Mossyrock's Payton Torrey is SBLive's WaFd Bank Class 1B Senior Athlete of the Year

Welcome to a continuing tradition at SBLive Washington – honoring the WaFd Bank 2022-23 senior male and female athletes of the year for each classification.

Because the SBLive crew gets so immersed in specific sports seasons, it is nice to take a step back to pick a statewide honor from a broader perspective.

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 career is also a factor. So is administrator/coach/fan recommendation.

Enjoy as we honor some of Washington’s top multi-sport senior athletes!

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The ultra-competitor in Payton Torrey looks at her three career WIAA runner-up finishes at Mossyrock High School ... and winces at the oh-so-close results.

But when the calm, take-a-step-back Torrey looks at what she accomplished in volleyball and girls basketball over four seasons, she has a different perspective.

"I am most proud of the culture we've built," Torrey said.

Torrey - an all-state performer in both sports that will continue playing at Lower Columbia College - is SBLive WA's Class 1B senior female athlete of the year for 2022-23.

"She's been in three state championship games," said Autumn Moorcraft, the Mossyrock girls basketball coach. "To lose them, that is tough. But she gave everything she had in basketball and volleyball."

The two-sport standout said she has a greater love for volleyball, but admits she is probably a better basketball player.

"It's because I have a better IQ in basketball," Torrey said.

And her toughness? It is undeniable.

"You'll easily be able to see how passionate I am about sports," Torrey said. "I've got scars on my knees going for loose balls."

After leading the school's volleyball team to the Class 1B title game in back-to-back seasons in the fall, she had the basketball team on that same course in the postseason when she suffered a nasty right ankle injury right before halftime in a regional-round game against Oakesdale.

Members of the team's medical staff called it one of the worst ankle sprains they had seen in decades.

"She was there on the bench after halftime for a few minutes and said, 'I want to go back in,'" Moorcraft said. "I asked her if she could jog on it. She was in a lot of pain ... but her mom said it was her choice."

Added Torrey: "I did not want my last memory being going to locker room and staying there."

Torrey played the rest of the second half in the team's win - and hobbled around Spokane for three days the following week at the WIAA tournament, leading the Vikings to the state title game, losing to Neah Bay.

"I don't know another kid as tough as her," Moorcraft said. "Having her on the court calmed everyone else down."

The injury, however, cost her a spring season of softball - which she does not regret.

"It was my senior year," Torrey said. "I am a very competitive person."

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PAYTON TORREY BIO

School: Mossyrock.

Sports: Volleyball, basketball.

Next step: Signed to play basketball and volleyball at Lower Columbia College (JUCO). Major where she will study elementary education.

Senior-year highlights: Voted most valuable player in back-to-back seasons for 1B Columbia Valley volleyball as an outside hitter, totaling 293 kills, 217 digs with a .409 hitting percentage and .929 serving percentage. Was also named all-area MVP by the Centralia Chronicle. Was voted to 1B all-state team in back-to-back seasons by the Washington State Coaches Volleyball Association (WSVCA). As team captain, led Vikings to a second consecutive state runner-up finish to Oakesdale. Invitee for postseason WSVCA senior all-state game. ... Voted most valuable player for second consecutive season in 1B Columbia Valley girls basketball as a guard, averaging 20.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 4.5 steals per game. Was named to all-area first team by the Centralia Chronicle. Was named to SBLive WA all-state first team for 1B (and listed as one of 20 must-see off-ball/wing players in state). As team captain, led Mossyrock to state runner-up finish to Neah Bay, and was named to all-tournament team. Invitee for postseason Washington State Girls Basketball Coaches Association (WSGBCA) senior all-state game.

Career accomplishments: Four-year starter in volleyball and basketball, and one-year starter in softball - earning nine varsity letters. ... Finished with 884 kills, 854 digs, 168 aces and with a .934 serving percentage in four seasons of volleyball. Won league title four times (1B Columbia Valley, 1B Coastal, 2B Central), and District 4 title four times. Made the all-league team four times - as a second-team 2B Central selection during her ninth grade season, and first team 1B Coastal/1B Columbia Valley the final three seasons (including back-to-back MVP nods as junior and senior). Was named to all-area team by Centralia Chronicle three times, including as MVP in 2021 and 2022. In three state-tournament trips, Vikings finished as 1B runner-up twice (2021, 2022), and in 2B third place (2019) - winning nine of 12 matches overall.  ... Finished with 1,349 points, 581 rebounds, 362 steals and 355 assists in four seasons of basketball. Won league title three times, and District 4 title two times. Made the all-league first team four times, including back-to-back MVP nods as junior and senior. Was named to all-area team by Centralia Chronicle all four seasons. Was selected to SBLive WA all-state first team for 1B in 2022 and 2023. In three state-tournament trips, Vikings finished as 1B runner-up (2023) and in sixth place (2022). ... Played left field as a sophomore on the softball team in 2021. ... Played club basketball for Oregon-based Northwest Stars and 90Ten Academy in Thurston County. ... In youth gymnastics, won a pair of state all-around titles in her age group.

School/community achievements: 3.90 GPA in honors/college courses, and earned associate's degree from Centralia College; National Honor Society member (and on college dean's list); won Gary Stampert Memorial Scholarship (school athlete) and Dick Grabenhorst Memorial Scholarship (District 4 athlete); voted class vice president during her ninth grade and sophomore years; volunteered as coach and game official for local youth sports; volunteered to work a community Christmas event dressed up as an elf, passing out gift bags and books to children and senior citizens; works part-time job at a deli/espresso restaurant.

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