Baseball league outlooks

WesCo North

Favorites — Marysville-Pilchuck, Lake Stevens, Snohomish, Stanwood.

Contenders — Mount Vernon, Cascade.

Players to watch — OF/IF/P Matt Stevens, Lake Stevens, Sr.; C James Day, Marysville-Pilchuck, Sr.; 3B Kevin Rodland, Snohomish, So.; DH/P Ben Bishop, Arlington, Sr.; OF Jeremy Stevens, Cascade, Sr.; OF Blake Snow, Cascade, Sr.; P/SS Matt Fields, Lake Stevens, Sr.; P Jesse Schmidt, Marysville-Pilchuck, Sr.; OF Josh Short, Marysville-Pilchuck, Jr.; P/1B Joe Garcia, Mount Vernon, Sr.; SS Brandon Herring, Mount Vernon, Jr.; C Josh Northrup, Stanwood, Sr.

Notable — Monroe senior Nick Recor, limited by injury a year ago, returned to the mound this spring to toss back-to-back complete games with nine and 13 strikeouts. ... Mount Vernon lost 10 seniors from the team that won the second of back-to-back WesCo North titles. Despite also missing three injured starters, the Bulldogs started 4-0.

— J.R. Rardon

WesCo South

Favorites — Jackson, Edmonds-Woodway.

Contenders — Kamiak, Shorewood, Shorecrest.

Players to watch — SS/P Pat Allen, Jackson, Sr.; P Brian Ouellette, Kamiak, Sr.; 3B/P Jake Beattiger, Edmonds-Woodway, Sr.; SS Kiel Lillebridge, Jackson, Sr.; 1B Travis Snyder, Jackson, So.; C/OF Todd Matthews, Kamiak, Sr.; P/SS A.J. Collins, Shorecrest, Sr.; IF Eric Christopherson, Shorewood, Sr.; CF Titus Lester, Edmonds-Woodway, Sr.; P/1B Tyler Levin, Everett, Sr.; OF Greg Heist, Mariner, Sr.; CF Justin Lucero, Meadowdale, Jr.

Notable — Jackson returns three first- or second-team all-WesCo South players. It would be four, but first-team DH Johnnie Kirton opted to compete in track and field. ... Kamiak RHP Ouellette is a returning first-team selection and consensus coaches' favorite for player of year. He has signed to play for Gonzaga. ... Scott Watson is coaching at Mariner after four years as a Mountlake Terrace assistant.

— J.R. Rardon

SPSL North

Favorites — Auburn, Enumclaw, Kentwood.

Contenders -Kentridge, Sumner.

Players to watch — OF/P K.C. Herren, Auburn, Sr.; OF Kyle Gilbert, Auburn, Sr.; P Matt Hague, Kentwood, Sr.; P/C Nathan Soper, Kentwood, Sr.; C Trent Smith, Enumclaw, Sr.; SS Bradley Boyer, Enumclaw, Jr.; SS Kyle Ressler, Sumner, Sr.; 1B/P Alex Rawlings, Sumner, Sr.; P/1B Nick Hagadone, Sumner, Sr.; P Mason Tobin, Kentridge, Jr.; 3B Andrew Thiesen, Kentridge, Sr.; 1B/P Jordan Binning, Kentlake, Sr.; P/SS Danny Meier, Tahoma, Sr.; P/OF Daniel Ulrich, Tahoma, Jr.; P/SS Dan Regan, Kent-Meridian, Sr.

Notable — Hague and Herren have committed to Washington, while Smith is headed to WSU. ... Boyer is the younger brother of Billy Boyer, who signed with the Anaheim Angels last summer after being drafted in the 19th round. Bradley moves from 2B to SS, where his brother started. ... Ressler (.500) and Herren (.477) finished 2-3 in the SPSL North batting race last season behind now-graduated Kevin Carrigan of Kentridge, who hit a record .617. ... Hague had the lowest ERA in the division at 0.40. He allowed just two earned runs in 35 innings, going 3-1.

— Sandy Ringer

SPSL South

Favorites — Federal Way, Curtis, Puyallup.

Contenders — Spanaway Lake, Jefferson, Decatur.

Players to watch — OF Thomas Watts, Federal Way, Sr.; P/OF/1B Kyle Henselman, Federal Way, Sr.; P/3B/OF Jon Flood, Federal Way, Jr.; P/1B Jay Walkup, Decatur, Jr.; OF Brady Nutt, Rogers, Sr.; SS Jake Adler, Rogers, Jr.; P Scott Deal, Curtis, Jr.; SS/P Sean McNaughton, Curtis, Sr.; 3B Chris Harris, Curtis, Sr.; P Josh Van Zuyt, Spanaway Lake, Sr.; SS Blake Willard, Puyallup, Sr.; SS Dusty Farkas, Jefferson, Sr.; OF Stephen Holland, Emerald Ridge, Sr.; 2B Keolo Rubin, Bethel, Sr.

Notable — Federal Way is seeking a fifth consecutive division title. The Eagles have finished second at state the past two years after winning the title in 2001. They return four starters and got a boost from three transfers, including Flood from Decatur. ... Puyallup, another perennial power, should benefit from the addition of Willard, who batted .482 last year at Franklin Pierce. ... Nutt is the top returning hitter in the division after batting .458 as a junior. ... Henselman was the RBI leader with 21.

— Sandy Ringer

KingCo 4A

Favorite — Woodinville.

Contenders — Lake Washington, Redmond, Eastlake, Bothell, Juanita.

Players to watch — RHP Casey Bollinger, Sr., Bothell; RHP/1B Bradley Clapp, Sr., Juanita; 3B Andy Durland, Sr., Garfield; RHP Paul Dickey, Jr., Lake Washington; C Joey Dunn, Sr., Inglemoor; C Eddy Gonzalez, Sr., Lake Washington; SS Paul Gran, Sr., Bothell; 1B/C Nick Hall, Sr., Woodinville; OF Andy Lentz, Sr., Woodinville; 3B Jim Murphy, Sr., Juanita; RHP Mike Ortman, Sr., Ballard; 3B/SS Nate Simon, Jr., Redmond; OF/RHP Sean Teague, Sr., Eastlake; SS/RHP Matt Tuiasosopo, Sr., Woodinville; RHP Duke Welker, Sr., Woodinville; LHP Erik Wright, Sr., Franklin; IF Luke Zimmerman, Sr., Roosevelt.

Notable — Woodinville, state champion in 2002, won the KingCo 4A title last year and entered this season ranked No. 32 nationally by Baseball America. Woodinville and Eastlake both lost in first round of state tournament last year. ... Conference features at least six Division I players, including Clapp (WSU), Dunn (UW), Hall (WSU), Lentz (UW), Murphy (WSU) and Welker (WSU). Tuiasosopo has signed to play football at UW, but could be an early draft pick in June. ... Lake Washington opened with three straight one-run victories, including two in extra innings. ... Garfield scored season's biggest upset, knocking off Woodinville 8-0 on March 18.

— Matt Peterson

KingCo 3A

Favorite — Issaquah.

Contenders — Skyline, Mount Si, Newport, Bellevue.

Players to watch — OF John Coombs, Sr., Bellevue; C Josh Corson, Sr., Mercer Island; 2B Mark Gray, Sr., Issaquah; RHP Zach Habben, Sr., Skyline; OF/RHP Dave Hatton, Jr., Liberty; OF Garrett Kimbrel, Sr., Liberty; LHP/1B Steve Kost, Sr., Bellevue; C Brandon Sales, Jr., Mount Si; RHP Julian Sampson, Fr., Skyline; LHP Josh Scofield, Sr., Newport; OF/RHP Alex Smart, Sr., Mount Si; OF Justin Smith, Sr., Newport; 1B Kyle Stalker, Jr., Sammamish; SS/RHP Scott Suttmeier, Sr., Issaquah; OF Benji Tornberg, Sr., Issaquah; SS Colby Wick, Sr., Sammamish; LHP Matt Wickswat, Sr., Issaquah; 1B Erik Woldseth, Sr., Issaquah; RHP Brian Yoakum, Sr., Issaquah.

Notable — Issaquah is loaded, returning seven starters and entire pitching staff from a team that finished third at state. ... Liberty is defending Class 3A state champion. ... Newport finished first in conference during regular season last year, but lost to Liberty and Issaquah in KingCo 3A tourney. ... Conference has at least five Division I players, including Kimbrel (WSU), Kost (WSU), Scofield (UW), Suttmeier (WSU) and Wickswat (Gonzaga). ... Mount Si returns virtually its entire team, including Smart, who has signed to play football at EWU. ... Cedarcrest upset Newport 10-9 last Thursday.

— Matt Peterson

Metro League Mountain Division

Favorites — Bishop Blanchet, O'Dea.

Contenders — Seattle Prep, Lakeside, Eastside Catholic, Bainbridge.

Players to watch — IF Shane Hoey, Sr., Bishop Blanchet; 3B/P Willie Campbell, Jr., Blanchet; C Tyler Klansnic, Sr., Blanchet; 3B Jason Buursma, Sr., Lakeside; IF Owen Bennion, Jr., Lakeside; P Joey Kotkins, Sr., Lakeside; C Matt Markovich, Sr., Lakeside; C Max Kwan, Jr., Seattle Prep; 1B/OF Calvin Anderson, Jr., Seattle Prep; P Barrett Kanyer, Jr., O'Dea; C Greg Lagreid, Jr., O'Dea; P/3B Kevin Roach, Sr., Bainbridge; P Nick Schultz, Sr., Bainbridge; CF Schyler Boone, Sr., Bainbridge; C/1B P.J. Ross, Sr., Eastside Catholic; P Ryan Fischesser, Sr., Eastside Catholic.

Notable — O'Dea is defending Metro champ and has advanced to state semifinals past two seasons. However, Irish lost 12 seniors from last year's team.

— Craig Smith

Metro League Sound Division

Favorite — Nathan Hale.

Contender — Ingraham, West Seattle, Chief Sealth.

Players to watch — OF/P Andy Wilzen, Sr., West Seattle; 1B Joey Wunder, Sr., West Seattle; SS Zack Elvig, Jr., Ingraham; 1B/P Kellen Skersies, Jr., Ingraham; IF Elliot Rivera-Flodine, Sr., Hale; 1B Daniel Seidel, Sr., Hale; P/IF Matt Fields, Sr., Rainier Beach; DH/OF Cordell Fisher, Jr., Chief Sealth.

Notable — West Seattle won division title and made it to second round of state playoffs last year, but several key players graduated. ... A newcomer to watch is Sealth senior P/OF Adam Williamson.

— Craig Smith

Seamount League King Division

Favorites — Mount Rainier, Highline, Tyee.

Contenders — Evergreen, Hazen, Lindbergh, Kennedy.

Players to watch — OF Marcus Faulkner, Highline, Sr.; OF Casey Rice, Highline, Sr.; P-1B Ben Guidos, Highline, So.; P Joe Hagen, Hazen, Sr.; Kyle Asahara, Hazen, Sr. 3B; C Andrew Snowdon, Lindbergh, Sr.; 2B Ryan Freed, Lindbergh, Sr.; 1B Jesse Campbell, Lindbergh, Sr.; P A.J. Le Compte, Tyee, Jr.; OF Kyle Howard, Tyee, Sr.; DH Manuel Mendoza, Evergreen, Jr.; P Jose Jimenez, Evergreen, Sr.; P-C Alex Burg, Mount Rainier, Jr.; P/1B Dan Betenson, Mount Rainier, Sr.; P/SS Justin Weckhorst, Mount Rainier, Jr.; CF Matt Kord, Mount Rainier, Sr.; SS Kyle Montgomery, Kennedy, Jr.; 1B/P Chris Jackson, Kennedy, Sr.; P/C Tony Rees, Kennedy, Jr.; C Connor McCoy, Renton, Jr.; P/SS/3B Matt Anzai, Renton, Jr.

Notable — Highline returns all but one starter and could challenge Mount Rainier, which has won or shared last three division titles. Pirates have eight pitchers, if needed, including LHP Guidos (4-0, 2.03 ERA as freshman). Faulkner, last year's division MVP, hit .529 and stole 25 of 26 bases. ... Hazen's Hagen was 7-0 with 0.95 ERA. ... Mount Rainier RHP Burg can throw 90 mph.

— Matt Massey

Seamount League Pierce Division

Favorite — Peninsula.

Contenders — White River, Fife, Lakes.

Players to watch — P/C Aaron Parente, Fife, So.; P-OF Chris Bessette, Fife, Sr.; 1B Brandon Ereth, Fife, Jr.; P A.J. Huttenlocker, White River, Sr.; SS Jason Erickson, White River, Jr.; 2B Tyler Slawson, White River, Sr.; OF Bo Hubbard, White River, Sr.; P Matt Brentin, Peninsula, Sr.; C Josh Hasbrook, Peninsula, Sr.; OF Jonathan Hagen, Peninsula, Jr.; OF Mike Roncevich, Peninsula, Sr.; 2B Danton Julian, Lakes, Sr.; P/RF Billy Spurr, Lakes, Jr.; C-OF Clay Church, Lakes, So.; P/SS Tavita Pritchard, Clover Park, Jr.; P/Utility Calvin Smith, Clover Park, Sr.; P/SS/OF Ernesto Rodriguez, Clover Park, Sr.; P/OF Jeff Tripplet, Franklin Pierce, Sr.

Notable — Peninsula, defending district and league champ, should ride defense and hitting to another crown. Brentin, the 2003 division MVP, batted .417 and had a 0.80 ERA. Hasbrook hit .469. ... White River's Huttenlocker might be best pitcher in division. ... Fife should have best 1-2 pitching combo in Parente, who threw a no-hitter as a freshman, and Bessette. ... Lakes' Julian hit over .400 last season and committed no errors at 2B.

— Matt Massey