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Area soccer teams highlight this week’s big events

Tim Martinez: High schools

The Columbian
Published: May 17, 2010, 12:00am

The first steps toward what could be an eventful final weekend to the season for Clark County prep sports teams begin this week as the state tournaments for boys soccer and baseball begin.

Leading the way in the state playoffs is a very talented group of Southwest Washington soccer teams. Evergreen, Camas, Ridgefield, White Salmon and Stevenson open the state soccer tournaments with matches on Tuesday.

Evergreen is coming off an improbable comeback win against Eastlake of Sammamish on Saturday to reach the 4A state tournament for the first time in three years. The Plainsmen will play Todd Beamer of Federal Way at 7 p.m. Tuesday at McKenzie Stadium.

Evergreen survived after falling behind 3-0 in the first half to beat Eastlake. The Plainsmen were ranked No. 3 in the most recent Seattle Times state rankings. Todd Beamer was ranked No. 7.

Camas, ranked second in the state, opens the 3A state tournament at 7 p.m. Tuesday with a home match against Nathan Hale of Seattle. If the Papermakers advance to the quarterfinals, it could set up a matchup against top-ranked Shorecrest in Shoreline.

It would be classic matchup between the top two ranked 3A teams in the state. Shorecrest is ranked No. 3 nationally, while the Papermakers are ranked 21st.

Shorecrest features the 2009 Gatorade state player of the year, Michael Harris. Camas has the 2010 Gatorade state player of the year, Nick Palodichuk.

It has everything that one would expect in a classic state championship match, except that it will be played in the quarterfinals.

The WIAA’s bracket system ensures that the top teams from each district will not meet in the first round of state. But after that, it is a crapshoot as far as matchups are concerned.

Ridgefield will look advance to the 2A state quarterfinals for the first time since 2006 when the Spudders host Lynden. The exact game time and location will not be announced until today.

In the 1A state tournament, White Salmon opens defense of its state championship with a 6 p.m. game Tuesday at Washougal against Seattle Christian. Meanwhile, Stevenson will play at Charles Wright of Tacoma.

Baseball

All three 3A Greater St. Helens entries in last week’s bi-district tournament clinched state berths. Camas, Columbia River and Union will begin their march toward the Final Four at different locations.

Columbia River will make the shortest trip to play its regional. The Chieftains will face Highline at 10 a.m. Saturday at Wheeler Field in Centralia. Highline survived a tough first-round battle with Camas in the bi-district and went on to win the West Central title.

Union travels to the Bellevue regional to play Mercer Island in a 10 a.m. game at Bannerwood Park. Camas has the longest road to travel. The Papermakers will face West Valley of Yakima at 2 p.m. Saturday at County Stadium in Yakima.

Softball

The 4A district tournament opens today at Heritage High School with elimination games between Mountain View and Evergreen, and Skyview against Battle Ground. Winners of those games will face Kelso and Heritage in the semifinals today.

Surviving teams will play for the district title Tuesday, as well as the remaining berth to Saturday’s bi-district playoff games.

The 3A bi-district tournament opens Friday at Sprinker Recreation Center in Tacoma. Camas faces Bonney Lake, while Union meets Peninsula of Gig Harbor at noon. Prairie faces Lakes of Lakewood in a 2 p.m. first-round game. The tournament concludes Saturday.

Washougal will host Aberdeen on Tuesday for the final spot in the Class 2A district tournament, which will be held Thursday and Friday in Chehalis. Woodland will play Centralia in a first-round game Thursday.

La Center opens the 1A district tournament Wednesday in Centralia.

Track and field

Class 4A athletes will look to qualify for the state meet at the District 2/4 meet Saturday at the Southwest Athletic Complex in Seattle.

The 3A District 3/4 track and field meet is a two-day event on Friday and Saturday at Mount Tahoma High School, site of next week’s 4A/3A/2A state meet.

The Class 2A district meet will take place Friday at Tumwater, while the 1A district meet is at Kalama. The 2B and 1B meets are at Raymond High School on Thursday and Friday.

Tennis

Local 3A tennis players — both boys and girls — will take a very long road to qualify for the state tournament.

Most players will leave tonight for Tacoma to take part in Tuesday’s matches in the 3A bi-district tournament at the Sprinker Rec Center. They’ll drive home Tuesday night before driving back on Wednesday night to play matches Thursday. Those players lucky enough to survive will have to make a third trip back to Tacoma for the final day of matches on Saturday.

Class 4A players will play in a bi-district qualifying matches in Vancouver on Saturday, while 2A players will compete in the district tournament Friday and Saturday in Longview.

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Golf

Local 3A boys and girls who did not qualifying automatically to state will look to claim berths via the District 3/4 qualifying tournament today at Eagles Pride Golf Course at Fort Lewis.

The Class 2A district tournament will be held today and Tuesday at Three River Golf Course in Kelso.

Tim Martinez is the assistant sports editor/prep coordinator for The Columbian. He can be reached by phone at (360) 735-4538 or e-mail at tim.martinez@columbian.com

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