High school softball preview: Top teams, players in South Sound in 2023

Jon Manley , Lauren Smith
·10 min read

The high school softball season is underway, and as usual, there’s plenty of talent in the South Sound this spring. Here’s what to watch for this season, some teams to keep an eye on before the postseason approaches and some of the area’s top players to watch.

Kentwood’s Sarah Wright hits a 2-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning of the District 2/3 tournament championship game against Skyview on Saturday, May 21, 2022, at Kent Service Fields in Kent, Wash.
Kentwood’s Sarah Wright hits a 2-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning of the District 2/3 tournament championship game against Skyview on Saturday, May 21, 2022, at Kent Service Fields in Kent, Wash.

4A NPSL

Kentwood is the favorite, led by 2022 TNT All-Area player of the year Sarah Wright, who Kentwood coach Gary Graf called a “once-in-a-lifetime type of player” last spring. Wright, a junior pitcher, was also the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year and 4A NPSL pitcher of the year last spring, when she posted an 18-1 record with a 0.33 ERA and a whopping 330 strikeouts in 128 innings pitched. Wright threw eight no-hitters last spring. Keep an eye out for Tahoma, too. While three-time TNT All-Area selection Kaiea Higa graduated and now plays at Oregon State, her younger sister Kalani, who plays catcher and third base for the Bears, is already opening eyes as a freshman and is hoping to break Kaiea’s career home run record. Tahoma OF Taryn Jones hit .400 in her first high school season and is off to a hot start this spring. Decatur could factor into the league title race, too, with perhaps the league’s most complete lineup. The Gators have collected convincing wins over 3A SSC programs Gig Harbor and Yelm and are averaging 16.5 runs per game, led by INF Sina Fuiava, a returning 4A NPSL first-team selection.

Puyallup third baseman Kyra Smith fires to first base during the Vikings’ fastpitch game against the Sumner Spartans at Puyallup High School in Puyallup, Washington, on Wednesday, April 27, 2022.
Puyallup third baseman Kyra Smith fires to first base during the Vikings’ fastpitch game against the Sumner Spartans at Puyallup High School in Puyallup, Washington, on Wednesday, April 27, 2022.

4A SPSL

Puyallup and Olympia are the frontrunners, while Rogers, Emerald Ridge and Sumner are all in the hunt, as well. Puyallup returns 3B Kyra Smith, who hit .544 with 12 home runs and a team-leading 44 RBI last season as a sophomore. Pitcher Izzy Welch leads the rotation, while catcher Taryn Takayoshi (.388) and sophomore Paisley Jamison (.465) round out a stacked lineup. Olympia features the league’s top pitcher in Iowa State commit Sami Potvin, the 4A SPSL pitcher of the year last spring and a two-time TNT All-Area selection, who struck out 239 batters last season. Catcher Laila Smith, a William Penn commit, leadoff batter and center fielder Alyssa Hoff, left fielder Ava Bautista and shortstop Brooklyn Crass highlight a deep Bears lineup. Keep an eye on Emerald Ridge 2B Isabel Quintanilla, a Massachusetts Lowell commit and two-time all-league selection who hit .500 last season. 1B Kailey Verhoeven (.430) and P/3B Alanna Wirtala round out the Jaguars’ lineup. Rogers is coming off a big win over school district rival Puyallup on April 4. The Rams return six starters, paced by three returning 4A SPSL first-team selections in INF Raygun Klipper, OF Sydney Sasaki and utility player Keagan Norfleet.

3A NPSL

Auburn Riverside is the two-time defending 3A NPSL champion, and the league’s only team that advanced to the state playoffs last season — the Ravens lost to eventual state champion Lake Washington in the first round before rallying for three consecutive wins in the consolation bracket against University and 3A West Central District opponents Peninsula and Yelm, and eventually finishing one victory short of a placing game. The Ravens graduated two-time 3A NPSL MVP and two-time TNT All-Area pick Raquel Reising, and two more 3A NPSL first-teamers, but return five starters from last season’s group looking to make another run this spring. Infielders Bailee Brader, Aubree Muxen and Kaylee Walker were all 3A NPSL first-teamers in 2022. Auburn Montainview is another contender, returning eight starters after finishing one victory short of the state playoffs last season, losing to Timberline in a 3A West Central/Southwest district winner-to-state game. Shortstop Taylor Minton is a two-time 3A NPSL first-team selection and hit .507 for the Lions last spring, while P/INF Brynna Erdmann struck out 160 batters as a freshman on the way to 3A NPSL first-team honors. Auburn, Thomas Jefferson — both district qualifiers last season — and Kentlake could also contend for the league’s postseason spots.

Bonney Lake’s Alissa Hermansen, 16, cheers on her teammate Kyla Cross, 8, who scored after Bella Jones, 21, hit a home run in the seventh inning of the 3A state softball tournament quarterfinals at the Regional Athletic Complex on Friday, May 27, 2022 in Lacey, Wash. Bonney Lake defeated Peninsula 3-2 with a triple play in the seventh inning to win the quarterfinal game.

3A PCL

Bonney Lake is not only the favorite to repeat as 3A PCL champions for the sixth consecutive season, the Panthers enter the spring expected to contend for the 3A state title. The program is a regular in the state playoffs — having made the bracket 11 of the past 14 seasons — but can this Panthers team win their first title since two-time TNT All-Area player of the year Brooke Nelson, now in her fourth season playing at Washington, guided Bonney Lake to a 3A state crown in 2018? Bonney Lake enters the spring as the top-ranked team in 3A with shut-down starting pitching and a strong offense, and didn’t graduate any starters from the young group that advanced to the 3A state semifinals last season and eventually earned a fourth-place trophy. Reigning 3A PCL player of the year and two-time TNT All-Area pick Bella Carazo, who posted a 1.96 ERA and tallied 237 strikeouts in 2022, is the ace for a talented Bonney Lake squad that also returns three more 3A PCL first-teamers in P/INF Alissa Hermansen, INF Jaydyn Johnson and OF Kyla Cross, also a TNT All-Area selection last spring after leading the Panthers in home runs (10) and RBI (43). Bonney Lake still hasn’t lost a league game since the 3A PCL was created ahead of the 2017 season and are 66-0 in league contests since. The Panthers have also loaded up their nonleague schedule with state contenders, dropping their only two losses so far this spring to 4A SPSL front runner Olympia in extra innings, and an undefeated Bothell program which is currently the top-ranked team in 4A. Defending 2A state champion Tumwater and returning 4A state semifinalist Jackson are still ahead. Elsewhere in the 3A PCL, Lakes, Lincoln, Silas and Stadium should also be in the mix for the league’s remaining postseason spots.

Peninsula’s pitcher Alli Kimball, 1, pitches the ball during the 3A state softball tournament quarterfinals at the Regional Athletic Complex on Friday, May 27, 2022 in Olympia, Wash. Bonney Lake defeated Peninsula 3-2 with a triple play in the seventh inning to win the quarterfinal game.
Peninsula’s pitcher Alli Kimball, 1, pitches the ball during the 3A state softball tournament quarterfinals at the Regional Athletic Complex on Friday, May 27, 2022 in Olympia, Wash. Bonney Lake defeated Peninsula 3-2 with a triple play in the seventh inning to win the quarterfinal game.

3A SSC

Peninsula won an undefeated 3A SSC title last season — and has continued that streak early on in league play this spring — on the way to also securing the 3A West Central/Southwest district championship over Bonney Lake and advancing to the 3A state quarterfinals before eventually losing to Auburn Riverside in a loser-out consolation game. Can the Seahawks make another run this season? Led by ace Alli Kimball — a two-time TNT All-Area pick and the reigning 3A SSC most valuable pitcher after posting a 0.75 ERA with five no-hitters, two perfect games and 229 strikeouts last spring while also hitting .520 at the plate — Peninsula is considered one of the top-ranked teams statewide in 3A. INF/OF Malia Coit is another returning 3A SSC first-team selection for the Seahawks, who bring back seven starters. The program’s only two losses at this point are to a pair of 4A state contenders in Bothell and Jackson. Gig Harbor graduated last season’s league MVP in infielder Audrey Allen, but is also undefeated in league play early on, and returns eight starters from the group that advanced to the district playoffs last season. Montana-bound shortstop Riley Peschek, who hit .652 for the Tides last season, is a returning 3A SSC first-team selection and TNT All-Area pick. Center fielder Danielle Biehl was also a 3A SSC first-team selection last spring as a freshman. Yelm graduated much of the group that advanced to the state quarterfinals last spring before also losing to Auburn Riverside in the consolation bracket, including all four 3A SSC first-team selections. But, the Tornados — who have two second-place finishes in the 3A state tournament the past four brackets — are always competitive. Timberline also reached the state tournament last spring, and brings back most of that group. Returning 3A SSC first-team pitcher Jasmyn Polanco tallied 188 strikeouts last season, while Howard commit Tori Trotter, who plays catcher and outfield, is a top contributor for the Blazers at the plate.

2A SPSL

Orting has been on a tear early in the season, winning big against Fife, Washington, Franklin Pierce and Enumclaw. Fife, Enumclaw and White River are in the picture, but will be playing catch up to the Cardinals. Orting returns three first-team all-league selections from last spring — pitcher Abby Depping and infielders Kaylee Gresko and Abbi Almont, along with second-team catcher Miken Jacobsen. White River returns TNT All-Area selection Ella Lidstrom; the shortstop won league MVP honors last spring after hitting .616 with seven home runs, five triples, 12 doubles and 41 RBI. Madison Walls is Fife’s ace and has valuable positional versatility for the Trojans, has good arm strength and hits for power. P/INF Bryce Lindenmuth and C/2B Hana Reynolds are players to watch for the Trojans. Enumclaw returns P/OF Emilie Crimmins, who has been the team’s top arm so far this spring. Shortstop Madison Higginbotham is mashing the ball this season, hitting .571 with nine RBI.

2A EvCo

W.F. West and reigning 2A state champion Tumwater will contend for the league title. The two teams met in the state semifinals last spring in Selah, where Tumwater came away with a 5-3 win before beating top-seeded Othello in the championship game, 13-3. OF Kylie Waltermeyer, who hit .375 last season, returns for the T-Birds, along with sophomore ace and TNT All-Area selection Ella Ferguson (12-1 record, 1.31 ERA, 184 strikeouts in 2022). Catcher Jaime Haase has plenty of pop in her bat — she hit .588 last season with 24 RBI, four home runs and seven doubles for the T-Birds. INF Megan Paull hit .381 with 21 RBI last spring. W.F. West features perhaps the league’s top player in Savannah Hawkins, a formidable power hitter. She’s complemented in a deep lineup by Avalon Myers, Lena Fragner and Brielle Etter.

Puyallup designated hitter Taryn Takayoshi is welcomed to the dugout by teammate Sam Bland after scoring a run in the Vikings’ fastpitch game against the Sumner Spartans at Puyallup High School in Puyallup, Washington, on Wednesday, April 27, 2022.
Puyallup designated hitter Taryn Takayoshi is welcomed to the dugout by teammate Sam Bland after scoring a run in the Vikings’ fastpitch game against the Sumner Spartans at Puyallup High School in Puyallup, Washington, on Wednesday, April 27, 2022.

TOP 40 PLAYERS TO WATCH

P/OF Danielle Biehl, Gig Harbor, soph.

INF Bailee Brader, Auburn Riverside, jr.

P Bella Carazo, Bonney Lake, sr.

INF/OF Malia Coit, Peninsula, jr.

P/OF Emilie Crimmins, Enumclaw, sr.

OF Kyla Cross, Bonney Lake, sr.

INF/OF Elissa Dewees, Yelm, jr.

P/INF Glory Estabrook, Peninsula, sr.

P Ella Ferguson, Tumwater, soph.

INF Sina Fuiava, Decatur, jr.

P/INF Kaylee Gresko, Orting, sr.

C Jaime Haase, Tumwater, soph.

P/INF Alissa Hermansen, Bonney Lake, sr.

C/INF Kalani Higa, Tahoma, fr.

OF Alyssa Hoff, Olympia, sr.

C Miken Jacobsen, Orting, jr.

INF Brooke Jett, South Kitsap, sr.

OF Taryn Jones, Tahoma, soph.

P/INF Alli Kimball, Peninsula, sr.

INF Ella Lidstrom, White River, sr.

P/UTIL Riley McGee, Sumner, jr.

C Kelsey Medalia, Silas, sr.

INF Taylor Minton, Auburn Mountainview, sr.

P Kailee Pearson, Cascade Christian, soph.

INF Riley Peschek, Gig Harbor, sr.

P Jasmyn Polanco, Timberline, jr.

P Sami Potvin, Olympia, jr.

INF Isabel Quintanilla, Emerald Ridge, sr.

OF Sydney Sasaki, Rogers, jr.

C Laila Smith, Olympia, sr.

INF Kyra Smith, Puyallup, jr.

C Taryn Takayoshi, Puyallup, sr.

C/OF Tori Trotter, Timberline, sr.

INF Kailey Verhoeven, Emerald Ridge, jr.

INF Kaylee Walker, Auburn Riverside, jr.

P/UTIL Madison Walls, Fife, jr.

OF Kylie Waltermeyer, Tumwater, sr.

P Izzy Welch, Puyallup, sr.

INF Joy Wilde, Lincoln, soph.

P Sarah Wright, Kentwood, jr.