‘Cinderella’ Cascade makes fastpitch debut
Published 10:22 pm Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The Class 4A state softball championships kicks off Friday at SERA Fields in Tacoma with many interesting storylines.
Standing out above all is Cascade’s appearance in the tournament, something many might not have expected except the Bruins.
Cascade’s second-place finish at the 4A District 1 tournament earned the Bruins their first ever trip to the fastpitch state tournament. In 1982, the Bruins went to state in slowpitch.
Cascade’s district run to state included a victory over Wesco South’s top-seed Jackson and Wesco North’s second-seed Arlington.
“I call it my Cinderella team. We played with ten players most of the year and they just never gave up,” Cascade coach Wendy Close said.
Things are looking up for Cascade in the future too. The Bruins are losing two players — third baseman/pitcher Kelsey Rutter and first baseman Breanne Mattson — to graduation this season.
“It’s just great going on with a young team and knowing that you are going to have most of them for the next two or three years. They play with a lot of heart,” Close said.
That heart is what has given the Bruins an opportunity to make school history.
“We’re one of the best 16 teams in the state. What will be will be, but we are still going to go out and play hard, that’s our goal,” Close said. “They clicked from the very beginning. I just knew this was a special group.”
The Bruins play at 11 a.m. Friday against Walla Walla in the opening round of the state tournament.
Mountlake Terrace’s run to the state tournament has also captured attention. Terrace defeated Cascade to win the district championship last Thursday. The Hawks knocked off Stanwood, who won its first 17 games, en route to the tournament victory. To top all that off, it is coach Kim Stewart’s last season as head coach. Stewart will remain the school’s athletic director next season.
“You couldn’t write a better script,” Stewart said after the Hawks won the district championship.
Stewart shared admiration for Close when facing her team in the district championship. Close expressed the same feelings for Stewart.
“I really respect him as a coach and we are really going to miss him next year,” she said.
Kori Seidlitz has also been waiting for this opportunity for some time. Seidlitz, Terrace’s senior ace pitcher, has been on the varsity team since her freshman year. The closest the Hawks came to state was losing a winner-to-state game to Monroe 1-0 in her junior season.
“It just pretty much feels like the cherry on top,” Seidlitz said after winning the district championship. “It feels like all the other years were worth it and we were just building up to this.”
Mountlake Terrace plays at 1 p.m. Friday against Kentwood.
Stanwood is the third team from Wesco to advance to state. The Spartans, many people’s pick to win the district championship, play at 11 a.m. Friday against Rogers from Puyallup.
Lynnwood is the lone Wesco representative in the 3A state tournament. The Royals play at 9 a.m. Friday against Union. Lynnwood placed second in the 3A District 1 tournament.
Granite Falls, who placed second in the 2A District 1 tournament, is the lone Cascade Conference representative in the 2A state tourney. The Tigers lost 2-0 in 11 innings to Anacortes in the 2A District 1 title game.
Tigers’ coach Candi Reeves described the loss as “heartbreaking” but said her team will be ready play at state.
“We aren’t just happy being there, we are going there to win,” she said.
Granite Falls plays at 10 a.m. Friday against East Valley of Yakima. The 2A tournament is at Carlon Park in Selah.
Cedar Park Christian plays in the 1A state tourney at TRAC in Pasco, opening against Montesano at noon Friday. Orcas Island will be in Yakima for the 2B tournament at the Gateway Sports Complex. Orcas Island plays at 9 a.m. against Oroville.
