T-wolves emerge as league favorites

Three words was all Shorecrest coach Brett Medalia needed to summarize this year’s Western Conference 4A South Division baseball outlook.

“Jackson, Jackson, Jackson,” Medalia reiterated.

It was a message echoed by most area coaches, who pegged the Timberwolves as the team to beat in 2004.

With a roster peppered with standout sophomores, Jackson will field one of the league’s youngest and most dangerous clubs. Four freshmen were key contributors on last year’s state tournament team.

“They’re young, but they’re good,” Medalia said. “They’ve got a nice mix of kids there. We’re all going to be chasing them.”

The Timberwolves graduated just two starters and bring back all of their pitchers. Seniors Matt Raff and Ryan Woods and sophomore Cam Nobles make up a sterling starting rotation that will be difficult for opponents to match.

Despite some lofty predictions from his peers, Jackson coach Kirk Nicholson hesitated to put his team on a pedestal.

“If you take someone lightly, you’re in trouble,” Nicholson said. “I like my team … but I’m not going to say we’re far and away the best.”

Defending league champion Kamiak remains a viable playoff contender, even though the Knights graduated the bulk of last year’s squad that lost just two Wesco South contests. Kamiak possesses the league’s premier pitcher in all-league senior Brian Ouellette.

Few teams could keep pace offensively with Edmonds-Woodway’s power-packed lineup in 2003 and the Warriors appear to have the personnel for another postseason appearance.

E-W returns its No. 1 pitcher and most of its entire infield, with the exception of all-league first baseman Ian Gac, a 26th-round draft pick of the Texas Rangers.

After sitting out the playoffs last season, Shorewood is looking to regain its reputation as a perennial title contender. The Thunderbirds boast one of the league’s most productive offenses, which they’ll rely on heavily to offset a scarcity of dependable pitching.

Everett squeaked by the T-birds for the league’s final Northwest District 4A berth and could better last year’s .500 Wesco South record with a few breaks.

Meadowdale and Shorecrest engaged in a season-long battle for Wesco’s top seed to the 3A district playoffs in 2003 and will likely do so again this year. While the Mavericks have inserted several newcomers in their lineup, the Scots lost just three starters and are loaded with seniors.

“You can’t look by anybody,” Shorewood coach Wyatt Tonkin said. “I don’t think anybody’s going to whistle through this league.”

Even the teams who wound up at the bottom of the final standings a year ago are expected to rebound, further complicating a clouded forecast.

“A lot of the teams that finished in the lower part of the league last year are a lot better this year,” Mountlake Terrace coach Andrew Watters said. “I know Lynnwood is going to be better, Mariner is going to be better and hopefully we’re going to be better. It’s going to make the league very interesting.”Charlie Laughtland and David Pan cover sports for The Enterprise Newspapers. Questions and comments may be sent by e-mail to entsports@heraldnet.com, by fax to 425-774-8622 or by mail to Sports editor, The Enterprise, 4303 198th St. SW., Lynnwood, WA 98036.