Wednesday, April 25, 2012

KingCo 3A Awards - Week 3

KingCo 3A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 3: April 16 - 21, 2012

Player of the Week: Sam Finfer, Jr., Interlake
Junior catcher Sam Finfer collects this week's player of the week award for an outstanding performance in week 3 of league play. The left handed hitter doubled twice and homered, finishing the week 4-for-10 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI. His offensive output combined with his outstanding work behind the plate for the Saints earned him the award.

Also nominated: Jack Carlson, Bellevue; Nick Johnson, LW

Pitchers of the Week: Austin Strother, Jr., Interlake
Joining his battery mate in KingCo honors this week, junior southpaw Austin Strother is the pitcher of the week in the 3A conference for week 3. Interlake's ace started two games last week and did not allow an earned run over 12 1/3 innings of work. He allowed just six hits and 3 walks while striking out 16 opposing batters.

Also nominated: Nolan Watson, Bellevue; Reece Karalus, Mt. Si; Hunter Goldberg, Mercer Island; Zach Johnson, LW

Monday, April 23, 2012

KingCo 4A Awards - Week 5

KingCo 4A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 5: April 16-21, 2012

Crest Division
Player of the Week: Matt Sinatro, Jr., Skyline
Though only playing one game due to a bye shortened week, Skyline junior Matt Sinatro made enough of a splash to be recognized as the Crest Player of the Week. The left-handed hitting shortstop turned in a 3-4 day with two doubles and three RBI in a tight win over the Bothell Cougars.

Pitcher of the Week: Peter Hendron, Sr., Redmond
For the second straight week, a Redmond Mustang arm has been awarded Crest Pitcher of the Week honors, this time for the ever so rare feat of a perfect game. Senior right-hander Peter Hendron sat down 21 Eastlake hitters in a row, striking out the first five of six. In all, Hendron sat down ten via strikeout while propelling Redmond to a 1-0 win.

Crown Division
Player of the Week: Blake Wilson, Sr., Inglemoor
Inglemoor senior Blake Wilson turned things up a notch offensively this past week. In two games against Woodinville and Redmond, the right-fielder was 5-8 at the plate with two doubles and a triple. Most eye-popping, however, were his 7 RBI to lead all Kingco players on the week.

Pitcher of the Week: Marty Luchenbach, Sr., Woodinville
Oregon State signee, RHP Marty Luckenbach of Woodinville, is this week’s Crown Pitcher of the Week. The tall right-hander turned in a complete game, no hit performance against the Issaquah Eagles. He struck out eight and walked four while lowering his season ERA to 2.91 in four starts..

KingCo 3A Awards - Week 2

KingCo 3A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 2: April 9 - 14, 2012

Player of the Week: Trevor Lane, Sr., Mount Si
One week after picking up Pitcher of the Week honors, Mount Si senior Trevor Lane collects another award, this time winning Player of the Week for week 2. The left-handed hitter finished the week an outstanding 7-for-9 at the plate, scoring six times and driving in four more. Lane also stole 2 bags for the Wildcats, helping lead his squad to a 2-1 week.

Also nominated: None

Pitchers of the Week: Zach Johnson, Sr., LW & Reece Karalus, Sr., Mt Si
Two senior pitchers collect this week's award for outstanding performances. Johnson, the senior southpaw from LW heading to Edmonds Community College next season, was masterful in beating the top-ranked Mount Si Wildcats on Friday night. Johnson scattered six hits and allowed just a solo home run in a complete game victory. He struck out 7 Wildcats in the process. Karalus, who is committed to the University of Santa Clara, tossed a 2-hit shutout, striking out 7 in Mount Si's 7-0 win over Liberty. The righty needed just 79 pitches, and missed the strike zone just 20 times all afternoon.

Also nominated: Trevor Lane, Mt. Si; Trevor Taylor, Mt. Si;

KingCo 4A Awards: Week 4

KingCo 4A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 4: April 9-14, 2012

Crest Division
Player of the Week: Lucas Eliason, Soph., Redmond
Lucas Eliason, the sophomore backstop for the Redmond Mustangs, came alive for the surging club. In three games, Eliason went 4-8 hitting two homeruns and a double while driving in six. With three walks, he posted a .636 OBP, scoring three times.

Pitcher of the Week: Adam Cline, Sr., Redmond
Columbia University bound Adam Cline led the Redmond Mustang pitching staff to a perfect 3-0 week in Kingco play. The right-hander tossed an 87 pitch complete game shutout against the Bothell Cougars on Monday. He came back on Friday to shutout the Woodinville Falcons for the final three innings to earn a save. In the 10 scoreless innings, Cline struck out 8 and only walked two.

Crown Division
Player of the Week: Sam Kennard, Sr., Garfield
Sam Kennard of Garfield has earned player of the week honors for his offensive output versus Newport and Skyline. In two games, the senior went 3 for 6 with a double. He also tallied 3 RBI, driving in half of the Bulldog runs on the week.

Pitcher of the Week: Caleb Jaeger, Sr., Ballard
After multiple nominations due to dominating performances in this Kingco season, Caleb Jaeger of Ballard is the Crown pitcher of the week. In two games, the senior threw 10 1/3 innings of shutout baseball against Issaquah and Skyline. The Issaquah effort was a complete game shutout. His season ERA is now a miniscule 0.56 with his ERA in Kingco play at 0.65.

Hitting the Home Stretch

As we approach the final two weeks of play, conference races are heating up in the KingCo 3A & 4A leagues.  Four games remain for the 4A teams, with the 3A teams each with five games remaining on the slate.  Here's a quick look at the divisional races:

KingCo 4A - Crest Division

Skyline 8-2
Redmond 7-4
Issaquah 5-6
Newport 5-6
Eastlake 4-7

Skyline holds a game and a half lead over smoking hot Redmond, who was won seven straight league games and ten straight overall after an 0-7 start.  The win streak continued on Friday behind the perfect game of Peter Hendron in Redmond's 1-0 victory. Those two clubs match up on Monday - a win for Skyline would clinch the Crest Division crown as they would hold the tiebreaker over the Mustangs thanks to a season sweep.  Just one game separates Issaquah, Newport and Eastlake, who are fighting for two playoff spots.



KingCo 4A - Crown Division
Bothell 7-4
Inglemoor 7-4
Woodinville 7-4
Ballard 5-6
Garfield 4-7
Roosevelt 1-10

This hotly contested divisional race has all three Northshore teams tied for the top spot at 7-4.  Each team has four games remaining, so there's a good chance the division title could be decided on the regular season's final day (Monday, 4/30).  Ballard scored a huge win over Garfield last Thursday, completing a season sweep and giving them the upper hand on the Bulldogs for the final playoff spot in the Crown division.  The Beavers hold a full game lead and the tiebreaker, putting them in good shape.  Roosevelt must win out and have Ballard lose out to have any chance at the post-season.



KingCo 3A/2A
Lake Washington 8-1
Bellevue 7-2
Mount Si 6-2
Interlake 4-5 **
Mercer Island 3-5
Juanita 3-6
Liberty 3-6
Sammamish 1-8

** Interlake (2A) will not play in the KingCo post-season; they will instead play in districts with other 2A schools


Nine games into the conference season, Lake Washington sits alone atop the conference at 8-1.  Their lone blemish came to Bellevue, who knocked off both LW and Mount Si last week before losing to Interlake on Friday afternoon.  The Wolverines are one game back at 7-2, with Mount Si a game and a half back with a record of 6-2.  The top three spots appear secure, with a 3 game difference between 3rd and 4th place Mercer Island.  Juanita and Liberty are currently tied for 5th place at 3-6, with each team holding a full two game lead over Sammamish for the 6th and final playoff spot.