Kentwood High’s Sarah Wright compiled a record of 18-1 with eight no-hitters and two perfect games. COURTESY PHOTO, Dee Torres

Kentwood High’s Sarah Wright compiled a record of 18-1 with eight no-hitters and two perfect games. COURTESY PHOTO, Dee Torres

Kentwood High’s Sarah Wright named Gatorade’s top state softball player

Sophomore pitcher had 18-1 record, 0.33 ERA, 330 strikeouts; batted .486 with six home runs

Kentwood High School sophomore pitcher Sarah Wright is the 2021-22 Gatorade Washington Softball Player of the Year.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Wright as Washington’s best high school softball player, according to a Gatorade media release.

A Gatorade committee of coaches, scouts, media and others select the top players in each state. Nearly 500,000 student-athletes play softball nationwide. Wright is the first Gatorade softball player of the year from Kentwood. This marks the 37th year the company has honored the nation’s best high school athletes.

The 5-foot-8 sophomore right-handed pitcher compiled an 18-1 record with a 0.33 earned run average in the circle this past season, leading the Conquerors (21-2) to the Class 4A state quarterfinals.

Wright fired eight no-hitters, including two perfect games. She struck out 330 batters while allowing just 26 hits and 26 walks in 128 innings. She earned North Puget Sound League Pitcher of the Year honors for the second straight season.

At the plate, she batted .486 with 24 runs scored and 27 runs batted in. She hit six home runs and posted a .548 on-base percentage to go with an .837 slugging percentage.

“Sarah was a huge part of their team,” said Jason Stensby, head coach of Olympia High School whose team played Kentwood. “Sarah can throw hard and can move the ball all over the zone. She can also keep batters off-balance with a very good change up. She is fearless in the circle.”

A two-time North Puget Sound League wrestling champion, Wright donates her time as a member of the Kent School District Student Athletic Leadership Team.

Wright has maintained a 3.60 GPA in the classroom.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field. The company awards one National Player of the Year in each sport.

Keagan Rothrock of Roncalli High School in Indianapolis, Indiana is the 2021-22 National Softball Player of the Year.

Gatorade has a long-standing history of serving athlete communities and understands how sports instill valuable lifelong skills on and off the field. Through Gatorade’s “Play it Forward” platform, Wright has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national organization of their choosing that helps young athletes realize the benefits of playing sports.

Wright is also eligible to submit a short video explaining why the organization they chose is deserving of one of 12 $10,000 spotlight grants, which will be announced throughout the year. To date, Gatorade Player of the Year winners’ grants have totaled more than $3.5 million across more than 1,300 organizations.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

Kentwood High’s Sarah Wright hit six home runs with 27 RBIs.COURTESY PHOTO, Dee Torres

Kentwood High’s Sarah Wright hit six home runs with 27 RBIs.COURTESY PHOTO, Dee Torres

More in Sports

Courtesy Photo
Kent Reporter Athletes of the week: Kentlake

Josie Pedeferri (Flag Football Sr.) and Matthew Lawrence (Basketball Sr.) are this weeks winners.

Jaya Brown goes up for a lay-up against Kentwood. Ben Ray / The Reporter
District Tournament preview: Girls basketball

Kentwood and Kentridge sneak in, see tough roads ahead.

Kentwood’s Mason St. Louis takes a three point shot. Ben Ray / The Reporter
West Central District Tournament preview: Boys basketball

Kentwood and Kent-Meridian face tough competition in opening rounds.

Graphic provided by Kent School District.
Kent Reporter Athletes of the Week: Kentwood

Luke LeChance (Jr. Swim) and Alena Ton (Jr. Basketball) named this weeks winners.

Photos provided by Jayla Keowla
Picture of Jayla, Troy and Jaylen growing up combined with a photo this year.
Introducing the Kentridge Keowlas

Jayla, Troy and Jaylen are part of a long line of basketball players with the Keowla last name.

Graphic provided by Kent School District.
Kent Reporter Coach of the Month: Julie Foree

Foree has been coaching for 15-years and currently coaches at Cedar Heights Middle School.

Kentwood’s Tyanna Sims looks to use her size and speed to sprint past a Tahoma defender at the top of the key. Tyler Rubenstein/ For The Reporter
Kentwood High girls basketball falls to Tahoma Bears

Conks sit one game out of a playof spot, five league games remaining.

Photo provided by Kent School District.
Kent Reporter Athletes of the Week: Kentwood

Kaitlyn Vert (Sr. Flag Football) and Lee’Andrew Rubin (Jr. Wrestling) take home awards.

Corey Tita pushes the ball up the floor for Kentwood. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kentwood boys fall at home to Auburn

Conks sit third in NPSL behind Auburn and Kennedy Catholic.

Kent-Meridian senior Christian Mortimer drives to the basket. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kent-Meridian boys drop game to Highline

Royals lose third straight game.

Kentwood’s Jessica Ajayi takes a three-pointer against Kentridge. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Hoops: Kentwood and Kentridge split doubleheader

Kentridge girls and Kentwood boys take home wins in rivalry clash.

Courtesy Photo
Kent Reporter Athletes of the Week: Kentlake and Kentridge

Jaxon Love (wrestling), Miley Lam (BBall), Jordyn Keith (BBall) and Finnegan Linnane (Wrestling)