Colville enters as favorite again

Scot Stuart’s name has been in The Spokesman-Review a handful of times as a public defender in Omak, but never in his moonlighting capacity as a softball coach.

Stuart, a former club coach, is entering his fourth year at the helm of the Colville Indians, since moving there as a Stevens County prosecutor and replacing Clyde Brown.

The Indians haven’t missed a beat in their capacity as the Great Northern League’s preeminent program. The Indians have won every league title since joining the GNL in 2003, finishing unbeaten the last two seasons.

“Nobody remembers the last time we didn’t win,” Stuart said of a team that graduated seven seniors who took 28 home runs with them. “It’s kind of a burden.”

Two veteran pitchers, both juniors, will hold the fort until other youngsters, including two sophomores and two freshmen, acclimate themselves to the GNL.

His daughter, first baseman Moe Stuart, and infielder/outfielder Jennica Ebel are among other returnees who provide experience for a team that last year finished fourth in state.

“We’re going to be different,” Scot Stuart said. “We’re really young and it’s probably the fastest team I’ve ever had. We’re going to be running a lot.”

Betting against the Indians is difficult, even though Stuart expects a four-team race.

“I have a feeling there will be more close games,” he said.

Stuart expressed surprise at some early outcomes, among them the fact that West Valley ace Rachel Meagley was beaten when the Eagles and Pullman split.

“No excuses,” Eagles coach Paul Cooley said of the loss. “But three of my starters were gone over spring break.”

Cooley said Colville has the best hitters to go with two good pitchers. Clarkston swept Cheney behind pitcher Riley Swanson, who Cooley said is “athletic and hits for power.”

NEA

For the last two years Lakeside has been a top-four State 1A program.

“We’re hopeful to get back to state and place in the top four again,” coach Chuck Moffatt said.

The Eagles return all but three players. But Moffatt thinks the team can be even stronger on the mound, which dovetails with a strategy developed a couple of years ago when he wasn’t sure a starter would return who eventually did.

“We spend probably 65-70 percent of practice now hitting,” he said. “We are scoring 10 or 11 runs per game. Defense is always solid and that’s our recipe.”

Junior Lauryn Bassen, back this year from a knee injury, and freshman Vanessa Ahrendt take over on the mound. Replacing a league co-MVP catcher is a priority. Everywhere else Lakeside is in good shape.

State qualifier Freeman was hardest hit by graduation, but the Scotties defeated Chewelah 5-2 on the road Tuesday.

“My assistant bumped into Chewelah coach Tom Skok and was told this could be their year,” Moffatt said. “Freeman coaches asked us to go easy on them this year, but they have expectations going in that they’ll be successful.”

Kettle Falls has a new coach in William Clark.