Baseball Begins on Saturday

For many teams, baseball begins in earnest this week with a number of scrimmages and jamborees taking place on Saturday (look for a detailed schedule late Friday night or early Saturday here on Southwest Preps).

Since three of the four 1A teams came from the Trico and Evergreen, we have to look there for a lot of the talent.

The Rockets Zach Gehring at home plate after his third home run against Ilwaco last spring (he hit five on the day). Gehring joins a number of veteran Rocket players on this year's Castle Rock Baseball team.

Kalama has several players returning from their state runner-up team. La Roy, Brandon Walker and Robbie Sanders (remember the latter two from basketball?)bring the Chinooks a lot of talent. Castle Rock also brings a tremendous edge that gives them possiby their best squad among the football, basketball and baseball programs. I watched Zach Gehring hit five home runs in a game last spring and while the solid play of Dustin Hamilton and pitching of Mike Murray begins to illustrate the team's talent, the depth is substantial.

Rochester graduated a significant number of athletes, but still need to be considered a threat in the Evergreen Conference.

Rochester's Roster

Kalama Shows Loggers the Door

When you are hot, you are just all that Kalama is now. After almost nipping powerhouse Winlock the Chinooks took care of Rainier and earned the right to face Onalaska, the number two seed from the Evergreen Conference.

Wearing the role of an underdog seems to suit the Chinooks as they defeated the Loggers 55-46 and qualified for the WIAA State Tournament in Yakima next week.

Onalaska came out hot with Ony’s Brady Stanley firing the opening salvo with a trey followed by a Jeff Swett bucket and two from Cody Nailon. Wham…Onalaska had a 9-0 lead half way through the first quarter.

A minute later, the Sanders and Walker show, Robbie Sanders and Brandon Walker to be more specific took the stage. Kalama, went on a 10-0 with the help of several Logger turnovers that allowed the Nooks to convert easy scores off transition. Walker scored 26 points while Walker added 22 in the entire game.

The two teams traded baskets in the 2nd quarter leading to a modest 28-27 advantage for Kalama.

Brandon Walker (#5) is pursued by Dustin Richey (#20) and challeneged by Eddie Miles (#22).

Kalama came out after half on a 7-0 run assisted by four missed shots and two turnovers by the Loggers. Ony Senior Eric Messal stopped the bleeding temporarily with five consecutive points, but the Nooks proceeded on a 11-2 scamper that lasted half way through the 4th quarter that broke the Logger’s back.

Early in the 3rd quarter, the quickness of Brandon Walker was on full display as he stole a pass and took it end to end for a lay-in. Seconds later after a missed shot, the Nooks broke a full court defense and scored another transition basket. Sanders athleticism was on display when he drove the length of the court, missed a contested lay-up, but retrieved his own rebound and scored without his feet ever hitting the ground.

Kalama's Matthew Pollock was a noticeable force as he gathered 11 rebounds to contribute to the winning cause.

Kalama big man Matt Pollock was a beast even with his modest 5 point scoring total. By evenings end, he had denied Onalaska, 11 rebounds.

The Loggers didn’t help themselves after shooting nearly 67 percent in the first half including 5-8 from three point range. In the second half, they felt the snow that would fall later as their shooting percentage fell to the low thirties and they went an abysmal 2-12 from behind the arc.

Kalama will play Ilwaco for the number 3 seed from District IV at 6:30pm at W.F. West High School in Chehalis.

LOGGERS (46)
Cody Naillon 12, Eddie Miles 8, Eric Messal 8, Dalton Richey 6, Jeff Swett 6, Brady Stanley 6, Nick Modica 0

CHINOOKS (55)
Brandon Walker 26, Robbie Sanders 22, Matthew Pollock 5, Jordan Wall 2, Ryan Chiodo 0, Jacob Neiman 0, Logan Nelson 0.

Onalaska 15 12 5 14 -46
Kalama 18 10 12 15-55

It's Official, Kalama Becomes My Favorite for the Trico

It was hardly a blip on anybody's radar screen this morning, but one score buried deep in the list caught my attention.

Kalama 47 Ridgefield 45

I have made it no secret that Kalama and Castle Rock are my favorites in the Trico. After watching powerful Winlock paste the Chinooks earlier this season 61-30 at the Cardinal's "Bird Cage" and then struggle with a 59-45 win at Kalama, I was impressed! Yes, by Winlock and Kalama.

Robby Sanders (#2) has impressed many after the injury to Brandon Walker early in the season.

Since that time, Kalama had done nothing but win.

The next question is how good is Castle Rock? I watched them last week and was mildly impressed in a good defeat of Clatskanie from across the Columbia River in Oregon. A solid front court with shooters and big Zack Gehring in the middle; A formidable force.

One statistic that a few might have missed.

Ridgefield 51 Castle Rock 26.

Regardless, two dates circled on my calendar include January 22nd and February 10th when the Chinooks and Rockets meet home & home!