GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD

Coach Judy Revell, who heads the girls’ side of the Panther track and field program, admits to being excited about this year’s prospects.

Aside from welcoming back 11 athletes who competed at the district level – including two who advanced to the state meet – Revell has greeted plenty of new faces.

Her program boasts “around 20 new athletes, among which there is a good deal of talent,” Revell said. “It is always fun to watch how the athletes develop, and how our team does once we figure out where each athlete’s strengths are best used.”

District returnees include Zoey Diviney, Tanya Dean, Isobelle Davidson, Summer Kober, Mia Ballard, Gabriella Salinas, Katie Fryberger, Jordann Hofstrand, Catherine Flynn, Rylie Linford and Kristina Schweyen. Both Dean and Fryberger advanced to Star Track, the state meet; Dean went in both hurdle races and Fryberger competed in the high jump.

At the end of the season, Fryberger, now a senior, was honored as the Pierce County League’s Vertical Jumper of the Year. She was a first team, all-league selection in both the high jump and pole vault. Dean, also a senior this season, was a first team selection in the 100 hurdles and a second team pick in the 200 hurdles. Linford and Salinas received all-league honorable mention, Linford in the 300 hurdles and Salinas in the javelin.

BOYS SOCCER

Graduation was not kind to the Panther program, which saw four all-league performers wrap up their prep careers.

Coach Luke Helling-Christy and this year’s crew opened the season with a jamboree and kick off the regular season this Friday, March 15, with a nonleague battle against Highline High. The 5:30 p.m. contest will be at Highline Memorial Stadium in Burien.

The Panthers begin Pierce County League play Tuesday, March 19, by hosting the Lincoln Abes.

This year’s roster includes senior goalkeeper Josef Babbitt; senior midfielders Antonio Guerrero and Jose Torres; senior defenders Clay Parrott, Daniel Meraz and Zach Beaty, and senior forwards Caleb Fairover and Tyreece Smart. Juniors include midfielder Malo Douvre, Daniel Malaspina and Pierce Curtice. The three sophomores on the varsity roster are midfielder Brady Conant and forwards Kaelen Carmack and Wesley Talancon. A trio of freshman have played their way onto the varsity: forward Connor Goff, defender James O’Callaghan and midfielder Andres Perez-Soliz.

GIRLS TENNIS

Coach Damon DeLapp and his Panther squad opened the spring season with a Tuesday trip to Bethel High and continue tomorrow, Thursday, with the season’s first home match. The Panthers are slated to take on Pierce County League opponent Wilson High at 3:30 p.m.

The top returning player is senior Eliza Christensen, who paired last year with Olivia Grob (since graduated) to form the PCL’s top doubles team.