High school softball preview: The top teams, players in the South Sound in 2021
The high school softball season is underway for most leagues across the South Sound, and the region is once again loaded with talented teams and players.
Though the 2020 season was upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, perennial powerhouses have restocked, and some young up-and-coming programs are already making noise early on in league play.
There will be no state playoffs this season — though many of the area’s top teams would likely contend for titles — but still much to be excited about this spring.
Here is an overview of the top programs and players around the South Sound in 2021:
THE TOP TEAMS
4A/3A NPSL
The NPSL remains one of the biggest leagues in the state, but is now split into 4A and 3A divisions following the state’s most recent reclassification cycle. Tahoma is the clear favorite on the 4A side, led by third baseman Kaiea Higa, an Oregon State commit, who is arguably the best power hitter in the state — she hit .687 two seasons ago as a freshman, and tallied 16 doubles, two triples, 14 homers and 54 RBI in pacing Tahoma to the 4A state quarterfinals. The Bears were the only team from this league to make the bracket. In 3A, Auburn Riverside, Kentlake and Todd Beamer could all contend. The Ravens have a speedy, versatile threat in pitcher and shortstop Raquel Reising, the Falcons have two returning first-team all-league players in Cady Wilton and Taylor Wong, and the Titans are led by all-league catcher Hannah Tyree, who is set to join her sister, Haley, at Eastern Oregon next season.
4A SPSL
It’s anyone’s guess who meets in the 4A SPSL title game at the end of the season. Already one of the bigger leagues in the state, Gig Harbor and Peninsula have jumped up this year as temporary members to play in Pierce County, Bethel joined following the state’s most recent reclassification cycle, and Olympia and South Kitsap have returned after playing traditional fall sports in their respective counties. This 12-team super league — this year split up into two divisions — has its share of contenders. Early on, South Kitsap, propelled by its speed and youth, is undefeated and has piled up 86 runs through five games while allowing 28. The team to beat in the northern division is led by fourth-year starting center fielder Marisol Bergstrom. Olympia is an early leader in the southern division behind a pair of young pitchers in Sami Potvin and Tori Smith. Smith’s sister, Laila, is the Bears’ catcher and bats cleanup. But, don’t forget about Puyallup, which rolled to an undefeated league title in 2019 before advancing to the 4A state quarterfinals. The Vikings have a shutdown pitcher in sophomore Isabelle Welch. Sumner could also compete and joins Rogers as the other two programs from this league that made the state bracket in 2019.
3A PCL
Bonney Lake has never lost a 3A PCL game. The Panthers finished a perfect 14-0 in the league’s first season in 2017, a perfect 14-0 the following season in 2018, a perfect 14-0 in their most recent season in 2019. They advanced to at least the 3A state semifinals in each of those seasons, and won the program’s first state title in 2018 behind two-time TNT All-Area player of the year Brooke Nelson. The stud pitcher is now playing at Washington, but her younger sister Brynn, a Linfield commit and a two-time TNT All-Area first-teamer, and the only remaining starter from that championship team, leads another solid Panthers team that is unbeaten early on.
3A SSC
The favorite here should come as no surprise — Yelm has run the table in this league every season since it was created ahead of the 2016-17 school year, and advanced to the 3A state playoffs each of the past five seasons, including making two title game appearances. The Tornados are 41-1 in 3A SSC play through three seasons, their only loss coming in 2019 to a Gig Harbor team that is currently up playing in the 4A SPSL. Without the Tides — who finished right behind Yelm each of the past three seasons — in the league to push Yelm, the Tornados certainly seem primed for an unbeaten run behind a talented infield that includes third baseman Ashlyn Aven and second baseman Molly Embrey, and ace pitcher Vivian Watts.
2A SPSL
Eatonville has dropped down to 1A, but remains up in the 2A SPSL ranks this season — and is primed to defend its league title from 2019. The Cruisers have a power-packed lineup led by center fielder Hailey Rath, who is now a junior, and hit over .500 two years ago as a freshman with 25 extra-base hits. Eatonville also returns two more juniors who were standout freshman in Berkeley Porter and Dakota Smith. The Cruisers and White River were the two teams from this league to advance to the 2A state playoffs in 2019, but Fife could be a contender this season, and Enumclaw has joined the 2A SPSL after dropping down from 4A in the state’s most recent reclassification cycle.
2A EvCo
W.F. West has won three 2A state titles in the past decade, and advanced to the championship game in 2019 behind the same shutdown pitcher that leads this season’s squad — Kamy Dacus. With the right-hander, who was the league’s most valuable pitcher as a freshman, back in the circle, the Bearcats would have been the favorite to make a run at another state title this spring. W.F. West has already routed five of its six 2A EvCo opponents once this season. Rochester is the only exception. The first meeting between those two programs this spring — during which Dacus struck out 15 and allowed only four hits, and Rochester ace Liz Phelps struck out 14 and allowed only one hit — ended in a 1-0 win for the Bearcats in eight innings. The Warriors were projected to be another state contender this spring, and the two league meetings between Rochester and W.F. West could offer an idea of what the 2A title game might have looked like this season. Tumwater took third in the 2A tournament two years ago, and is another perennial threat in the 2A EvCo.
30 PLAYERS TO WATCH
INF Audrey Allen, Gig Harbor, jr.
INF Ashlyn Aven, Yelm, jr.
INF Jesenay Agulto, Federal Way, sr.
OF Marisol Bergstrom, South Kitsap, sr.
INF Saige Brindle, W.F. West, soph.
INF Kirsten Chung, Tahoma, sr.
C/INF Emmi Clarke, Tumwater, sr.
P Kamy Dacus, W.F. West, jr.
INF Molly Embrey, Yelm, jr.
C Emma Fualaau, Fife, sr.
OF Amber Johnson, North Mason, sr.
INF Kaiea Higa, Tahoma, jr.
INF Ella Lidstrom, White River, soph.
INF Brynn Nelson, Bonney Lake, sr.
P Haley Olson, Eatonville, sr.
P Liz Phelps, Rochester, sr.
P Sami Potvin, Olympia, fr.
P Jasmyn Polanco, Timberline, fr.
OF Hailey Rath, Eatonville, jr.
P/INF Raquel Reising, Auburn Riverside, jr.
OF Kayliana Sablan, Spanaway Lake, sr.
OF Sydney Sasaki, Rogers, fr.
P Amaya Smith, Sumner, soph.
C Laila Smith, Olympia, soph.
INF Emma Stamp, South Kitsap, soph.
C Hanna Tyree, Todd Beamer, sr.
P Vivian Watts, Yelm, jr.
P Isabelle Welch, Puyallup, soph.
OF Cady Wilton, Kentlake, sr.
INF Taylor Wong, Kentlake, sr.
