Led by a first-place finish from the Whitehawks and individual gold medals from Margaret Hood and Theo Tom, Grays Harbor Special Olympics softball teams brought home some hardware at the conclusion of the Southwest Softball Regional Tournament on Saturday, July 29 in Olympia.
The Whitehawks – which competes in the second highest division Grays Harbor Special Olympics fields – won three straight games in a double-elimination tournament to claim first place in Division 4. The team consists of Nate Grantham, Karter Zillyette, Josh Miller, Luisa Kolb, Kevin Meneely, Daniel Sperline, Chance Monaghan, Robert Duncan, Trudy Duncan, Jessica Grun, Anna Howe and Kyell Patrick. The team is coached by Sara Zillyette and Susie Patrick.
The Blackhawks Unified – a mixed team of players with and without a disability competing in the highest skill level Division 1 – lost its first game 6-5 before responding with three straight wins to advance to the championship game, where it suffered a second 6-5 loss to place second overall.
SUBMITTED PHOTO The Grays Harbor Special Olympic Blackhawks placed second in Division 1 at the Southwest Softball Regional Tournament in Saturday, July 29 in Olympia.
The team consisted of Tim Ashlock, Matthew Flemetis, Patrick Root, Kyler Doll, Zach Fitzgerald, Tommy Snell and unified partners (players without a disability) Rio Charley, Oscar Escalante, Kelsey Besser, Jason Garman, Erin Pehl, Kaleb Ames and Josh Wills. The team was coached by Breanna Gentry.
The Division 2 (T-ball) Greenhawks – a team consisting mostly of players new to the game or that previously competed exclusively in the individual skills events – lost both of its two games by one run each to place third.
The team consisted of players Nana Anderson, Charlie Edgmon, Nery Farias, Joplynne Goforth, Sean Hill,
Khloey Keller, Robert Marshall, Sarina Osier, Angel Pettis, Collin Strode and Janice Abby.
The Greenhawks were coached by Arletia Marshall, Bob VanWormer and Eddy Goforth.
Multiple Grays Harbor Hawks competitors medaled in individual skills competitions, led by Margaret Hood and Theo Tom, each of whom won gold medals.
Rosalia Holman and Kaleb Weston each brought home a silver medal with Gideon Evensen, Nastia Evensen, Brian Haire and Andy Winkleblack winning bronze.
Evan Gentry also placed fourth for Grays Harbor.
The players were coached by Erick Weston, Tanya Keller-Lewin and Heather Englund.
