2024 Spring High School Sports Preview: Baseball capsules for Greater Spokane League

From staff reports

The Washington high school baseball season is underway. Here’s a preview of the Greater Spokane League and Northeast A League teams.

Teams in alphabetical order by classification. Records/standing listed from spring 2023.

GSL 4A/3A

Central Valley (9-14, 8-10, seventh): Dalton Stamper is the new coach of the Bears, who returns nine letterwinners and seven starters, including first-team all-league junior Kamden Lanphere (SS/P), second-teamer junior Tannon Marsalis (1B/P) and senior 3B Nolan Koch. “We have a strong pitching staff this year that is backed by a defense that usually is mechanically sound,” Stamper said.

Cheney (15-8, 12-6, third): The Blackhawks finished third in the league last year and hope for more in coach Rob Beamer’s fifth season. Nine letterwinners and six starters return, led by two-time first-team all-league pick senior Quinn Hubbs (P/1B). Senior pitcher Tate Hueschkel and junior shortstop Brayden Martin were honorable mentions. “With our pitching, if we can manufacture a couple of runs each game, we should be pretty solid,” Beamer said.

Ferris (5-15, 4-14, ninth): The Saxons took some lumps in Jimmy Smith’s first year last season. Eight letterwinners and three starters return, including senior Jack Irvine (C/INF) and juniors Harper Dissmore (P/INF) and Luke Warner (INF). Sophomore infielder Eamonn Keaton could provide a spark.

Gonzaga Prep (12-13, 8-10, sixth): The Bullpups return 12 letterwinners and eight starters for coach Brian Munhall’s 15th season. Senior Luke Brown (P/1B) was a first-team all-GSL pick, while junior Grant Yost (OF/P) and sophomore Anthony Karis (C/OF) were second-teamers. “Pitching and defense will be our key,” Munhall said. “Our infield play needs to get better as errors plagued us last season.”

Lewis and Clark (7-15, 6-12, eighth): Coach Steve Bennett returns for his 12th season with the Tigers and has seven starters and 13 letterwinners back with him. Senior Cooper Jefferies (OF/P/SS) is a two-time all-league pick, and junior Kyle Wilkenson (OF/P) was second team as a freshman. “We have a deep team with a lot of experience and a lot of potential,” Bennett said. “I’m excited to see if our pitching staff and line up can perform at a consistently high level.”

Mead (12-10, 11-7, fourth): The Panthers bring 12 seniors back for coach Steve Hare’s seventh season. “Going into this year, my players are hungry for a successful season,” Hare said. “We had a talented team last year, but we underperformed.” Senior Emerson Fleck, who is headed to Washington State, will pitch and play all over the field. Catcher Xavier Hattenburg and Cole Startin (P/OF) are leaders.

Mt. Spokane (19-6, 16-2, first): The league champion Wildcats missed state by one game last season, and coach Alex Schuerman is back for his 21st season. “We return a bunch of talented players that have already committed to play college baseball,” he said. “Our top two arms are back and almost our entire infield. Our lineup will be strong top to bottom.” Seniors Sam Davidson (SS), Cooper Davis (2B) and Drew Rayment (P/CF) were all-league selections.

North Central (1-18, 1-17, 10th): Coach Curly Rousseau enters his second season with six letterwinners and three starters back, including all-league honorable mentions junior Kian Carruthers (C) and sophomore Nick Elliott (P/SS). “We will be stronger across the board this season,” Rousseau said. The attitude and effort of the players is outstanding.”

Ridgeline (10-11, 9-9, fifth): 13 letterwinners and nine starters are back for Jeremie Maupin’s third season with the Falcons and seventh as a head coach in the GSL. “We are looking to build upon the foundation we laid the last two seasons and make some strides within the GSL this year,” Maupin said. “We have a good core of guys returning with a lot of talent and couple of key players coming in this year to round out our team.” Senior Nate Fitzpatrick (P/1B) and sophomore Caden Andreas (SS) were second-team selections.

University (17-5, 15-3, second): Eighth-year coach Kevin May loses the league MVP (Tyler Boden) and four other all-league selections to graduation, though eight letterwinners do return. “This year brings some of the best intersquad competition that we have had in a while,” May said. “There are many position battles that will be taking place early on in the season.” Sophomore Elijah Williams (P/1B) was a first-team pick, while juniors Canon Frank (UTL) and Logan Spradling (OF) received honors as well.

GSL 2A

Clarkston (17-6, 11-4, first): Five letterwinners and four starters – including first-team all-leaguers senior Trace Green (P/INF) and junior Hayden Line (P/1B) return for coach Bruce Bensching, entering his 18th year with the Bantams, who were co-league champions last season. Seniors Emmett Slagg (C) and Bodee Thivierge (2B/P) were second-team selections.

East Valley (0-18, 0-15, sixth): The Knights had a tough time navigating the league last season, but coach Justin Sinn returns for his third season with six starters and seven seniors total back. “Our strengths will be the relationship and ‘team’ mentality that we have instilled in these players over the last four years,” Sinn said. “I am excited to show off our hard work during the off season to prepare to be competitive this season.” Senior catcher Jack Hanson is the hard-working leader of the team.

Pullman (14-9, 10-5, third): The Greyhounds have eight letterwinners and six starters – five of whom earned all-league – back for fifth-year coach Kevin Agnew. “We return four pitchers from last year’s team, and they should be the strength of our group this year,” he said. Junior Brady Coulter was a first-team pitcher while seniors Calvin Heusser and Cade Hill were second teamers.

Rogers (4-17, 3-12, fifth): Two-time coach of the year and 2023 NWBA hall of fame coach Jim Wasem returns for his 31st season with the Pirates with nine letterwinners and seven starters back. Leading the way is senior all-league catcher Karim Gutierrez and junior all-league Jackson Ables (P/SS/CF). “We have great leadership this season with lots of varsity experience,” Wasem said.

Shadle Park (15-8, 1-4, first): Scott Harmon returns for his third season at Shadle and 20th year as a head coach in the GSL. Five Highlanders starters return from last year’s first place squad – none of whom are seniors. The only senior slated for the roster this season and a first-team all-league selection, Jake Hernandez, will miss the season with injury. “Jake will be an inspiration for our squad,” Harmon said. “We are young and inexperienced in some spots, but luckily we had several young players on our roster last year.”

West Valley (14-8, 10-5, third): Catcher Easton O’Neal missed all of last season with injury. He returns, along with seven other starters, for ninth-year coach Cory Aitken, who has concerns about depth. “We will find some guys to pitch in the middle of our games to keep us close for the wins at the end,” he said. Seniors Brody Hart (OF/P), John Macall (SS) and junior Ethan Turley (P/OF) were first-team all-leaguers.

NEA

Colville (16-8, 10-2, second): Shane Roy returns for his second year as coach with seven letterwinners but just two starters back from a state quarterfinal team as 10 seniors were lost to graduation. Junior Ethan Redberg (OF/P) was a first-team all-NEA pick, while senior Sam Mitchell (OF/P) is a leader. “Offensively the lineup should be deep despite being inexperienced at a varsity level,” Roy said. “Filling holes on the pitching staff and on defense will be keys.”

Deer Park (18-5, 12-0, first): The Stags qualified for state last year for coach Darren Snyder, who returns for his sixth season. There are four starters back from that team, including first-team all-leaguer seniors Braylon Dean (C) and Teagen Tobeck (3B). “Our offense should be good, but the pitching is unproven,” Snyder said. “Some kids will need to show composure at the varsity level.”

Freeman (10-10, 5-7, third): Third-year coach Bryce Williamson returns for his third season with 10 letterwinners and eight starters back for the Scotties, including three-time all-league senior Bodie Ramsey (OF/P) and two-timer Kamyn Claunch (P/1B/3B). “To be competitive, we will be relying on the development of our hitters and for the bottom half of the order to have competitive at-bats ending with the ball in play,” Williamson said.

Lakeside (12-13, 5-7, third): Three-time first-team all-league senior Hiro Patterson (P/CF) leads 11 letterwinners and six returning starters for 11th-year coach Tim Klein, whose Eagles fell one game short of state last year. “We are hoping to build off last year’s post-season momentum and take the next step as a team, towards reaching our goals,” he said. Seniors Caleb Kakuda (SS) and Zeshawn Griffin (INF) were all-league selections.

Medical Lake (10-13, 4-7, sixth): Did not respond to questionnaire.

Newport (11-9, 5-7, third): Did not respond to questionnaire.

Riverside (1-12, 0-12, seventh): Did not respond to questionnaire.