Before the 2022-23 season started, three different names were etched at the top of a plaque just outside of Napavine’s gym, listing the career, season, and single game scoring record holders over the years.
On December 27, James Grose stamped his name over Cade Evander’s single-game scoring record of 42 points — set in 2019 — dropping 45 in a dominant win over Willapa Valley.
On January 31, with still a full game to go in the regular season, Grose set the Tigers’ single-season scoring effort against Toledo, eclipsing Tyson Sturza’s mark of 500 back in 2005.
Finally, on February 15, Grose completed the Napavine scoring trifecta in a single season, breaking Wyatt Stanley’s career scoring record of 1,384 points set in 2017 with a 40-point outburst against Ilwaco that kept Napavine’s season alive in the 2B District 4 tournament consolation rounds.
That poster hanging outside of Napavine’s gym is going to need a lot more plaques after a banner year for Grose in 2022-23.
“It was a motivation for me,” Grose said of breaking the records. “I looked at my stats last year and knew I could pull this off. I put in a lot of time to try to achieve these goals.”
The junior guard averaged an area-high 26.5 points per game, nearly pulling off a rare 50-40-90 season, shooting 49% from the field, 42% from 3-point land, and 86% from the free throw line.
Grose also hauled in 5.3 rebounds per game at off-guard and swiped away three steals per contest. He was named Co-MVP of the Central 2B League and led Napavine to a regular season league title, a third-place finish at districts, and a game short of the trophy round at state in Spokane.
He ended his season with 742 points — 242 better than the previous single season record holder — and scored more than 40 points five times this season.
“It took a lot of work,” Grose said. “I can’t believe how many early mornings I was waking up before football just to go to the gym. I went before school, before practice, before football. It’s a lot of nights in the gym and a lot of mornings.”
Still, Grose has a year left to play in black and orange, and has a few more records left to break, and some hardware he’d like to bring back from Chehalis and Spokane next season.
Peyton Stanley’s career 3-point makes record still stands, despite his single season record of 80 3-pointers made falling to Grose’s 115 this year.
“I just need to keep putting my head down and working,” Grose said. “I still have a lot to improve on. I know that and everyone I work with knows that, but I’m really working to keep my shot fluid, cause I want that 3-point record.”
Luke Brewer, Tumwater
Named the 2A Evergreen Conference MVP for the second year in a row, Brewer led the Thunderbirds in scoring with 18.8 points per game, and averaged 5.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest as well. Brewer was Tumwater’s engine on offense at state in Yakima, scoring 21.3 points per game and earning a first-team all-tournament honor after guiding the T-Birds to a fourth-place finish.
Soren Dalan, W.F. West
One of the Bearcats’ best all-time bigs, Dalan scored 20.5 points per game, hauled in 15 boards per contest, and swatted away three blocks per game, leading W.F. West from the low block. Dalan is Chehalis’ all-time program leader in both rebounds and blocks.
Eddie Klatush, Oakville
Punching the Acorns’ first trip to Spokane in years, Klatush was Oakville’s X-Factor offensively all season, scoring 17.4 points, hauling in 6.4 rebounds, dishing out 5.4 assists, and stealing 3.1 balls away per game. For his efforts, Klatush was named the 1B Coastal League MVP.
Zack Munoz, Mossyrock
One of the more consistent scorers in the 1B Columbia Valley League, Munoz averaged 21 points per game during the postseason, helping the No. 11-seeded Vikings upset more than a few teams to finish fourth at the 1B state tournament in Spokane.
Josh Salguero, Morton-White Pass
One of the most dominant big men in Lewis County, Salguero muscled his way to 17.7 points per game, 10 rebounds per game, all on a 58% shooting percentage from the field. The senior earned a first-team Central 2B league honor, all-state honors, and helped guide MWP to a fourth-place finish at state and a district title.
Braeden Salme, Adna
A junior leader for the Pirates, Salme led his team with 18.9 points per game while also hauling in 5.7 rebounds per game, dishing out 4.2 assists, and recording 1.3 steals per game. Salme’s scoring and facilitating helped him earn a first-team Central 2B league selection and helped Adna to the district title game, and yet another straight berth into the 2B state tournament in Spokane.
Noah Schow, Tenino
Already seeing some box-and-ones, Schow has become one of the premier local scorers, and earned a first-team 1A Evergreen league honor for a strong season. Schow averaged 21 points and eight rebounds per game at the guard spot in 2022-23.
