No matter what else might be going on in her life, Rachael Sofie can always count on one thing to lift her spirits.
Softball is a guaranteed good time.
“I’m just really passionate about it,” said Sofie, a senior at Cascade High School. “I love to go to practice. I never get sick of it. It’s always the best part of my day.”
Photo courtesy of Doug Greenup
Sofie, a three-year starter at third base and an All-Wesco performer for the Bruins, recently signed an NCAA national letter of intent to play for Marshall University in West Virginia. Sofie, who hit .450 last season with a .703 slugging percentage, also considered Wright State, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville, Louisiana Tech and Dayton.
“I really like the (Marshall) coaches,” Sofie said, “and everyone there had a ton of Marshall spirit.”
Marshall coach Shonda Stanton commented on Sofie’s signing in a statement on the school’s Web site.
“We are thrilled to have Rachael join our program because she plays with so much energy and enthusiasm and will instantly earn the respect of our players with her hard work and determination,” Stanton said. “Rachael’s combination of speed and strength give her the versatility to play anywhere. Her passion for the game is contagious and will elevate our program.”
Marshall, which will play in Conference USA starting in 2006, went 31-27 last season, including 12-12 in the Mid-American Conference.
Sofie also plays for the Washington Sidewinders Gold travel team, which competes against some of the nation’s elite amateur players. Hitting leadoff and rotating between catcher and second base this fall, she batted .494 with a .549 on-base average and a .714 slugging percentage in various national tournaments.
Sofie will be a co-captain for Cascade this spring. Bruins coach Wendy Close called her the hardest-working athlete she’s ever coached.
“Everybody looks up to her,” Close added. “She’s very positive.”
Kaufman recovering nicely: Daes Kaufman’s season looks to be back on track.
Stanwood’s star guard suffered a hip flexor injury about four minutes into his team’s first game of the season, a 55-54 loss to Auburn-Riverside on Nov. 30. The senior standout sat out the rest of the season opener and missed the Spartans’ next two games, both losses. But after being cleared Thursday to take the floor, Kaufman poured in 28 points Friday in a 65-48 victory over Lake Stevens.
According to Stanwood coach Nate DuChesne, Kaufman was sore afterward and didn’t practice Saturday but should be ready tonight when Stanwood (1-1 Wesco North, 1-3 overall) hosts Arlington (0-1, 1-2). Even when Kaufman wasn’t on the floor, he made a positive impact, DuChesne continued.
“He’s a great teammate. It’s like having another assistant coach on the sideline,” DuChesne said.
Craddock has something to prove: Tommy Craddock had the recruiting letters pouring in.
After an impressive junior season at Mariner High, the talented 6-foot-8 post garnered interest from Oregon, Oregon State and Washington, among other high-profile West Coast basketball programs. But everything changed July 4 when Craddock leaped for a rebound and crashed into a hoop support pole while playing basketball with some friends. He broke his left femur. The femur, also known as the thighbone, is the longest bone in the human body, extending from the hip to the knee.
Following the injury, Craddock’s leg was immobilized by a locked brace that made movement awkward. He didn’t leave his house for a month and finally started therapy in mid-October. Football was out of the question.
Craddock said he is fully recovered now. He seems to have returned to form, averaging 12 points per game to help Mariner win two of its first three games. The recruiting interest has tapered off since the injury, but Craddock expected as much – and he understands the challenge he faces.
“I just have to prove myself this year,” he said after practice last week.
Meadowdale’s Craig commits to Mercer: Courtney Craig, a senior on the Meadowdale girls soccer team, has made a verbal commitment to play for Mercer University, an NCAA Division I school in Georgia.
Craig, who received honorable mention on The Herald’s All-Area girls soccer team, likely will play defender at Mercer. She also considered Gonzaga and Linfield (Oregon). Mercer, which competes in the Atlantic Sun Conference, was 7-11 overall this season. The team’s seven victories were its most since 2001 and it loses just four seniors to graduation.
Craig said she is excited to live in a different part of the country. She picked Mercer in part because it has an excellent pre-med program – she wants to be a psychiatrist.
Golfers Bullock, Hansen sign: Kamiak senior Tommy Bullock signed a letter of intent to play golf at Western Washington University. Bullock finished tied for second last year in the Class 4A state tournament.
Bullock was essentially a junior-varsity player as a freshman, according to Kamiak Coach Jeff Tobin. But since then Bullock’s year-round commitment, including participation in several prestigious junior tournaments, turned him into a prep standout. Bullock’s dedication to improving his short game has been a key, Tobin said.
Also, Jackson High golfer Mike Hansen signed with Gonzaga University. Hansen, a senior who also considered Santa Clara, Washington State and Loyola Marymount, said Gonzaga’s competitive schedule and academic excellence were a perfect fit. He finished tied for 32nd in last year’s 4A state tourney.
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