Photo Courtesy Jessi Lynn Photography - Pe Ell-Willapa Valley won its second fastpitch state championship under head coach Ken Olson. Players included Olivia Matlock (sr), Raegan Portmann (sr), Dani Shannon (sr), Merissa Frasier (sr), Ava Bush (sr), Alli
The Pe Ell-Willapa Valley Titans captured their second state fastpitch championship under the guidance of head coach Ken Olson at the 1B state tournament conducted at the Yakima Gateway Sports Complex over the weekend. The Titans also claimed the state title in 2017.
"All the drives from Centralia to Pe Ell every day are now worth it," said Coach Olson, who told the Herald is retiring as head coach.
"It was a thrill to be able to coach all these young ladies," Olson said. "Winning another title for me is nothing more than a culmination of hours and hours of mental preparation. It is a real grind as a high school coach because our kids are asked to practice every day unlike travel teams that practice twice a week. It was special in many ways to see the growth in the players."
Coach Olson is a master of preparing his team.
"Preparation! They really do believe in themselves," Olson said. "We take it one pitch at a time and a solid approach with the team's offense. Then our pitcher, Olivia Matlock, had three games of top-shelf work on the mound."
For the Titans, it was a total team championship. "Offensively, there were so many (stars), but with 37 total hits in three games at a state tournament, that took more than a few, but defensively, we were near perfect," Olson said. "Pitching and defense were spot on in all three games."
Coach Olson said the mindset of his heading into and during the state tourney was, "Relax, have fun and take it one game at a time, one pitch at a time. Cliché, but it works."
Titans 11, Adna 0
Pe Ell-Willapa Valley brought home its second state championship with an 11-0 spanking of the Adna Pirates, who had defeated the Titans by a run the the district title game a week earlier.
"District and state are similar except that the players are together as a team for three long days and can really bond at state," Olson said. "It helps our chemistry."
Matlock shut out AHS on 2 hits, and she struck out 4 and walked 1. Matlock (2 hits, 2 runs) socked her fourth home run in three games and Dani Shannon (3 hits) and Ava Bush (2 hits) both drove in 3 runs. Merissa Frasier and Raegan Portmann both had 2 runs and 2 hits.
PWV 10, Rainier 0
Matlock continued her assault at the plate with 2 home runs and 5 RBI and fired another shutout during the semifinal victory over Rainier Saturday. In 5 innings pitched, Matlock whiffed 7, walked 1 and allowed 3 hits.
Dani Shannon scored 2 runs and had 2 hits with a double. Portmann slammed 2 doubles and Frasier scored twice.
Titans 10, Toledo 0
The Titans opened the state tourney with a 10-0 whitewash of Toledo Friday afternoon. Matlock was the hitting and pitching star, allowing 4 hits and striking out seven in the circle while going the distance after the game was stopped after 5 innings. In the batter's box, Matlock accounted for 4 RBI, 2 runs and 2 hits, including a home run and a double.
Grace Huber, a junior, scored 3 times and stroked 3 hits with a double. Bush delivered 2 RBI and Payton Peterson, a junior, whacked 2 doubles. The Titans slammed 10 hits.
About his departing seniors, Olson offered, "Olivia Matlock, Dani Shannon, Ava Bush, Merissa Frasier, Alli Engle and Raegan Portmann all know how to compete and are willing to give up personal goals for team goals. They are a classy bunch of players and most of all, great people."