The spring athletic season is racing headlong into prime time, with a handful of Plateau programs preparing for postseason play.
Here’s how things stack up for the Enumclaw and White River high school teams.
BASEBALL
Both Enumclaw and White River qualified for the District 2/3 tournament, a 16-team affair that will send six squads to the Class 2A state competition.
Leading the way is the Enumclaw bunch that secured the district’s No. 1 seed. That came as no surprise, as the Hornets presently sit at No. 1 in the statewide 2A rankings, according to the RPI formula used by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association.
Enumclaw opened district play yesterday (Tuesday) against the No. 8 Olympic High squad. A victory would deliver a spot in the district semifinals and a guaranteed berth to state. A loss would bring a 4 p.m. game today (Wednesday) in Enumclaw.
White River landed with the district’s No. 10 seed, meaning Tuesday’s game against No. 15 North Mason was a loser-out contest. If White River prevailed, the Buckley squad would be on the road today in another loser-out affair. Lacrosse: Postseason play is familiar ground for the Enumclaw High boys. A season ago, the squad – featuring many of the same players – battled to a state 2A/1A championship.
This year’s team posted a perfect 6-0 record in league play and went 12-4 overall.
The EHS Hornets will begin their postseason journey Saturday when they host the squad from Anacortes. The game will begin at 4 p.m. at the Enumclaw Expo Center.
The White River team didn’t fare nearly as well, finishing the regular season 0-6 in league play and 1-8 overall. The spring campaign has concluded without a playoff appearance.
Track and field: With the regular season in the rearview mirror, the boys and girls programs from both EHS and White River will gather Friday for the South Puget Sound League 2A meet. White River will host the league meet.
Athletes from the nine league teams will be looking to advance to the May 17-18 bi-district championships, which take place at Phil Pugh Stadium at North Mason High School (Belfair).
District action will provide the final paring down process, sending the best of the best to the May 23-25 state meet, to the staged again at Tacoma’s Mount Tahoma High School.
SOCCER
The District 2/3 soccer tournament opened for business Tuesday with both White River and Enumclaw taking part in the 16-team competition.
Based on their regular-season accomplishments, White River was seeded No. 9 into the tourney and Enumclaw entered at No. 14. White River hosted No. 16 North Mason and EHS was on the road, facing No. 11 Renton. Both were loser-out contests.
A Tuesday victory would bring a Thursday road game, another of the loser-out variety.
Girls Tennis: Enumclaw and White River athletes have polished off the regular season now turn their attention to postseason tournaments.
It’s an elimination process that begins with the May 8-10 league tourney at Clover Park High School. The best of the field will advance to the May 17-18 regional tourney and, from there, a select few will advance to the Class 2A state championships, planned for May 24-25 at the Nordstrom Tennis Center in Seattle.
FASTPITCH
The Plateau girls will be finishing regular-season play this week.
Highlighting the calendar is a Battle of the Bridge matchup at 3:30 this afternoon (Wednesday) when Enumclaw travels to White River.
Aside from today’s contest, Enumclaw High hosted the Washington Patriots on Monday and hosts Clover Park on Thursday at the Boise Creek Sixplex.
White River’s final week of the regular season also included a Tuesday game at Washington High.
GOLF
This is a split-season endeavor, with the regular season played in the fall and the state championships contested in the spring.
At the conclusion of the fall season, players from all four programs – boys and girls from both EHS and White River – had guaranteed themselves spots in the Class 2A state championships. The May 21-22 state meets will take place in the Spokane Valley at Liberty Lake Golf Course (boys) and MeadowWood Golf Course (girls).
During last fall’s league tourney, 13 Plateau golfers earned the right to play in the spring qualifier. That tournament will be contested next week and provide golfers a final opportunity to land a berth at state.
