Spring athletes hit the ground running on second 3A league season
Published 2:30 pm Thursday, March 26, 2026
With Enumclaw High and White River athletes heading into the busy time of their sporting season the Courier-Herald this week wraps up its early look at the Plateau’s prep programs.
In last week’s edition, the newspaper previewed the baseball and fastpitch softball squads on both sides of the river. Now, attention is turned to track and field, boys soccer, girls tennis and lacrosse.
ENUMCLAW TRACK AND FIELD
“The Enumclaw Hornet track and field team is off to a great start! While we are in a rebuilding year we have about 95 athletes who are working hard and having fun.”
That’s the early-season report from coach Jenelle Murrell who saw her squad in action for the first time last Thursday, March 19, when the team hosted Kentlake High.
Among the track and field athletes returning and looking strong this spring, Murrell reported, are (on the boys side) Cole Olson, Spencer Ballard, Elliott Cheney, Kaden Kranz, Jacob Stutzman, Ellis Behrens, Teagin Clark, John Blair, Ian Burrow, JT Elliott, David Gaik, Titus Tuck and Sonny Borders.
On the girls squad, the coach points to Zoey Roth, Isabella Pohlman, Lillian Haas, Emily Haas, Avery Marecle, Senna Burt, Julia Michael, Lilia Cano, Stella Grant, Olivia Mavity, Lucy Kilcup and Sydney Poe.
Newcomers that can make an impact, she said, include Liam Harding and Hudson Kelsey.
Proven talent is provided by Olson, a senior, who was an all-NPSL 3A sprinter a season ago, earning honors in both the 200-meter and 100-meter races (first team and second team, respectively). Another first-team selection was now-junior Cheney who was a honored for his performances at 3,200 meters. Netting second-team honors a season ago was Behrens, a senior, at 3,200 meters.
Among the girls, Burt was a first team, all-league high jumper last season and Lillian Haas was a second team pick at 800 meters.
WHITE RIVER TRACK AND FIELD
Longtime White River coach Dameon Marlow may have seen a lot of talent departing due to graduation, but there’s still a healthy crop of proven veterans ready for the spring season.
His first look, at both boys and girls, came last Thursday when the Hornets traveled to take on Thomas Jefferson High.
Among the key returnees on the boys team, the coach mentions Cannon Ross in distance events, Hunter Maris in the sprints, Kaden Pierce in the shot put and discus, Marcus Marlow in the pole vault and Jorden Goethals in the high jump.
Notable veterans on the girls side include senior hurdler Trista Turgeon, who last year set a school record in the 100-meter event. Also highlighted are Paeton Poelman and Naomi Carthum in the distance races, Belle Knauss in the pole vault, and Kaijah Young in the shot put, discus and javelin. Adding to the strength in the javelin, the coach has Addisyn Vanous, Jayna Vain and Hannah Dehnert ready to throw.
Newcomers to watch for, Marlow said, include Lily Banks in the sprints and Maddi Larson and Zoie Klimkiewicz in the distance races.
“We have a lot of new faces out and we are looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish this year,” Marlow said.
ENUMCLAW BOYS SOCCER
With a solid group of returning players and a couple of promising newcomers, coach Shawn Tobius envisions a successful spring season.
“I expect us to build on top of what we did last year and also go further than we did,” the veteran coach said during the early days of the spring campaign.
Last year’s Hornets advanced as far as the district tournament where a loss to Gig Harbor left the team with a final season record of 9-7-3. That included an 8-5-3 tally in North Puget Sound League 3A play.
Key returnees from that squad include Diego Fregoso, Junior Gorobets and Nery Ruiz. Newcomers that could help the team are Mark Popovych and Ben Baker.
The 2026 season started on a high note the evening of March 11 when the Hornets took to the road and blanked NPSL 3A foe Federal Way High 4-0. Then came a March 17 contest which saw Enumclaw defeated 2-0 by Decatur.
WHITE RIVER BOYS SOCCER
Second-year coach Lee Sinkovich makes one thing perfectly clear: his squad appreciates last year’s accomplishments but is on the hunt for even more.
“Our goal every season is to challenge for the league title,” the coach said in a preseason report. “Last season was our first back in 3A and finishing in third place in league, three points out of second place and a Top 8 seed to districts was a great first step back.
“While finishing in third behind Kent-Meridian and eventual final four participant in state Auburn Mountainview was a great accomplishment, we know we can achieve more.”
Sinkovich has a solid group taking the pitch. Included are midfielder Max Argo, a first team all-league selection a season ago; goalkeeper Waylon Sinkovic, a second team pick; midfielder Bryan Rodriguez-Pena, a four-year member of the varsity and one of this season’s captains; and center back Fabian Contraeras, another team captain.
A new varsity addition is freshman Emmanuel Alvarez. “By the end of the season I believe he will be a contributor in our midfield,” the coach noted.
The Hornet strength this season, Sinkovich said, “will continue to be our ability to put teams under pressure with a high press which requires everyone on the field working together as one to be successful.” The good news, he added, is that the squad has proved adept at the system.
“We want to be able to link up play through our midfield with the help of Max Argo and Brohdy Bockness, two very intelligent, creative soccer players. Ivan Floyd and Coco Delores will lead our forwards group and offer two differing profiles as forwards and work great together.”
ENUMCLAW GIRLS TENNIS
Veteran coach Will Stuenkel reports having “some great varsity returners this year.” That list includes seniors Haley Dumontet and Audrey Firnkoess; they teamed up in doubles play last year, advanced deep into the district tournament and fell just one victory shy of a berth in the Class 3A state championships. Other seniors on the 2026 roster include Marlene Hernandez, Molly Michael and Ashley Diaz.
They will be joined by returning juniors Autumn Vogel (another district tourney veteran) and Lucy Means.
“We have had a great turnout this year and are hoping for a strong league season and to take some players to the district tournament,” Stuenkel reported. “With such an experienced team and great leadership it should be a fun season.”
WHITE RIVER GIRLS TENNIS
The Hornets immediately jumped into North Puget Sound League 3A play, with matches slated for last Wednesday and Thursday. Assuming the weather cooperated, coach Brad Pratt and his troops traveled to the Saghalie Middle School courts in Federal Way to take on Todd Beamer High, then returned home for a Thursday match against Thomas Jefferson.
The team’s brightest spot continues to be Cydnee Chapin who has qualified for state tournament play during both of her high school seasons. As a freshman she placed sixth during the 2024 Class 2A tourney and she advanced to state again a year ago after White River jumped to the larger 3A ranks.
Other returning varsity veterans include seniors Elliott Courtney, Alexandra Dinger and Ella Stone, along with juniors Darby Miller and Charlotte Ringel.
ENUMCLAW LACROSSE
There’s a different look to the team this year as players from the disbanded White River High program have joined their King County counterparts.
The new-look squad will next see action this Friday, March 27, when Auburn Riverside comes calling. The nonleague contest is set for 7 p.m. at the Enumclaw Expo Center. Monday will see the Plateau team traveling to Bonney Lake High.
The varsity team’s opening-night, 24-man roster included seniors Greg Garwick, Tayten Maraschly, Cole Symonds, David Blau, Logan McArthur, Parker Huhtala and Kovi Poulin; juniors Hunter Brown, Elijah Harris, Ryder Curtis, Caleb Massey, Carter Campbell, Aidan Goodman and Mauricio Ibarra; sophomores Jax Sturtz, Max Craighead, Tucker Daigle, Nik Crnich, Graeden Metzger, Will Stuenkel and Michael Neal; and freshmen Lathan Sturtz, Anderson Blair and Skyler Radamacher.
Success is still a recent memory in Enumclaw lacrosse circles. The team, under coach David Pugh, captured the state Class 1A/2A championship in both 2023 and 2024.
