Skillingstad named 4A softball MVP

Shadle Park pitcher Sam Skillingstad, was named State 4A softball MVP and first-team All-State in annual balloting by Washington sportswriters.

Skillingstad was one of several area athletes so honored in baseball, softball and soccer.

They were submitted for consideration from a compilation of first-team all-league selections (and second-team choices from multiclassification leagues like the Greater Spokane League) by Tri-City Herald sportswriter Rene Ferran and voted on by colleagues from 13 newspapers throughout the state.

To receive first- or second-team or honorable mention consideration, an athlete needed at least two votes.

Skillingstad, who pitched the Highlanders to a 28-1 state championship season was joined on first team by outfield teammate Allie Burger. George Lynn was Coach of the Year.

Amanda Grumbach, a first-team pitcher/infielder for state softball champion Curlew was State 1B MVP and Charlie Groth was Coach of the Year.

Also making first team in softball were 1A infielder Brooke Hesselgesser from third-place Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls), 2B pitcher Jessica Mangis from Liberty and, in 1B, infielder Alisa Moehrle from Colton, and outfielders Ky Somday from Curlew and Julie Saunders from Garfield-Palouse.

Mt. Spokane outfielder Mark Purser was the GSL’s lone first-team baseball selection, in the 3A classification.

Derek Gianukakis from Republic was a first-team pitcher and infielder in 2B, as was Odessa’s Drake Costlow in 1B. Northport infielder Dillon Dombrowski and Colton outfielder Thomas Jacobs were also 1B All-State choices.

A pair of Cheney athletes was named to the 2A All-State first team in soccer. Caleb Johnson was chosen as a defender and high-scoring Mitch Weller was named at forward.

(First-team and area selections are in Scoreboard.)