TACOMA — Sequim is a win away from getting back to state, while Port Angeles needs two victories for a state berth as the 2A West Central District softball tournament starts today.
All games are held at Sprinker Recreation Center in Tacoma.
The defending champion Wolves, the No. 4 seed, have a bye in the first round and then take on the winner between No. 5 White River and No. 12 Washington in the quarterfinals at
6 p.m. today.
Quarterfinal winners receive automatic state berths and play seeding-only games Saturday.
The Roughriders, No. 7 seed, need two wins to get to that point, playing No. 10 Fife in the first round today at noon.
That first-round winner must get by No. 2 Kingston in the quarterfinals at 6 p.m. to earn that coveted state berth.
Losing in those first two rounds knocks teams into the nightmarish consolation bracket where teams must win three games just to get to state.
Eight consolation squads will be playing for one state berth.
Sequim coach Mike McFarlen knows just how important it is to win today’s game against either White River or Washington.
“Winning that first one would be a big win,” he said.
“If we don’t win it, it would be a tough row.”
But McFarlen, who was an assistant on last year’s team that not only won state but concluded a perfect year with no losses, feels good about the chances of this veteran playoff team of taking care of business this weekend.
Expect this team to be even more determined than normal after it uncharacteristically lost two seeding games at sub-districts last weekend.
The Wolves had only two losses going into that tourney but went in dead-tired after playing three tension-packed Olympic League games in three days that same week.
They lost 8-7 to Franklin Pierce in the first game after rallying for seven runs in the top of the seventh for a 7-7 tie, only to have Franklin Pierce score a run in the bottom of the seventh for the loss.
All the air came out of the Wolves after that loss.
“The girls were pretty tired,” McFarlen said.
“That first game took a lot out of them.”
But the Wolves have had a week to recover and prepare for the next step to state.
“I’m feeling pretty confident and the girls are feeling confident,” McFarlen said.
“The girls have really been focused this week and they have worked hard. We are definitely ready.
“If we play as a team, and play good defense, we will be OK.”
Senior ace Demiree Briones will start on the mound in today’s game if she’s ready to go.
Briones has been having elbow problems.
“If she feels like she can pitch, she will go,” McFarlen said.
“I’m not worried about her.”
McFarlen has two solid pitchers in Briones and Makayla Bentz.
“Makayla can throw real good,” he said.
McFarlen said he feels confident with either Briones or Bentz pitching.
McFarlen also is pleased with the play and leadership of Rylleigh Zbaraschuk.
“Rylleigh has stepped it up and has been a leader this week,” he said.
“She’s been getting the girls motivated. She has done a good job this year, and she’s only a junior.”
Sequim and Port Angeles had several players named to the All-Olympic League team that was announced Wednesday night.
Port Angeles senior catcher Hannah Wahto was named the 2012 MVP while senior pitcher Lauren Curtis, senior second baseman Tori Holcomb and junior shortstop Mariah Frazier of Port Angeles were picked for the first team.
Sequim’s first-team picks were senior pitcher Demiree Briones, sophomore first baseman Alexas Besand and junior outfielder Rylleigh Zbaraschuk.
Port Angeles also had three second-teamers in senior first baseman Kearsten Cox, sophomore third baseman Maddy Hinrichs and senior outfielder Emily Drake
Honorable mention went to sophomore Sarah Steinman of Port Angeles, and Sequim junior Bailey Rhodefer, senior Amber Robb and sophomore Makayla Bentz.
Boys Soccer
Tumwater 3,
Port Angeles 2
TUMWATER — The undefeated Thunderbirds (16-0-2) took a 2-0 lead and held on in the first round of the 2A state playoffs.
Hayden McCartney of Port Angeles cut the lead to 2-1 in the 72nd minute when he hit a 20-yard shot past the Tumwater keeper.
But Tumwater’s German exchange student, Kevin Weyand — who was a standout talent in the game — broke through for the T-birds, and scored a crucial third goal in the 74th minute.
Port Angeles finished out the scoring when defender Sam Beasley scored with 54 seconds left on Tamrat Haskins’ second assist of the game.
Port Angeles mounted a valiant comeback effort in the second half but came up short in the final seconds of the game with 11 players, including the goalkeeper, in the T-birds’ penalty box.
Rider keeper Jack Doryland made some key saves throughout the match to help keep Port Angeles in it.
McCartney, a center-midfielder, pressed forward and had several shot attempts barely save by the T-bird goalkeeper.
After a strong season, the Riders lose nine starting seniors and a total of 13 seniors going into next year.
“Our team never gave up and fought hard until the very end,” Port Angeles coach Chris Saari said.
“Our passing game in the second half was the best I have seen it all year. We were really moving the ball well and being creative.
“We created enough chances, but were unable to finish several good opportunities.
“In the end, we were pressuring them but we just ran out of time.”
Saari picked Beasley as the offensive player of the match, Doryland and Nick Ioffrida shared defensive game honors and McCartney and Haskins were picked as co-transition players of the match.
The Riders finish the season 10-5-4.
Quilcene goes to state in both baseball, softball
QUILCENE — The Rangers’ spring sports are two-for-two as both the baseball and softball teams earned state 1B berths.
It took extra innings for the softball team that beat Highland Christian 3-2 in eight innings at home Wednesday.
The Rangers finish undefeated in Sea-Tac League at 11-0, and are 12-3 in the regular season.
On Wednesday, the Knights took a 2-1 lead in the top of the seventh but the Rangers knotted it 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh.
Sammy Rae reach first on a two-out single for Quilcene, followed by Patrice Beringer’s RBI-triple to tie the score.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Bee Sitthisin hit a two-out single to get aboard.
Megan Weller helped her around to third with a single of her own.
Then, Savannah Drew knocked Sitthisin in with the game-winning single.
“It was a very exciting game,” Quilcene coach Nick Parks said.
The state 1B softball tourney will start May 25 at the Gateway Sports Complex in Yakima.
The Quilcene baseball team, meanwhile, opens state 1B play against Oakville at 10 a.m. at West Valley High School in Yakima on Saturday.
The winner of this quarterfinal game advances to the semifinals against the winner between Lummi and Almira Coulee Hartline at 4 p.m. Saturday at the same location.
Other 1B teams at state include Colton, Northport, Odessa-Harrington and Touchet.