New faces add to new era for Friday Harbor softball | Spring Sports Preview

By Hayley Day • March 13, 2018 7:47 am
Staff photo/Hayley Day From left to right, bottom row: Savannah Hoffman and Milli Holt; Middle row: Annika Janson, Bristol Halverson, Fallon Taylor, Olivia Brown, Olivia McMillan, Darcy Ayers, Jayna Ott, Grace Pauls, Thea Seitz, and Soma Andrews; Top row: Marcella Kirkland, Raylee Miniken, Rachel Starr, Ava Hoffman, Bailee Lambright, Siri Lindstrum, Stella McCauley, Liz Cruz, Jacquilyn Olsen, and Molly Tagney
Staff photo/Hayley Day From left to right, bottom row: Savannah Hoffman and Milli Holt; Middle row: Annika Janson, Bristol Halverson, Fallon Taylor, Olivia Brown, Olivia McMillan, Darcy Ayers, Jayna Ott, Grace Pauls, Thea Seitz, and Soma Andrews; Top row: Marcella Kirkland, Raylee Miniken, Rachel Starr, Ava Hoffman, Bailee Lambright, Siri Lindstrum, Stella McCauley, Liz Cruz, Jacquilyn Olsen, and Molly Tagney

The Friday Harbor fastpitch softball team is on deck for a fresh start in 2018.

“We have a lot of young talent, but a lot of good talent,” said Assistant Coach Bob Pauls.

The team is down six seniors, with only two on the 21-girl lineup, which also includes five juniors, six sophomores and eight freshmen.

The young team will follow the girls’ 2017 drive to the state tournament, where they finished second for the second year in a row. The Wolverines finished first in league games last year, winning all 12 matches, and finishing the season with a 20-6 standing overall.

This year, the girls face 11 league games and nine non-league games, including five doubleheaders through May 11. The new year also comes with a new conditioning coach, Shannon Miniken.

Senior Mili Holt said losing last year’s six 12th-grade starters will be tough, but not as hard as her last year on the field.

“I’m really just enjoying every moment,” said Holt. “I feel like I’ve taken the last three years for granted.”

In the first week of practice, before positions were even determined, Pauls was hopeful for the new era.

“We’ll just have to see if we can carry on from last year and continue our run,” he said.

To start the season, the girls faced Mount Baker in a non-league doubleheader on Saturday, March 10, but lost both games according to the league’s website. Their next game is on March 16, against Sultan, away, and their first home game is March 21, against Cedar Park Christian, which are also non-league games.

Girls Fastpitch Softball Schedule

3-16 @Sultan 4 p.m.

3-21 Cedar Park Chr. 4:30 p.m.

3-24 Forks 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.

4-9 Concrete 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.

4-13 @ Orcas TBD

4-14 Coupeville noon

4-17 @ La Conner 4 p.m.

4-20 Darrington TBD

4-21 @ Ferndale noon

4-27 @ Concrete 4 p.m.

5-1 Orcas TBD

5-4 La Conner 4:45 p.m.

5-9 @ Darrington 4 p.m.

5-11 @ La Conner 4 p.m.