With a lull in winter sports, The Reporter looked back at 2017 and top headlines from local athletes.
The following stories made an impact on our community.
Similar to the top 15 stories, these stories are in no particular order.
We hope you enjoy a look back at sports from 2017 and hope it gears you up for what’s ahead in 2018.
Mission complete: Conks best in state
The Kentwood Conquerors beat Union High School 81-61 for the boys basketball state championship game.
The year before in 2016, the Conks lost the final game to Federal Way High School 66-54.
Kentwood coach Blake Solomon said, they had been waiting a year from that loss to redeem themselves.
Kentwood’s then-senior point guard, Darius Lubom said he thought about the loss everyday for the past year, making this 2017 game one for the books.
Kentlake graduate qualifies for he 2017 Boston Marathon
Two-time Olympian Courtney Thompson, a Kentlake and University of Washington graduate, ran in the Boston Marathon this past year. She is one of the 14 female athletes that took place in this grand race.
She said at the time of her interview, her goal was to finish the 26.2-mile race in 3 hours and 30 minutes. This is a pace of about 8 minutes per mile.
For women Thompson’s age, 32 at the time, the average time for a race like this is 3 hours and 35 minutes. According to the Boston Marathon website, Thompson finished the race in 3 hours and 40 minutes, just barely shy of her goal.
Bears snag NPSL title with shutout over Auburn Mountainview
In May, the Tahoma Bears softball team took the North Puget Sound League title with ease, winning 3-0.
Auburn Mountainview knew they had a challenge ahead of them due to the fact that Tahoma had won 16 games out of 17 during the season, making them the leagues top team at the time.
During the final game, the Bears used three soft singles to push across two runs in the first inning.
Tahoma girls win track and field 4A state crown
This last June, the Tahoma Bear’s girls track and field came in on top. The Wilson sisters, Aliya, Alisha and Tierra, along with Olivia Ribera and Ginny Mehl brought home a bushel of gold medals, handing the Bears their first 4A girls track and field state title.
The girls won the title with 91 points, running out the second place team, Union High School, by 35 points.
“We’ve been working hard for this all year,” said Aliya Wilson after the state meet.
Two of the lead runners, Tierra Wilson and Ribera, graduated in 2017.
Daughtry named Athletic Director of the Year
Kentwood Athletic Director, Jo Anne Daughtry, received the 2017 Athletic Director of the Year.
“It’s quite an honor, I think when your peers pick you for something like this it’s very humbling and there’s a lot of great athletic directors in our league, but I’m overwhelmed but very grateful,” she said.
This isn’t her first time winning this award. Daughtry also won Athletic Director of the Year in 2011.
She takes pride in her work and loves what she does. She has been working for the Kent School District for about 36 years and is going to continue working at Kentwood for a little while longer she said.
