Prep Basketball: MWP’s Walton Voted 2B Player of the Year

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The accolades just keep piling up for Morton-White Pass’ Zach Walton.

Walton, a senior, led the Timberwolves to a 28-0 season and their second-straight State 2B boys basketball championship earlier this month. Since then the 6-foot-5 forward has been named the WSBCA’s 2B Player of the Year, the Central 2B League MVP, The Chronicle’s All-Area MVP and, as announced Tuesday afternoon, the Associated Press’ All-State 2B Player of the Year.

Walton set a three-game State 2B tournament scoring record, highlighted by 34 points in MWP’s championship-game win over Liberty. He averaged 20.3 points, 3.2 steals, 7.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, shooting an impressive 57.6 percent from the field.

Morton-White Pass teammate Kaleb Poquette, a 6-foot-4 junior point guard, was also a first-team pick, averaging 15.8 points and 4.1 assists per game. Mossyrock’s Jaron Kirkley, a junior forward, was voted onto the first team, after scoring 24.6 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.6 blocked shots a contest. Mabton’s Roy Zavala and Liberty’s Match Burnham rounded out the All-State first team, and Toledo’s Grant McEwen was an All-State honorable mention.



A pair of W.F. West standouts also received All-State honors.

Bearcat senior forwards Julie Spencer and Tiana Parker were both first-team selections on the girls All-State 2A team. Spencer, headed for the University of Portland, averaged 15.5 points and 8.9 rebounds a game, while Parker, headed for Tennessee State University, scored 15.5 points with 12 rebounds and 5.1 blocks a game.

The Bearcats, for the third year in a row, reached the State 2A championship game, where they lost to Mark Morris. Monarch guard Kourtney Eaton was voted the 2A Player of the Year, while twin sister Karley Eaton was a first-team pick. North Kitsap’s Rebekah Baugh rounded out the 2A girls first-team picks.

Note: See Scoreboard on page S6 for a complete list.