Last softball season ended with Elma experiencing the mountain top with a Class 1A state championship. This season begins with the Eagles ready to defend their crown, but every other Grays Harbor team poised to finish its own climb to the top.
All four Grays Harbor teams, now thrown in to the same league structure in the Evergreen 2A/1A League, will vie for their postseason hopes against each other this spring.
On Tuesday, March 17, the league season begins for all of the teams — Montesano at Aberdeen and Hoquiam at Elma — with both teams switching home sites on Thursday, March 19.
Elma
The new season brings a different coach and a different lineup for the Eagles, but the same old goal of making the district tournament.
Elma (14-9 overall) found a bit of magic once they got to districts last season and played some of its best ball when the stakes were at its highest at state. The Eagles hope to be able to be playing their best when it comes to tournament time this season, but it will be with a lineup card that won’t resemble much of the state title team from a season ago.
New head coach Roger Elliott will take over the Elma program and his first task will be the tough chore of replacing league co-MVP pitcher Brooke Goldsmith, who dominated in the circle and at the plate at the state tournament. While six players from the team that raised the trophy will return this season, only two players will return to the same position from the championship game.
“It is a different team, different girls, different ball game now,” senior Shayla Shumate said. “It is just a different atmosphere. It is a positive atmosphere and positive attitudes. We are definitely working hard from where we left off.”
Shumate, who will most likely return at third base, and sophomore Peyton Elliott, who will return behind the plate at catcher, are the only two who will be penciled in at their same spots from last season. Senior cleanup hitter Izzy Cristelli will either return to her spot at first base or make a transition to shortstop. Karli Smythe will fill the other middle infield position, with Emily Anglin taking the final infield spot, whether it is at first base or third base.
“It is kind a rebuilding year or regroup year,” Peyton Elliott said. “We lost a lot of girls, of course Brooke was a big part. It is going to be way different this year. We are going to really have to put some effort and hard work into it. We need a lot of dedication.”
Some of the dedication has already come from senior Ashley Cooper, who will fill the very large cleats left by Goldsmith in the circle. Cooper began working to prepare for the season back in November and said her arm feels ready to carry the Eagles this season. The senior spent last season as the second pitcher for Elma and is the only Eagle player who has pitched before in a game. Cooper not only is ready for the pressure that comes along with pitching, she welcomes it.
“I know I can do it,” Cooper said. “There are going to be times where it is hard, but I’m prepared for it. I’ve been under a lot of pressure before, but it is nothing I can’t handle. That is the fun of the game to me. Last year we took one step at a time and that is what we are going to do this year. That is what we have always done.”
The defense behind Cooper will include sophomores Kaylee Rambo, Kohlby Sayler and Maci Shumate in the outfield, but Roger Elliott said he is not sure where each will play.
With so many new faces in the lineup, Roger Elliott isn’t about to put any expectations on his team heading into the year with plenty of question marks. The key for Elma will be to peak at the right time, Roger Elliott said.
“There is no pressure,” he said. “They didn’t expect to win state last year with their record, but they played a nice tournament in districts and put nice games together in state. I still think that we are a pretty good team. We have some good hitters and we will see how our defense is. I think they will do just fine. Make it to districts and then anything can happen.”
Aberdeen
The move into Class 2A independent status may have been a blessing for the Bobcats this year.
Aberdeen (6-16), which qualified for the District IV 2A tournament last season as the No. 5 team in the stacked Evergreen 2A, will play in the equally stacked Evergreen 2A/1A League this year.
For the young Bobcats, that is why it could or could not be a blessing. They begin play on March 17 against Montesano.
“We have a really good group of kids who are working really hard,” AHS interim head coach Ken Ashlock said. “They’ve done everything we’ve asked them to do. If our pitching goes as well as we believe, we’re going to be a good team. (Opponents) will have to play really well to beat us. We have the hitting and our defense will be strong.”
The Bobcats will go with a three-woman pitching staff this season — sophomores Jillian Swor and Kyra Gallinger and junior Erin Kuhn. All three pitched last season and will see plenty of time in the circle.
Behind the plate, the pitchers won’t have veteran catcher Alexxi Timmons (now at Alderson Broaddus University in West Virginia) to help them. However, freshman catcher Reagan Glanz is a veteran club and traveling team player who’ll take over there. Katie Hammonds, Timmons’ backup last year, will see time behind the plate as well.
“She’s put in numerous hours of playing time,” Ashlock said of Glanz. “We expect big things from her.”
Around the horn, the Bobcats will have several decisions to make before their first game against the Bulldogs.
At first base, Hammonds and junior Courtney Dietrich will vie for the starting spot. At second, senior Breanna Ashlock will start there, but is listed as a utility player (2B/SS/3B/OF) by Coach Ashlock. She started at third last year.
At shortstop, Kuhn will be there when she’s not pitching, with Maci Gray there when Kuhn is pitching. At third, Gallinger will be there when she’s not pitching, with Emily Wharton there this year. Wharton started at second last year and will flip-flop positions with Breanna Ashlock in the infield.
The outfield is nearly set. Returning varsity players Shannon Chesterman, an all-league selection, and Katelynn Reeson will be in center and left, respectively. At right field, whoever doesn’t win the position battles in the infield will play there.
“We’re a more balanced team than last year’s squad,” Coach Ashlock said. “Timmons and (Kiana) Dixon provided most of the power last year. This year, we have 5-6 girls who can hit it out. If they each hit 4-5 spread out, the lineup will be potent. You’re going to like how balanced our team is.”
Ashlock pins Montesano as the league favorite, then lumps the rest of the league — Aberdeen, included — behind them. He also sees the Bobcats and Rochester, the two 2A independents, have an equal chance to get into the district postseason tournament.
“I think Rochester and Aberdeen both have a great shot at getting into that play-in game,” he said.
Assisting Ashlock this season are: Katriina Reime, Becca Zvono, Aaron Glanz and volunteer coach Kayla Shelton.
Montesano
After failing to earn a state trophy last season, the Bulldogs are reloaded for a shot at their 18th straight trip to state and some hardware.
Montesano (20-6) won the Evergreen 1A League and the District IV championships last year, but came up one win shy of a trophy at state. The Bulldogs lost their entire outfield and second baseman from a year ago, but head coach Pat Pace has already filled in two of the outfield spots.
“We have our summer programs and the rec program; they have created some good players for us,” Pace said. “It makes my job tough, which is a good thing, when I have to sit there and try to figure out the best 15 players for varsity.
Early practices have been a bit crowded for Montesano with 40 players, including 15 freshmen, trying out for the team.
The Bulldogs will fill the circle once again with Evergreen 1A League co-MVP Madison Didion. The senior found her form in the second half of last season and worked almost all of the innings for Montesano in the district and state tournaments.
“Madison brings a lot of experience,” Pace said. “She has been on several teams where she has been the only pitcher. She has a lot of pitching time on her arm through all these years and the senior year is where that really comes through.”
While the outfield will include sophomores Josie Toyra and Cheyann Bartlett and one player that Pace has yet to choose, the infield will be filled with familiar faces who have plenty of experience.
Senior Megan Choate, who has signed to play softball at Toledo University next year, will anchor the Bulldog defense at shortstop. Makenzie Howard will return to her spot at third base and senior Hannah Jensen will be back at first base where she spent most of last season.
“Our left side is pretty tough,” Pace said. “Choate and Howard, they are solid unit and they think as one and then you have Hannah Jensen over at first base and she is like a wall for them, whatever they through.
Kasie Kloempken will be doing the catching for Montesano. The junior spent all of last season behind the plate.
The only question mark in the infield will be at second base where sophomore Hannah Quinn and freshman Morgan Kersker will battle for the position.
With the Bulldogs experience on the field comes the frustration from the experience of the state tournament last season and a hunger to win it all this year.
“I think that has fueled us this year,” Didion said. “Last year we had a strong team and this year I could see it being just as good, if not better. How our season ended last year, we saw what it was like and we know that we don’t want it to end again that way.”
Hoquiam
There doesn’t need to be much discussion of goals for the Grizzlies this season.
Hoquiam (20-7) came up shy of a spot in the state championship game last season with a 7-6 loss to Mt. Baker in the semifinals. The loss has been a driving force for the Grizzlies through the off-season and into the first weeks of practice.
“I have three seniors coming back who are really hungry,” Hoquiam head coach Keith Reynvaan said. “They got a good taste of it at state last year and they liked that. So, they have been working out in the off-season and they are ready to go.”
The Grizzlies have several players returning from the team that finished fourth a season ago, but Reynvaan said there are still plenty of question marks through the first few days of practice. The key returner for Hoquiam will be senior starting pitcher Bailee Bradley.
“It is nice to have your number one (pitcher) back,” Reynvaan said. “She had a nice second half last year. I have most of the middle of the order back and we hit the ball nice last year.”
Hoquiam will also have junior Kylie Stewart back behind the plate. Along with returning the battery, the Grizzlies will have senior shortstop Ellie Quercia, who will be a key source of offense as well. After those three positions, the rest is question marks for Reynvaan.
“I’m looking for a first baseman, a second baseman, a third baseman and an outfielder,” Reynvaan said. “I’ve got the players, I just don’t know where to play them. The first part of the year is going to be just seeing who is going where and who can play where.”
Ashlynn Wakefield will see the field at either first base or in the outfield. Lydia LaLonde may return to center field where she spent most of last season or make the move to second base. Arielle Burnett will take the field at either second or third base. Several young players like Paige Folkers and Ashley Paladin will see playing time, but Reynvaan has yet to pencil them in at one specific spot.
The Grizzlies already suffered a blow to the roster with junior Hannah Hilboki going down with a season-ending injury. Hilboki would have been the second pitcher for Hoquiam and a force on offense.
“That is going to make a hole in the lineup because I had her as our (three) hitter,” Reynvaan said.
No matter what position they take the field, the Grizzlies are ready to get the season started. Hoquiam may have finished fourth last season, but that isn’t the trophy they are chasing in 2015. It may not be state championship or bust, but the Grizzlies have their eyes on the prize.
“They were disappointed last year that we got fourth,” Reynvaan said. “They have been working really hard and everything has been positive. They have one goal in mind.”
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