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GIRLS BASKETBALL: Sequim’s Jolene Vaara picked as back-to-back Olympic League MVP

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, February 28, 2024

By Michael Carman

Sequim’s Jolene Vaara was named the Olympic League MVP and defensive player of the year. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
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Sequim’s Jolene Vaara was named the Olympic League MVP and defensive player of the year. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Sequim’s Jolene Vaara was named the Olympic League MVP and defensive player of the year. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim’s Jolene Vaara was named the Olympic League MVP and defensive player of the year. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Sequim’s Jolene Vaara was named the Olympic League MVP and defensive player of the year. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

SEQUIM — Sequim senior standout Jolene Vaara is a repeat selection as the Class 2A/3A Olympic League girls basketball most valuable player and defensive player of the year in voting conducted by league coaches.

It’s the first back-to-back Olympic League MVP for a North Olympic Peninsula player since Port Angeles’ Jessica Madison won three straight league MVPs for the Roughriders from 2008-2010.

Vaara posted per-game averages of 16 points, good for second on the Wolves, 6.9 rebounds, 4.6 steals, 3.8 assists and 1.1 blocked shots as Sequim went 13-7 and advanced to the bi-district tournament.

She had five 20-plus scoring outings on the season, including wrapping her career on the Rick Kaps Memorial Gym floor with a career-high 40-point, 12-rebound, six-steal performance in a bi-district tournament win over North Mason that saw her break 1,000 points for her Sequim career.

Vaara is joined on the first team by freshman teammate Gracie Chartraw.

Chartraw won a state championship with Neah Bay as an eighth-grader and immediately found success at the 2A level with Sequim.

Olympic League champion Port Angeles’ Paige Mason earned first-team honors for the Roughriders (17-8) as a senior. Mason was an honorable mention last season.

Port Angeles also placed two players on the second team in junior Lexie Smith and her sophomore sister Lindsay Smith. Lindsay Smith was a second-team choice last season as well.

Lexie Smith earned Port Angeles’ sportsmanship award. No award was listed for Sequim.

Olympic League Girls Basketball 2023-24

All-Olympic League

• MVP/Defensive Player of the Year: Jolene Vaara, Sequim.

• Gracie Chartraw, Sequim.

• Adrianne Tupolo, North Mason.

• Bella Ramirez, Bainbridge Island.

• Paige Mason, Port Angeles.

• Khi Tall Bull, Kingston.

• Avery Kline, North Kitsap.

Second Team

• Lexie Smith, Port Angeles.

• Lindsay Smith, Port Angeles.

• Sierra Berry, Bainbridge Island.

• Teegan DeVries, North Kitsap.

• Adrianna Tupolo, North Mason.

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