NEAH BAY — Neah Bay sophomore running back/defensive back Cole Svec was selected as Class 1B state Player of the Year by The Associated Press.
A lanky, fleet-footed 6-foot-1, 170-pounder, Svec racked up 1,578 yards and 25 touchdowns on 146 carries this season as the Red Devils’ primary ball carrier.
He also caught a pass for a 55-yard touchdown and threw two touchdown passes for the powerful Neah Bay offense.
Svec has won two state championship titles in his two years in red and black, and it’s the second straight Player of the Year award for the Red Devils after Josiah Greene won the award last season.
Previously, Svec had been selected to the All-Northwest Football League’s first-team offense.
Svec was joined on the all-state first team offense by a teammate, senior offensive lineman Jarickson Kanichy.
Neah Bay landed three players on the first-team defense: seniors John Reamer and Josh Monette on the defensive line and at linebacker, respectively, along with sophomore defensive back Cameron Buzzell.
Quilcene’s Eli Harrison, who nabbed 12 interceptions, including a 100-yard interception return in the district playoffs, was tabbed as a first-team defensive back.
Harrison’s teammate, senior running back Colten Pol, was named to the second-team offense.
Pol tallied 1,826 yards and 27 touchdowns on 149 carries, caught 10 passes for 260 yards and threw a handful of touchdowns as the Rangers made the state playoffs for the first time in 16 seasons.
Clallam Bay senior Casey Randall earned a first-team all state selection at the all-purpose/returner position and was a second-team defense pick
at linebacker.
Randall had six kick-return touchdowns and two punt-return scores for the Bruins.
Randall was joined on the second-team defense by senior teammate Kelly Gregory, a pick along the defensive line.
The state-champion Red Devils were well represented on the second-team with Reamer a selection at wide receiver, Svec picked at defensive back, and senior Elisha Winck a defensive line selection.
The lone North Olympic Peninsula 11-man selection came for Port Townsend junior Jacob Ralls.
Ralls was a Class 1A second-team pick at defensive back after picking off four passes, forcing two fumbles and recovering one, with 31 total tackles for the Redhawks.
The complete all-state teams can be found on page B2.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsualdailynews.com.
