SBLive’s 2022 all-state Washington high school football award winners: Lake Stevens RB Jayden Limar is player of the year

There were first-time state champions, repeat winners - and some of the craziest games you will ever seen played anywhere on a football field this fall.

And now it is time for SBLive to release its individual award winners, including the all-classification player and coach of the year honorees, as well as the ones in each classification:

SBLIVE’S 2022 ALL-STATE INDIVIDUAL AWARD WINNERS

Player of the year: Jayden Limar, RB, Lake Stevens, sr.

Once in a while, a player like Limar comes around that is so dynamic, you change your offense to feature him.

That is what longtime coach Tom Tri did the past two seasons - and it worked out beautifully, especially this fall.

The recent University of Oregon signee rushed for 2,018 yards and 36 touchdowns on 235 carries as a senior - and finished with more than 2,350 total yards and 40 touchdowns. Also, the Vikings won their first Class 4A championship.

"We've been running the spread (offense) since 2009, and rarely have we tailored it around one kid," Tri said. "But when you have someone as special as Jayden - we couldn't give him enough touches."

Toughness? Limar suffered a high ankle sprain, which usually keeps players sidelined for multiple weeks, in the team's state semifinal victory over defending state champion Graham-Kapowsin.

He spent four days in a walking boot, got in a limited practice Thursday - and ended up carrying it 33 times for 185 yards and a touchdown in the Vikings' 24-22 victory over Kennedy Catholic to win the 4A title.

"Just a great leader," Tri said. "Energetic and tough."

Offensive player of the year: Gabarri Johnson, QB, Lincoln of Tacoma, sr.

Some generational talents force football coaches to throw out all conventional strategy.

This dual-threat University of Missouri signee is one of those players. When defenses expect him to zig, Johnson zags - and vice versa.

And the state's best signal caller came through time and time again, completing 133 of 190 passes for 2,301 yards and 25 touchdowns while rushing 177 times for 1,639 yards and another 21 scores as a senior for a Class 3A quarterfinal squad.

For his career as a three-year starter, he finished with nearly 8,900 yards of total offense and 111 touchdowns.

There was a time last offseason when coach Masaki Matsumoto spoke to offensive coordinator Shalls Jacome about cleaning up some of the "sloppiness" of the offense. Jacome convinced Matsumoto to not be concerned with the look of things, because more often that not, Johnson would save it with his playmaking ability.

"He said just, 'We're never going to have another player like this ... so just let him be,'" Matsumoto said.

"We really just gave him a lot of freedom."

Defensive player of the year: Xe'ree Alexander, ATH, Kennedy Catholic, sr.

On a national level, most recruiters see Alexander, a recent Arizona State University decommit, as an outside linebacker in college because of his size, speed and tenacity.

But for the Lancers, he might have been the most versatile defender in the state.

"We can line him up in 25 difference places to do what we need him to do," Kennedy Catholic coach Sheldon Cross said.

Alexander played at seven different positions in all three levels of the Lancers' defense. Wherever he played, he made plays - 20 tackles for loss, eight sacks and two defensive touchdowns.

In the Class 4A championship game, Alexander returned a fumble 64 yards for a touchdown, blocked a field goal and accounted for 213 all-purpose yards (also played running back) in the team's 24-22 loss to Lake Stevens.

"He lined up at seven different positions ... and that was Maui (Borden's) plan (as defensive coordinator) - and he was right on," Cross said. "When you put him at defensive end, you cannot hide from him. He is near the quarterback - and near the football - so you have to get it out quickly."

Two-way player of the year: Brayden Platt, RB/LB, Yelm, jr.

The youngest of four accomplished-athlete brothers, Platt is the best of them all as a multi-sport athlete.

His long-term goals? To throw javelin and shot put in the Olympics and play linebacker in the NFL.

"Beast of a player," Yelm coach Jason Ronquillo said. "Everybody gets on his coat-tails and rides it."

Despite essentially missing three games, Platt was still the most valuable player in the 3A South Sound Conference - rushing 132 times for 1,242 yards and 24 touchdowns on offense while anchoring arguably Class 3A's best defense at inside linebacker.

In the state semifinals against reigning state champion Bellevue, Platt had 31 rushes for 160 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-27 win.

And in the WIAA finals, Platt's last-second interception clinched a 20-13 win over Eastside Catholic for the school's first state title.

Lineman of the year: Landen Hatchett, C/DE, Ferndale, sr.

How many centers have reflexes fast enough to pull and block outside runs?

How many big men at 6-foot-3, 300 pounds are athletic enough to pirouette around with gravity-defying moves in ultimate frisbee?

Hatchett - the No. 6 recruit in the state of Washington who just signed with the Washington Huskies as an interior lineman - is that guy.

"He's the most complete lineman we've had, for sure," Ferndale coach Jamie Plenkovich said.

The Under Armour All-American was one of the program's rare four-year starters in the Wing-T who showcased an unrivaled blend of power, quick feet and acumen that made him an all-state fixture.

He's also a bit of a TikTok legend in Whatcom County with his humorous "Gold Day Ponders" segments.

"He's a character," Plenkovich said. "We are playing Monroe and walking off the field after pre-game warmups, and a few Monroe kids are yelling, 'We love your Tuesday 'Ponders' (videos)."

Breakout player of the year: Matthew Spurbeck, RB, Sumner, jr.

Before Spurbeck ever arrived at high school, he was known as the slender teenager with the unmatched burst.

"He would score every time he touched the ball," Sumner coach Keith Ross, "because he outran everybody."

But before his junior season, Spurbeck wanted to change his whole approach and be like the teammate who mentored him - Portland State's Peyton Wing.

So, he gained 30-35 pounds over the offseason in an effort to become the Spartans' workhorse running back this fall. It worked - Spurbeck rushed for a school-record 1,946 yards on 271 carries, scoring 20 touchdowns.

And in the deepest league in the state, Spurbeck was named the unanimous 4A SPSL  most valuable player.

Not bad for a kid who was a slot receiver as a sophomore who became the team's emergency tailback for the 2021 playoffs.

"His ability to provide a little bit of power and a little bit of speed - there aren't backs like that anymore," Ross said. "He buys into everything we do here. He is as hard of a worker as I've ever had. And he wants to be a good football player as badly as anybody I've ever coached."

Comeback player of the year: Brandon Thomas, LB, Central Valley, sr.

Was there ever any doubt?

To the outsider who might know Thomas' long-road story - his battle with osteosarcoma, which cost him his right leg and also a considerable chunk of his football career - it might have seemed like a long shot for him to ever play the sport again.

But to those in the Central Valley program, including coach Ryan Butner?

"Knowing who he is, and his dedication and perseverance, and how he wasn't flustered with the process of coming back - we knew he could do this," Butner said.

In his second season playing with a prosthesis, Thomas showed his old dominant form. He racked up 119 tackles, including 17 tackles for loss, and had an interception return for a touchdown in nine games.

Thomas was also voted the Greater Spokane League's defensive player of the year at middle linebacker for the Bears.

"What a career, honestly," Butner said. "It is pretty remarkable the time we had with him."

Coach of the year: Jason Ronquillo, Yelm

A decade ago, after re-establishing Hoquiam as one of the best programs in the Class 1A rankings, Ronquillo was ready for a new challenge.

And he took on one of the state's most difficult jobs - at downtrodden Yelm.

The lack of success didn't discourage Ronquillo at all, because in his nine seasons, not only did he build it into one of the premier programs in Class 3A, he reached the pinnacle earlier this month - capturing the school's first WIAA title.

"I do like the support I've had," said Ronquillo, 46. "Coaches turn over a lot, but the staff I've had has been with me the whole time. ... Those guys on my side, they are my pride and joy."

Before Ronqullo arrived, Yelm had not reached the state playoffs since 1987. This fall marked the school's fourth consecutive trip of the WIAA playoffs.

And who did they beat on their way to the 3A title? They defeated 2021 runner-up Kennewick in the state quarterfinals, defending state champion Bellevue in the semifinals and four-time state champion Eastside Catholic in the title game.

In his nine seasons, Ronquillo has compiled a 71-37 record - and a reputation for his teams playing a tough, physical brand of football.

"It's been a long process," Ronquillo said.

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PLAYER AND COACH OF YEAR IN EACH CLASSIFICATION

CLASS 4A

Player of the year: Jayden Limar, RB, Lake Stevens

Coach of the year: Sheldon Cross, Kennedy Catholic

CLASS 3A

Player of the year: Gabarri Johnson, QB, Lincoln of Tacoma

Coach of the year: Jason Ronquillo, Yelm

CLASS 2A

Player of the year: Lane Heeringa, RB/LB, Lynden

Coach of the year: Justin Portz, Anacortes

CLASS 1A

Player of the year: Dylan Allred, QB/LB, Royal

Coach of the year: Ron Lepper, Mount Baker

CLASS 2B

Player of the year: Ashton Demarest, QB/DB, Napavine

Coach of the year: Joshua Fay, Napavine

CLASS 1B

Player of the year: Gage Starkel, RB, Odessa

Coach of the year: Jeff Lidey, Liberty Bell