The mantra on the Kentlake High fastpitch diamond has been clear for several years now: Tradition does not graduate.
Those four words help explain why the Falcons remain confident as ever as the spring season begins to unfold. Because while Kentlake graduated Felecia Harris, one of the best players the program has ever produced, now is playing at the University of Washington, the Falcons calmly look to this season with that same winning attitude.
“I think a lot of people will look at us and say, ‘Gosh, they lost Felecia Harris, Sarah King, Caitlyn Duggan … and start licking their chops,” Kentlake coach Greg Kaas said. “Nobody is going to feel sorry for us because we’ve had our way for a lot of years. But we’re going to be solid. The one unknown is our pitching. We have the potential to be really dynamic in the field and as solid as we have ever been 1 through 9.
“I think if we’re overlooked, people will be mistaken.”
Despite losing Harris, among others, this year’s Kentlake team will be hard to overlook – if for no other reason, the history that has preceded the Falcons. Kentlake has won or shared four straight South Puget Sound League North Division crowns. In addition, the Falcons have qualified for state in each of the last five years.
No other team in the North comes even close to matching those kinds of numbers when the topic of success arises.
That said, the Falcons will take on an unquestionably different look this season, especially considering they graduated nine seniors.
“We have big shoes to fill, and we realize that,” Kaas said.
The biggest shoes that need filling are those vacated by Harris.
Junior Nicole Weber, who was rock solid on the junior varsity last season, will get the first crack.
“She is a kid who has really grown as far as talent and matured on the mound through the years since she was a youngster at Cedar Heights,” Kaas said. “Not a lot of people have seen her.”
Pitching might be Kentlake’s lone question mark. The offense, as always, appears to be right on schedule. In fact, North Division fans would be hard-pressed to find a better one-two-three punch than what the Falcons have returning in Juliann Hartnett, Breanne Bilbrey and Sam Beckler. Hartnett led the North in RBIs last season (20) and tied for third in runs scored (18). Bilbrey led the division in doubles (8) while Beckler delivered a sweltering .350 batting average.
So despite graduation having taken a chunk out of the Falcons, talent remains abundant.
“They’re different cupboards … they’re not empty,” Kaas said. “We will be a different team. Philosophically, we’re going to have to do things we haven’t done in the past. This year, we will have to be built on speed and more small ball to win.”
