VANCOUVER — For the first time, Seton Catholic College Preparatory High School qualified for the state football playoffs, but lost in the semifinals to eventual state champion Royal High School in Royal City.

In fact, “every single one of our sports made it to postseason,” said Phil Kent, academic director at Seton Catholic, which has about 200 students.

  • The boys cross country team won the district competition and placed third at state.
  • The boys golf team won its third straight district championship and will compete at the state meet in the spring.
  • The girls soccer team was co-league champ and placed second at districts.
  • The volleyball team competed in the district tournament but fell short qualifying for state.

The school’s first varsity football season was in 2012. Back then, coach Dan Chase said, he would load gear in his pickup truck for practice at a nearby middle school field. Seton Catholic installed its own athletic field in 2018 and added lights in 2020, he said.

This year, the football team came together after its first game, a come-from-behind win against Rochester, said Garrett Nebels, a junior who plays middle linebacker for the Cougars.

“We just focused on one game at a time and (did) not look too far ahead,” Nebels said.

Here are some highlights from the state football, cross country, swimming and volleyball state competitions for Catholic high schools, as reported by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (wiaa.com):

Football

  • O’Dea High School: Competed in the 3A semifinals.
  • Eastside Catholic High School: Competed in the 3A semifinals.
  • Kennedy Catholic High school: Competed in the 4A quarterfinals.

Cross country

  • Seattle Preparatory School: The Panthers boys team won their second consecutive 3A state title at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco in November. Jack Henzke took third and the rest of the scoring team placed in the top 30, said Sam Reed, Prep’s athletic director. Henzke also placed third at the Nike regionals and is the third Seattle Prep runner to earn a spot in the Nike Cross Country Nationals. 
  • Pope John Paul II High School: The girls cross country team earned its fourth consecutive 1B/2B state championship at Sun Willows in November, according to the school’s website. Freshman Ruby Henry placed first and junior Ariel Brewer placed fourth. The boys team placed second in the state 1B/2B meet.
  • Bishop Blanchet High School: The girls team placed second at the 3A state meet. Vince Recupero, a member of the boys team, placed second at state.
  • Bellarmine Preparatory School: Alison Whalen placed third at the girls 4A state championships; the girls team placed fifth.
  • Holy Names Academy: Sophia Bazzi and Hannah Bazzi were named to the All-Metro cross country first team. 

Girls swimming

  • Kennedy Catholic: The swim and dive team finished third in the state 4A meet at the King County Aquatics Center in Federal Way. State winners in individual races were Hailey Weiler (100 backstroke, 200 individual medley), Kaitlyn Vu (100 breaststroke) and the 4x100 freestyle relay team — Weiler, Vu, Avery Jackson and Lucy LaBella. Weiler was named 4A swimmer of the year. 
  • Archbishop Murphy: Junior Sami Mandeville was the 1A/2A state champion in the 1-meter dive.
  • Seattle Prep: The team placed fifth at the 3A state meet. Junior Lane Gooding placed fourth in the 50 Freestyle. 
  • Holy Names: The swim and dive team finished sixth overall in the 3A meet. 

Boys Water Polo

  • Kennedy Catholic: Placed third at state, the highest finish in school history.

Golf

  • Bishop Blanchet: Henry Day won the Metro League championship. State championships take place in May.

Coach honors

  • Seattle Prep: Girls swim coach Kirsti Rochon was named 3A state coach of the year. She was also named Metro League coach of the year, along with Andrew Walker (boys cross country) and Zoe Haywood (volleyball).