Finalists: Boys High School Athletes of the Year

Attrail Snipes didn't sit on his past accomplishments this spring, earning All-State football honors and three state track titles. (DUSTIN SNIPES / THE SEATTLE TIMES)

Thousands of games spread over nine months come down to five finalists for The Seattle Times' fifth-annual Male High School Athlete of the Year Award. Kevin Kooyman from Tahoma of Maple Valley and the four other finalists profiled on this page were selected by Times editors, reporters and correspondents covering high-school sports because of their all-around athletic accomplishments for the 2005-06 school year. Finalists must attend schools in King or Snohomish counties and excel in more than one sport.

South: Kevin Kooyman, Tahoma

Class: Senior. Age: 18. Height: 6 feet 6

Sports: Football, wrestling, track and field.

Football recap: Kooyman earned All-South Puget Sound League North first-team honors at both tight end and defensive end for the second straight year. He again was voted Defensive Lineman of the Year after leading the entire SPSL in tackles for loss with 16 and made the Star Times all-area team on defense.

Wrestling recap: Won his second consecutive Class 4A state championship, winning 7-5 in the 215-pound title match against another former state champ, Everett's Justin Boyce. Kooyman won the 189-pound state title as a junior.

Track and field recap: Kooyman placed eighth at the 4A state meet in the shot put and threw a personal-best 53 feet, 10 inches to win the SPSL title. He was a state alternate in the 110-meter high hurdles.

Off-field fact: Summers working with a landscaping company paid off this year as Kooyman redesigned his parents' backyard as part of his senior project. He and his father installed a pond with two streams, a gazebo and patio as well as a deck addition.

Quick quote: "My passion is football. I think it's going to be good for me to be able to concentrate just on football."

Favorite athlete: Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis, who was a two-time state wrestling champion in Florida. "Hopefully, I can follow his footsteps."

Most admires: His parents. "They've always been there for me for anything."

Family matters: Father Bart II, mother Brenda, brother Bart III, 21.

Favorite class: American Politics and Global Issues.

What's in your iPod? "Everything — rock, rap, country, techno."

Hobbies, interests: Enjoys relaxing, swimming and hanging out with friends.

Future plans: Kooyman will play football at Washington State.

Sandy Ringer

City: Attrail Snipes, Rainier Beach

Class: Senior

Age: 19

Height: 6 feet

Sports: Football, track

Football recap: The wide receiver made The Seattle Times All-State team and was on the Star Times all-area team. The Metro League Sound Division Offensive MVP scored 21 touchdowns for a Class 3A state semifinal team, with 15 of the TDs on receptions, four on returns and two on runs. He caught 50 passes for 1,197 yards, an average of 23.9 yards.

Track recap: Became the first 3A or 4A runner since 2001 to win the 100 (10.71 seconds), 200 (22.22) and 400 meters (48.83) at the state meet. His victory in the 400 was a repeat of 2005.

Off-field fact: Life hasn't been easy for Snipes. He has moved 40 times, and some of those stops were shelters with his mother and 13-year-old sister, who have moved back to California. He now lives with a classmate, Mychal Lawson, and Lawson's mother. Because of the problems he has faced growing up, he was granted a fifth year of high-school eligibility.

Quick quote: "There are a lot of people who have come up to me to ask for advice. The first thing I say is, 'Stay in class and finish school.' "

Favorite athlete: Reggie Bush, USC's Heisman Trophy running back who was selected in the NFL draft by New Orleans.

Most admires: His mother. "She's a strong and independent woman."

Family matters: Mother Desiree and sister Viedeysha, 13.

Favorite class: History, especially U.S. History.

What's in your iPod? E-40 and the Federation.

Hobbies: Likes to draw.

Future plans: Will play community-college football at either Eastern Arizona or Mount San Antonio College in California. He lacks the math requirements to play Division I football at this time but hopes to move on when they are fulfilled. Hawaii is showing considerable interest in him.

Craig Smith

North: Jesse Hoffman, Shorecrest

Class: Senior

Age: 18

Height: 6 feet 1

Sports: Football, basketball, track and field

Football recap: Rushed for 2,222 yards while scoring 37 all-purpose touchdowns. He also had five interceptions and 56 tackles as a safety. His play on both sides of the ball helped the Scots earn their first Class 3A state playoff berth since 1994. He broke the Shoreline school's game rushing record three times, including a 397-yard, seven-touchdown effort in a winner-to-state win over Lynden. It was his second seven-touchdown game of the season for the Times All-State and Star Times all-area selection.

Basketball recap: After missing his junior season with a shoulder injury, Hoffman returned this year to average seven points for the Scots.

Track and field recap: He ran the second leg of the Class 3A state champion 400 relay, and the anchor leg of the winning 1,600 relay. Both winning times — 42.64 seconds and 3:21.14 seconds respectively — established school records. Hoffman was also ninth in the long jump and competed at state in the 100.

Off-field fact: Hoffman loves to write, mostly short stories. "I've got a pretty good imagination, and I just love to write down the stories that pop in my head."

Quick quote: "It's crazy how much I've learned over the past four years. I came in as a nervous freshman and I'm leaving as a determined young man not willing to settle for average."

Favorite athlete: Michael Jordan and Jerry Rice.

Most admires: His mother, Teri Bryant

Family matters: Mother Teri, stepfather Gary Bryant, brother Shane, 21; sisters Lea, 23; and Courtney, 15.

Favorite class: Creative writing

What's in your iPod: Rap. Right now it's D12 and 2Pac.

Hobbies, interests: Low-stakes poker and blackjack with friends and pingpong.

Future plans: Hoffman will play football for Eastern Washington.

John Boyle

South: Kellen Kiilsgaard, Auburn

Class: Junior

Age: 17. Height: 6 feet 2

Sports: Football and baseball

Football recap: The two-year starter at safety stepped in at quarterback last season and was named South Puget Sound League North Defensive Back of the Year and Offensive Back of the Year. He was Star Times all-area on defense, where he made 45 solo tackles and intercepted four passes. Offensively, he was a threat to run or pass and accounted for almost 140 yards per game and 14 TDs in keying Auburn's run to the Class 4A state playoffs.

Baseball recap: The two-time All-SPSL North outfielder batted .385 during the regular season with four home runs, five doubles, 23 runs batted in and an on-base percentage of .562. Kiilsgaard also is a highly regarded pitcher, and was a big reason the Trojans reached the 4A state title game.

Off-field fact: An excellent student, Kiilsgaard carries a 3.95 grade-point average.

Quick quote: "I really love both sports, and I'm not really closing the door on either one."

Favorite athlete: The late Reggie White. "I started watching him play and fell in love with the Packers."

Most admires: President George W. Bush. "I'm a big fan of his because of his strong leadership."

Family matters: Father Kjel, mother Leslie, sisters Elise, 27; and Linnea, 22, an All-American volleyball player at Northern Colorado.

Favorite class: Weight training and history.

What's in your iPod? "Whatever's in my friend's iPod, because I don't have my own yet. I like all kinds of music. "

Hobbies, interests: Very active in his church and a Big Brother to a third-grade boy.

Future plans : Already has several Pac-10 scholarship offers in football. College baseball is also a possibility.

Sandy Ringer

East: Bryan Walters, Juanita

Class: Senior

Age: 18 Height: 6 feet 1

Sports: Football, basketball, baseball

Football recap: As the Rebels' quarterback, Walters rushed for 596 yards and eight TDs and threw for 1,190 yards and 12 TDs. He preferred free safety, where he intercepted six passes, second best in KingCo 4A. Walters was named first-team All-KingCo defensive back and second-team quarterback.

Baseball recap: In his first year playing center field, Walters batted .396 and scored 22 runs, tied for best in KingCo. He was named first-team All-KingCo 4A.

Basketball recap: As a point guard, Walters averaged 14.8 points, including a 31-point outburst against state champion Franklin.

Quick quote: "I have known nothing but to play three sports my whole life."

Off-field fact: Walters has taken piano lessons for five years.

Favorite athlete: Barry Sanders, former Detroit Lions running back.

Most admires: His grandparents.

Family matters: Dad Rob, mom Carol, and sister Taia, 22.

Favorite class: Athletic injuries, a physical-therapy class.

What's in your iPod player? Bon Jovi's greatest hits.

Hobbies, interests: Pingpong, tennis, golf, lifting weights, video games.

Future plans: Walters, who has a 3.8 cumulative grade-point average, will attend Cornell to play football as a wide receiver.

Michael Ko

Kevin Kooyman, a star in wrestling and football, will focus on the latter sport at Washington State this fall. "My passion is football," he says. (ROD MAR / THE SEATTLE TIMES)
Shorecrest's Jesse Hoffman ran for 2,222 yards and scored 37 all-purpose touchdowns in earning All-State. (JIM BATES / THE SEATTLE TIMES)
Kellen Kiilsgaard, only a junior, led his Auburn teams to the Class 4A state playoffs in football and baseball. (MIKE SIEGEL / THE SEATTLE TIMES)
Bryan Walters was a standout in three sports at Juanita in Kirkland, but will concentrate on football at Cornell University. (ROD MAR / THE SEATTLE TIMES)