The senior group for the Tenino High School baseball team has three more months of playing sports with each other. After an up-and-down football season and a resurgent boys basketball campaign that ended with a state tournament berth, the spring is the final countdown.
And the Beavers have the makings of a potential return trip to Joe Martin Stadium in Bellingham.
Returning first team all-league pitcher Jack Burkhardt anchors the rotation while speedster Will Feltus, catcher Austin Gonia, outfielder Preston Snider and designated hitter Michael Vassar make up the core of seniors that aim for two straight Final Fours.
Gonia will add pitching to his arsenal, lining up as Tenio’s No. 2 behind Burkhardt. The right-hander allowed just four hits in his first start of the year on Monday.
The Beavers secured a runner-up finish in Class 1A District 4, but the same cast of characters – paced by Seton Catholic – are expected to be at the forefront of the title chase again.
One team that will look to join the party is Rochester, new to 1A after spending the last cycle in 2A.
The Warriors got hot at the end of the season – stringing together five straight wins – on their way to the district tournament where they went 1-2.
Ethan Rodriguez, Kole Smith, Colton Weiss and Tayden Martin are back after playing in 20-plus games a season ago. Pitching is the biggest question mark as 19 starts have graduated from the 12-10 team.
All of the Evergreen teams will play each other three times. Rochester is filling the non-league portion of the schedule against familiar 2A D4 opponents.
