Thurston County’s Sports Commission, Experience Olympia & Beyond, presents its inaugural Sports Awards at the Indian Summer Golf and Country Club on June 19.
This year’s award recipients are:
- Issa Hassan (Men’s Sport Star of the Year)
- Haley Harn (Women’s Sport Star of the Year)
- Cato Cannizzo (Boy’s Sport Star of the Year)
- Elianna Summers (Girl’s Sport Star of the Year)
- Alex Pribble (Contributor of the Year)
- Sid Otton (Thurston County Sports Legend)
Hassan, a 2018 graduate of The Evergreen State College, was a four-year member of the Geoducks men’s soccer team, earning first-team All-Cascade Collegiate Conference honors as a midfielder during his junior and senior seasons.
Harn, who is a North Thurston High School grad, was a two-sport standout at South Puget Sound Community College, competing in women’s basketball and volleyball.
Cannizzo, a recent graduate of River Ridge High School, ran cross country for the Hawks and was a member of the school’s swimming and diving team. Cannizzo was a state participate at the Class 2A state swimming championships in the 50 freestyle and helped River Ridge’s 4×200 relay team finish sixth at state and its 4×400 team post an eighth-place finish.
Summers put the finishing touches on her high school sports career at Northwest Christian High School by winning the 800, 1600 and 3200 at the Class 2B state track and field championships. She also was on the Navigators’ 4×400 relay which finished second.
Pribble, the men’s head basketball coach at Saint Martin’s University, guided the Saints to their first GNAC Championship game and first berth to the NCAA Division II tournament during his third season at SMU.
The Saint Martin’s men’s basketball program also received the Sports Moment of the Year award for their accomplishments during the 2017-2018 season. The Saints won 25 games and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament after knocking off Cal Poly Pomona to register their first win in the tournament in school history.
Otton, who was the head football coach at Tumwater High School from 1974 until 2017, was the first honoree of the Thurston County Sports Legend award. Otton coached the Thunderbirds for 43 seasons, leading the team to five state championships. He ended his coaching career as the all-time leader among coaches in Washington state with 394 victories.
