5 Washington high school (WIAA) baseball 2023 championship storylines worth following - plus title-game predictions
The last weekend of May is upon us which means six baseball teams will be crowned state champions by the end of it.
The six state championship tournaments are set to kick off Friday - with Class 4A and 3A in Everett; Class 2A and 1A in Bellingham and the Class B tournaments in Ephrata.
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Three champions from a season ago have the chance to make it consecutive titles.
Here are five storylines worth monitoring Friday through Saturday:
WEST CENTRAL DISTRICT PARTY IN CLASS 4A TOURNAMENT
Photo by Vince Miller
Three of the four teams in the Class 4A semifinals are plenty familiar with each other. Puyallup, Sumner and Tahoma recently clashed in the West Central District tournament.
With second-seeded Puyallup and 11th-seeded Sumner squaring off in one semifinal, a representative from the West Central District is guaranteed.
As the outsider, can top-seeded Eastlake break up the party and walk away with its first state championship in program history or is a champion coming from the WCD?
METRO LEAGUE SUPREMACY IN CLASS 3A TOURNAMENT
Photo by Hailey Palmer
Will the Metro League follow what it did in basketball season and get two of its teams in the championship game?
The league is guaranteed one team with Lincoln and West Seattle due for a rematch of the league championship in one semifinal.
Fans will likely be treated to a pitching rematch as well between two of the state's best in West Seattle's Miles Gosztola and Lincoln's Bjorn Johnson.
Meanwhile, standing in front of ninth-seeded O'Dea is its toughest competition of the tournament so far in No. 4 Lake Washington.
3 DEFENDING CHAMPIONS STILL STANDING
Photo courtesy of Naselle Athletics
Only three defending state champions came out of regionals weekend still in their respective tournaments.
Naselle (1B), Brewster (2B) and Tumwater’s (2A) hopes of back-to-back titles are alive and well heading into the final weekend of the season.
Arguably, Naselle has the toughest road with a semifinal matchup against top-seeded DeSales on its plate first.
Over in the Class 2A tournament, Tumwater will see league rival W.F. West for the fifth time this season in the semifinals.
SPEAKING OF TUMWATER-W.F. WEST ROUND 5...
Photo by Sean Carter
There’s that saying in sports about beating a team three times in one season.
Tumwater has already done that to W.F. West, but the Thunderbirds will have to do it a fourth time if they want a shot at their second consecutive state title.
W.F. West won the most recent matchup between the two, but three of the Bearcats’ five losses this season are to Tumwater.
The Bearcats have also lost to Lynden and Selah, the other two teams left standing in the 2A tournament.
ARE BREWSTER AND TOUTLE LAKE HEADED FOR A REMATCH?
Photo courtesy of Brewster Sports
All signs in the Class 2B bracket seem to be pointing at a Brewster and Toutle Lake rematch from last year.
The two have switched sides of the bracket this year with defending champion Brewster grabbing the No. 1 seed and Toutle Lake as the No. 2.
Both teams hold substantial win streaks with the Bears as winners of 15 consecutive games and the Ducks at 21.
Don’t count out 11th-seeded Adna, though, which certainly has momentum on its side after pulling off upsets of Cle Elum-Roslyn and Jenkins (Chewelah) to reach the semifinals.
4A BRACKET and championship prediction: Puyallup d. Eastlake, 3-2
3A BRACKET and championship prediction: Lincoln d. Lake Washington, 5-3
2A BRACKET and championship prediction: Selah d. Tumwater, 6-5
1A BRACKET and championship prediction: Naches Valley d. Klahowya, 7-4
2B BRACKET and championship prediction: Toutle Lake. d. Brewster, 4-2
1B BRACKET and championship prediction: DeSales d. Mount Vernon Christian, 8-6
Tickets: Single-day pass is $11 for adults, $8 for students/senior citizens. Tournament passes are $20/$14.
