Dalton Engle, Mitch Pelroy and Cassidi Rosenkrance have more in common than being named Coupeville High School’s Athletes of the Year for 2011-12.

Each of their coaches in each of their sports lauded the three Coupeville seniors for their personal qualities, leadership and work ethic.

Engle played football and soccer, missing the basketball season with a broken leg suffered near the end of the football season.

Pelroy excelled in football, basketball and track.

Rosenkrance, who also won the Athlete of the Year award in 2011, competed in soccer, basketball and track.

Football coach Jay Silver said Engle and Pelroy “led by example and each had the heart of a lion.” He added, “Beyond being great athletes, they are just great kids.”

Track coach Randy King said, “Mitch was the heart and soul of our track team this year…Without any official title, he lead our team in warmups, in work effort and in team spirit.”

Boys basketball coach Anthony Smith said Pelroy “brought a toughness to the team, always competing and hustling, and wanted to win every time he stepped on to the court.”

Boys soccer coach Paul Mendes said Engle “was an instant positive force as soon as he joined the team this year, his first year of participation in high school soccer.” He added that Engle led “by example with his positive, first-class attitude” and “brought good spirit and energy to the team.”

King said Rosenkrance “has a lot of heart and determination,” and soccer coach Mike Thornton called Rosenkrance “a true leader.”

Girls basketball coach Jackie Bykonen said, “Cassidi brought a high level of intensity to practice and games. She was a lead-by-example athlete to her teammates on and off the basketball court.”

King said Rosenkrance dealt with leg pain throughout her athletic career that limited how she was able to train: “One would never know because she always carried herself with dignity and grace.”

Thornton added, “There were many times she would play through injury to finish a game.”

Pelroy was the Cascade Conference’s most decorated football player last fall, earning the Special Teams Player of the Year award and being named first-team receiver and defensive back. He was a starter on the basketball team, and in track he was the tri-district 300 hurdle champion and second team all conference. He qualified for the state track meet for the third consecutive year, earning berths in the 100 and 200 dashes and the 300 hurdles. He finished eighth and tied the school record in the 200 even though he was injured while warming up for the hurdles.

King said Pelroy’s effort at state while injured was “truly inspiring,” “seldom equaled” and “a great story to witness.”

Engle was a first-team punter and a second-team, all-Cascade Conference linebacker in football.

Rosenkrance was an all-league honorable mention choice in basketball and soccer.

Engle and Rosenkrance both said their proudest athletic achievement was winning the Athlete of the Year award. Engle said it was special because his father, Mike Engle, received the honor in 1982. Rosenkrance’s career highlight was winning the award twice, and she is most proud of her selection as a junior.

Pelroy said he is proud of his growth as a person and athlete, knowing he “can compete with anyone.”

All three named their parents among the biggest influences in their athletic success.

Engle said his parents “went to everything,” “supported my decisions” and “taught me my core values.”

Pelroy said his mother missed only one game in 10 years, his father coached him through the years and “they pushed and dragged me to where I am today.”

Rosenkrance said her father put a basketball in her hands when she was 3 and coached her through middle school, and her mother was her biggest critic and fan, never missing a game.

Engle and Pelroy also pointed out the influence of football coach Silver. Pelroy said, “Coach Silver brought everything together — a cohesive unit. The brotherhood we had in football was really cool.”

Engle said playing for Coupeville helped him become part of something bigger than himself: “It was a mixture of people, views and lifestyles. I got to know my teammates whether they were ninth graders or seniors.”

Pelroy said he enjoyed getting to know “the other side” of teammates he didn’t socialize with outside of sports.

Rosenkrance said she will most remember defeating rival King’s twice in basketball her junior year. She also liked the togetherness of the soccer team: “It’s not my favorite sport and they were not my closest friends, but on the field nothing else mattered but the team.”