BY RACHEL CHARLTON, Staff Reporter
For weeks, coaches have been touring the Northwest looking for recruits to add to their roster for the fall 2014 sports season. Yesterday, in front of the athletic department faculty and staff, head coaches Mario Andaya, Michael Farrand and Ian Shoemaker revealed their recruits for the women’s volleyball, women’s soccer and football 2014 recruiting class.
Andaya, in his eighteenth year as the women’s volleyball coach, guided the 2013 volleyball team to a fifth place finish in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings, and their second straight NCAA national championships in Calif.
Last season’s team was stacked in terms of hitters and blockers, Andaya noted, therefore he plans for the Wildcats’ two recruits to fill the positions of setter and defensive specialist.
Kelley McClung, from La Conner High School, was an All-League MVP and a 2B All-State selection and is expected to be the understudy to current setter Catie Fry.
“Kelly is a very athletic kid, very smart. I’ve got to work with her since she was in sixth grade through various camps,” Andaya said.
Jensyn McCoy, a Black Hills High School graduate, will join the defensive specialist ranks alongside Kaely Knight, Zoe Iida and Lauren Herseth.
Women’s soccer head coach Michael Farrand, admitted that last season’s team struggled with depth toward the end of the year. Farrand is confident that the team’s nine recruits will provide the depth the Wildcats have lacked.
Of the nine recruits, Farrand listed Alyssa Navlet from Meadowdale High School as this season’s secret weapon. Navlet led her team to its first district championship in school history her senior year.
Nearly all of the recruits are from the west side of the mountains. Tahoma High School provided two players, goalie Emily Baril and midfielder Bailey Martoncik.
“This is going to be a great year for us. We have several very solid athletes on our team, and many that we will develop over time,” Farrand said. “I am really excited for this season. It is always great to be a Wildcat.”
Shoemaker, in his first year at the helm of the football program, was looking for great character “on and off the field.” Despite signing 26 players, Shoemaker was adamant in keeping the fall recruits primarily on the bench for the fall season.
“We’re not going to know how good these kids are for a couple years. We want to build them up first,” Shoemaker said. “True freshman are going to have a hard time getting on the field.”
The character of the recruits was proven for three particular recruits, who were ASB presidents of their high schools. The cumulative GPA for the recruiting class was around a 3.0, with many reaching as high as 3.9.
Shoemaker listed Quincy Carter of Kent-Meridian High School as one the top recruits.
“He [Carter] can play wherever he wants. Anywhere he can touch the ball and get us touchdowns,” Shoemaker said.
During his high school career, Carter racked up 2,905 rushing yards, 2,292 passing yards and 33 touchdowns.
Defensive end Brett Carter of Franklin Pierce High School was one of the first to commit to Central, despite not playing his junior year due to a broken leg.
Ellensburg native and defensive lineman Ryan Secondi recently signed to the Wildcats after finishing with a 10-1 record for the Bulldogs.
“Ryan is a great effort kid. At 215 pounds he’s a little small so we’re looking to build up his size,” Shoemaker said.
With the newly signed players, Shoemaker is pleased of the recruiting process and is focused on putting together a nice program for the fall season.
