Like his colleagues around the area, Weems and other South Sound coaches are looking to catch a break – in the weather.
Continuous rainfall in March slowed the spring sports season to a crawl for area baseball, fastpitch and tennis teams, while making for very soggy conditions for golf, track and field, and soccer athletes.
“I have never had it this bad in the 11 years I’ve been here,” said Weems, Capital High School’s fastpitch coach. “It’s terrible.”
The rain has left Weems and the Cougars in a big bind. They have only played two games, the fewest of any baseball or fastpitch team in South Sound.
Capital had games back-to-back days against Olympia (March 21) and Franklin Pierce (March 22), but won’t play again until April 11 against Shelton – a span of 19 days.
Non-league games versus Black Hills, Tumwater, North Thurston, Central Kitsap and Lakes were washed out and haven’t been made up. And because of scheduling issues, the nonleague game against Lakes that was suppose to take place Thursday won’t be rescheduled. Capital’s nonleague games against Shelton and Gig Harbor (April 13) will be the final ones before 3A Narrows League play begins against league-favorite Wilson on April 15.
Another handful of baseball and fastptich teams have played only three games, leaving athletic directors scrambling to reschedule games – and some nonleague contests may not be rescheduled at all.
“I thought last year was very bad until this year came along,” Weems said.
Last year, of course, was the infamous late-season rain that forced two postponements and then cancellation of games at the West Central District III tournament and made the 4A and 3A state tournaments at Tacoma’s South End Recreation Area (SERA) a one-day affair.
Capital only played two games at districts, winning both, and went 0-2 at state.
Weems said his team will practice every day during spring break, which officially begins today after school is let out.
He has come up with new things on a daily basis to keep his team’s focus and interest high in the gymnasium.
And it’s not like the Cougars are getting time to be on their home field at Jefferson Middle School.
Capital has only practiced on that field a handful of times in March, including once in the past 10 days.
“There are only so many things you can do,” Weems said. “I still want them to have fun.”
AP ALL-STATE HOOPS TEAMS ARE RELEASED
Seven South Sound basketball players were named to the all-state teams in their respective classifications. The voting was conducted by sports writers and editors, released Thursday.
River Ridge’s Jasmine McDonald, the Evergreen Conference MVP and The Olympian girls all-area player of the year, was named first-team all-state in Class 2A, and Rainier’s Kristen Schoenherr and Elma’s Carly Meister were named first-team all-state in Class 1A. Tumwater’s Tayler Weiks (2A girls), Timberline’s Camille Williams (3A girls), Northwest Christian’s Kami Bates (2B girls) and River Ridge’s Rahmel Moton (2A boys) were honorable mentions.
THE BEST OF MARCH
Eleven area athletes posted state-leading track and field times or marks in their respective classifications the first month of the spring season – Chehalis’ Dakota Parker (2A boys 1,600, 4:19.10) and Andy Robertson (boys 400, 50.54); Timberline’s Sasha Weber (3A girls high jump, 5-6); Black Hills’ Kristen McMillan and Tumwater’s Brooke Feldmeier (2A girls high jump, 5-4); Elma’s Todd Jackson (1A boys 3,200, 9:33.70) and Joel Stark (1A boys 300 hurdles, 40.74); Rainier’s Kristen Schoenherr (1A girls javelin, 122-10); and Northwest Christian’s Lucas Graham (2B boys 800, 2:04.50; 1,600, 4:25.20); Justin Holden (2B boys 3,200, 9:58.60) and Joanna Sowers (2B girls 800, 2:29.40).
THIS AND THAT
All three Class 1A baseball teams in Thurston County – Rochester, Rainier and Tenino -- are atop the Southwest 1A Evergreen Division standings with a combined 15-2 overall record. Senior Chris Bishop is one of the reasons Rochester is 5-0 overall. The reigning league MVP is batting .611 with 11 hits and 12 RBI in five games. ... Yelm sophomore Tessa Matthews hopes her hot bat continues today in a nonleague fastpitch game against Montesano. The Torandos pitcher is batting a sizzling .714, to go along with her 2-1 record in the circle, as Yelm is off to a fast start at 3-1 overall. ... Rochester’s girls golf team posted its first victory since 2009 with a 256-306 victory over Ridgefield on Tuesday afternoon. Stephanie Munsell shot a 58 to lead the Warriors.
Meg Wochnick: 360-754-5473 mwochnick@theolympian.com twitter.com/OlympianPreps www.theolympian.com/prepsportsblog
