It’s been quite an amazing year for Port Angeles freshman Emilia (“Millie”) Long.
Long, a freshman, led her soccer team in goals scored this year, and in fact, had the second-highest scoring season in Roughrider girls’ soccer history. She helped lead the Riders to the state quarterfinals and made first team on the Olympic League 2A Division all-star squad.
She followed up that amazing season by doing something even better in basketball. Long, the leading scorer for the Riders at 13 points a game is one of the big reasons Port Angeles has been ranked as high as No. 3 in the state RPI and is in the state 2A tournament. For her freshman exploits, she was named the Olympic League 2A Most Valuable Player.
When told of the honor, she was speechless.
“I’m definitely surprised … shocked,” she said. “I don’t know what to think.”
In fact, Millie was almost more excited to hear that her older sister Gracie made the second team all-league.
“Oh, that’s cool, she loves this sport. She’s doing well this year, though it’s not her main focus,” she said. Gracie, in fact, is a very good cross-country and distance runner.
Long was one of several Port Angeles and Sequim players named to the Olympic 2A all-league teams.
Making the first-team Olympic 2A team for the boys were Sequim’s Nate Despain and Payton Glasser.
Making the second team were Port Angeles’ Garrett Edwards, Liam Clark and Kyle Benedict.
For the girls, Port Angeles’ Cheyenne Wheeler joins Gracie Long on the second team. Also making second team was Hope Glasser (Payton’s sister) for Sequim.
Port Angeles coach Michael Poindexter thought it was close between Millie Long and North Kitsap players Olivia Selembo and Raelee Moore.
“I think that she’s definitely deserving; any of the top three vote-getters would be,” said Poindexter. Millie clearly earned the respect of opposing coaches for her impact with us both offensively and defensively.”
“I also very much like the fact that we won the sportsmanship award. We had a constant focus on maintaining a classy approach to opponents, and it was nice that opposing coaches recognized that about us,” he said.
Long credits all the coaching she’s received from the Avalanche (a middle school program) and Competitive Hoops for preparing her for high school. She credited coaching help from Mike Knowles, Joe Marvelle (from the Avalanche), and her high school coaches, led by Piondexter.
“I’m having a lot of fun this year in both soccer and basketball,” she said. The seniors on her soccer and basketball teams have also helped her out.
“They’ve been super nice. They’ve made me feel welcome,” she said.
The full list of all-league girls includes:
Most Valuable Player: Emilia Long
First Team
Olivia Selembo, North Kitsap; Raelee Moore, North Kitsap; Kiki Mitchell, Olympic; Lily Beaulieu, Kingston; Karleigh Gomez, Kingston.
Second Team
Cheyenne Wheeler, Port Angeles; Avy Hiner, Kingston; Hope Glasser, Sequim; Gracie Long, Port Angeles; Erin Pearson, North Kitsap; Noey Barreith, North Kitsap.
Boys
MVP
Zac Olmstead, North Kitsap
First team
Kai Warren, North Kitsap; Payton Glasser, Sequim; Jaiden Mosley, Olympic; Nate Despain, Sequim; Evan Turnquist, Olympic.y
2nd Team
Garrett Edwards, Port Angeles; Liam Clark, Port Angeles; Kyle Benedict, Port Angeles; Keaton Dean, Olympic; Trey Fisher, North Mason.
Sportsmanship
Sequim boys; Port Angeles girls
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Port Angeles’ Millie Long sweeps past Kingston’s Lily Beaulieu in the second quarter in January during a game at Port Angeles High School. Long, just a freshman, was named the Olympic League 2A MVP.
