10/25/2023
(Yakima, WA) The WIAA State Tournament seasons have arrived with the first State Championship of the 2023-24 season taking place this weekend at the Gateway softball complex in Yakima. The 4A and 3A/2A State Slowpitch tournaments will be contested on Friday and Saturday. Each tournament have 8 teams and each team will play 2 games on Friday with 2 teams being eliminated from each tournament. On Saturday the 4 teams still alive in the consolation round will play at 11:30 with losers out and the winner’s playing again at 2p for 3rd place. The 2 semi-final winners will play for the Championships also at 2pm.
Action begins at 10am on Friday with the opening round of the 3A/2A tournament. The teams have been seeded by a committee 1 thru 8 and the 1 seed plays #8, 2 vs 7, 3 takes on 6 and 4 vs 5. Winners advance to the Semi-finals played at 2pm with winner’s to the Championship and the losers to the consolation bracket on Saturday and the winner’s to the Championship game.
The 4 teams that lose in the opening will all play again at 2pm in loser out games with the winners advancing to Saturday’s consolation game with a chance to finish as high as 3rd place. The 4A tournament has the exact same format but opening games are at noon on Friday and their 2nd games are set to begin at 4pm.
Tickets to get in are $22 for adults and $16 for students, seniors and military for all-tournament tickets for single day tickets the prices are $12 and $9. You can purchase tickets ahead of time at this link: WIAA Tickets
For those who cannot get to the games the NFHS Network will have full broadcasts on both Championship fields which are field 2 and field 3. Fields 1 and 4 will have only a live video stream. All current NFHS subscriptions will give you access to all games. If you need a subscription you can go to NFHS.com to sign up and view live and on-demand.
Pre-View
3A/2A Tournament
The University Titans come in as the top seed and 2-time defending state champs. Mt Spokane were Champs in 2019. Juanita won back-to-back titles way back in 1989 and 1990 and will be looking to update the trophy case this season.
Friday, 10am
Game 1 on Field 1 #6 Juanita vs #3 Walla Walla
Walla Walla is the #5 RPI team and comes in as the 3 seed. The Blue Devils were 19-5 on the season playing in the mid-Columbia conference. Juanita hails from the Kingco conference and finished tied with Lake Washington at 11-3 in conference play and was 15-5 overall. The Rebels finished as the #6 RPI team and ended with the 6 seed.
Game 2 on Field 2 #7 Evergreen (Van) vs #2 Mt. Spokane
The #2 seeded Wildcats were tied with #1 University in the GSL both with 11-1 conference records. The Wildcats finished with an overall 17-2 record and were the #2 RPI team. They face the Plainsmen of Evergreen from Vancouver and the Greater St Helens League who are the 7 seed and check in with the 13th RPI ranking after finishing 6-2 in league play and 10-8 overall.
Game 3 on Field 3 #5 Columbia River vs #4 Lake Washington
The Rapids of Columbia River were the #4 RPI but got the 5 seed after finishing 6-2 in conference play and 17-3 on the season. C-R will face the #3 RPI team from the Kingco league, Lake Washington. The Kangaroos were tied with Juanita at the top of the Kingco at 11-3 and 17-3 overall.
Game 4 on Field 4 #8 Roosevelt vs #1 University
Roosevelt will have their hands full right out of the gate as the #8 seed they get top seed and 2-time defending Champions University. The Roughriders are the 11 RPI and had a 5-1 Metro league record and 9-5 for the season. The Titans look like they have no intention of giving up the big trophy as they come in as they finished tied with Mt Spokane at 11-1 in the GSL and 19-2 overall.
4A Tournament
The Chiawana Riverhawks are also 2-time defending Champions and also like University are seeded #1 and are the team to beat. Central Valley won it back in 2019.
Friday, 12pm
Game 1 on Field 1 #6 Skyview vs #3 Moses Lake
The Storm come in as the 6 seed and the #6 RPI team finishing 5-4 in GSHL league play and 14-7 for the seson. They face Moses Lake who is undefeated in the Big 9 conference at 12-0 and bring a 17-5 record to state.
Game 2 on Field 2 #7 Central Valley vs #2 Union
Central Valley will have to get by the 2 seed in hopes of re-capturing the title that they won 2019. The Bears were the #9 RPI team and finished 7-5 in GSL league play while going 12-9 for the year. Union is the top team from the Greater St Helens league and the #2 RPI team with a league record of 9-0 and 16-3 overall.
Game 3 on Field 3 #5 Eastmont vs #4 Woodinville
The Eastmont Wildcats roll into the tournament as the 7th ranked team in the RPI but the seeding committee saw them more as the 5 seed after going 10-2 in the Big 9 and 15-5 overall. They will get the 4 seed Woodinville Falcons who were the #5 RPI team and finished the Kingco league with a 10-4 mark and 12-4 for the season.
Game 4 on Field 4 #8 Bothell vs #1 Chiawana
Bothell was the #4 RPI team but a late loss to Woodinville dropped them behind the Falcons in the seeding and they end up #8 which means the Cougars are the 1st to take a shot at the 2-time defeinding Champs Chiawana. Bothell is 11-4 in Kingco action and 16-5 overall. The Riverhawks come in as the top team in the RPI and went 9-1 in Mid-Columbia conference action and are 17-2 for the season. To win the title you will have to likely go through Chiawana.
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