Associated Press tabs Naselle’s Mike Shirley as first-team all-state

NASELLE – The honors continue to come in for Mike Shirley of the Naselle Comets football team. Shirley, a senior, was named to the first team Associated Press all-state squad as an offensive lineman. The standout center for the Comets was also named to the Pacific 2B League all-star team as both center on offense and defensive end.

The Season — final gallery at Friday Night Sights

Check out a year-end retrospective photo gallery on the Comets historic run through the playoffs on the Friday Night Sights Blog

TDN names IHS, NHS players to All-Area Team

TDN names Shirley best defensive player, Eaton repeats as coach of the year
NASELLE - The Longview Daily News released their selections for the prestigious all-area football team Wednesday and four players and Coach Jeff Eaton of Naselle were among those honored on the first or second teams. Among the 13 schools in TDN's coverage area and about 5,000 students, Mike Shirley was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the Year.
Eaton was tabbed as the Coach of the Year for the squad. Nick Hines earned first-team honors as an all-purpose running back, receiver and return specialist. Austin Burkhalter made the second team as a defensive back and Alan Erickson was on the second team as a linebacker. The Comets finished third in the state in the 2B ranks after dropping a semi-final game to Napavine 18-13 in the Tacoma Dome Dec. 5.
The team is made up of players from as far southwest as Ilwaco, Naselle and Cathlamet, includes Rainier and Clatskanie in Oregon, features Toledo and Toutle Lake to the northeast of Longview and 1A squads Castle Rock, Kalama and 2A Woodland on the I-5 corridor. Mark Morris, R.A. Long and Kelso are also included in TDN's coverage area.
Honorable mention from Ilwaco was quarterback Rey Sanchez and wide receiver Justin Short on offense. Honorable mention Comets were tight end Gabe Se, defensive lineman Marcus Sanchez and Tony Fletcher on both sides of the football as a halfback and cornerback. Castle Rock's Zack Gehring and Rainier's Andrew Allen shared player of the year honors and Jake Welch of Mark Morris was offensive POY.

Read the TDN story HERE
See the all-offensive team list HERE
See the all-defensive team list HERE

Photo gallery - NHS finish third in state

Friday night the Naselle football team played their first-ever game in the Tacoma Dome, making it to the state semifinals for the first time in school history. Though the Comets were not able to pull out a win, falling 18-13 to Napavine, they finished third in state, their highest finish since the implementation of a playoff system 35 years ago.

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Photographs by Damian Mulinix/Observer photojournalist