This season’s goals are clear for the Eastside Catholic fastpitch team.
And if anyone forgets, a reminder isn’t far away.
At first glance, it might appear the Eastlake fastpitch team is young — possibly inexperienced.
Not so fast.
Skip Hulet knows a thing or two about good hitters.
The last two seasons he’s coached different KingCo 4A batting champions.
When head baseball coach Chris Tamminen looks at this year’s Skyline roster he honestly doesn’t know what to expect.
The last two seasons, state tournament aspirations soared high for the Eastside Catholic baseball team. The Crusaders combined for a 39-9 record over the span.
State playoffs and the Issaquah baseball program are virtually synonymous.
When the door of giant crate opened Tuesday afternoon, the 6-year-old bald eagle sat on his make-shift perch — not quite sure what do upon his first glimpse of daylight in a week.
All season lack of height was perceived as a disadvantage for the Issaquah girls basketball team.
But, time after time, the Eagles overcame the odds using their speed and scrappy defense.
It might not have ended as they hoped, but heads were still held high Saturday as the Skyline boys basketball team exited the Tacoma Dome floor.
Just when everything looked bleak, Issaquah made a valiant run at undefeated Auburn Riverside.
Cory Hutsen only intended to help his teammate defend the shooter at the top of the three-point line.
Mackenzie Schiltz simply couldn’t find her shot Wednesday during Issaquah’s 4A state opening win over Lewis & Clark.
Shots weren’t falling.
Passes weren’t crisp.
Rebounds weren’t being grabbed.
If the proverbial radar existed, Eastlake flew right right under it Wednesday night, hammering WesCo champion Lake Stevens, 69-48, in the opening round of the 4A boys state basketball tournament.
Maddey Pflaumer winced as the ball spun around the rim, kicked off the backboard and bounced a couple of more times on the foot of the basket before falling through the hoop.
Skyline had victory in its sights Wednesday afternoon’s opening-round state playoff game, but a three-point attempt from Conner Gacek was off the mark as the final buzzer sounded.
Long after the Skyline boys put Lake Washington away 52-42 Friday night, players remained in uniform on the Juanita High School basketball court — individually posing with the marble and glass trophy that represented a piece of school history.
Issaquah kept its state playoff hopes alive Thursday night, holding off Eastlake 52-48 in a KingCo 4A loser-out game at Juanita High School.
From the moment Eastlake lost its opening round playoff game, the mission was clear.
Three years of frustration — a span of six close games, and six Eastlake losses, was put to rest on a grand stage Tuesday night.
