Freeman determined to land state berth

There’s something to be said about maturity. It is the main reason, said coach Chad Ripke, that Freeman reigns as Northeast A League baseball champion.

“The core nucleus has been with me now for three years,” said Ripke. “We now have a lot of juniors and seniors. About seven of the kids play in the summer and fall. They live and die for baseball.”

The Scotties (16-1) lost only to Newport this year, capturing the Northeast A League championship and are playing today for a chance at only their third state tournament appearance.

They open against Chelan in the first of two NEA/Caribou Trail League district tournament games in Colfax. Chewelah plays Cascade in the other with the winners and losers meeting afterward.

Lakeside is in Wenatchee against Omak.

All games are at 1:30 p.m.

“We missed state by a game last year,” said Ripke. “It didn’t end the way we wanted and the players are really driven this year to get to Yakima.”

Nearly all played on Freeman’s state qualifying American Legion teams of 2006 and ‘07 in preparation.

Two, Tyler Ford and Pat Kestell, are planning to continue on at Spokane Falls next year, said Ripke. Ford went 5-0 pitching, with 44 strikeouts in 36 innings and a 0.39 earned run average, while hitting .444. Kestell hit .413, led the team in runs scored and stolen bases.

Abe Mega, at 5-1, is Freeman’s No. 2 pitcher, leader in doubles and has a .362 batting average. Catcher Jake Sullivan batted .400.

Of the juniors, Beau Barnes is hitting .460 with a .920 slugging average. He hit three home runs and drove in 25.

“He really blossomed this year,” said Ripke.

“How many games have they played over the past three seasons – 40 in the summer, 20 in the fall and 20 in spring. They’re starting to reap the benefits.”

Baseball playoff plethora

Baseball postseason tournaments in all classifications are being contested this week. Here are quick takes on other events beginning today or Wednesday.

4A: District 8 competition begins Wednesday with Rogers traveling to Ferris, in a likely matchup between Division I recruits Jake Partridge and Andrew Kittredge, and Gonzaga Prep at Central Valley, the third straight year they’ve played a loser-out contest.

3A: Mt. Spokane entertains Kennewick (winner to state), North Central plays host to Hanford and East Valley is at West Valley-Yakima (loser out), all today.

2A: Cheney plays host to Colville and Pullman entertains Medical Lake in loser-out games today. The winners advance to play at either league champion West Valley or runner-up Clarkston on Wednesday.

Softball tradeoff

University won the coin toss so Central Valley gets to be the home team when the two teams sort out second place today for District 8 4A seeding purposes.

“The book says it will be played at a neutral site,” said softball coordinator Ken VanSickle. “But both coaches felt it didn’t make sense to take the game out of the Valley and away from our fans and two of the best fields in town.”

They agreed that whoever won the flip for home site would be visiting team. The Titans stay home, the Bears bat second.

Just as envisioned

First-year Central Valley boys soccer coach Andres Monrroy wasn’t surprised the Bears qualified for state Friday with their shootout win over Mead.

“That was our goal in the beginning,” he said, “to win the league and now getting to go to state.”

The Bears outshot Mead 4-2 in penalty kicks following a scoreless regulation and two overtimes. They play either Pasco or Wenatchee at home Friday at 7 p.m.

Mead faces Ferris today, 5 p.m. at Albi Stadium, the winner advancing against the Pasco-Wenatchee loser for the region’s third state berth.

Tigers golfers test selves

Both Lewis and Clark boys and girls teams won Greater Spokane League team championships. Now they test themselves individually during this week’s district tournaments that advance nine golfers in each to state.

Tiger Chessy Thomas, by way of St. George’s, was medalist in three of five girls GSL matches. She finished fourth in state last year. Mead’s Lauren Howell and Brittany Wilcox (top-25 state placers) won the others meets and University’s Kaitlen Parsons finished between second and fourth each week in league.

LC’s boys had six golfers break 80 during the year with not much separating last week’s match medalist Connor Moran from Christian Alfaro (13th in state last year), Peter Gullickson, Justin Haase or Pete Heiskell.

Mead’s Erick Henderson was twice a GSL medalist. Gonzaga Prep’s Robert Seibly and University’s Hank Frame won the others. Tanner Robb, Central Valley (seventh) and Frame (11th) are returning state placers.

•District 8 tennis tournaments begin today and continue through the week.