ADNA — Once is an accomplishment. Back-to-back begins a budding dynasty. Three in a row is historic in Washington State.
Four in a row gets a program into the inner circle of documented softball dominance. At minimum 27 games separate the Adna High School softball team from entering rarified air.
The Pirates enter 2026 with the potential to become the second program in state history to win four consecutive championships. If they were to accomplish it, they would join Colton – a Class 1B powerhouse that triumphed six years in a row – as schools to win four state softball titles consecutively.
“Three years ago, we didn’t talk about a state championship, we talked about playing Pirate softball,” longtime Adna head coach Bruce Pocklington said. “It is pretty amazing. We got the biggest target we’ve ever had on our back.
“Everybody is after us.”
Adna’s run to the title game was far from easy last spring. It suffered six losses and was run off the Fort Borst Park diamond in the 2B District 4 semis versus Raymond/South Bend. It needed the offense to wake up versus Warden, Kittitas and PWV before leading from beginning to end versus Freeman.
The bats were the strength of the 2025 state title team. Pitching carried the Pirates the two previous years. Is the 2026 roster going to lean heavily on one area?
History suggests so, but their depth could play a determining role.
It’s a junior-heavy roster with the lone senior being Lena McCloskey in the outfield. Even entrenched starters from the title team like her, infielders Hadleigh Gerard and Alyssa Carroll and power hitter Khloe Hunt aren’t guaranteed starting spots.
“A lot of people are fighting for spots and Bruce has said that we hype everyone up,” Gerard said of the competition. “We filled in the holes, we’ll just have to work a lot.”
Pocklington feels he has at max five girls that can come off the bench at the moment for a pinch hit, defensive replacement or courtesy runner. In the season opening win over Black Hills, Adna played 16 girls in a seven-inning game.
It’s a yearly occurrence in non-league games for the Pirates to get as many girls on the field in a game setting.
“We had some kids sit on the bench last year that could have played in a lot of places on other teams,” Pocklington said. “It is a good problem to have. I’m really excited. If you swing the bat, you get in the lineup.”
Avery LaFontaine is back in the circle to anchor the pitching staff after throwing triple digit innings as a sophomore. The right-hander battled through a handful of outings with high walk numbers to have a 10-plus win season.
“I just want her to relax and compete,” Pocklington said of his top pitcher. “The pressure is off her a little bit.”
Still, there’s depth on who toes the rubber.
Teagan Baggenstos came on in the state semis versus PWV and dazzled with five innings of relief and only allowed one run plus notched four strikeouts. Junior Charlie Myers tossed three innings versus the Wolves and struck out four. The fourth option is Kennedi Elliott-Hudson.
Competition at its finest.
“Our pitching is definitely deeper,” Pocklington said. “They all throw a little bit of different stuff.”
Tieander Olson, who missed most of the Pirates basketball season, made her debut in a softball jersey as their starting shortstop. She’s also an option to be the catcher, as are Kimber Huber and Jaxsyn Lowrey.
Gerard feels even with the loss of three stalwart seniors, this group can be as good defensively as the previous three years.
“Our talking in the field and boosting each other up and communicating every single pitch, it is a pretty big deal for us,” the sophomore said. “We have each other’s backs.”
Per usual, the District 4 tournament provides the type of intensity that equals or rises above the state tournament in Yakima. Since 2B became a classification in 2002, SW Washington has claimed all but two state titles.
Even in the early years of 1A, it featured championships won by Toledo, Adna and Onalaska went back-to-back.
“Just working one game at a time and eventually, we’ll think about that four-peat,” Gerard said.
Adna is on the doorstep, but it hasn’t walked in the hallway yet. It never looks too far ahead and Pocklington keeps it simple when asked about what it will take to claim the throne once again at Gateway Sports Complex.
“The girls like each other a lot and that is another big thing,” he said. “That’s why I’m still here. We got great kids that work their tail off.”
