RAVENS AT A GLANCE
COACH: Bryce Strand, fourth year
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 8-12 overall, 4-10 in South Puget Sound League 3A.
TOP RETURNERS: Kiana Drumheller,
senior, left field; Alli Hand, senior, catcher; Jordyn Judge, sophomore, right field; Lyzelle Maranan, senior, second base; Rhonda Sheldon, junior, center field; Mindy Wanner, sophomore, first base.
TOP NEWCOMERS: Autumn Lee, freshman, pitcher; Brooke Dye, freshman, shortstop.
OUTLOOK: An improvement on 2015’s eight-win season would mark the fourth consecutive year the Ravens have finished with a better record. That never is easy in SPSL 3A, which has two teams – Bonney Lake and Enumclaw – that often compete for state championships. But Auburn Riverside also returns a pair of varsity mainstays in Hand and Maranan, while Drumheller, Judge and Wanner also are back. Drumheller helped guide the Ravens’ volleyball and basketball teams to state-playoff appearances earlier in the school year.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Auburn Riverside hosts Stadium at 7 p.m.
March 15 in its home opener on the school’s new synthetic turf field. The Ravens also are scheduled to play games April 14 and April 16 against Valley Christian (San Jose) and Dougherty Valley (San Ramon) in California.
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LIONS AT A GLANCE
COACH: Alicia Thompson, fifth year
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 16-10 overall, 12-2 in South Puget Sound League 3A.
TOP RETURNERS:Emiy Bartholomew, sophomore, outfield; Zoe Collins, junior, pitcher/outfielder; Angie Hagen, junior, first base/outfield; Lily Hope, sophomore, second base/catcher; Emily Martinez, junior, shortstop/catcher; Marissa Petrovich, senior, outfield/second base; Caitlyn Rhoades, sophomore, pitcher/third base; Laurel Tauzer, junior, catcher/third base/outfield.
TOP NEWCOMERS: Emily Houck, sophomore, outfield/catcher; Adrianna Lomeli-Smith, freshman, outfield; Megan Perius, sophomore, first base/third base/pitcher.
OUTLOOK: The youthful Lions grew up quickly last season as they advanced to state even with a roster that included nine freshmen and sophomores. That experience figures to benefit Auburn Mountainview as it competes for a league title. Thompson likes the depth she returns on the mound with Rhoades emerging to complement Collins, a first-team all-league selection in 2015. Led by Collins, who finished with a .453 batting average last season, and Martinez (.395), the Lions’ lineup possesses a balance of power and speed. One potential concern is depth, as Thompson noted, her team will only carry “11 true varsity players.” Petrovich, a third-year varsity outfielder, is recovering from knee surgery, and Thompson does not expect her at full strength until late in the season.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: The Lions host crosstown rivals Auburn Riverside on April 7 and Auburn on May 5. Auburn Mountainview also plays its May 12 regular-season finale at home against Enumclaw in a contest that could determine the SPSL 3A champion.
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TROJANS AT A GLANCE
COACH: Brenna Nesper, first year
LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 2-16 overall, 0-14 in South Puget Sound League 3A.
TOP RETURNERS: Taylor Hanson, sophomore, shortstop; Dani Hutson, senior, catcher; Simone Liu, senior, outfield; Dakota Mounts, senior, first base; Hannah Mustain, senior, utility; Carly Ross, sophomore, pitcher.
TOP NEWCOMERS: Gina Nipert, freshman, pitcher; Jillian Tinsley, freshman, catcher.
OUTLOOK: Nesper, a 2001 Auburn grad, takes over a program that won two games last season after finishing winless in 2014. The situation is much different from the one Nesper experienced as a player – she was an outfielder on the Trojans’ team that played for a state championship during her senior year – but she is excited for the opportunity to turnaround her alma mater. A pair of varsity veterans, Liu and Mustain, said the team’s talent level is much better than recent seasons.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Auburn moves from its former home, Fulmer Park, to its new on-campus facility this season. The Trojans open their new home at 4 p.m. March 15 against Holy Names Academy. Auburn’s league home opener is April 5 against Enumclaw.
– Chris Chancellor
