 Media Credit: Reiko Endo Stephen Waltman (front left) plans on returning next year
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 Media Credit: Joe Menish EvCC Men's baseball team feels confident about next season with many returning palyers
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 Media Credit: Drew Mitchell | Staff Writer Baseball, Softball honors
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EVCC men’s Basketball team made huge strides last year, and made the playoffs for the first time in recent years.
Everett’s roster is going to be full of experienced sophomores next season, including Chris Grounds. Head basketball coach and Athletic Director Larry Walker said that Grounds was a very important player this season, and most of the team’s success was mainly due to Ground’s performance. He was named to the First Team of the North Conference, and was in the top ten in assists.
The roster is losing only one key player from last year roster, guard Jon Moe. He averaged 22 points a game last season, and was named to Second Team in the North conference.
Due to the abundance of sophomore players, there are not that many additions to the team next year, and Everett is only adding three players. These main recruit is Marcus Guffy, a 6-7 forward/center out of Cascade High School, who Walker states can play both inside and outside.
“Guffy is going to add to our team a lot,” Walker said. “He is a tremendous rebounder and shot blocker, but he can also shoot the three, which makes him an extremely effective player.”
The other two players coming to the team next year are Jamal Jackson out of Kamiak High School and Matt Boyd from Ketchikan High School in Alaska. Walker describes Jackson as a smart player who can play any position on the court if it was needed. Boyd is a player who red-shirted for Everett CC last year, but Walker states that has improved a lot and will be a positive addition next year.
“He is a tremendous rebounder
and shot blocker, but he can also
shoot the three, which makes him
an extremely effective player,” said Walker.
Walker says the team will be extremely well-rounded next year, and is expecting the team to take another step forward. The women’s Basketball team has been the most prominent and successful team in recent years here at Everett, with back-to-back NWAACC North championships and also the league MVP the last two years.
For next year, the team is losing three key players that helped them win back-to-back titles, MVP Kristina Schumacher, NWACC North Second Team All-Star Oliana Seanoa, and their 6-4 center Bryna Trescott. Even though this may indicate a rebuilding year, head coach Chet Hovde is excited that next year’s team could win another North title, because the roster includes a player he believes could win the league MVP, making it three straight years for our college.
“It is really hard to replace the talent we have had the past couple years; we were extremely lucky to have them,” Hovde said. “But next year’s team is very solid, and Keena Hopkins is good enough to win MVP and could carry us to success next year.”
Hovde also states that he has been recruiting a lot of guards and wing players to replace Schumacher and Seanoa, but also is adding one post player to round out the roster.
The list of incoming players includes Morgan Thomas out of Sultan High School, who Hovde describes as a tremendous addition. Thomas averaged 20 points a game last season, and was one of the top players in her league.
Guard and wing players who are projected to play for Everett next year include Nicole Buchanan out of Mt. Baker High School, Sarah Moores out of Sequim High School and Maddie Molenda out of Cascade High School, who was technically on Everett’s roster last year, but was injured all season.
The one post player coming to the team is Jennifer Lind out of Lakewood High School, and Hovde says that she could be a surprise player in the league next year. “We are taking a lot of good players in, and we are going to be solid at the guard position next year,” Hovde said. “Our league is getting more talent as a whole; it will be much tougher next year.”
EVCC men’s baseball team was a surprise to many in the NWAACC North, finishing second in the conference. The main reason for their success was they’re remarkable pitching rotation, which were all freshman. The rotation was among the league leaders in every major pitching category, and established themselves as team leaders for Everett.
Everett is expecting to have all four of the starters come back for next season, and head coach Levi Lacey said his recruiting style is that he wants the team to be either completely young players or a team full of sophomores with experience.
“They carried us all season, and I expect them to do the same next year,” Lacey said. “All of them have a chance to emerge into really good players.” Everett is also returning a lot of position players, but will have difficulty replacing NWAACC All-Star Garrett Breda.
Breda was named the best catcher in the entire NWAACC, which includes four regions and 27 teams. He batted .411 for the Trojans this season, which was in the top five in the category. The other key loss for the Trojans is shortstop Evan Churlin, who was named to the NWAACC North Second Team.
Players coming to the team next year to help replace them will be infielder Patrick Bliss from Stanwood High School who was named to the Wesco North First Team, pitchers Zach Miller and Chris Seybold from Monroe High School, pitcher Darren Iseri from Lake Stevens High School, and infielder Andrew Barrier from Central Catholic High School in Oregon.
Lacey is confident that the team’s results next year will be very similar to this year, with the rotation being the driving force behind the team’s success.
