Unbeaten Lakeside on quite a roll

How good is Lakeside’s baseball team?

Coach Matt Sullivan is reluctant to say, considering the Eagles moved down in classification and have faced new opposition.

What he does know is that last year they were “a controversial call from the 2A final four,” and a veteran group has entered uncharted territory.

“We’ve never been undefeated this late in a season before,” Sullivan said.

Lakeside ran its overall record to 18-0 (14-0 in league) with 13-3 and 11-5 wins over Freeman and has run away with the Northeast A League. With a game remaining tomorrow in Chewelah, the Eagles, ranked first among 1A teams in a state poll, lead NEA foes by seven games.

Lakeside has also beaten Pullman, Cheney, Medical Lake and Riverside from the Great Northern League.

“We’ve never been ranked No. 1” said Sullivan, who generally discounts polls. “To some extent it is kind of an honor when you’re recognized as a not half-bad ball club.”

Pitching – like Greater Spokane League champ Mt. Spokane – is Lakeside’s strength. Seniors Anthony Froemke, Rylin Dukes and junior Kyle Stillar have divvied up the wins.

They also, said Sullivan, are the offensive leaders along with Travis Corigliano and No. 7 batter catcher Jake Graham who is hitting .400.

Dukes moved here a year ago from Forks. Freshman starting middle infielder Brenden Herzer came in from California.

“This is a nice, veteran team,” said Sullivan. “They’ve been a great group. I have to kick them off the field after practice. Even when we cut one short they hang around.”

On May 8, four NEA teams begin regional play against four from the Caribou Trail League. Four qualify for state.

•The GSL is also a one-team race with games remaining today, Wednesday and Thursday. League champion Mt. Spokane (16-1) leads by five games and will be joined by fourth-place North Central (11-8) in the 3A sub-regional against the Columbia Basin League that begins with games May 8 and continue at Mt. Spokane the following Saturday.

Class 4A district playoffs begin May 9 at Avista Stadium, but first the teams must sort themselves out. Mead and University (both 11-6) are tied for first and second.

The Panthers finish against East Valley and Shadle Park twice. The Titans play Mt. Spokane and finish with Rogers twice. Should either team falter, Ferris (9-8 following Saturday’s 22-0 win over the Pirates), is in the wings. The Saxons play Rogers again and finish against EV (5-12).

The Highlanders (7-10), Pirates (6-11), Central Valley (8-9) and Gonzaga Prep (7-11) are among others seeking six district playoff spots.

•The Great Northern League is still anybody’s guess with Friday doubleheaders to go. Pullman and West Valley are tied for first place with 9-3 records and Clarkston is a game back. The leaders have all split doubleheaders. Medical Lake, Colville and Cheney, not far back, will round out the six-team district field.

Closest foes face Shadle

Four dates remain for GSL softball teams and the final three pit Shadle Park (16-0) against their nearest challengers.

Thursday, the nation’s 19th ranked fastpitch team is at fourth-place Mead (12-4), then the Highlanders close out at home Friday and next Monday against second-place North Central (14-2) and third-place University (13-3).

Pitcher Sam Skillingstad has pitched no-hitters in four of her last five games and has been scored upon in only four games all year. Her 203 strikeouts average out to better than two per inning or more than 15 per game. All told, Highlanders opponents have combined to score eight runs and managed 19 hits.

•Into their final week of league play, Colville remains unbeaten in the Great Northern League, two games ahead of Pullman…Colfax has moved to the top of the Northeast A where two games separate four teams…Liberty is perfect in Bi-County.

Soccer enters playoffs

East Valley gave up just its second goal of the GSL soccer season while wrapping up its third straight title. They host a first-round match Saturday in a Class 3A regional heavily weighted with Columbia Basin League teams. The GSL’s No. 1 team faces the CBL No. 2. Mt. Spokane will be at CBL No. 3.

The GSL 4A teams begin district play with loser-out matches at Albi Stadium on Wednesday. The top two seeds, University and Lewis and Clark, play for a state berth there Friday, 7 p.m.

Bears take step

Central Valley hasn’t won a Greater Spokane League boys track championship in the league’s 31 years. But by piling up running events points in a meet against Mead and Lewis and Clark, the Bears (7-0) won respective 80-65 and 74.5-70.5 victories to put them a meet away from doing so. CV hosts Ferris (5-2), Shadle Park and University on Thursday.

In the same meet, the unbeaten Highlanders and once-beaten Saxons compete for the girls championship, with Mead (6-1) interested in the outcome.

I.E. tennis upcoming

The annual Inland Empire Tennis Tournament is Friday and Saturday and comes following conclusion of the GSL season.

Unbeaten Ferris’ boys and girls are poised to complete their second straight sweep of the leagues. Both are 9-0 with matches remaining against Central Valley. The Saxons boys have a two-match lead over Lewis and Clark and Mt. Spokane. The girls are one up on Mead.