Meridian.
Thursday will see the Hornet swimmers squaring off against Enumclaw and Auburn High at the Enumclaw Aquatic Center.
Top returnees: Mason Arnold, senior, first team all-league selection also qualified for the state meet (11th place in the 200-yard individual medley and 12th in the 100-yard breaststroke). Conroy Meyers, sophomore, first team all-league and participant in the state meet (10th place in the 50-yard freestyle and 11th in the 100-yard freestyle).
ENUMCLAW BOYS’ SWIMMING
The Enumclaw squad opened the season yesterday (Tuesday) in nonleague fashion, traveling to Kent and competing in the YMCA pool. Also in the water were White River, Kentwood and Kent-Meridian.
Thursday will see the Hornet swimmers hosting Auburn High and White River at the Enumclaw Aquatic Center.
Top returnee: David Prince, junior, first team all-league and participant in the state meet (member of the 200-yard freestyle relay team).
Lost to graduation: Dean Paulson, senior, second team all-league, swam a leg at state in the 200-yard freestyle relay.
GYMNASTICS
Veteran coach Ben Skipworth again leads a program that incorporates girls from both Enumclaw and White River high schools.
Top returnee: Kylee Trudgeon, sophomore, White River; qualified for district meet in all four events as a freshman, then advanced to the state 1A/2A/3A meet in both the floor exercise and the vault.
With a few veterans on the roster, joined by a handful of newcomers, the Plateau squad will open its season this Friday, December 8. The team will travel to Ascend Gymnastics in Tumwater for a multi-team meet.
Photo by Kevin Hanson White River junior Adriah Blue battles during a state match against Woodland.
