Capri Anter made the softball fly far, far away. (Christina Baker photos)
They survived and thrived.
Playing six games across two days in Kent this weekend, the Island Vipers 16U softball squad won four times to claim 2nd place at the USSSA state championships.
The squad, comprised of seven Coupeville aces, three Oak Harbor sluggers, and one masher from South Whidbey, more than held its own against the big city diamond dandies during the premier tourney.
“Lots of great defensive plays all around, some clutch hits, two out rallies, a diving outfield catch by Cami Van Dyke, and on the run catches by Capri Anter and Adrian Orlando,” said Vipers coach Aaron Lucero.
“While we always want to leave every tournament with the top prize, this was a fantastic showing for the club, and they represented the best of Whidbey Island sports in my humble opinion.”
Wolves, Wildcats, and Falcons unite to thrash non-Island teams.
The Vipers split a pair of games Saturday, then rebounded to win three straight Sunday before falling just short in the title game against a team from University Place.
Whidbey got contributions up and down the lineup, with South ender Sophie Zeigler and Coupeville’s Capri Anter crushing out-of-the-park home runs to pace the offense.
Anter’s fellow Wolf, Ava Lucero, who caught all six games and gunned down several would-be base stealers, just missed joining the tater club, walloping a ball off the fence which came up just three feet short of flying away.
Aaron and Ava Lucero had a busy weekend.
Central Whidbey provided the pitching, with Adeline Maynes whiffing 42 batters across 29.1 innings of work “against some really good hitting teams,” while Haylee Armstrong prowled the circle in one of Sunday’s tilts.
At the plate, the Vipers racked up 43 hits and eked out eight walks, with Zeigler leading the way, beatin’ the crud out of the ball at a .533 clip.
Sophie Zeigler is off to mash more taters.
The Island squad returns to action in the back half of July, with two tourneys to wrap the summer. But, for now, the players and coaches will marinate in the moment.
“Grant Van Dyke, Mark Rummel, and I were ecstatic for the ladies and could not be more proud,” Aaron Lucero said.
“All in all, just a great weekend of a lot of ball.”
Tourney stats:
Emma Allison — Four singles
Shea Allison — Four singles, one triple, one walk
Capri Anter — Two singles, two doubles, one home run
Haylee Armstrong — Four singles, one double, one walk
Ava Lucero — Four singles
Adeline Maynes — Three singles, one walk
Adrian Orlando — Two singles
Cami Van Dyke — Three singles, one walk
Sydney Van Dyke — Four singles, one walk
Sophie Zeigler — Six singles, one double, one home run, three walks
Cami Van Dyke (top) and Emma Cushman celebrate in style.
