Freeman Scotties seek first state championship game

The third time is a charm for the Freeman Scotties.

Freeman takes on Cedar Park Christian of Bothell in the semifinals of the state Class 1A baseball tournament Friday at Yakima County Stadium.

It will be the third consecutive appearance for the Scotties in the semifinals. They are in search of their first trip to the state championship game.

Freeman (21-2) got to the semifinals with a 9-0 win over Connell in the quarterfinals last week in Moses Lake. Desmond Parisotto allowed four hits and fanned five to earn a complete-game win.

McKabe Cottrell worked eight innings, striking out 13, in a 2-1 win over Naches Valley in a first-round game and capped his performance by belting a walk-off home run in the 10th inning. Simon Rooney worked two innings to earn the win in relief.

Lewis and Clark sends the brother-sister combo of Kyle and Brooke Fager to compete for singles titles at the state Class 4A tennis tournament at Hanford High School in Richland.

Each won their respective regional title last weekend.

Kyle Fager opens against Kane Vu of Bellarmine Prep. Brooke faces Tayva Jacobsen of Sumner in her opener.

Mead brothers Edward and Eric Liu face Chris Sheppert and Joey Gaylor of Skyview in their opener of the Class 4A doubles tournament.

Ferris’ Kjersti Strandness and Brook Goodwin open the girls Class 4A doubles tournament against Erica Dillard and Mia Rosa of Thomas Jefferson High in Federal Way. University’s Katie Smithgall and Randy Murrock open against Maggie Smith and Sarah Chow of Bellarmine Prep.

The state track meet opens with any number of interesting stories.

East Valley’s Rodrick Fisher owns the state’s fastest time in the 100 meters in any classification (10.49 seconds) and heads the field in the state Class 2A meet.

Fisher has been getting some additional coaching this season from Anthony Buchanan, the U-Hi sprint standout who still holds the Class 4A state meet record of 10.43.

East Valley assistant coach Bryce Aguilar is the son of first-year U-Hi boys track coach Ernie Aguilar.

One of Aguilar’s first missions with the Titans was to bring back Buchanan as an assistant coach. When the younger Aguilar approached his dad about having the sprint legend take a look at Fisher’s form and, perhaps, working with him, all parties jumped on board immediately.

Fisher’s times, as with most of the state’s top marks at the state level, keep creeping lower and lower. To win a state title, in most instances, it will take a personal best performance.

“That’s the way it should be,” University girls coach Liz Wardsworth said. “That just goes to show you that the hard work and the coaching these kids are getting is paying off.”

Any number of area athletes are capable of just such a performance to win a state title this weekend.

Amir Ado of Ferris owns one of the best times in the state at 3200 meters, and he doubles in the 1600 state field.

Joseph Heitman of Mead is one of five runners to run the 110 meter hurdles in under 15 seconds. The same is true of his sub-40-second time coming into the 300 hurdles.

If that’s not enough, he’s also the favorite coming into the state long-jump with a mark of 23-06.

Area relay teams have solid shots in the boys meet, with Mead fielding a strong group in the 4x100 and Ferris among the favorites in the 4x400.

Kearan Nelson of Central Valley has the second-fastest time coming into the state 3200 meter field with a time of 10:32.03. She is one of just three runners to clock in under 11 minutes in the state field.