4 teams in Washington high school baseball or softball on an exceeded-expectations level heading into postseason

Whether they have traditionally been non-winning programs, or just started to make serious playoff noise, these programs have boosted their outlook this spring

Alexys Millard and Mark Morris are in control of the 2A GSHL heading into the 2025 softball postseason. / Photo by Candy Durgeloh

Is is the first day of May, and one thing is obvious after two months of the WIAA spring season:

These four Washington new-blood high school baseball and softball programs are here to stay, and should be big factors over the final weeks in the postseason.

Here they are:

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Central Valley has an early-season win over Kennewick, and is right in the thick of 4A/3A GSL championship in 2025. / Photo courtesy of Central Valley athletics

CENTRAL VALLEY BASEBALL (3A)

Coach: Dalton Stamper.

2024 finish: 10-12, did not advance out of Class 4A District 6 championships.

Spring record: 13-4.

Key contributors: OF Tyson Blake, jr.; C Eddie Dahle, jr.; OF Gavin Ellersick, jr.; P/SS Kamden Lanphere, sr.; 1B/P Tannon Marsalis, sr.; Uti/P Tristan Pulliam, sr.

Skinny: In his first season leading the program, Stamper saw promising progress by the Bears - so much, he immediately put them in the fire with a season-opening road trip to the Tri-Cities. And after blowing a big lead late against Southridge, the Bears bounced back to defeat perennial Class 3A powerhouse Kennewick the next day. "It made us think we are as good as we think we are," said Stamper, who was also the Bears' junior varsity coach for two season prior to his promotion. And in the Greater Spokane League, Central Valley has split series with Gonzaga Prep and Mount Spokane, usually the league's tone-setters. What this ballclub can do is swing the bats. At one points, eight of the team's nine regular held a batting average of .400 or better. And the Bears have a legitimate league most valuable player candidate in Lanphere, a four-year starter who has seen his pitching workload increase dramatically as a senior. He has always shown an elite bat, too.

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Decatur baseball is one pace for its best season in school history, leading the 3A NPSL. / Photo by Lindsay Buol

DECATUR BASEBALL (3A)

Coach: Chris Fox.

2024 finish: 10-13, did not advance out of Class 4A District 3/4 championships.

Spring record: 15-1.

Key contributors: P Hunter Buol, sr.; 2B/SS Tyler Buol, soph.; C Ethan Flavel, soph.; OF C.J. Gatterson, soph.; OF Eric Havili, sr.; SS Spencer Holloway, sr.; 1B Dylan Reano, jr.

Skinny: With all the 3A NPSL talk focused on star pitching of Enumclaw and Kentlake, it's been the Gators' overall youth movement that has stolen the show. Fox, the program's sixth-year coach (also been at Seattle Christian and Cascade Christian), has been with this talented class-of-2027 group since the players were 12-year-olds with the Federal Way Knights club program. "They've been a huge reason why we are so successful," Fox said. The standout of the group is Flavel, a 220-pounder with ungodly raw power and quick reflexes to match - and he also throws pitches in the mid-80s. But seeing this team reach this new level, Fox credits a program-leading class of seniors, led by Holloway, who was the league MVP in football at quarterback, and Havili, the team's leader in extra-base hits (12), as the program's culture builders. Early-season sweep of Kentlake was catalyst for this extended run of success.

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Junior Makenzie Henthorn has become the 2A GSHL's best two-way player in 2025 as a pitcher and hitter. / Photo courtesy of Makenzie Henthorn

MARK MORRIS SOFTBALL (2A)

Coach: Chris Mejia.

2024 finish: 20-5, did not advance out of Class 2A District 4 championships.

Spring record: 16-0.

Key contributors: C Paisley Fraidenburg, fr.; 2B Megan Fugleberg, jr.; P Makenzie Henthorn, jr.; 1B Shyanne Sellers, soph.; SS Mikaila Warfield, soph.

Skinny: A 1993 Monarchs' graduate, Mejia has a lot invested in this program. He watched three of his daughters come through the program at a time when it never sniffed a 2A GSHL championship. And now as a fifth-year coach, he has slowly brought it from the depths of despair. And now, even after a disappointing exit from last spring's district tournament as the league champions (first time since 1994), Mark Morris has enhanced its statewide profile even more in 2025. Already one of the classification's best fireballers in the circle, Henthorn's bat has proven to be elite as well (12 HR, .490 BA) as the league most valuable player frontrunner. Coming off back surgery, Fugleberg has returned to being an elite table-setter in the leadoff spot. And the infusion of young talent, including Fraidenburg (Toutle Lake) and Warfield (Ilwaco) as transfers, has given this team added fuel - and a nearly-unbeatable blend of talent, experience and determination.

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North Creek softball is on track to be the No. 1 seed to the postseason out of the KingCo. / Photo by Mark Isakson

NORTH CREEK SOFTBALL (4A)

Coach: Chris Pinder.

2024 finish: 20-13 record, did not place at WIAA Class 4A tournament.

Spring record: 20-1.

Key contributors: 3B Addy Cook, sr.; P Reagan Fleming, jr.; 1B Paige Geller, jr.; C Emma Gochenour, sr.; 2B Cayle Key, sr.

Skinny: For a school that just opened in 2017, the Jaguars have been left trying to find ways to make up considerable ground for all of their sports in the challenging KngCo. And this softball squad is coming, especially after getting a sweet taste a year ago by pushing eventual Class 4A champion Jackson to extra innings in districts, and winning a first WIAA tournament game over Hanford. Was this level of dominance expected this spring? North Creek has an all-upperclassmen infield - and one of the state's best batteries with Fleming in the circle and Gochenour - an Oregon State University signee - behind the plate. Already has non-league wins over Richland (4A contender) and Sedro-Woolley (2A champion up to 3A), this team has it all - shutdown pitching, smackdown offense, slick defense and a coach (former San Francisco Giants' minor-league baseball player) who has been with the program since it began.

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