Put a bow on this year’s prep season.
And what a season it was. It always seems to end with a frantic flourish with three separate state championships going on simultaneously the final weekend.
For the first time in a while, there are no spring state champions from the Olympic Peninsula, but that doesn’t detract from some amazing performances. The Forks softball team had an absolutely amazing run in the 2B tournament, making it to the championship game and finishing second in the state. The Spartans are fairly young, so look for them to make noise next year.
Another very young softball team is the Port Angeles Roughriders, who finished fourth in the state. They’re graduating pitcher Cheyenne Zimmer and a pair of sluggers in Taylor Worthingon and Lily Halberg, but otherwise, most of the team will be back and will likely be dangerous next year.
And the East Jefferson and Sequim girls track teams are amazing. The Rivals can be considered a legitimate contender for a team state title next year. The Wolves likewise bring back the entirety of their tough girls relay teams.
In tennis, the Olympic Peninsula had three players in the semifinals of two state tournaments, with Port Angeles’ Reef Gelder and Sequim’s Garrett Little facing each other. Little won and finished second in the state while in the girls’ tournament, Sequim’s Kendall Hastings finished third.
What a year overall. I’ll never forget that amazing Port Angeles-Sequim football game that the Wolves won in the last five seconds. Or the Port Angeles-Sequim basketball game in which the Riders’ Parker Nickerson uncorked three tomahawk dunks.
The great run by the Peninsula College basketball women and even the heartbreak of their team ravaged by injuries in the championship game.
Phew, and now we take a deep breath. Briefly.
Because the work doesn’t end.
June remains a busy time of year for local sports with the Port Angeles Lefties beginning their season Friday and their West Coast League home season beginning June 9. The North Olympic Discovery Marathon is on Saturday and Sunday and the Wilder American Legion teams begin play in June. Believe me, we will stay plenty busy, especially with all the fishing and other outdoors activities that take place in the Olympic Peninsula summer paradise. And I’m sure we will have plenty of stories about local athletes making college signings.
Add to that plenty of Mariners and MLB All-Star news we expect all summer.
Even when the summer events come to a close in August, practice begins for the fall preps.
On a personal note, you may see me climbing up and down the big stairs in downtown Port Angeles this summer as I try to get in shape for some summer hiking. I hope to climb a couple of mountains in Jasper National Park in August — if the fires in Alberta die down. I can’t exactly train at Hurricane Ridge at the moment, and we’re all crossing our fingers that the National Park Service can open the road and parking lot soon. But for now, it’s the Port Angeles stairs for me.
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Sports Editor Pierre LaBossiere can be contacted at plabossiere@peninsuladailynews.com.
