SEATTLE — The girls are all right.
Two North Olympic Peninsula high school girls basketball players were named first-team All-State selections by The Associated Press on Thursday.
Port Angeles’ record-breaking junior Jessica Madison was named to the Class 3A first team while Neah Bay forward Ardis Pullen was placed on the 1B first team after leading the Red Devils to their third straight state trophy.
The winners are chosen by sports editors and writers around the state.
Madison received the honor after winning her second straight Olympic League MVP and becoming the unofficial Roughrider girls all-time scoring leader at 1,306 points.
“I’m not surprised, but I’m excited that she is being recognized,” Port Angeles coach Mike Knowles said.
“That’s not an easy thing for Port Angeles sometimes.
“Living out here on the Peninsula . . . we don’t always get the recognition with our athletes.”
Madison is the first Port Angeles player to earn first-team all-state recognition since Kelley Berglund did so her senior year in 1999.
The junior led Port Angeles to an undefeated finish in the Olympic League and its third straight league crown after averaging 23.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 4.2 steals per game.
Pullen is the first Red Devil to receive such an honor in recent memory.
She was named the North Olympic League’s offensive MVP after averaging 12.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for the eventual eighth-place finishers in 1B.
Clallam Bay rival Jessica Angulo was given 1B honorable mention after leading the Bruins in points (14.0), rebounds (8.0) and assists (4.7) per game.
Also earning 1B all-state honorable mention were Neah Bay boys standouts Robert Moss and Drexler Doherty.
Moss, named the Peninsula Daily News boys basketball MVP, averaged a double-double (14.9 ppg, 10.6 rpg) for the state-bound Red Devils.
Meanwhile, Doherty led the entire Peninsula in scoring at 18.1 points per game.
Smith top boy
Burly Kentwood center Joshua Smith and shifty Auburn Riverside guard Mercedes Wetmore were named the state players of the year for all classifications.
Smith missed part of the season while recovering from a torn patellar tendon, then returned to lead the Conquerors to the 4A state title.
He averaged 23.2 points, 15 rebounds and four assists during the state tournament run.
Smith also played in the McDonald’s All-American game on Wednesday night at Ohio State’s Value City Arena and scored 10 points in the West’s victory.
The 6-foot-9 center is bound for UCLA next year.
Wetmore concluded her career as one of the most successful players in recent history.
She led the Ravens to three state championships and won 104 games in her career at Auburn Riverside.
Wetmore will play next year at Washington.
Three players: Colfax’s Kayla Johnson, Colton’s Kelsey Moser and Chelan’s Joe Harris were repeat honorees as players of the year in their respective classes.
A complete listing of the All-State basketball team is in today’s scoreboard on Page B2.
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The Associated Press contributed to this story.
