<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=192888919167017&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Friday, March 29, 2024
March 29, 2024

Linkedin Pinterest

1A Trico Baseball: Swenson takes reins at state champion King’s Way Christian

The Columbian
Published: March 20, 2018, 4:01pm
2 Photos
King’s Way Christian head coach Gregg Swenson has 22 years of collegiate coaching experience. Most recently, he was the pitching coach at University of Portland.
King’s Way Christian head coach Gregg Swenson has 22 years of collegiate coaching experience. Most recently, he was the pitching coach at University of Portland. Photos by Alisha Jucevic/The Columbian Photo Gallery

After 22 years of coaching college baseball, Gregg Swenson is getting reacquainted with the high school game.

“It’s certainly a different pace,” Swenson said. “I’m used to having six months to get ready for the season. Now, it feels like we have six days.”

Swenson has been in fast-forward mode since being named as King’s Way Christians new baseball coach on Feb. 12, two weeks before the Knights’ first practice of the season.

Swenson replaced Ty Singleton, who resigned in January after launching the King’s Way program four years ago and leading the Knights to the 1A state championship last spring.

Swenson got his coaching start at Sehome High School in Bellingham, but the bulk of his coaching career has been at the college level at the University of Washington and most recently at the University of Portland.

“At the college level, it’s all about results, wins and losses,” Swenson said. “And to a degree that’s true at the high school level. But what it’s really all about is teaching and about shaping boys into becoming young men. That’s what I like about it.”

The transition has been going well.

“I don’t think there has been anything he’s said that I have disagreed with,” senior pitcher Damon Casetta-Stubbs said. “There hasn’t been a drill we’ve done that I have disagreed with. Right now, it’s all about teaching and getting ready.”

With Casetta-Stubbs and left-handed pitcher Sam Lauderdale, Swenson has as good of a core as any team in the state. Casetta-Stubbs has signed to play for Seattle University, and Lauderdale has signed with Washington State.

Scouts were out in force at an intersquad scrimmage last week with about a half dozen speed guns fixed when the Knights’ two aces were throwing.

“I doubt you’ll find many teams with a 1-2 punch like we have,” Swenson said, referring to Casetta-Stubbs and Lauderdale. “And we have other key players back as well. Now it’s just a matter of filling the holes.”

The Knights also bring back all-leaguers in seniors Brannan Meriwether and Riley Danberg.

“We lost of lot of key players off last year’s team, but we still have good players coming back,” Lauderdale said. “But we’ll be a lot younger. We’ll have a couple of freshmen in the lineup, but they’re good players.”

Swenson feels good about the players on this year’s team, and the players feel good about their new coach.

“The more I’ve coached, the better I’ve learned to keep things simple,” Swenson said. “Try not to complicate things. Just let athletes be athletes.”

LA CENTER — The Wildcats have senior leadership along with some good young players this season. Saige Keep has signed with Colorado Mesa. Hayden Williamson is a two-time first-team all-leaguer who has signed with Bellevue University in Nebraska. Jack Ossenkop, the team MVP last season, also returns, along with senior Clint Smith.

STEVENSON — The Bulldogs went winless in league last season, but return six lettermen led by juniors — pitcher Brandon Connell, center fielder Charles Hobbs and shortstop Alec Van Pelt. The Bulldogs hope to compete for a district playoff berth.

REST OF LEAGUE — Castle Rock returns all-leaguers Parker Patching (IF) and Adam Luoto (P). Columbia-White Salmon returns William Gross (IF) and Trent Howard (OF). The Bruins bring back seven starters from a team that fell one game short of reaching the state tournament.

mobile phone icon
Take the news everywhere you go.
Download The Columbian app:
Download The Columbian app for Android on Google PlayDownload The Columbian app for iOS on the Apple App Store
Loading...