SEQUIM — Don’t expect the Sequim Wolves softball team to go away any time soon.
The second act wasn’t as flashy as the first act when the Wolves captured the 2A state championship and a perfect season in 2011, but it was still a beautiful work of art as the Wolves went out — with just two seniors on the team — and claimed the fourth-place trophy at state Saturday.
And the third act? Look for more of the same in 2013.
“I think we are solid for the next few years,” Sequim coach Mike McFarlen said.
The Wolves, who finished in the top four despite losing in the first round, have a couple of freshmen starters, at least two sophomores starting and the rest juniors, not counting the two graduating seniors.
The losses are big, especially with ace pitcher Demiree Briones leaving, but McFarlen feels good about the quantity and the quality of the returning players and the prospective players waiting in the wings.
Senior outfielder Amber Robb also played her final game for the Wolves.
This year, Sequim tied for the Olympic League championship and took the hard road through the district and state tournaments after losing early in both events.
“We played seven elimination games in two weeks,” McFarlen said.
Win big games
And in that time, the Wolves never lost in a do-or-die situation.
At state, they had to play six grueling games in two days against top-notch teams in warm weather at Carlon Park Complex in Selah.
By the end of it all, Sequim was an exhausted team.
“They were tired, but they had no quit in them,” McFarlen said.
The Wolves lost to only one team during the entire tourney, and that was new nemesis West Valley of Spokane, which finished with a standout 27-2 record.
West Valley popped Sequim on the nose 9-2 in the first round, sending the Wolves to the nightmarish consolation bracket.
Then, the Wolves won four consecutive loser-out games just to get to the third-fourth place trophy game with West Valley waiting for them after the Eagles lost in the championship quarterfinals and then won their way through the consolation upper bracket.
At the same time, the Wolves were dominating the lower bracket.
The trophy contest was much closer than the first-round game between the two teams but the Eagles still took a 5-0 lead and then held on for a 5-2 victory for third.
“West Valley is a good ball club,” McFarlen said.
There were a few scary moments along the way for the Wolves as they held on to nip Mount Baker in a 15-14 shootout, and then shade powerhouse Granite Falls 4-3 in the next game.
“Mount Baker just wouldn’t go away,” McFarlen said.
“We would score seven or eight runs, and then they would score a bunch of runs.”
The Wolves had five home runs in the game, including two from junior Rylleigh Zbaraschuk.
“Rylleigh hit one from both sides of the plate,” McFarlen said.
The coach will get Zbaraschuk, the leadoff batter who has a combination of speed and power, back for one more year.
“I am very, very excited about that,” he said.
Briones was steady on the mound the whole tournament for Sequim.
Makayla Bentz, the No. 2 pitcher, gave the team a boost when she threw a complete-game 4-3 win against Granite Falls.
The Wolves continued to roll in the consolation bracket, beating West Central District champion Interlake 6-1 and Aberdeen — which knocked West Valley to the consolation bracket — 4-2 before losing by three to West Valley in the trophy contest.
The season isn’t over for three Wolves who will participate in the All-Star softball game today in Bremerton.
The 10th annual KAR Softball Showcase, two five-inning games, is scheduled for Pendergast Regional Park at 5 p.m.
Sequim will be sending Briones, Zbaraschuk and junior catcher Bailey Rhodefer.
Rhodefer had a standout game against Interlake, going 3 for 4 with a triple, two doubles and an RBI.
Third-Fourth Place
West Valley 5, Sequim 2
Sequim 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 — 2 5 1
West Valley 1 0 4 0 0 0 x — 5 7 2
WP- Peckham; LP- Briones
Pitching Batteries
Sequim: Briones and Rhodefer.
West Valley: Peckham, 11K, and Sage.
Hitting Statistics
Sequim: Besand 2-3, 3B, RBI.
West Valley: Noble 4-4, 2B, RBI.
Consolation Quarterfinals
Sequim 6, Interlake 1
Interlake 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 7 0
Sequim 1 3 0 2 0 0 x — 6 9 0
WP- Briones; LP- Scott
Pitching Batteries
Interlake: Scott and McCaslin.
Sequim: Briones and Rhodefer.
Hitting Statistics
Interlake: Buscher 2-3, 2 2B; Giberson-Chen 2-4, RBI.
Sequim: Rhodefer 3-4, 2 2B, 3B, RBI; Haupt 2-4, RBI.
Consolation Semifinals
Sequim 4, Aberdeen 2
Aberdeen 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 — 2 4 1
Sequim 3 0 0 1 0 0 x — 4 7 2
WP- Briones; LP- Donovan
Pitching Batteries
Aberdeen: Donovan and Tometich.
Sequim: Briones and Rhodefer.
Hitting Statistics
Aberdeen: Siolo 2-3, 2B, RBI.
Sequim: Kirsch 2-3, 2B.