Five most dominant high school athletes in Washington state history

Each week, MaxPreps is showcasing the top five high school athletes of all-time from each state in the nation.

Five most dominant high school athletes from Washington state

Ryne Sandberg, North Central (Spokane)
Perhaps known more for his football accolades coming out of high school, Sandberg broke all of the passing records in the Greater Spokane League and was named to the Parade Magazine All-America Team in the fall of 1977. He was set to play quarterback at Washington State, but he decided to play baseball after being selected by the Philadelphia Phillies. Traded to the Chicago Cubs in 1982, Sandberg went on to a Hall of Fame career with 10 All-Star appearances, nine Gold Gloves and an MVP award. He is considered one of the greatest second basemen in Major League Baseball history.

John Stockton, Gonzaga Prep (Spokane)
Stockton set the city scoring record as a senior at Gonzaga Prep in 1980 and he decided to stay home and play at Gonzaga University. He averaged 20.9 points his senior year and was drafted No. 16 overall by the Utah Jazz in the 1984 NBA draft. He played 19 seasons for the Jazz and finished his career as the NBA's all-time leader in assists and steals. He was a 10-time All-Star and was inducted into both the College and NBA Halls of Fame.

Drew Bledsoe, Walla Walla
A football, basketball and track standout at Walla Walla, Bledsoe earned All-State honors on the gridiron. He went on to a record-setting career at Washington State. He was the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year and the No. 1 overall pick in the 1993 draft by the New England Patriots. He played for three teams in a 14-year career and ranks No. 15 in NFL history for career passing yards with 44,611 and No. 21 all-time with 251 touchdowns.



Tim Lincecum, Liberty (Issaquah)
Although slight of build, Lincecum was a hard-throwing pitcher who made his mark at the high school, college and professional level. He led Liberty to the state Class 3A state title and was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year. Drafted in the 48th round out of high school, Lincecum went to the University of Washington. As a junior, Lincecum earned the Golden Spikes Award, which is given to the top player in the college ranks. A No. 1 draft pick of the San Francisco Giants in 2006, Linceum went on to win two Cy Young Awards, led the National League in strikeouts three seasons, pitched two no-hitters, was a four-time All-Star and played on three World Series championship teams.

Mel Hein, Burlington-Edison (Burlington)