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Reece Isaak, Almira-Coulee-Hartline three-sport standout, is SBLive Washington's 1B Senior Athlete of the Year

A two-time state champion, five-year letter-winner and co-valedictorian: Reece Isaak excelled in everything — and did so with grace, humility.

Welcome to a continuing tradition at SBLive Washington – honoring the WaFd Bank 2021-22 senior athletes of the year for each classification, recognizing the top multi-sport athlete in the state.

The criteria isn’t too expansive: The starting point is finding seniors who are all-league/all-state performers in two or more sports. Totality of achievement across an athlete's respective career is also a factor. So are administrator and coach recommendations. The tie-breaker? An athlete's impact in the classroom and their respective community.

Of all the ways Almira-Coulee-Hartline football coach Brandon Walsh could describe Reece Isaak — dominant athlete, dutiful community member, quiet, steadfast, natural-born leader — he turns to a story.

Isaak had just hit the game-winning shot to lift Almira-Coulee-Hartline over Cusick for a 1B district title. As players filed out of the locker room post-game to greet family and friends, Isaak was the last one out.

“He was carrying water bottles, bags, etcetera from the locker room to the bus,” Walsh said.

When Isaak, SBLive’s Class 1B Senior Athlete of the Year, reflects on his five standout years playing sports at Almira-Coulee-Hartline, he looks past the exhaustive list of personal accolades.

Playing in what he describes as a “championship-or-bust community,” his most prideful accomplishments aren’t about himself. Instead, he’s more gratified by earning the respect of his teammates.

“I don’t want to sound unappreciative, I’m grateful for the accolades I’ve received,” Isaak, a two-way lineman, post player and all-league baseball player, said. “But the awards I like almost more are the ones at our own award banquets — my team voting me captain, or my friends thinking I’m a good person.”

When Isaak isn’t playing football, basketball, baseball, or attending class, he officiated local youth sports games, was involved with his church’s youth group as well as Future Business Leaders of America. Or he’s working on his family’s eastern Washington farm. They farm 14 crops, such as wheat, potatoes, canola, sunflowers and alfalfa. With high school sports done, so too is his excuse to get out of pulling weeds.

“I’m starting to miss sports” for that reason, Isaak quipped.

Walsh, ACH basketball coach Graham Grindy and baseball coach Hunter Lee will surely miss him, too. On the field and court, Isaak was simply dominant.

When Isaak first suited up for Walsh as an eighth grader, he stood over 6-feet tall and weighed around 230 pounds. The coach figured he might have his first college football player in the program. Isaak wasn’t just big — he moved with force, and grace.

“He was arguably the best player on the field in every football game we played for the past two years,” Walsh said, “and I've heard from multiple people that he's the best small school big man they'd ever seen in basketball over the past 2 or 3 seasons.”

The Warriors finished state runners up in football his freshman year (2017) and lost in the semifinals when he was a sophomore. State playoffs were not held his junior year due to COVID-19.

Isaak won a 1B state football championship as an eighth grader. It was gratifying, he said, but most of his friends were in middle school at the time. 

He was determined to win one with his classmates. When they beat Quilcene for the championship in early December and returned the trophy to Coulee City, he won like he does everything else — with grace and humility.

“When you’re on the playground at recess, this is what you’re dreaming of, to be with your friends in a state title game,” Isaak said. “Every kid when they’re little thinks about it. We were just lucky enough to have enough athletic people, good timing and a lot of stuff’s got to go right and come together.” 

REECE ISAAK BIO

School: Almira Coulee-Hartline

Sports: Football, basketball, baseball

Next step: Washington State (studying agricultural, technology and management; no sports).

Senior-year highlights: Won a 1B state football championship, Northeast 1B League co-Defensive POY (football) ... 1B district basketball champion, state runner-up, SBLive first team 1B all-state selection … baseball all-league selection ...  Spokesman-Review Co-Small School Boys Athlete of the Year (2021-22).

Career accomplishments: 1B state football champion as a freshman (2017-18), football team captain (2020-21, 2021-22), basketball team captain (2020-21, 2021-22) … School awards: ACH Academic Letter, Attendance Award, Boy of the Year Award, Honors Award, Jim Evans House of Character Award, Math Award, Matt Strauss Character Award, Presidential Award, co-Valedictorian. Gave two speeches at graduation commencement ceremonies.

MORE 2021-22 SBLIVE SENIOR ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

1B girl: Kenzi Pederson, Garfield-Palouse

2B boy: Jackson Esary, Kalama

2B girl: Kyra Gardner, Raymond

Rest coming soon ... 

PAST SBLIVE SENIOR ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

2020-21

1B boy: Jimmy Strange, Naselle

1B girl: Jenna Andringa, Sunnyside Christian

2B boy: Kaden Krouse, Chewelah

2B girl: McKenna Martin, Tri-Cities Prep

1A boy: Tom Lambert, La Center

1A girl: Jordyn Goldsmith, Freeman

2A boy: Haden Hicks, Prosser

2A girl: Jaydia Martin, Hudson's Bay

3A boy: J.T. Tuimoloau, Eastside Catholic

3A girl: Madeline Gebers, Kennewick

4A boy: Cameron Breier, Chiawana

4A girl: Aaliyah Collins, Glacier Peak

2019-20

1B boy: Brandon Montoya, Lyle-Wishram

1B girl: Maddy Dixon, Pomeroy

2B boy: Brody Klein, Rainier

2B girl: Maisie Burnham, Liberty (Spangle)

1A boy: Zach Sipma, Lynden Christian

1A girl: Jalyn Sackrider, Elma

2A boy: Isaiah Perez, Othello

2A girl: Hailey Marlow, West Valley (Spokane)

3A boy: Carter Monda, Evergreen (Vancouver)

3A girl: Camille Duckett, Roosevelt

4A boy: Riley Cissne, Chiawana

4A girl: Raigan Barrett, Rogers (Puyallup)