By Tom Rohrer
Pressure breaks pipes or creates diamonds.
This common cliché reigns true in high school athletics, as teams will either rise or fall with high expectations.
High expectations and the pressure to win are the byproducts of past success and a blessing according to Montesano High School fastpitch coach Pat Pace.
“We tell our girls every day that pressure is a privilege,” said Pace, who is in his 20th year as head coach. “They have a unique opportunity to play in a community with a tradition in the sport and we want them to cherish these moments.”
Pace has led the Bulldogs to 17 consecutive state tournament appearances, a terrific feat for a program with seven state championships displayed in the trophy case. Following an Evergreen championship in the regular season and a District IV Title victory over league foe Elma last weekend, Montesano will take on Nooksack Valley at 10:00 a.m. Friday morning in the opening round of the 16 team, 1A State Tournament. The tournament is being held at the Columbia Playfields in Richland.
While Pace has certainly seen his fair share of championship moments, Montesano hasn’t won a state title since 2009. This “drought” (according to the players), has the talented roster aiming to make their own mark in the record books.
“We’ve always had something to look up to and something to chase,” said senior centerfielder Pua Cavanah, a first team all-league performer. “Every year, we’re supposed to be better than the year before. We want to prove that we can add to what this program has already accomplished.”
“There’s always that pressure to make (the state tournament) because we don’t want to be the team that ends the state tournament run,” said senior right fielder Madison Studer. “There is a lot of Monte pride around here and we want to add to it.”
Montesano made it to the state semi-finals last season before falling to eventual state champion Connell 5-0. While the Bulldogs earned a third place trophy by defeating Lakeside in the consolation game, the semi-final lost pushed the Montesano players to make a change.
This season, the upperclassman and returning players made it a goal to increase team camaraderie and unity, and that emphasis has been a catalyst in the Bulldogs’ recent run towards the state tournament. Montesano won five of their last six games to end the regular season before winning all three of their district playoff matches.
“I just think we have the right group and that we all want to be here which is huge,” said senior second baseman Rayna Ashlock, who earned honorable mention all-league honors. “We love the game and can bond over that love.”
“We don’t want to sit and boss the younger girls around,” said Studer. “We want them to look up to us and respect us.”
While camaraderie can certainly benefit a team, talent and hard work go a long way as well. In his two decades coaching, Pace notes he’s had one of two types of teams every season: white and blue collar. According to Pace, both teams have the potential to win a state championship. However, a team that’s willing to approach each game with a focused and hardworking mindset is a team that’s likely to be more successful.
“This team is driven towards the goal of winning the whole thing, and you could see that in every game,” said Pace. “Every win and even every loss, they approached it with workmanlike approach. They’re very talented, but so is every other team that’s still playing. If we have an edge anywhere, it’s our ability to work hard and stay focused.”
Talent is certainly present on the Bulldogs roster, as Montesano had six players earn first, second or honorable mention All-Evergreen honors. Pitcher Madison Didion earned co-MVP honors along with Elma’s Brooke Goldsmith while Mackenzie Howard joined Cavanah on the league’s first team.
Montesano will be joined in Richland by Hoquiam and Elma, giving the Evergreen League three teams with a chance to bring the state title back to Grays Harbor. The competition between the three throughout the season will likely benefit the Bulldogs when they take on the state’s best.
“Not only do we play those teams a bunch, but we try and schedule the toughest non-league schedule in the entire state,” said Pace. “We want our girls getting exposed to top flight competition, and we always seem to peak at this time of the year. I think our competition is a big part of that.”
Throughout the season, Montesano has been able to rely on strong pitching and defense to go along with a balanced offensive attack.
Didion threw 101 innings, struck out 92 batters (opposed to only 12 walks) and posted a .83 ERA on the season.
“She’s our horse and we will rely on her in the circle all weekend,” said Pace of his star pitcher and the impact she will have in the state tournament.
Didion and the rest of the staff is supported by a defense that prides itself on the fundamentals and making the simple plays over and over again.
“In our 2-1 win over Hoquiam and our 1-0 win over Elma, we had zero errors combined,” said Pace. “That’s huge. In state games, you can run into low scores and errors can make all the difference. We don’t have scouting reports of all these teams, so we need to focus on things we can control.”
“Our coaches constantly drill us on the fundamentals,” said Studer. “We know how important catching and throwing is. It’s simple, but that’s a big reason why we win games.”
Offensively, Pace and the rest of the coaching staff preach an aggressive approach at the plate. However, he hopes his team can become more selective this weekend.
“We have a lot of very aggressive free swingers and that’s fine,” said Pace. “But I think we can be a little more disciplined. We need more walks, and that’s something we’ve been talking about all week.”
One thing the Bulldogs can count on is support from the Montesano community. At last weekend’s district tournament in Centralia, the diamond was lined by maroon-clad fans cheering on their hometown team. Playing in front of such a supportive fan base is extremely motivating for the Bulldog players and coaches.
“I have fans telling me they’ve been to every one of the last sixteen state tournaments and that’s amazing,” said Pace. “The girls are never alone at these games, and when you travel across the state, that’s a big lift.”
“We all grew up watching these teams in the past and wanted to be in this situation,” said Ashlock. “Playing in front of these fans, we look at as a privilege.”
With only a few days left in their high school careers, the Montesano seniors are taking advantage of their time together as teammates and are hoping to make their last game a victory.
“I would say we’re loose and the district title was huge for our confidence,” said Studer. “We’re not cocky, but we know we can win every game we play in.”
“It’s weird to think about,” said Ashlock. “We’ve been playing together for so long. But we know what’s at stake and that we need to focus on everything on the field in order to win.”
Winning, much like pressure, is a privilege, and Montesano will try to bring the two together this weekend.
