For the last four years, W.F. West’s Deacon Meller has felt that the Bearcats were the best team in the state. Over that time, they’ve made multiple deep playoff runs, including a district title in 2023 and back-to-back third-places finishes in 2022 and 2023.
They never got the chance to play for a state title, but Meller was nothing but grateful when discussing his experiences during that stretch.
“It’s just sometimes it doesn’t work out that way,” Meller said. “But it was still four great seasons. I just thought it was a great experience. I wouldn’t have rather been anywhere else.”
Meller ended his prep career with a bang, hitting .500 at the plate, posting an OPS of 1.292, driving in 19 runs, and setting a new W.F. West record with 31 stolen bases. He also was hit by 21 pitches, and he didn’t commit a single error across 140 chances.
He earned a spot on the EvCo’s all-league first-team, and he is the MVP of The Chronicle’s 2025 All-Area Baseball Team. It’s the third-straight year that he has made the All-Area team.
Meller has been solid on the field for W.F. West all four seasons, earning second-team all-league honors his freshman season before making the first team each of the next three.
While the physical skill has always been there, Meller said that what helped him elevate his game even more was his growth with the mental side of the game.
“My freshman year, I really struggled with it,” Meller said. “(My coaches) really helped me improve mentally and physically, but mostly my emotional side of the game.”
Meller said he’ll miss playing for his coaches at W.F. West, including head coach Jesse Elam, and he also said that he’ll miss being a part of the Bearcats’ senior core. Seven other seniors from the baseball team are also graduating.
“Everyone has improved a lot,” Meller said. “I feel like our class has been a huge part of being a team and a family. Not just playing baseball, but just being around the guys after games, getting dinner, hanging out before the games. It’s really meant a lot.”
Meller’s playing career will continue next spring in Longview, when he’ll take the field at Lower Columbia College.
The Chronicle’s All-Area Baseball Team:
Ross Kelley, W.F. West
Another part of W.F. West’s senior class, Kelley was a key piece in the heart of the Bearcat lineup, posting a .328 batting average and a .489 on-base percentage while driving in 17 runs and stealing 26 bases to earn First-Team All-EvCo honors. Kelley will join Meller at LCC next spring.
Hayden Rooney, W.F. West
Rooney emerged as the Bearcats ace, posting an ERA of just 1.10 and a WHIP of 0.78 while striking out 35 batters across 44.2 innings. He finished the season a perfect 7-0 on the mound and earned a spot on the all-league first-team as a sophomore.
Grady Westlund, W.F. West
Another first-team all-league Bearcat pitcher, Westlund struck out 42 batters across 35.1 innings, posting an ERA of 2.18 and a WHIP of 1.16 while winning all four of his decisions on the hill.
Liam Smaciarz, PWV
The P2BL MVP, Smaciarz did it all for the Titans. He logged six wins on the mound, striking out 57 batters and posting a 1.04 ERA across 47 innings, and he also hit .400 with two home runs, 29 runs batted in, and an 1.304 OPS. Smaciarz will head south to play for Linfield University.
Danner Hoinowski, Adna
Hoinowski finished his high school career with another incredible season, earning C2BL MVP honors by collecting 43 hits and 22 stolen bases while slashing .478/.544/.644. He also posted an ERA of 1.71 across 16.1 innings on the bump, and he finished the season with a fielding percentage of .995, most of which came behind the plate. Hoinowski will also be heading to McMinnville to play for Linfield next spring.
Owen Fagernes, Adna
A steady presence in the Adna lineup, Fagernes hit .451 at the plate, posted an OPS of 1.107, and drove in a team-best 35 runs to earn a spot on the all-league first-team and help the Pirates make it to the district title game and the state tournament.
Easton Kolb, Mossyrock
Kolb was stellar with his arm and his bat to lead Mossyrock to the district tournament. He struck out 100 batters in just 52 innings while also posting an ERA of 1.21, and he hit four home runs, drove in 17 runs, and stole 25 bags while hitting .477 and posting a staggering OPS of 1.487.
Derek Thompson, Tumwater
The EvCo MVP won the district title with a walk-off home run, a final blast to cap his stellar season. Thompson hit six home runs, drove in 21 runs, and posted an OPS of 1.086 at the plate while also striking out 51 batters and posting an ERA of 1.93 across 32.2 innings on the mound. Thompson will head to Longview to play for LCC.
Luke Houk, Tumwater
Houk finished the season with a perfect 6-0 mark on the bump, striking out 38 batters in 38 innings en route to finishing with an ERA of just 1.84 and a WHIP of 1.08. Houk will play at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Oregon.
Austin Gonia, Tenino
Another two-way star, Gonia finished with an ERA of 1.90 and 56 strikeouts across 48 innings on the hill, and he also finished with a .395 average, 13 extra-base hits, 38 runs batted in, and 20 stolen bases to earn a spot on the Evergreen League’s first-team. He also finished the season without committing a single error. Gonia will play at Linfield University next spring.
Will Feltus, Tenino
Feltus not only hit .413 at the plate and posted an on-base percentage of .544, but he also drove in 19 runs, swiped 17 bags, and turned eight double-plays defensively to earn first-team all-league honors. Feltus will play at Yakima Valley College in 2026.
Kole Smith, Rochester
Smith was stellar at the plate, in the field, and on the bump to help Rochester reach the district tournament. In addition to hitting .439 and stealing 21 bases, he struck out 13 hitters in 15.1 innings and was named the 1A Evergreen League Defensive MVP. Smith will be sticking close to home, as he’ll be playing at Centralia College next spring.
Beckett Landram, Napavine
Landram led the Napavine offense with a .432 average and an OPS of 1.286, hitting three home runs, driving in 27 runs, and stealing 20 bases to earn a first-team all-league nod and lead the Tigers to the state tournament.
Cal Bullock, Napavine
Bullock headlined a stout Napavine rotation, striking out 98 batters and recording a 2.15 ERA across 55.1 innings, and he also drove in 26 runs and stole 23 bases while hitting .341 at the plate to earn first-team all-league honors.
Rohan Feigenbaum, Toledo
Feigenbaum led the Riverhawks with 39 hits and a .459 batting average, and he also drove in 20 runs and stole 32 bases to earn a first-team all-league spot and help Toledo reach the state tournament.
Jake Johnson, Centralia
Johnson led the Tigers in hits and runs batted in, posting an OPS of .917 to earn first-team all-league honors and help Centralia reach the district tournament for the first time in six years.
