Football Team Awarded At Banquet

WAITSBURG -- The WP Cardinals aren't just the toast of Waitsburg, which honored the team with a special dinner sponsored by the Commercial Club at the Town Hall last Thursday -- the 2011 2B state football champions are the toast of the entire state.

Quarterback Zach Bartlow last week was named Player of the Year on the Washington Associated Press All-State football team as voted by writers and editors from around Washington. It's the highest honor any football player can receive in his division.

His father, WP head coach Jeff Bartlow, was named Coach of the Year by the Seattle Times.

Zach Bartlow was also voted Quarterback First Team All- State and joined in that recognition by Dalton Estes as Wide Receiver, Cadman Donovan as Offensive Lineman and Dustin Wooderchak as Linebacker.

The AP accolades were the latest and greatest honors bestowed on the 14-0 team that went all the way for the first time in Waitsburg's history. Bartlow was named 2B Player of the Year by the Seattle Times, while the Tri-Cities Herald named five Cardinals to its All- Area team.

The day after they won the state title at the Tacoma Dome, the boys of fall marched down Main Street in the Hometown Christmas parade under loud applause and cheers from the sidewalk.

On Thursday, community members and former local high school football stars, packed into the Town Hall to mark the 2011 team's historic achievement -- an opportunity the coaches took to look back at an unprecedented football season.

"It's been a pretty special year," offensive coach TJ Scott said about the 2011 season.

Following the flag salute, running back Billy Brown blessed the dinner with a short prayer and former Times publisher Tom Baker begged the deeply philosophical question "Who Are We," repeating it three times so the crowd could answer resoundingly "WP!"

The team was asked to take the floor and perform its fight song before taking their places of honor at the head of the food line, while WP athletics director JP Thew fired up a slide show with highlights from the season.

Several former players and coaches were in the crowd. Cardinals' booster club president Ross Hamann read a letter of congratulations from state Senator Mike Hewitt and thanked the players for "bringing the hardware home."

Head coach Bartlow took the podium to review the season and hand out the team awards.

Going down a long list of people to thank, Bartlow started with his wife, Lori Bartlow, for being by his side 24/7 during the 17-week period to prepare and run the football season. He thanked his four coaches, the school district and its staff members, Pam Alexenko and Tracy Daniel for their photography, Colter Mohney and Larry Alexenko on the Waitsburg High School maintenance crew, Fred Hamann and Ross Hamann for their booster activities, school board members, cheerleaders, ball boys and managers.

"It's a big accomplishment for three communities to pull this off," Bartlow said, referring to the three institutions from which the winning players hailed: WHS, Prescott High School and Jubilee Youth Ranch.

In a nod to the players' parents, Bartlow described his team as "the best group of kids I've ever worked with," giving credit to the way the boys were raised long before they hit the field.

He dedicated the trophy to "everybody who has ever played for me and for the team."

When it came to special team recognition, freshman Chance Lerou won Freshman Player of the Year for being an exceptional started on offense and defense. Dalton Estes won Most Inspirational because he "flat out gives it," said assistant coach Troy Larsen, who himself won the Most Inspirational Coach award.

Jubilee player Greg Stearns won the Coaches' Award.

Zach Bartlow won Best Offensive Player Award and Cardinal of the Year for always trying to get better and providing solid quiet leadership.

Eshom Estes, lauded for his vocal leadership, won the Defensive Lineman Award and Most Improved went to Cadman Donovan.

Jose Barajas was praised as the best and most accurate WP kicker of all time, booting the pigskin 78 times for 3,479 yards and 59 extra points, a school record.