Prep softball: Monarchs overwhelm Bearcats in district title rout

May 16—There's a sizable difference in how the W.F. West High School softball team prepared for a top-of-the-line pitcher this spring compared to 2025.

When the Evergreen Conference was littered with Division I arms — Lilly Camp, Annika Hollingsworth and Ella Ferguson — last season, the Bearcats got multiple reps against high velocity mixed with the sharp off-speed bite and pinpoint accuracy.

That wasn't the case this spring.

And it showed.

Mark Morris ace Makenzie Henthorn overpowered the Bearcats to the tune of 17 strikeouts in leading the GSHL's regular season champs to an 11-0 shutout statement over the EvCo champs on Friday night in the Class 2A District 4 championship game at Recreation Park.

"She was impressive," Bearcats head coach Kevin Zylstra said. "She can flat out bring it and did a great job locating it. We kind of ran into a buzzsaw today."

Only Avery Osborn had multiple at-bats of success versus Henthorn, finishing with W.F. West's lone two hits. Karly Rasmussen didn't strikeout versus the Monarchs' southpaw and Montana recruit.

Her riseball elevated enough to get W.F. West (19-4) swinging early and often. Zylstra compared her velocity to Camp's.

"They're all slightly different pitchers," Zylstra said. "The fact she's left-handed, it is a hard combination to face."

Osborn led off the bottom of the fourth with a base hit, then was picked off on a back-pick a pitch later. Francesca Remund, the lone senior, nearly ripped a double off the bench, but the home plate umpire ruled it foul.

Mark Morris' offense eventually found its footing, turning a 3-0 lead after five frames into a one-sided affair. An RBI double by Shailia Wild was followed by a three-run home run off the barrel of Grace Woodbridge in the sixth.

An inning later, Paisley Fraidenburg took the first pitch from Taylor Tobin over the fence for a solo shot. The last three hits went for extra bases, part of an 11 extra base hit day of the Monarchs 15 knocks.

"They were starting to figure out what we were doing," Zylstra said.

Now, W.F. West awaits its fate for the 2A state tournament. Its last appearance was in 2024, when it made it to Saturday and lost to Aberdeen in the early-morning contest. Zylstra still feels the ceiling with his group remains high.

"The sky is the limit for these guys," he said. "This is a blip on the radar screen and we move on. If we run into these guys again, that'd be great and we'll be ready."

Tumwater nearly rallies again, falls one win shy of state tournament

The T-Birds never got their wings clipped off until it proved to be too late in losing to Ridgefield for the second time in as many days, a 15-11 verdict to end their season a game away from a third straight state tourney trip.

Plenty of emotions ran high in the final huddle of the season from several players. Still, Tumwater head coach Shaunie Kennedy didn't leave Recreation Park with her head drooped down.