O’nalisa Hall picked up right where she left off last season.
The Inglemoor High sophomore blasted a two-run home run to lead the Vikings to a 4-2 victory over Edmonds Woodway in their season opener last month.
Hall also homered and added several more hits during the Viks’ fifth-place 4A state run last spring. With since-graduated stars Mackenzie DeKay and Hannah Shimek on board, Inglemoor also secured second place at the league tournament. The Viks finished 19-7 overall and 12-3 in league last year.
Inglemoor lost just DeKay and Shimek from its 2017 squad and returns seven starters set to make a bang this year.
The Viks’ top players, including those starters, are seniors Riley Garcia (second base) and Rachel Brown (center field); juniors Taylor Waara (pitcher, first base), Hailey King (catcher), Camryn Scott (right field) and Kennadi Wuebel (third base); and sophomores Hall (left field), Sofia Fike (pitcher, first base) and Emma Flugstad (shortstop).
Waara, Scott and Garcia all knocked hits during last year’s state tournament.
Waara and Fike both homered in the team’s 6-2 victory over North Creek on March 28. The Viks were 3-2 in league and 4-4 overall at press time.
“The team is looking good. We have the potential to be very good offensively,” said head coach Jeff Skelly, adding that the Viks are a great group of players who work well together and aim to improve their skills daily.
Skelly loves the game of softball and his goal is to “teach the fundamentals of the game, to compete in everything you do is important.”
BASEBALL
The last time Inglemoor won the 4A KingCo title, coach Craig Bishop’s son was age 1, and now Teddy is the starting catcher.
Craig is back in the coach’s spot for the Viks and returns seven starters from last year’s squad, which was 4-16 overall and 1-13 in league.
Eunsang Yu knocked an RBI single and Sean Mulcare had two hits in the Vikings’ 2-1 win over Eastlake on March 28. At press time, Inglemoor was 2-3 in league and 3-6 overall.
“The season is off to a good start, the players are buying in to the program and excited about the daily challenge to improve. The weather certainly makes it more enjoyable as well,” coach Bishop said.
Inglemoor’s returners are seniors AJ Baldwin (pitcher), Will Larsen (pitcher, infielder), Brandon Fothergill (first base, pitcher) and Bishop; and juniors Mulcare (shortstop), Sean Kauffman (second base) and Yu (third base).
Joining in the on the Vik action are top newcomers Zac Tuss (senior outfielder, pitcher), Mitch Malsam (senior outfielder) and Garrett Oremus (sophomore pitcher).
Coach Bishop is excited to be swept up in the energy around the program and to be working alongside the booster club, which has worked tirelessly to support the players.
“My philosophy centers around focusing on the process, keeping our minds on things we can control and letting the outcome be a byproduct of great preparation and the intent to win. Bottom line is that winning isn’t everything but the intent to win is,” said Bishop, noting that the Viks are also stellar students.
