Welcome back to Snohomish County University!
Back in February, I conducted a thought experiment. Could I construct a mythical women’s college basketball team comprised of players produced by Snohomish County high schools, and would that team be good enough to qualify for the NCAA tournament? I concluded the answers to those questions were “Yes” and “Yes,” and Snohomish County University was born.
That was great fun, but this spring I did some more thinking. Could this same experiment be applied to softball? After all, if there’s any sport Snohomish County schools traditionally do well in, it’s fastpitch softball. In the state’s two largest high school classifications, four different Snohomish County teams have won state championships since 2013 (Arlington, Meadowdale, Snohomish and Jackson), with two others playing for titles (Everett, Monroe). One has to go all the way back to 2007 to find a year when the county didn’t have a school reach either the 4A or 3A semifinals.
So, can you put together a team of local players at NCAA Division I schools and fill out a lineup? It turns out you can. So as the NCAA tournament begins Friday, here’s the Snohomish County University softball squad, constructed as a batting order:
1. Sami Reynolds, center field
College: Washington
Year: Freshman
High school: Snohomish
Stats: .325, four home runs, 39 RBI
The lowdown: Reynolds may play left field and bat third for the second-ranked Huskies, but with her mobility and on-base skills she’s the perfect fit to play center and lead off for Snohomish County U. And she’s already a third-team All-Pac-12 performer as a freshman.
University of Alabama third baseman and Lynnwood alum Maddie Morgan. (Photo by Amelia B. Barton)
2. Maddie Morgan, third base
College: Alabama
Year: Sophomore
High school: Lynnwood
Stats: .299, four hom
e runs, 26 RBI
The lowdown: Morgan is in the midst of a breakout campaign for the fifth-ranked Crimson Tide after needing a year to adjust to the SEC. But she was named second-team All-SEC in what may be the most competitive softball conference in the nation.
San Diego State first baseman and Jackson alum Taylor Adams. (Derrick Tuskan / SDSU Athletics)
3. Taylor Adams, first base
College: San Diego State
Year: Sophomore
High school: Jackson
Stats: .327, four home runs, 24 RBI
The lowdown: Adams is the most established hitter in the lineup, with two seasons as a regular. The second-team All-MWC performer also provides a right-handed bat amid all the lefties toward the top of our order.
University of Washington catcher and Meadowdale alum Emma Helm. (University of Washington)
4. Emma Helm, catcher
College: Washington
Year: Sophomore
High school: Meadowdale
Stats: .235, three home runs, nine RBI
The lowdown: Helm has the misfortune of playing behind an All-American in Morganne Flores, but she still sees her share of time at the plate, and I have no doubt she’d be a reliable power source if she was in the lineup every day.
Loyola Marymount shortstop and Everett alum Megan Dedrick. (Loyola Marymount)
5. Megan Dedrick, shortstop
College: Loyola Marymount
Year: Sophomore
High school: Everett
Stats: .313, no home runs, 19 RBI
The lowdown: The former high school baseball player is only in her second season playing softball, but she’s already a second-team All-West Coast Conference performer, and in addition to having a solid bat, she’s a defensive wizard at short.
Seton Hall catcher and Lake Stevens alum Peyton Beaver. (Seton Hall University Athletic Communications)
6. Payton Beaver, designated player
College: Seton Hall
Year: Sophomore
High school: Lake Stevens
Stats: .250, two home runs, six RBI
The lowdown: A catcher by trade, Beaver’s numbers are actually down this season after leading the Pirates in batting (.323) as a regular last year, so we know she has the ability to bounce back and increase her offensive output.
Missouri State catcher/outfielder and Snohomish alum Morgan Greenlee. (Audra George / Missouri State)
7. Morgan Greenlee, left field
College: Missouri State
Year: Senior
High school: Snohomish
Stats: .261, no home runs, seven RBI
The lowdown: Greenlee, who split time between the outfield and catcher, was on her way to her best collegiate season when she suffered an unfortunate foot injury during practice that ended her season.
Binghamton outfielder and Marysville Pilchuck alum Chloe Morgan. (Binghamton University)
8. Chloe Morgan, right field
College: Binghamton
Year: Freshman
High school: Marysville Pilchuck
Stats: .283, no home runs, 10 RBI
The lowdown: Morgan didn’t begin the season as a regular or a key member of the offense, but she ended it as one as she made the No. 2 spot in the Bearcats’ batting order her own.
Seattle University utility player and Archbishop Murphy alum Alyson Matriotti. (Seattle University photo)
9. Alyson Matriotti, second base
College: Seattle
Year: Junior
High school: Archbishop Murphy
Stats: .231, one home run, 14 RBI
The lowdown: If there’s any fudging with positions it’s with Matriotti, as she’s been a third baseman for most of her college career. But she is listed on the Redhawks’ roster as a utility player, so she’s moving to second — though Maddie Morgan played some second base last year and could move to keep Matriotti at third if needed.
Cal State Fullerton pitcher and Lake Stevens alum Sophie Frost. (Photo by Matt Brown)
Sophie Frost, right-handed pitcher
College: Cal State Fullerton
Year: Junior
High school: Jackson
Stats: 13-5, 2.65 ERA
The lowdown: Frost is a top-two pitcher for an NCAA tournament team and was named second-team All-Big West, her second straight season earning second-team all-conference honors.
Towson pitcher and Lake Stevens alum Sara Johnson. (Marissa Spears)
Sara Johnson, left-handed pitcher
College: Towson
Year: Freshman
High school: Lake Stevens
Stats: 12-10, 3.43 ERA
The lowdown: Johnson wasted little time becoming an impact pitcher at the college level, taking over as the Tigers’ ace hurler as a freshman.
So is this team, like the theoretical women’s basketball team, an NCAA tournament-caliber squad? I don’t know that I’m ready to make that declaration just yet. I think the lineup, though short on power, might be able to hit enough to get into the final 64. But getting to the NCAA tournament requires elite pitching, and I’m not sure there’s that wipeout pitcher to carry the staff.
But that could all change quickly. This is an incredibly young team, with just one senior and two juniors among the 11 members, so it’s going to get better. There’s also a handful of underclassmen who didn’t play much this season — Monroe’s Kacey Hvitved at Ole Miss, Glacier Peak’s Abby Winckler at Boise State, Snohomish’s Bailey Greenlee at Missouri State, Jackson’s Kristina Day at Massachusetts — but could develop into impact players at any time. And maybe Jackson senior Iyanla De Jesus will become that dominating pitcher when she arrives at Coastal Carolina next season.
So look out future, the Snohomish County University softball team is coming for you, and it will be a force to be reckoned with.
Follow Nick Patterson on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.
The story has been modified to correct Sophie Frost’s high school.
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