1B Baseball Preview: Mossyrock Aiming to Ascend in Third Straight Season

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As is common among small-school sports, the names are starting to get real familiar. 

The same boys that made up Mossyrock’s first 8-man football team to make it to State, more or less, were the Vikings that got to Spokane for basketball after placing second in district. Now, they’re trading in the hardwood for the diamond, and trying to make it three seasons in a row that Mossyrock has taken the definitive next step.

And while trophies are nice, that next step has taken one main form: beating Naselle. The Vikings finally got to the Comets on the gridiron and on the court. Next up is baseball, and that’s where Naselle is strongest.

The reigning state champs do have to retool a bit, but bring back league MVP Kolten Lindstrom, who’s already proven that he can win games by himself if needed. When he’s on the mound, he throws to his brother Jacob, a first-team all-leaguer in his own right. And while Joe Strange is gone and Jimmy Strange is becoming a far-off memory for the Comets, Naselle brings one more — Jack — to the party as a big bopper in the middle of the order.

To take them on, Mossyrock brings back seven all-league players — indeed, the entire first team last year was Vikings and Comets. In true 1B fashion, it’s going to be all hands on deck for the Vikings, with players moving around the field, on and off the mound, every game. Keegan and Easton Kolb lead the order off with a strong 1-2 punch, leading the outfield and the left side of the infield, respectively. Behind them comes a roster stacked with returning talent, ready to take the next step.

Beyond the Vikings and Comets, Oakville brings back Daniel Rodas, who earned second-team all-league honors in the infield. The Acorns are on a similar trajectory to Mossyrock, taking the next step in both football and basketball, and will try to do the same in baseball as well. Three games in and results have been mixed, with two blowout wins and a blowout loss, but the real tests will start coming next week, against 2B powers Toutle Lake and Kalama, as well as Naselle and Mossyrock.

Mossyrock

Coach: Darren Kolb (fifth) 



2022 record: 8-5 (state play-in)

Player(s) to watch: Keegan Kolb, Easton Kolb

 

Oakville

Coach: Richard Milligan (first) 

2022 record: 1-9

Player(s) to watch: Daniel Rodas, Tre Groninger