A handful of all-league performers were lost to graduation, but veteran baseball coach Mike Williams still has plenty of depth in his White River High talent pool.
This year’s group will look to continue a run of success that, in the past four seasons, includes two league titles, two trips to the state 2A tournament and frequent appearances in the state’s Top 10 rankings.
Williams calls the recent run of success “a thing of pride.”
But it’s also history and each season brings a new story. On the opening day of practice, Williams reported, “This year’s team is ready to work hard and see what happens.”
The longtime Hornet skipper has a few key contributors he knows he can count on.
The list starts with senior catcher Riley Johnson, a four-year letterman and second-team all-league pick a season ago. Locked in at catcher, he will see both ends of the battery this time around, also spending time on the mound.
Junior outfielder Braden Fjeld, who received honorable mention on last season’s all-league roster, is “a strong bat and great defensive player,” Williams said. And Cole Richey will pitch plenty of innings while also playing third base.
“We have a host of other players that will make great contributions this season and we are excited for them,” Williams said.
Coming off a season in which they advanced to play three games in the district tournament, the Hornets will get their first taste of action this weekend with a trip across the Cascade Mountains. On Friday, White River tackles Wapato and Saturday brings a game against East Valley-Yakima. Aside from the long road trip, White River’s preseason schedule includes a host of larger, Class 3A opponents, including a game at Enumclaw on March 18.
“We will be challenged to say the least,” Williams said.
The 2016 season has taken on special significance as Williams has announced it will be his final campaign as coach. A White River graduate, he headed the Hornet program in 1989 and made stops in Yelm and Enumclaw before taking over for good in 1997. He has an overall record of 267-200.
After playing for state title, Hornet girls looking to keep momentum
The White River High fastpitch program will surely feel the loss of Kayla Smith, the three-time league pitcher of the year, but opponents aren’t exactly feeling sorry for Hornet coach Brandon Walker. After all, he still has five players returning who picked up postseason honors a year ago.
And those five helped take the Hornet program to heights never before experienced in the world of White River fastpitch.
The Hornets are coming off a 2015 season in when they won the South Puget Sound League 3A championship, captured the district title and then battled their way to the Class 2A state championship game. Following a 3-2 loss in the state finale, the White River girls traveled home with second-place hardware.
Walker and this year’s diamond crew began turnouts Feb. 29 and will take the field for the first time March 22, traveling for a nonleague encounter at Auburn Riverside.
Anchoring the squad are honored returnees are sophomore infielder Megan Vandegrift, who was a first-team all-league pick a season ago; senior Jordanne Fray, a first-team outfielder; senior infielder Natalie Vollandt and junior catcher Ashley Long, both second-team selections last year; and senior infielder Maddie Meyer, an honorable mention pick in 2015.
The Hornet outfield is set with returnees Fray, Brittany Harder and Emma Walker and back to the infield are Vandegrift, Meyer and Ledbetter. Vollandt has logged plenty of innings as the team’s No. 2 pitcher and this year takes over the top spot. Sophomore Maddi Pipitone will also throw some innings.
“We have a strong group returning who know what it is like for the team to play at a high level,” Walker said, following the first week of practice. “Offensively we have a lineup that has proven they can score against the top pitchers in the state. We plan to contend for the SPSL league title and make a run into postseason.”
