WIAA state baseball preview: South Sound contenders, bracket busters, predictions
The WIAA state high school baseball tournaments are here. Wondering which South Sound teams could make a run? We’ve got you covered.
In the high-stakes, single-elimination format of state baseball tournaments in Washington, one bad game means going home. Here are some local teams we think are poised to make a run, and a few that have bracket-busting potential.
All first round games and quarterfinal games will be played on Saturday, May 23 at various locations around the state. The 3A and 4A tournament semifinals will be held May 29 and 30 at Everett Memorial Stadium, 2A and 1A at Joe Martin Stadium in Bellingham, 1B and 2B at Wood Field at Carlon Park in Selah.
THE FAVORITES
CLASS 4A
No. 2 Sumner (19-4)
Opening round game: vs. No. 15 Moses Lake, 1 p.m. at Heritage Park (Puyallup)
Sumner wasn’t flawless this season — Olympia beat the Spartans in the 4A SPSL championship game, in fact — but Sumner was consistently the area’s best 4A team during the regular season, and the Spartans bounced back after the loss to Olympia and won the 4A District 3/4 tournament, blowing out top-seeded Tahoma in the championship game. When this lineup is hot, the Spartans might be the best team in the state.
No. 3 Tahoma (21-2)
Opening round game: vs. No. 14 Lake Washington, 10 a.m. at Tahoma High School
Since the tournament is spread out over two weeks, the Bears have perhaps the tournament’s most important player: left-handed pitcher Neal Burtis, an Oregon State commit who has dominated opposing hitters all spring. We like Tahoma’s chances to advance to the quarterfinals with him on the mound. If Tahoma can clear the winner of No. 6 Kamiakin and No. 11 Eastlake in the quarters, that sets Burtis up to pitch again in the state semifinals the following weekend.
CLASS 3A
No. 3 Gig Harbor (18-8)
Opening round game: vs. No. 14 Liberty, 10 a.m. at Lincoln High School (Tacoma)
We knew Jake Cuda and Quentin Bockhorn would be good on the mound again this year. Paired with the emergence of 6-foot-5 sophomore Max Bergford, Peninsula transfer Daniel Sleeter and veteran arm Logan Pedersen and look out — the Tides might have the best rotation in the state in the 3A classification. The bats are coming alive at the right time: Gig Harbor has scored four or more runs in its past five games.
No. 4 Decatur (19-3)
Opening round game: vs. No. 13 Shorewood, 1 p.m. at Auburn High School
A 4-1 loss to Gig Harbor in the district tournament kept Decatur from a top three seed, but maybe that losing feeling turns into motivation for the Gators heading into state. Decatur boasts one of the state’s most dangerous lineups, highlighted by 1B Nate Gilmore and 3B/C Ethan Flavel.
CLASS 2A
No. 2 Tumwater (20-4)
Opening round game: vs. No. 15 Port Angeles, 10 a.m. at Wheeler Field (Centralia)
Since a pair of league losses in mid-April, Tumwater has rattled off 12 straight wins and won the District 4 tournament, collecting wins over Ridgefield, Aberdeen and beating Columbia River in the championship game, 1-0. Luke Overbay and Braeden Konrad have shutdown ability on the mound.
THE BRACKET BUSTERS
CLASS 4A
No. 8 Olympia (19-6)
Opening round game: vs. No. 9 Woodnville, 1 p.m. at Richland High School
Olympia faces a challenging road, with No. 1 Richland likely awaiting in the quarterfinals, if the Bears beat No. 9 Woodinville in the opening round. That’ll be a home game for Richland, which always packs the stands. But the Bears are no stranger to beating good teams; Olympia has wins over Sumner, Tumwater, Curtis, Puyallup and Emerald Ridge on its resume. Pitchers Travis Kunkel, Landyn Keister and Peyton Crass can take the Bears all the way.
No. 10 Kennedy Catholic (18-6)
Opening round game: vs. No. 7 Glacier Peak, 10 a.m. Saturday at Heritage Park (Puyallup)
Kennedy Catholic had a big lead against Sumner in the district tournament, and had things not unraveled, the Lancers would be looking at a higher seed this weekend. DH Dante Saladino and P Harvey Lieberman are players to watch.
No. 12 Puyallup (17-7)
Opening round game: vs. No. 5 Gonzaga Prep, 1 p.m. at County Stadium (Yakima)
Gonzaga Prep’s reward for knocking off top-seeded Richland in the district championship game last weekend: red-hot Puyallup, which has won 10 games in a row, including three straight elimination games in the District 3/4 tournament to secure a state berth. Pitcher Madden Pike, catcher Keagan Soliza and shortstop Brayden Landry are players to watch.
No. 13 Curtis (16-8)
Opening round game: vs. No. 4 West Valley of Yakima, 10 a.m. at County Stadium (Yakima)
This won’t be an easy path in Yakima, where host and fourth-seeded West Valley awaits in the opening round. Pitcher Cooper Hordyk has racked up wins all spring though, and Curtis has wins over Sumner and Puyallup on its resume.
CLASS 3A
No. 6 Kentlake (18-5)
Opening round game: vs. No. 11 Southridge, 1 p.m. at Lincoln High School (Tacoma)
Falcons had a poor showing in the 3A District 3 championship game against Gig Harbor, but RHP/SS Christopher Moore, a UW commit, can put this upset-minded team on his back.
No. 12 Peninsula (18-6)
Opening round game: vs. No. 5 Snohomish, 10 a.m. at Auburn High School
We actually think the Seahawks are a pretty dangerous double-digit seed, despite stumbling down the stretch. When this lineup is hitting, Peninsula is more than capable of knocking off most of the teams in this field. Catcher Pete Browand, a Fresno State commit, is the player to watch.
CLASS 2A
No. 9 Fife (19-5)
Opening round game: vs. No. 8 Lynden, 10 a.m. at Bainbridge High School
The Trojans advanced to the 2A District 3 championship game last weekend and seem to be putting it together at the right time. SS Dylan Hoots won MVP honors in the 2A SPSL this spring.
CLASS 1A
No. 9 Charles Wright/Life Christian (17-4)
Opening round game: vs. No. 8 Cedar Park Christian, 10 a.m. at Olympic Stadium (Hoquiam)
One year after advancing to the 1A state tournament semifinals last spring, CWA/LCA is back as a No. 9 seed this year. Can Henry Cheney’s squad recapture that magic? A matchup with top-seeded Montesano likely awaits in the quarterfinals, if “the academies” can knock off No. 8 Cedar Park Christian in the opening round. 3B/P Tucker Grasser was named the 1A Nisqually MVP this spring.
TNT’S “FINAL FOUR” PREDICTIONS
Who gets through to the following weekend’s state semifinals? Here’s our predictions for 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A.
4A: No. 1 Richland, No. 5 Gonzaga Prep, No. 2 Sumner, No. 3 Tahoma
3A: No. 1 Mount Vernon, No. 4 Decatur, No. 2 Kennewick, No. 3 Gig Harbor
2A: No. 9 Fife, No. 4 West Valley, No. 2 Tumwater, No. 6 Columbia River
1A: No. 1 Montesano, No. 4 Colville, No. 2 Cashmere, No. 3 Lynden Christian
