Thought more than a year removed from winning state titles, the reigning 1A state champion Montesano Bulldogs hosted the reigning 2B state champion Adna Pirates in a softball showdown Thursday.

SOFTBALL

Adna 8, Montesano 4

When the last full season of prep softball in the state of Washington was completed in 2019, Montesano and Adna were two of just six teams to raise a state title.

In Thursday’s much-anticipated showdown of two undefeated and reigning state champions, it was Adna that had its hands raised at the end.

Adna scored six runs over the final three innings to hand Montesano its first loss of the season at Montesano High School.

Facing its toughest test to date this season, Montesano held serve through the first four innings of the game.

Monte (7-1 overall) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Jordan Carr singled with one out and later scored on an error.

Adna (10-0) would tie the game in the top of the third on a two-out, RBI single from Emma Eko.

But the Bulldogs responded to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom half, when leadoff hitter Jessica Stanfield singled, stole two bases and scored on an RBI single by Cassadie Golding.

Adna’s Karlee Von Moss tied the game in the fourth with a solo home run to left-center field.

Monte failed to score in the fourth and the Pirates took advantage. Adna plated a pair of runs in the top of the fifth as its hitters started to figure out Montesano starting pitcher Reghann Fairbairn. With one out, Brooklyn Loose tripled and came home on an RBI double from Danika Hallom one batter later. Eko then doubled for Adna’s third straight extra-base hit, scoring Hallom for a 4-2 lead.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano pitcher Reghann Fairbairn throws a pitch during Montesano’s 8-4 loss to Adna on

The Bulldogs got a run back in the bottom half of the inning when Stanfield took the first pitch she saw from University of Idaho-bound pitcher Haley Rainey and blasted an absolute no-doubter of a home run over the left-center field fence, cutting the Pirates lead to 4-3.

But that was as close as Monte would get as the Pirates’ bats stayed hot, plating four runs on four hits and a hit batter in a the sixth to extend to an 8-3 lead.

Carr would drive home Riley Timmons with a single in the seventh, but Rainey got the final two outs to dash any hopes of a Monte comeback.

Stanfield led the way for Monte, going 2-for-4 with a home run, and two runs scored.

The hard-throwing Rainey picked up the victory for Adna, striking out eight to just one walk.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Adna pitcher Haley Rainey struck out eight in leading the Pirates to an 8-4 victory over Montesano on Thursday in Montesano.

Though the Bulldogs were on the wrong side of the final score, Monte head coach Pat Pace saw positives in facing a pitcher the caliber of Rainey.

“The biggest thing we need is to see more pitching of the quality that Haley Rainey threw at us today,” he said. “We’re not used to it. Like I told the team, ‘We haven’t seen pitching like that until we are two months into the season.’ So I think that was the only thing we need to be more competitive is to see more quality pitching like that.”

Though they were outhit, the Bulldogs managed 10 base hits off of Rainey, and Monte’s defense — except one error — consistently made the plays in front of them.

“Defensively, we’re getting better every time out. Offensively, I loved the way they went up and battled at the plate against a really good pitcher,” Pace said. “I’m happy with that. I can’t be disapointed.”

Adna 001 124 0 — 8 13 2

Montesano 101 010 1 — 4 10 1

BOYS SOCCER

Montesano 1, Hoquiam 0

Montesano picked up a big league victory, making a late goal in the first half stick en route to a victory over Hoquiam in Montesano.

Montesano had a golden opportunity to get on the board in the first half when the Hoquiam defense was called for a penalty near its own goal, setting up a penalty-kick attempt. But the Monte PK was thwarted by freshman Hoquiam keeper Carlos Perez Orozco, who made a diving save to his right to keep the game scoreless.

The Bulldogs broke through in the 36th minute, when Yased Ramirez sent a long, looping ball toward goal that bounced over the line for a 1-0 lead.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Montesano’s Tucker Stecher, left, and Mateo Sanchez, right, embrace Yased Ramirez after Ramirez scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal over Hoquiam on Thursday in Montesano.

After the half, Hoquiam controlled most of the possessions and had the better scoring opportunities, including a flurry in front of the Monte goal that saw several Grizzlies attackers take shots at the net in the 44th minute.

But Monte’s defense didn’t let anything get through, blocking the attempts before a clearance relieved the stifling pressure of Hoquiam’s offensive attack.

In what seemed to be a theme on the evening, another Hoquiam chance was off-target when midfielder Cavan Estrada headed a corner kick just wide of the near post midway through the second half.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Hoquiam midfielder Cavan Estrada rises for a header against Montesano on Thursday at Jack Rottle Field in Montesano.

Hoquiam continued to attack and pressure Monte in the midfield and got the bulk of opportunities in the offensive third, but the Bulldog defense held firm to earn the 1-0 victory.

“In the first half we felt good since we were able to maintain the ball on Montesano’s side of the field,” Hoquiam head coach Alan Carloza said. “We could not find any space to create goal chances in the second half. All the credit to the Montesano defense for shutting down our attack.”

The victory was a needed one for Montesano, which had lost three straight league games entering Thursday’s matchup. The Bulldogs now sit at 2-5 on the season and are tied with Hoquiam with 2-4 league records.

Hoquiam 0 0 — 0

Montesano 1 0 — 0

Elma 14, Raymond-South Bend 0

Elma scored seven goals in each half en route to a run-away victory over Raymond-South Bend in Elma.

Elma (6-1-1, 6-0) was led by Derique Richey’s four goals in the game, but had plenty of other players fill up the stat sheet.

Canon Seaberg (two goals, three assists), Cason Seaberg (2 G, 2 A) and Abel Alatorre (2 G) had two goals apiece, while Hank Dolman, Ivan Torres, Amador Rameriz and Andy Salvatierra had a goal each.

With the win, Elma remains undefeated in league play and is a half-game ahead of Forks, which hosts Tenino on Saturday,today for the top spot in league.

RSB 0 0 — 0

Elma 7 7 — 14

GIRLS GOLF

Hoquiam 97, Aberdeen 91

Hoquiam’s Ainsley Estes and Jillian Cobb scored over 20 points each as Hoquiam defeated Aberdeen at Highland Golf Course in Cosmopolis.

Estes led the Grizzilies with 28 points, while Cobb scored 21 for the Grizzlies, which also benefited from 19 points by Minh Thi Butler.

Aberdeen was led by Britt Rajcich, who won medalist honors with 30 points.

Kasie Caskey added 28 points for the Bobcats, while Saylor Heikkila and Emalie Shelton both carded birdies on the 15th hole.

“This was a great Myrtle Street battle,” Aberdeen head coach Dan Sundstrom said. “Because both teams are coached with basically the same philosophy of golf, it is always special to watch how the players interact with each other as they interpret rules and nuances of the game.”

Sundstrom added that his wife — Hoquiam head coach Patty Sundstrom — “praises her team’s effort in the win” and noted the play of Butler for turning a corner and playing more confidently.

“As a team, we scored 40 more points than in yesterday’s match,” Dan Sundstrom said, noting Bobcat golfer Alice Early “is striking the ball more consistently and is scoring more points with each match.”

The match was scored using the Stableford Scoring System, which awards points rather than counts strokes (Par is four points, bogie equals three points, etc.).

Hoquiam (97) — Ainsley Estes 28, Jillian Cobb 21, Minh Thi Butler 19, Chloe Goodenough 14, Natalia Pieraccini 15

Aberdeen (91) — Britt Rajcich 30, Kasie Caskey 28, Alice Earley 18, Saylor Heikkila 17, Kaitlyn McCracken 13