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“Heck of a game!”

Posted in Little League, Softball, tagged Ava Lucero, Central Whidbey Little League, Gig Harbor, Kennedy Strevel, Softball, state tourney on July 6, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Ava and Aaron Lucero, chasin’ that softball dream. (Jess Lucero photo)

No fear, plenty of fight.

Facing a traditional powerhouse at the state tourney Thursday, without their normal starting pitcher in the lineup, the Central Whidbey Little League Majors softball squad pushed Gig Harbor to the final batter.

While the Wolves were edged 7-6 in a loser-out game in Vancouver, losing by one run to a team coming off of 25-1 and 22-3 wins is nothing to be ashamed about.

“I told the team to hold their heads high,” said Wolf coach Aaron Lucero. “How proud I am of them, and they should be proud of themselves.

“Heck of a game.”

Central Whidbey, which went undefeated during the regular season and won the District 11 title, finishes 15-2.

The Wolves opened state with a 12-2 win over Asotin County and hung around to play three games over a six-day span.

They were the fifth squad eliminated from the 10-team tourney, with Gig Harbor moving on to play another loser-out tilt Friday against either Sammamish or Mill Creek.

The tourney wraps Sunday.

Squaring off with Gig Harbor, the Wolves handed the ball to hurler Kennedy Strevel, and she knocked it out of the park on both offense and defense.

“Kennedy pitched a great game in very hot weather,” Aaron Lucero said.

“And to add to it, she hit a home run for which she was awarded a pin from the tournament staff.”

Strevel’s blow was the big one, but Central Whidbey got contributions up and down the lineup.

Brent Stevens works with a Whidbey slugger. (Kristi Stevens photo)

“We had great hits from several players, including crucial moments from Selah Rivera and others,” Aaron Lucero said. “We executed small ball to put pressure on the defense.

“We had our opportunities, but Gig Harbor made some plays,” he added. “We did the same against them when they had their opportunities.”

Central Whidbey’s rivals got on the board first, pushing across a run in the top of the first and two more in the second to build an early 3-0 advantage.

The Wolves never blinked, however, putting together three-run rallies in both the second and third to reclaim the lead at 6-3.

Strevel and Co. retired eight of 10 Gig Harbor hitters during a stretch which ran from the end of the second to the start of the fifth, before the bats got warm again.

A run in the fifth trimmed Central Whidbey’s margin to 6-4, then Gig Harbor rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth to move back in front.

The Wolves weren’t able to get a tying run in the bottom of the final frame, ending their run.

But, as they packed up and prepared to head back to The Rock, Central Whidbey’s coaching staff were quick to applaud their players.

Wolf players get a final pep talk from their coaches. (Kristi Stevens photo)

While most of the other teams at state are true all-star squads, having drawn players from multiple teams or leagues, the Wolves were almost completely a group of players from one small town.

Coupeville’s 12 sluggers did get a little postseason help, picking up a single player each from Oak Harbor and South Whidbey, but its roster construction is nothing like the teams repping areas like Seattle or Puyallup.

“All around it was a solid softball game and our ladies and their families should have pride in how we represented Whidbey Island,” Aaron Lucero said.

“Every single player on our roster contributed to the game. Proud of them.”

Central Whidbey’s postseason roster:

Samantha Antonio
KeeAyra Brown
Emma Cushman
Ava Lucero
Olivia Martin
Adeline Maynes
Allie Powers
Cassandra Powers
Selah Rivera
Chelsi Stevens
Kennedy Strevel
Cameron Van Dyke
Sydney Van Dyke
Mary Western

Central Whidbey was one of the final six teams standing at the state tourney. (Kristi Stevens photo)

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Tough loss, resilient spirit

Posted in Little League, Softball, tagged Ava Lucero, Central Whidbey Little League, Softball, South Hill, state tourney on July 6, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Central Whidbey Little League softball sluggers are still chasing state tourney success. (Kristi Stevens photo)

Their record got dinged, but not their spirit.

Missing a key player and down another one due to an in-game injury, the Central Whidbey Island Little League Majors softball team absorbed its first loss Wednesday night.

Playing against tourney favorite South Hill, which includes players from Auburn, Puyallup, and Kent, the Wolves fell 17-0 at the state championships in Vancouver.

There’s still a viable path to the title game for Central Whidbey, however, which returns to action Thursday, playing Gig Harbor in a loser-out game.

The Wolves, 15-1 on the season and 1-1 in the state tourney, have to win daily from here on out to get to Sunday’s best 2-of-3 title bout.

If they do, South Hill, which has outscored three foes by a combined 44-1 during the tournament, will likely be waiting for them.

Central Whidbey, which thumped Asotin County 12-2 to open state, has proven to be resilient all season, something Wolf coach Aaron Lucero is relying on.

“We win or we learn, and tonight we learned,” he said.

“Hats off to South Hill. They are a very talented team in all phases of the game.”

While Central Whidbey failed to generate any offense against its big-city foes, who field an all-star team with players drawn from multiple teams, Lucero preaches patience and the joys to be found in a bounce-back performance.

“I told the team to hold their heads up and get their minds right,” he said. “We still have an opportunity to advance and win some ball games.”

The diamond guru praised the performance of relief ace Sydney Van Dyke, who took over pitching duties after starter Kennedy Strevel took “a hot liner to her pitching hand” early in the game.

“Sydney came in and did an admirable job pitching coming in cold,” Lucero said.

“We’ll move past this one and get ready for tomorrow!”

One team, one dream for the Wolves, one of the few state tourney squads to not draw players from multiple regular season teams. (Jess Lucero photo)

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Big stage, big victory

Posted in Little League, Softball, tagged Adeline Maynes, Asotin County, Ava Lucero, Central Whidbey Little League, Softball, state tournament on July 2, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Undefeated and flexing. (Kristi Stevens photos)

They embrace the spotlight.

With 10 of 12 players reaching base Saturday, and eight of them scoring, the Central Whidbey Little League Majors softball team opened the state tourney with a bang.

Playing in Vancouver, the Wolves demolished Asotin County 12-2 in a game mercy-ruled after four innings.

The victory lifts Central Whidbey to a crisp 15-0 on the season.

Now, the Wolves have several days off as they wait for the loser’s bracket to play out at the 10-team, double-elimination tourney.

Central Whidbey returns to the field Wednesday, July 5, when it plays the winner of South Hill and Evergreen.

South Hill hails from District 10, which pulls players from Auburn, Puyallup, and Kent, while Evergreen reps District 4, which covers Clark, Skamania, and Klickitat counties.

The championships run through July 9.

The Wolves huddle around coach Aaron Lucero, the Man in Black.

Saturday’s opening win was fueled by consistent work from the top of the lineup to the bottom.

The Wolves rapped out seven hits, with Chelsi Stevens blasting a double and Sydney Van Dyke whacking a pair of singles, while the team also collected eight walks.

Stevens also launched another successful long shot, coming all the way around to score off her base-knock.

The score book gives Asotin County two errors on the play, however, keeping it from being an “official” home run.

We know the truth, though.

Chelsi Stevens (with ball) carries a big bat, inflicting damage with each swing.

Central Whidbey jumped out to a 4-0 lead after one inning of play, then stretched the lead out to 11-1 through two frames.

“Solid play all around,” said Wolf coach Aaron Lucero. “Good hitting and base-running offensively.

“We put pressure on the defense every chance we had, and our ladies were relentless,” he added. “Good overall team hitting and win.”

Adeline Maynes prowled the pitcher’s circle for Central Whidbey, whiffing eight while scattering just three hits.

Toss in solid defense and a team-wide commitment to hustle plays and execution, and it’s simple to see why the Wolves continue to roll through an undefeated campaign.

“We’ve continued to preach “do the little things” and they’re executing,” Lucero said.

Saturday stats:

Samantha Antonio — One single
KeeAyra Brown — One walk
Adeline Maynes — Two walks
Allie Powers — One single, one walk
Cassandra Powers — One single
Selah Rivera — One walk
Chelsi Stevens — One double
Kennedy Strevel — One single, one walk
Cameron Van Dyke — Two walks
Sydney Van Dyke — Two singles

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Pack the car, they’re state bound!

Posted in Little League, Softball, tagged Adeline Maynes, Ava Lucero, Central Whidbey Little League, Softball, state tourney on June 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »

District champs, and still undefeated heading into the state tourney. (Kerry Western photos)

Roll on, mighty Wolves, roll on.

Beating visiting Sedro-Woolley 10-0 for the second night in a row, the Central Whidbey Little League Majors softball team cleared a major hurdle Tuesday night in Oak Harbor.

The victory lifts the Wolves to 14-0 on the season, gives them the District 11 title, and sends them on to the state tourney.

The big dance goes down July 1-9 in Vancouver, with Central Whidbey slated to open play against the winner of District 5, which reps the lower corner of Eastern Washington.

Here’s the state bracket, just waiting for teams to be plugged in:

Click to access 2023_LLSB_State_Bracket_1.0.pdf

Tuesday night, the Wolves went for the clincher in their best 2-of-3 district rumble, and once again came up big against a tough foe.

Walks were key, as Central Whidbey racked up a ton, but the Islanders also got base-knocks from Kennedy Strevel, Chelsi Stevens, and Cassandra Powers.

The Wolves pushed three runs across in the first to snatch the lead, before tacking on two more in the third, four in the fourth, and a final tally in the fifth to push the game into mercy-rule territory.

“We were very disciplined tonight against a pair of good Sedro pitchers,” said Central coach Aaron Lucero.

“Hats off to Sedro, they came out looking to fight and made some big plays,” he added. “We had bases loaded in the first three or four innings and we just couldn’t put it away.”

Stevens launched “an absolute laser shot with the bases loaded and two outs” that might have broken the game open early, only to see Sedro’s outfielder make “a fantastic grab” to save runs.

The Wolves never backed down, however, continuing to put the pressure on their foes.

“Great job by our ladies to just keep chipping away,” Aaron Lucero said. “Putting the ball in play, aggressive base-running, and hustle, got it done for us offensively.”

Strevel and Adeline Maynes both tapped home plate twice for the Wolves, while Sydney Van Dyke, Stevens, Olivia Martin, Cameron Van Dyke, Emma Cushman, and KeeAyra Brown also scored.

Basking in the afterglow of sweet victory.

Mary Western, Ava Lucero, Selah Rivera, Samantha Antonio, and Allie Powers also played for Central Whidbey.

Maynes returned to the pitcher’s circle for Central Whidbey and was in lock-down mode most of the game, whiffing eight.

She got big-time help on defense from her catcher, Ava Lucero, who made the defensive play of the night for the final out.

Sedro had the bases jammed with two outs and was desperate to keep the game going when a wild pitch ran away from the waiting glove.

Responding instantly, Ava Lucero scrambled to the backstop, sliding on one knee to snatch the ball off the ground and fire it back to Maynes, who slapped the game-ending tag on an incoming runner.

Now, it’s off to the big stage for the Wolves, with their coach ready to hit the open roads for another long trip.

“Really proud of these players on a truly undefeated season,” Aaron Lucero said. “They showed a lot of grit.”