Kentwood junior Jessie Genger was far from alone among female prep athletes to shine during the 2007-2008 school year.
From the volleyball floor to the basketball court, the swimming pool, the fastpitch diamond and everything in between, Covington and Maple Valley athletes impressed during every season.
Below is a look at a handful of female athletes from the three local schools (Kentwood, Kentlake and Tahoma) who were in the running for The Reporter’s second-annual Female Athlete of the Year award.
Lindsey Moore, Kentwood
There’s no question Moore was the most dominant female basketball player in the area – possibly even the state. A well-rounded guard, Moore averaged 17.8 points, 7.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 3.7 steals per game.
The South Puget Sound League North Division MVP, Moore led Kentwood to a third straight state berth and third consecutive league title.
But Moore was far from done after the winter basketball season, continuing her success during the track and field season. Moore won a district title in the javelin with a toss of 120 feet, 7 inches and took second in the high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 5 inches. Moore’s continued her ascension at Star Track in Pasco, taking fifth in the high jump with a personal best leap of 5-6.
Amber Drumm, Tahoma
Talk about your classic overachiever.
With so many prep athletes now becoming specialists these days, often selecting just one sport even before entering junior high, Drumm is — and has been — quite the opposite.
She picked up three more varsity letters this year (basketball, soccer and track & field), bringing the 18-year-old’s high school total to a whopping 11.
Drumm helped the Bears land district berths in both soccer and basketball this year. In the spring, she continued the success, qualifying for the district meet in track.
Drumm, who sports a 3.95 GPA, will be heading to Adams State College in Alamosa, Colo., in the fall on a partial soccer scholarship.
Felecia Harris, Kentlake
Even with a bum shoulder, Harris remained one of the area’s — and state’s — top softball players.
Without a doubt, there’s no one around who can hit a softball as far as the 18-year-old University of Washington-bound senior, who established a new single-season school record this spring with 10 long balls.
Known more for her pitching prowess in previous years, Harris had offseason shoulder surgery and never fully reached 100 percent in the circle. Despite that, she helped the Falcons win their third straight SPSL North crown and qualify for state for the ninth time in the school’s 11-year history.
Along the way, Harris was named the North’s MVP for a second straight time after leading the league in on-base percentage (.750), slugging (1.281), batting average (.594) and, of course, home runs.
Even at less than 100 percent in the circle, Harris still led the league in wins (7) and ranked fourth in strikeouts (43 in 44 2/3 innings pitched) and seventh in earned run average (2.82).
Marley Prothero, Kentwood
Some swimmers really can do it all, and the Kentwood High senior has done it in championship form.
Last fall, Prothero won her second straight Class 4A state championship in the 200-yard individual medley, which combines all four swimming strokes: butterfly, back, breaststroke and freestyle. She went the distance in 2 minutes, 6.87 seconds. Later in the meet, Prothero earned a bronze medal in the 100 breaststroke in 1:05.85. Both times were good for high school All-American consideration status.
Prothero dropped significant time from her junior year performances. Her winning IM time in 2006 was 2:08.46. She also was sixth in the breaststroke that year with 1:09.48.
Prothero will continue her swimming career in college at Nevada-Las Vegas.
