Community Sports
2024-2025 Super Seniors | Gig Harbor High School
With the high school sports season completed, Gig Harbor Now presents its Super Seniors for the 2024-25 sports year.
Super Seniors recognizes seniors who had huge impacts on their teams during their careers at Peninsula and Gig Harbor high schools. Although many senior athletes excelled at multiple sports, an athlete can only be selected once on our list.
We selected Super Seniors in Puget Sound League Conference-sanctioned sports along with water polo and lacrosse.
The award is based on the athletes’ complete high school careers, rather than individual seasons.
Following are the Gig Harbor High School Super Seniors for the 2024-25 sports year starting with the fall sports participants. Read about Peninsula High School’s Super Seniors here.
Football: Boone Leverett
Leverett was the Tides’ placekicker and sometimes punter who allowed the Tides to be a scoring threat whenever the offense passed the opponents’ 30-yard line. Leverett was a first-team all-conference kicker for three straight years, as voted on by conference coaches.
Boone Leverett. Photo by Bryce Carithers
Leverett was a converted soccer player who had thunder in his leg. But Leverett was also very accurate, making 18 of 23 field goal attempts during his career with a long of 45 yards. Kicking in Washington involves many games played in the wind and rain, which make the job more difficult, but Leverett came through with several clutch kicks in tight games — including the last point in a Fish Bowl win as a junior. Leverett converted 88 of 95 extra point attempts and routinely pinned opponents deep in their own territory with 3,285 yards in kickoffs during his high school career.
Volleyball: Bridget Bender
Bender was a high-flying, uber-athletic outside hitter who would rise above the net to slap a down a vicious kill and then take a little more time than most to land. She has hops, but also brought a total game with her when she transferred from Peninsula to Gig Harbor as a senior.
Bridget Bender. Photo by Bryce Carithers
Bender scored 158 points, which was 20% of her team’s output, and was second on the team with 141 kills. She was first on the team in hitting percentage at 23 percent and had 56 digs. Tides coach Slade Klein pointed to her attitude, estimating that she probably had 174 smiles during the year as well.
“She was a very hard worker who liked to improve and try new things.” Klein said. “Being extremely athletic and willing to put in the work to get better, made her effective. She made a lasting and positive impression in our program and always worked to lift others up and support her teammates.”
Boys tennis: Hugh Vicente
Vicente was a multidimensional tennis player who combined even ground strokes, a consistent serve and quick net reflexes to reach the Class 3A state tournament twice in doubles while also playing No. 1 singles for Gig Harbor during his junior and senior years.
As a junior, Vicente switched to doubles in the postseason and narrowly missed a district doubles title. As a senior singles player, Vicente went 10-2.
Hugh Vicente. Photo courtesy Gig Harbor tennis
Voted team captain and most inspirational by his teammates, Vicente displayed his character after losing to a teammate in the league playoffs, which cost him postseason advancement.
“After the match, he was very disappointed and walked away to collect himself,” 20-year Tide coach Lorrie Wood recalled. “But he quickly rallied back and cheered for his teammates, including the one who just beat him, displaying loyalty and character that I’ve rarely seen in a player.”
Girls soccer: Elise Miller
Elise Miller was a standout goal scorer and team leader who won several all-conference awards and was the Puget Sound League Narrows Division MVP as a senior. Miller combined quickness with tremendous ball skills and a rocket right leg. Miller introduced herself with 15 goals and seven assists as a ninth grader starting on a 19-2 Gig Harbor team.
Elise Miller of Gig Harbor. Photo by Bryce Carithers
Miller found the net plenty of times after that too. She had 18 goals and seven assists as a sophomore, 14 goals and three assists as a junior, and 13 goals and 11 assist as senior. She led the Tides to a Class 3A No. 1 state ranking at the end of the regular season as a senior. Miller accumulated 60 goals and 28 assists and the Tides went 63-10-6 during her four years.
Girls cross country: Taylor Sletner
Sletner was a relentless cross country runner who rarely made a tactical error while running. She was the Narrows Division MVP as a senior and a three-time Class 3A all-state selection.
Taylor Sletner. Photo by Dennis Browne
Sletner combined long strides, exceptional lung capacity and mental toughness to be one of this area’s top runners alongside Reese Morkert, a Gig Harbor cross country state champion in 2023, and Peninsula’s Elektra Higgins, the state runner-up in 2025.
Sletner finished fourth at state as a senior, when she crossed the line in 17:36.90.
Boys basketball: Cole Browne
Browne was a hard-driving shooting guard and four-year varsity player. He racked up two all-conference selections, a league title, played on three state tournament teams and finished as the Tides’ all-time winningest player, with 77 victories.
Browne set a school record for most free throws made without a miss, going 12-12 against Capital. He also never played in a loss to Peninsula, winning all eight games while leading his team in scoring (18), rebounds (10) and assists (5) in his final game versus the Seahawks.
Cole Browne. Photo by Christi Adams
Browne was an aggressive, ball hawking defender who had seven steals in a playoff win over Silas and averaged 13.2 points per game as a senior. He was asked to feed passes to the post his senior year but could score quickly when the Tides needed it. Gig Harbor was down 16 points in the fourth quarter to Timberline when Browne, a junior, took over. He scored 15 of his 25 points in seven minutes, including the final two points with seconds to go to pull out the an improbable 59-58 victory.
As a senior he had 18 points in his last home game, a 77-61 state tournament victory against North Central. Before that, his two free throws with less than 10 seconds remaining helped Gig Harbor upset Bellarmine, 56-53, in the district playoffs. Coach Billy Landram said: “Cole was a two year captain that I had immense trust in. He always knew what was at stake and stepped his game up when we needed it most.”
Girls swimming: Beau Ensminger
Ensminger was a versatile swimmer who helped the Tides finish sixth in the state in the 400 yard freestyle relay and also swam the butterfly leg of the 10th-place 200 medely relay team at state.
She was the Puget Sound Leagues champion in the 100 yard butterfly and finished second in the 200 yard medley relay and third in the 100 backstroke.
Beau Ensminger. Photo by Mike Kelly
“Beau’s versatility was her strength. She qualified for districts in all of the individual races and her talent made it easy to plug her into a meet lineup wherever needed,” said Tide coach Mike Kelly. “Beau was focused on having a successful season so she really pushed herself to be the best version of herself.”
Boys swimming: Aiden Hammer
Hammer is certainly Gig Harbor’s best male swimmer ever — and probably will continue to be in the future. Hammer won four individual Class 3A state titles, broke a state record set by a former Olympic gold medalist, and finished third while swimming against grown men at the 2025 U.S. Nationals Swimming Championships.
The 6-foot-3 Hammer reminded one of a high end Criss-Craft ski boat in the water … explosive at the start and up to cruising speed quickly, leaving only a minimal wake behind him.
Aiden Hammer. Photo courtesy Gig Harbor swimming
Hammer also possesses plenty of discipline. He is on a strict diet, systematically counts his caloric intake, is asleep by 9 p.m., devotes hours to recovery, spends days watching film and is obsessed with improvement.
He will now chase individual and team national championships at the University of Texas for Longhorn and Olympic coach Bob Bowman. Hammer has a solid chance to be the Tides’ first Olympic medal winner if all goes right.
Boys water polo: Brody Mock
Mock was a physical defender and captain for the league champion Tides water polo team. Holding, hooking, pushing and kicking are all part of the game in polo. Mock was good at it all despite not being caught by the referees much. As a senior he was an all-conference player who was instrumental in the Tides’ success under head coach Alana Ponce.
Brody Mock. Photo by Mike Kelly
Mock wasn’t just a defender though. He used his strong core to rise three feet out of the water and fire a missile past opposing goalies. He had high statistical numbers in ejections drawn, steals, field blocks and shooting percentage and was an unquestioned leader for the Tides who brought his hard hat with him for every game or practice.
Girls basketball: Finley Wyman
Wyman was a three-year varsity player for the Tides, a power forward and center who gave just as many elbows and hip checks in the paint as she took. Wyman added muscle and aggression to her game each year. She finished her senior season as one of the Tides’ top two rebounders while leading the state in the charges taken during her senior season.
Finley Wyman. Photo by Christi Adams
Wyman had a nice intermediate game and could score in face-up or low-post situations while playing defense with her mind, often anticipating passes and turning them into steals. She played for three coaches in her four years but each of her coaches talked about her work ethic and leadership as characteristics that stood out.
“Finley was a tough and tenacious defender with relentless hustle, notably racking up steals in our press,” said former coach Tim Olson. “Her defensive presence in the key and intensity made us the top rebounding and defensive team in the league. She was always a great leader and teammate and also made our practices super competitive.”
Girls bowling: Ivy Goodkin
Goodkin was a three-year varsity bowler who improved every year and become the only Tide to knock down over 200 pins bowling in the district final. Her effort propelled the Tides’ surprising run to the 3A state tournament this spring.
Goodkin was best when the lights were brightest as she excelled in big matches against talented Puget Sound League teams. Goodkin came through with a three-game total of 490 in the district finals, where the Tides secured the seventh and final state birth. She was the top Tide at state, placing 24th after bowling six games with a 951 total and an individual high game of 197.
Boys wrestling: Liam McDermott
McDermott was a hard-nosed, tough wrestler for the Tides at 138 pounds who had brute strength, balance, and was as quick as a cat. He finished his senior year with an impressive 36-14 record, placing second at districts and advancing to the Class 3A state tournament.
At Mat Classic, McDermott advanced to the quarterfinals before losing a heartbreaking 4-3 decision.
Liam McDermott
“McDermott was a battler for sure,” Tides coach Blake Moser said. “His strength was in neutral and he was consistently able to get takedowns against the state’s best wrestlers in his weight class.”
Boys cross country: Joey Campbell
Campbell was a two-time Class 3A state qualifier who improved year after year for Tides coach Patty Ley. Campbell combined intelligence, endurance and strategy and seemed to make his passing moves just at the right time.
Campbell helped the Tides to a 10th place finish at state as a senior, placing 69th individually in 16:37.50. He was 46th individually and the Tides ninth as a team during Campbell’s junior year. Campbell was quick to give encouragement to younger teammates and also excelled in the classroom, achieving a 3.96 GPA.
Joey Campbell
Boys baseball: Daniel Porras
Porras was an all-conference center fielder and was chosen as the male Athlete of the Year for GHHS. He starred on the 27-3 Tides baseball team and will take his talents to Montlake to play for the Washington Huskies next season.
Porras had a textbook swing that was smooth as silk and even through the zone while being anchored by powerful legs and an explosive hip turn. He led the Tides’ talented team to a No. 1 state ranking at the end of the regular season and a third-place finish at the Class 3A state tournament this spring.
Daniel Porras
Blessed with power and speed, the aggressive Porras was a left handed hitter with quick twitch timing that’s necessary to hit balls thrown at 90 miles per hour. But Porras would swat them away like flies, spraying numerous line drives to all fields while batting .364 with 14 RBI and 24 runs during his senior year. He added six doubles, two triples and two home runs and led the team with a .655 slugging percentage.
Porras was also an excellent defensive center fielder with speed to cover the gaps and a cannon for an arm. His first-inning home run helped the Tides advance past Inglemoor in the state quarterfinals and then he went 2-4 with 2 RBI and two runs against Kennewick in the state semifinals.
Boys golf: Liam Dalbec
Dalbec was the steady and consistent long hitter who helped the Tides to the state tournament in each of the last two seasons while playing in the second position behind junior Theo Snyder. Gig Harbor finished third and sixth in the Class 3A state tournament the last two years and Dalbec was a big reason why.
Dalbec started golfing at a young age and combines a powerful game off the tee with a solid approach game and smooth putting skills. He was known as a thinker on the course and was one of only three players on this year’s team to finish a round under par in league competition. He finished 45th at the state tournament as a senior with rounds of 79 and 81 for a two day total of 160. He also finished 54th as a junior, when he shot a two day total of 161 and helped the Tides finish third in the state.
Fastpitch: Danielle Biehl
They say that big things come in small packages and that was certainly the case with the four-time first team all-conference center fielder Danielle Biehl. She won the most valuable pitching award as a senior in the Narrows Division of the PSL. Biehl put together a fantastic high school career with eye-popping statistics while leading the Tides to two state tournament appearances in her four years playing varsity fastpitch.
Biehl hit .492 as a freshman, .392 as a sophomore and a team-leading .548 as a junior. She was even better as a senior, hitting .667 with 24 RBI, six doubles, five triples and a home run. She was also a bulldog in the circle, going 9-1 with a 3.50 ERA and striking out 72 batters.
Danielle Biehl. Photo by David Turley
Tides coach Jim Peschek has had some good players, including his daughter Riley, who starts at shortstop for the University of Washington. He said Biehl is “arguably one of the best softball players to ever play at Gig Harbor. She’s a pure player with amazing work ethic and attitude and is my first four year, first team all-league player. Then she gets the MVP as a pitcher, she was an absolute stud.”
Girls golf: Carly Ikei
Ikei was the uber-talented golfer for the Tides who finished third individually at the Class 3A state tournament with a 2-over-par, two-day total of 149. Her effort led the Tides to a runner-up finish at state. Ikei combined power with a wonderful set of soft hands that produced accurate pitches inside 100 yards. She also could read the greens like a book and rarely three-putted once she reached the green.
Carly Ikei
Golf is one of the most difficult sports but Ikei made it look casual, while playing with an easygoing demeanor and a calm mind. Ikei was a four-time all-conference player who helped the Tides to consecutive district championships and carried the Tides to four state appearances. The Tides finished fourth (twice), third and second at state during Ikei’s four years. She also won the GHHS female Athlete of the Year Award at the end of the season.
“I am very pleased with my career and so thankful that I was able to keep improving with the resources of my school, teachers, coaches, teammates, and parents who all played a role in my success,” Ikei said.
Girls track: Aejanae Humphrey
Humphrey turned in blistering times of 13.06 in the 100-meter dash at the Puget Sound League Championships before ripping off a 27.49 in the 200 meters. She was also part of the 4×100 relay team that blazed to a state championship in a time of 47.96.
Tide coach Kevin Eager credited Humphrey with “running the leg of her life” in the state finals. In relay racing, the challenge is to embrace the risk of a bad exchange and Humphrey was so quick that her “go” mark had to be moved back significantly to allow her to get a clean pass of the baton. Humphrey left at the exactly right moment and came through with an excellent exchange before charging down the track in the fastest split time she’s ever ran. When she passed the baton, the Tides were in first place and their state championship became a reality 10 seconds later.
Aejanae Humphrey, right. Photo courtesy of Ruby Savage
Boys track: Eli Hopkins
Hopkins was a versatile athlete who jumped from the pool, where he found success as a water polo player, to the track and field team, where he nearly won the Puget Sound League javelin championship. He finished a close second at the league meet with a launch of 144 feet and two inches.
His core strength and explosion was evident, as were his work ethic and technical advancements. During the regular season Hopkins won dual meets against teams from Lakes, Peninsula, Mount Tahoma, Capital, and Bellarmine and had a career long throw of 160 feet and six inches.
Girls tennis: Sarena Thoms
Thoms was a three-year varsity doubles player and team captain who finished 8-2 with partner Josie Crane during her senior year. Thoms was also an excellent soccer player for Gig Harbor who used her quickness from the pitch to excel on the tennis court. Rarely did a ball bounce twice on the court with out the speedy and athletic Thoms reaching and returning the ball over the net. Thoms had a complete game that included a consistent serve with quick reflexes at the net.
Sarena Thoms
Coach Lorrie Wood will remember Thoms for her leadership and overall attitude on and off of the court. “Sarena was such a great competitor and great leader,” Wood said. “At the very last practice of the season Sarena and Josie gathered all the younger girls and gave them such a sweet farewell talk about enjoying every moment of their high school years, because they go by so quickly. I was in tears.”
Girls water polo: Kiah Sawyer
Sawyer was a three time all-conference goalie who started for the Tides in the cage since she was in the ninth grade. Blessed with amazing reflexes, excellent timing and toughness, Sawyer was arguably the best goalie in the South Sound this year. Sawyer was also in excellent shape as she could tread water for extended periods of time waiting for opponents to try and score on her.
Kiah Sawyer. Photo by Mike Kelly
She led the Tides to state appearances in three straight years and was the clear choice as team MVP. But her most valuable assets were her intensity and her leadership abilities as she commanded her players to be in proper position and helped with locating open players. In short, she ran the entire pool from her goalie box.
Boys lacrosse: Lane Stanton
Stanton was a hard-charging forward and the leading senior goal-scorer this year, his final of three years on the varsity. Stanton possesses quickness, balance and an uncanny ability to stay on his feet when opponents were trying to knock him off balance. Stanton made some highlight catches of the ball as well before powering through a crowd to assist or score.
Lane Stanton
Stanton scored four goals in the Baggataway Bowl against rival Peninsula as a senior to seal victory. The Tides reached the state playoffs after the win. Peninsula had won frequently during Stanton’s career but the victory in front of the hometown fans and Stanton’s exceptional game capped an impressive high school career.
Girls lacrosse: Nova Middleton
Middleton was an athletic defender on the Riptides lacrosse team known for her versatility and her ability to play wherever head coach Madison Lancaster needed her. The RipTides were coming off of two league championship seasons and returned a younger team, making the leadership from seniors paramount. Middleton was often in the middle of the field where the action was as she was usually kept behind the restraining lines to pick up the fast break.
Intensity was Middleton’s specialty. She used her physicality and speed while rarely fouling and putting her team at a disadvantage. “She led by example with her work ethic and her kindness towards others on the team.” Lancaster said. “Nova is genuine, sweet and was an absolute workhorse on the field. We were blessed that she was part of our program for three years.”
Boys soccer: Trey Crosby
You’ve got to be a pretty gutsy athlete to want to be a soccer goalie. Tides senior Trey Crosby was that confident goalkeeper who guarded the vault for the Tides. They won 47 out of 59 games over the last three years with Crosby playing in the majority of those games. Crosby combined, quickness, aggression and anticipation to keep the Tides close before their offense could strike. If the Tides scored twice or three times, a win was almost a lock.
Trey Crosby. Photo by Bryce Carithers
Crosby made smart decisions in goal, he didn’t charge late, he didn’t guess, he usually made the offense have to shoot a very good shot to beat him. Plus he had good distance on his goal kicks, outlet throws and he was effective at turning away penalty kicks. Of those 47 wins, 21 were shutouts.
