When the high school sports calendar flips to Nov. , athletes throughout the state turn their attention to postseason action.
It’s exactly the same on the Plateau where athletes from Enumclaw High and White River are competing in tournaments of their own – or about to enter the end-of-season fun.
Here’s where things stand through events of the weekend.
VOLLEYBALL
This sport heads into district play later than most, with opening-round matches slated for Nov. 14-15, split between Mount Tahoma and Silas high schools.
White River has completed an outstanding regular season that included a North Puget Sound League 2A championship, a 16-0 league record and an overall mark of 16-1.
Enumclaw completed its regular season Tuesday night with a road contest at Federal Way. EHS also looks to be highly-seeded into district play, sitting in second place (12-3 record) with just a single match remaining.
The district tournament will send five teams to the 3A state tourney, to be staged Nov. 21-22 at the Yakima Valley SunDome.
SOCCER
Both Plateau teams had received a first-round bye into the district soccer tournament and both were in action last night (Tuesday, Nov. 4). Results of those contests – White River vs. Thomas Jefferson and Enumclaw vs. Peninsula High – came too late to be included here.
Both Enumclaw High and White River were assured of a second district game, to be played Thursday, Nov. 6. The time and location was determined during the teams’ opening games.
The Plateau teams were the class of the NPSL 3A during the regular season. White River captured the league title with a 15-1 record and Enumclaw was No. 2 at 12-2-2.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Both Plateau schools were well represented during Saturday’s Westside Classic, a district meet that sent the top five teams and 35 individuals to the coming Class 3A state meet.
The state festivities are slated for Nov. 8 at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco.
In the final team standings, White River landed at No. 2 in the Classic field of 16, trailing only Gig Harbor. EHS missed out on team qualifying, finishing eighth.
Competing in the Classic for White River were Paeton Poelman, who placed third among 116 finishers with a time of 19:41.5. Teammates included Maddi Larson, ninth place, 20:51.9; Victoria Blakley, 19th, 20:53.6; Zoie Klimkiewicz, 29th, 21:59.4; Lily Rodarte, 40th, 23:11.4; Naomi Carthum, 49th, 23:54.4; and Hannah Dehnert, 55th, 24:27.0.
Enumclaw’s finishers were Lillian Haas, who placed 19th with a time of 21:19.5; Avery Marecle, 52nd, 24:14.1; Harmon Hitztaler, 53rd, 24:19.7; Kyleah Siemion, 65th, 24:56.1; Sydney Poe, 67th, 25:01.0; Stella Grant, 84th, 26:07.2; and Emily Haas, 93rd, 26:49.0.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
The boys side of the Westside Classic qualified six teams and 42 individuals to the coming Class 3A state meet in Pasco.
EHS is advancing as a full team after placing sixth and White River missed out after a ninth-place showing.
Enumclaw’s finishers included Caleb Massey, who placed 18th with a time of 17:53.8; Elliott Cheney, 23rd, 18:05.8; Ellis Behrens, 42nd, 18:34.4; Liam Harding, 45th, 18:46.1; Spencer Ballard, 50th, 18:53.6; Melvin Johnson, 57th, 19:03.1; and Jack Blair, 97th, 20:29.0.
On the White River side, the team was paced by Cannon Ross, who placed 18th in the field of 117 with a time of 17:49.5. Teammates included Mateo Anderson, 33rd, 18:20.8; Jaxon DeVos, 53rd, 18:55.8; Nathaniel Brooke, 70th, 19:35.8; Owen McOmber, 77th, 19:42.4; William Stevenson, 82nd, 19:52.0; and Caden Bailey, 107th, 21:12.7.
BOYS TENNIS
The lone surviving Plateau entry into West Central District competition was the Enumclaw High doubles pair of William Stuenkel and King Gisa.
They made the most of their district opportunity. After receiving an opening-round bye the Hornet duo won two matches to reach the district’s championship match. They dropped the finale but will head to the state tournament as the district’s No. 2 seed.
Tennis features a split season, with state competition coming in the spring. Stuenkel and Gisa will test their talents in May at the Class 3A tourney, to be staged in Clark County at the Vancouver Tennis Center.
