Gsl Maximizes Chances For Crown

State softball

No previous State 4A fastpitch softball tournament has included more than two teams from the Greater Spokane League.

Yet the GSL reached its limit this year, snaring all four state berths available to Region IV teams.

The 16-team state tourney opens Friday at Salmon Creek Complex in Vancouver, and every other game will include a GSL team.

University (23-2), making its third consecutive appearance, opens at 11:30 a.m. against Gig Harbor. Titans coach Ken VanSickle said he knows little about the Tides, but tends to think that more talented teams are in the opposite bracket.

Shadle Park (16-9), making its first state trip, and Mead (20-5) are in the bracket opposite U-Hi. Mead opens at 9:30 a.m. against Kentlake (20-4) and could face two-time defending champion Columbia River (16-4) in its second game.

Shadle draws Puyallup in its opener and may meet Kamiak (19-2), a returner, in its second game.

Ferris (15-11), in U-Hi’s bracket, opens against ‘97 runner-up Rogers of Puyallup (21-4).

Play will continue until 7:30 Friday night and pick up early Saturday morning. The title game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

3A fastpitch at Tacoma

West Valley (21-3) qualified for its 12th state tourney in 14 years.

The Eagles’ classification in ‘97 was AA/A/B fastpitch. In one of the strangest tourneys on record, rain delayed crowning a champion for five days. The tourney shifted from Tacoma to Yakima, where WV shared third place with three other teams, including East Valley and Colville, because games weren’t completed.

WV opens against Blanchet. An opening win may bring a matchup with last year’s AA/A/B champion, Capital of Olympia. Capital had just one senior on its ‘97 roster.

2A/1A fastpitch at Yakima

Colville (23-0), one of the favorites, opens at 8 a.m. against Foster in its drive for something better than a four-way tie for third.

Colville has outscored rivals 247-14 with senior pitcher Tarrah Brown (19-0) throwing 11 shutouts.

Freeman (19-5) opens at noon against Montesano. Scotties pitcher Leslie White was 18-0 until last Saturday’s 5-0 loss to Brown and Colville in the District 7 finals.

Kettle Falls (13-12) opens at 10 a.m. against Othello, an AA/A/B semifinalist last year.

B slowpitch at Yakima

Defending state co-champ Garfield-Palouse (24-1) opens at noon against Panorama League tourney champ Northwest Christian (20-6). Gar-Pal has hit 52 homers this year, with sophomore Sandra Tronsen (16), senior Holly Shelden (14) and junior Nancy Sheffler (12) leading the way.

Davenport (21-3), which defeated GarPal this year, opens at noon vs. ‘97 semifinalist Touchet (21-4).

Cascade Christian, which shared the crown with Gar-Pal when rain ended the title game early, opens at 10 a.m. against Mossyrock.

Half of the 16 entrants are from districts 7 and 9.