Wesco's Top Athletes Ready For State Meets -- Mariner Leads Way In District Softball

Athletes from the Western Conference earned berths over the weekend in the various spring state tournaments at district and regional competitions.

Here's a look at upcoming state tournaments, which are Friday and Saturday in various locations:

-- After finishing third in WesCo AAA, the Mariner Marauders won four games to capture the Wes-King bi-district softball tournament. The Marauders, under first-year coach Darlene Miller, beat Bothell 3-2 for the district title Saturday at Marysville-Pilchuck. The Marauders (19-5) advanced to the title game by beating Snohomish 2-1 in the semifinals, Woodinville 4-0 and Sammamish 3-2.

Marysville-Pilchuck (18-4), the WesCo runner-up, placed third in the tournament to earn a state berth. The state tournament is at South End Recreation Area in Tacoma.

-- The WesCo will send three teams to the Class AA state softball tournament - district champion Meadowdale, runner-up Kamiak and Arlington. The Chiefs (20-2), coached by Vance Spangler, won the district title by beating Kamiak 6-3. The Knights (16-5) finished second to become the first in school history to qualify for the state tournament in a team sport. Arlington (11-12), which entered the tournament as the No. 5 seed, claimed the final berth with a 1-0 win over Lake Stevens.

The Class AA state tournament is at Franklin Fields and Garry Park in Spokane.

-- Led by two-time district champion Stephen Lee of Mariner, the WesCo will send nine golfers to the Class AAA boys state tournament. Lee, a senior, shot a two-round total of 148 to win the district title by two strokes over Marysville-Pilchuck's Jason Himple. Lee won the district title as a sophomore.

Also qualifying for state were Snohomish's Eric Toomey, Everett's Tom Niva and Kyle Schmidt, Cascade's Chad Roraback and James Collins, Mariner's Kyle Stickle and Oak Harbor's Lucas Horrobin.

The Bruins captured the team district title.

The WesCo will send an eight-golfer contingent, led by district champion Kylie Smith of Everett, to the Class AAA girls state tournament. Other WesCo golfers to qualify for state were Cascade's Angie Park, Tricia McClain and Eyren Risdon, Oak Harbor's Lisa Wasinger, Everett's Meredith Lamb and Shoreline's Chris Francis.

The Class AAA girls and boys golf tournaments are at Lipoma Firs, Puyallup.

-- South Whidbey sophomore Andrea Hehn leads a pack of WesCo AA golfers into state. Hehn, who won the Class A/B state title last season, won the Northwest District title Friday at Bellingham Golf & Country Club with an 81.

Also qualifying for the girls state tournament from WesCo were Jenny Bloss, Amy Riesinger, Sara Swaney and Christine Sanders of Lake Stevens, Kim Goodwin of Monroe and Beth Hoiby of Kamiak.

In the boys district tournament, Lynnwood's Mitch Bourgault finished second with a 75, four shots behind medalist Paul Walker of Mount Vernon. Joining Bourgault at state from WesCo will be Rob Rashell and Drew Thomas of Lake Stevens, Brett Schlameus of Meadowdale, Dave Adams of South Whidbey, Owen Lewis of Monroe and Connor Duncan of Bainbridge.

The Class AA state boys tournament will be at Meadowdale Golf Course; the girls competition at Liberty Lake.

-- The WesCo will send only Cascade senior Jennifer Radford to the Class AAA state tennis tourney. Radford placed third as a freshman and sophomore and fifth last season.

Qualifying in the fall for the state boys tournament were Cascade's Clayton Harris and Zach Harris in singles and, in doubles, Matt Rorvik and Brady Fife of Cascade and Everett's Tom Niva and Ryan Cooper.

The Class AAA state tournaments will be Clover Park High School and Lakewood Racquet-Sport Club.

-- Bainbridge and Shorecrest will each send three players to the Class AA girls state tennis tournament. The Spartans qualified the Northwest District doubles champion duo of Kirsta Orr and Alison Casey along with Alison Swain, who was second in singles. Shorecrest will send a doubles team of Charlotte Grimes and Lydia Kim, and Tami Chen in singles.

Qualifying in the fall for the state boys tournament were Kamiak's Sam Kim and Monroe's Colin Resch in singles, and in doubles, Lynnwood's Andy Harvey and Ken Ahlstrom and Monroe's Travis Klein and Garrett Pagon.

The Class AA state tournaments will be at Ferris High School and the Spokane Racquet Club.

-- Oak Harbor (15-2-2), the WesCo runner-up, will play Jefferson (17-3) in the semifinals of the Class AAA state boys soccer tournament Friday at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup. The Wildcats, coached by John Connell, beat Decatur 1-0 Friday to qualify for the semifinals.

-- The Lynnwood Royals, paced by five members who won eight district championships, will be one of the teams to beat at the Class AA state track meet. District champions from Lynnwood are Johnny Garthe (long jump, 400), Tyler Rose (200), Ben Lindsey (discus, shot put), Kurt Kalbrener (high jump) and the 400 relay and 1,600 relay teams of Tim Woolsey, Rose, Kalbrener and Garthe.

Other district champions from WesCo were Greg Ortman (triple jump) and Dave Tjaarda (javelin) of Monroe.

Shorecrest's Sheri Goodwin, a double district champion in the 1,600 and 3,200, leads the WesCo contingent for the girls state meet. Other district champions from WesCo were Monroe's Alyssa Pagon (400), Lynnwood's Kieu Vu (triple jump) and the Lake Stevens 1,600 relay team of Vickie Fortin, Liz Javier-Funk, Allison Sanders and Stephanie Benfield.

The Class AA state meet is at Spokane Falls Community College.

-- The WesCo AAA had five district champions in both the boys and girls competition at the Wes-King bi-district track meet Friday. Oak Harbor's Levar McClary was a double-winner, taking first in the 200 and long jump. Other champions from WesCo were Oak Harbor's Wes Young (high jump), Snohomish's Quentin Moffitt (triple jump) and Marysville-Pilchuck's Jared Rome (discus).

In the girls competition, Mariner's Kennethia Ishman and Bala Dodoye-Alali tied for first in the triple jump at 35-10. Other district champions from WesCo were Snohomish's Joleen Schwarzmiller (200), Shorewood's Rebekah Ulmer (1,600), Mariner's Beth Robbins (3,200) and Edmonds-Woodway's Dionna Anderson (shot put).

The Class AAA state track meet is at Tacoma's Lincoln Bowl.

-- Cascade (18-5) is in the semifinals of the Class AAA baseball tournament for the second straight year after winning the Region I tournament. The sixth-ranked Bruins, coached by Bob Smithson, will face South Kitsap (21-2) in the semifinals at Tacoma's Cheney Stadium.

-- Lake Stevens (19-4) will make its first appearance in the semifinals of the Class AA baseball tournament after winning the Region I competition. The Vikings, coached by Rodger Anderson, will play No. 1 ranked Lindbergh (20-2) at 4 p.m. Friday at Spokane's Seafirst Stadium.