All-Narrows League Bridge Divison selections
Girls
MVP: Kelsey Callaghan, South Kitsap, jr.
Coach: Mark Lutzenhiser, South Kitsap
First team: Cassi Fawcett, Gig Harbor, sr.; Angela Romonsky, South Kitsap, jr.; Bethany Montgomery, Wilson, fr.; Molly Werder, South Kitsap, sr.; Dana Goularte, South Kitsap, jr.
Second team: Quincey Langworthy, Gig Harbor, sr.; Keana Magalei, Lincoln, jr.; Kristina Pietroski, Shelton, sr.; Kaysha Fox, Wilson, fr.; Max Kelly, Foss, sr.
Boys
MVP: Jordan Russell, Lincoln
Coach: Aubrey Shelton, Lincoln
First team: Jamal Byrd, Foss, sr.; Demetrius Smith, Wilson, sr.; Austin Seferian-Jenkins, jr.; Mikey Hope, Wilson, sr.; Dontae Davis, Foss, sr.
Second team: Brandon Gagliardi, Gig Harbor, jr.; Chris Repar, Gig Harbor, jr.; C.J. Wright, Lincoln, sr.; Denzel Dansby, Lincoln, sr.; Anthony Little, Foss, sr.

Three South Kitsap High School seniors — Christina Boddie, Nico de la Cruz and Leon La Deaux — will sign their National Letter of Intent tomorrow.

La Deaux announced his commitment to play football at Central Washington University last week. Boddie said she planned to play soccer at Idaho during the fall and will follow through with that. De la Cruz will continue to play soccer at Seattle University.

South Kitsap High School graduate Aaron Cunningham will make the fourth start of his professional career this year. As ESPN.com reported, Cunningham was traded Friday from Oakland along with Scott Hairston to San Diego for third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff.

Cunningham, 23, was drafted in the sixth round by the Chicago White Sox in 2005 out of Everett Community College. He was traded in 2007 to Arizona for infielder Danny Richar and then dealt later that year, along with five other players, to the A’s for all-star pitcher Dan Haren and reliever Connor Robertson.

Cunningham hit just .151 in 53 at-bats with Oakland last season, but said he told the Independent some of that was the result of a separated right shoulder he suffered during a home-plate collision in April with Jeff Clement.

Now that the holiday season has ended, every South Kitsap winter sports team is returning to action this week.

Boys basketball:
Friday at Stadium, 7 p.m.

Girls basketball:
Friday vs. Stadium, 7 p.m.

Boys swim and dive:
Tuesday vs. Olympia, 3:30 p.m.
Thursday vs. Gig Harbor, 3:30 p.m.

Wrestling:
Thursday vs. Shelton, 7 p.m.

South Kitsap senior Leon La Deaux was selected to the Associated Press’ Class 4A all-state team as an honorable mention at wide receiver. La Deaux had 792 yards and 12 touchdowns on 46 receptions this season as the Wolves finished 10-1.

Player of the Year: Jake Heaps, sr., Skyline.
First team
Quarterback: Jake Heaps, sr., Skyline.
Running back: Anthony Meray, sr., Bethel; Jacob Sealby, Wenatchee; Austin Denton, sr., Marysville-Pilchuck.
Wide receiver: Kasen Williams, jr., Skyline; Jason Bates, sr., Ferris; Rahmel Dockery, jr., Curtis.
Tight end: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, jr., Gig Harbor.
Offensive line: Chris Edison, sr., Curtis; Danny Shelton, jr., Auburn; Colin Porter, sr., Bothell; Abel Soto, jr., Eisenhower; Maxx Forde, sr., Woodinville.
All-purpose: Trenton Pinson, sr., Federal Way.
Defensive line: Scott Crichton, sr., Foss; Ryan Watson, sr., Eisenhower; Austin Graves, sr., Southridge; Mychael Tuiasosopo, sr., Mariner.
Linebackers: Anthony DeMatteo, sr., Skyline; Seth Kline, sr., Eisenhower; Sam Gauksheim, sr., Olympia; Drew Powell, sr., Southridge.
Defensive backs: Jamal Byrd, sr., Foss; Evan Zeger, jr., Skyline; Bo Tully, sr., Mead; David Trimble, so., Davis.
Kicker: Jake Miller, sr., Central Valley.
Punter: Sean Tollan, sr., Rogers (Puyallup).

Honorable Mention
Quarterback: Connor Halliday, sr., Ferris.
Running back: Bishop Sankey, jr., Gonzaga Prep.
Wide receivers: Leon La Deaux, sr., South Kitsap; Tim White, jr., Kamiakin.
Tight end: Michael Hartvigson, sr., Bothell.
Offensive line: Trevor Poole, sr., Ferris; Drew Schultz, sr., Olympia.
All-purpose: Elils Henderson, jr., Skyview.
Defensive line: Kjelby Oiland, sr., Ferris; Happy Iona, sr., Bethel; Evan Hudson, sr., Bothell; Jeff Waldner, sr., Olympia; Dallin Shirley, sr., Skyview.
Linebackers: Dylan Zylstra, sr., Kentridge; Jason Walker, sr., Curtis.
Defensive backs: Chris Young, sr., Auburn.
Kicker: Brandon Bailey, sr., Bethel.
Punter: Thomas Fossedal, jr., Kamiak.

Coaches Aid, a Web site run by former News Tribune preps reporter and Olympian sports editor Ron Newberry, has South Kitsap’s girls basketball team ranked in its top 10 last week. Here is the link: http://www.coachesaid.com/Blog/Ron-Newberry/2009/12/17/Coaches-Aid-state-girls-basketball-rankings

Class 4A
1. Auburn Riverside 6-0
2. Lewis and Clark 3-1
3. Kentwood 5-1
4. Federal Way 4-2
5. Bellarmine 3-1
6. Edmonds-Woodway 4-0
7. Woodinville 3-0
8. Issaquah 3-0
9. Chiawana 3-0
10. South Kitsap 4-0

Sometimes expressions in the crowd are enough to accurately convey what is occurring during a game. South Kitsap had one of those in its 43-34 Narrows League boys basketball loss last night against Gig Harbor.

During one of several stagnant offensive possessions, a South cheerleader used a pom-pom to cover her mouth and yawn. It was that kind of game.

As we chronicled in our game story, coach John Callaghan acknowledges that his team has “dug ourselves a hole.” Callaghan emphasized that it still is early in the season, but this team already has played 30 percent of its regular season.

With the exception of a 90-59 win Nov. 30 at Tyee — a team that suited up several junior-varsity players because of academic issues — the Wolves have struggled offensively throughout the year. It difficult to envision that changing.

There simply is not one go-to player on the offensive end. Even Callaghan’s mediocre squads the last two seasons had players who could create (Tionne Curry, Mike Longmire) and shoot (Nick Johnson) on the offensive side. South does not have a player of that caliber this season.

Because of that, it is difficult to see South’s situation improving. A few more shots might fall in the future — the Wolves converted just 23.5 percent of their field goals — but they also will face stiffer competition. Which means it might get worse for South before the situation improves.

If you have checked out any of the winter previews, one constant theme is the depth that all four South Kitsap teams feature.

Part of this is the result of winter sports featuring the fewest number of teams. During the spring, fastpitch, golf, tennis and track all are competing for females, while baseball, golf, soccer and track are vying for males.

During the winter, both the boys and girls have basketball and wrestling in addition to swimming for males. But perhaps just as important is the success these programs have experienced. It is pretty simple — more people want to be involved with successful programs. Boys basketball, swimming and wrestling all have experienced sustained runs of success.

But the girls basketball team is experiencing a resurgence after advancing to state last spring for the first time in nine years. The level of interest in the program not only brought depth to the junior varsity and C-team levels, but has added an infusion of talent to the roster. While the Wolves do not feature the height of last year’s team, no one would argue that this squad is the most athletic one the school has seen in several years.

The emergence of that program coupled with the others should result in another exciting season for South’s athletic programs.

The latest report had the Spartans up 49-0 against Curtis at halftime. Similar to South Kitsap, Curtis also entered the game undefeated.

South Kitsap (10-0) plays at 7 p.m. Saturday against Skyline (8-2) in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs at Mount Tahoma High School. The winner plays either Central Kitsap or Curtis.