It is a small group of seniors – five to be exact – and they’ve been through quite the prep career rollercoaster.
As freshman, they got to the Class 2A state semifinals and left the east side with a third place trophy. That magic wasn’t refilled in 2023 where the W.F. West High School softball team missed state. They recaptured it last spring, but failed to medal in Selah.
Now, the quintet of Avalon Myers, Addison Froschauer, Monroe Dalrymple, Aubree Nelson and Marley McGreal have the opportunity to write their own ending.
The last few pages of their book started on Friday night on a good note.
All five contributed in the regular season finale for the Bearcats, triumphing past Aberdeen 8-4 at Recreation Park. Four of them reached base at least once plus McGreal got the start in right field and made a couple routine catches.
“They were just out there having fun tonight,” W.F. West head coach Kevin Zylstra said. “They;re a fun group.”
It was also the final day of Evergreen Conference play and the Bearcats (12-8, 9-6 EvCo) finished third and will play in a Class 2A District 4 pigtail contest at home on Tuesday against the GSHL’s six seed, Hockinson.
“We play every game to our best and we showed that tonight,” Dalrymple said.
The motto at the start of the year was four hours better. In order to be four hours better, they have to win three games to make it two consecutive state tournament trips to accomplish one goal.
Blast off?
Time will tell.
“We’re willing to give it our all,” Dalrymple said.
The first baseman deposited a full count fastball that hung in the upper part of the zone over the center field fence, a three-run home run that capped a six-run first. Dalrymple smiled as she rounded third base and was mobbed by her teammates.
It was the biggest moment from the seniors. Myers drew two walks and scored twice, Nelson went 2-for-3 and Froschauer recorded a hit and crossed home plate.
“I just had a feeling she was going to deliver,” Zylstra said of Dalrymple. “I knew she was locked in. She hit the snot out of it.”
Dalrymple hasn’t pitched as much as she did a year ago, but that hasn’t deterred her. She supplanted herself at first to create an infield with three seniors and freshman Karlee Coleman at third.
Zylstra called her a “dream kid” to coach.
“She will do whatever we need her to do and some kids, it is lip service,” he added. “Her, she is so incredibly sincere. I have a great deal of confidence wherever we put her.”
Dalrymple understands her role and doesn’t make it bigger than the team.
“I just want to play the game,” she said. “I take my position as someone to hype everyone up.”
Coleman started the scoring off Aberdeen’s pitcher Maysinn Jones with a three-run shot and W.F. West added a run in third and another in the sixth. The Bobcats crawled back with a two-run home run by Grand Canyon recruit Lilly Camp in the fifth sandwiched between one tally in the fourth and sixth.
Camp didn’t pitch in the third and final league meeting. Taylor Tobin, did. The Bearcats sophomore went the distance and registered three strikeouts.
“I expected them to throw Lilly, but I don't blame (them) for holding her,” Zylstra said.
If W.F. West gets by Hockinson on Tuesday, they’ll open the double elimination portion of the bracket on Thursday versus Ridgefield. A year after the EvCo nabbed all four state berths, the Bearcats are hoping for some home cooking.
Two years ago, they were in the pigtail and lost in a winner-to-state tilt. It’s a longer road, but they aren’t shying away from the challenge.
“It is great to be able to play on our home field, it is a big advantage,” Dalrymple said.
