Area roundup: Whitworth lands nine on All-NWC football team

First-team selections Ronnie Thomas and Austin Ehlo led Whitworth’s contingent of nine players on the All-Northwest Conference football team, announced Wednesday.

Junior running back Thomas was named to the first-team offense after leading the NWC with 1,044 rushing yards.

Redshirt freshman wide receiver/punter Ehlo (Lewis and Clark High) was named to the first-team defense after topping the NWC at 39.9 yards per punt. Ehlo also made the second-team offense after catching 32 passes for 435 yards.

Other Pirates named second-team offense: junior WR Jake DeGooyer, senior tight end Kasey Lambert, senior offensive lineman Emilio Sulpizio (Mead High) and junior OL Nate Guthrie (East Valley High). Sophomore linebacker Ryan Loutsis, junior LB Scott Carr (Lakeland High in Rathdrum) and freshman defensive back Paul Miller (Mead High) made the second-team defense.

Freshman quarterback Bryan Peterson (West Valley High), sophomore defensive lineman Brodrick Hirai, senior DB Cailen Thomason, junior DB Fernando Noriega and freshman DL Jonathan Allen received honorable mention.

Women’s basketball

Mercedes Wetmore scored a career-high 16 points to help host Washington (1-1) to a 72-53 nonconference win over Seattle (1-2).