By Nathan Joyce
MaxPreps.com
J.J. Thompson got things going in the seventh inning and he took Tahoma to the Class 4A baseball semifinals.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Thompson doubled, stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly as top-ranked Tahoma beat Stadium, 3-2, and won the Class 4A Region II title. Tahoma (22-2) plays Snohomish in the semis Friday at Safeco Field.
It's the second-straight trip to the semifinals for Tahoma, which finished fourth last year.
Thompson went 5-5 and hit for the cycle as Tahoma beat Lake Stevens 15-5 in the first round.
Snohomish (20-4) is playing in the final foursome for the first time since 1998.
In the other semifinal, Bothell (20-5) qualified for the first time in school history, beating Central Kitsap, 7-1, and Edmonds-Woodway, 16-10. The Cougars will play Richland.
- Second-ranked Auburn (23-2) advanced to the Class 3A semifinals after beating Eastside Catholic of Bellevue, 13-0. Auburn advanced to the Class 4A championship game last year before losing to nationally-ranked Jackson. Auburn will play Meadowdale (12-11) of Lynnwood.
- In the other semifinal, Bonney Lake, a school in its second year of existence, advanced with a 6-1 win over Capital. The Panthers (19-6) will play Issaquah.
- In the Class 2A semifinals, unranked Cedarcrest (15-12) from Duvall knocked off No. 4 Steilacoom, 5-4, and No. 10 Ellensburg, 5-0, to advance to the semis for the first time since 1995. The Red Wolves will play top-ranked Selah. Sehome and Hockinson at set on the other side, which will be played in Wenatchee.
Soccer: Defending State Champs Sent Home
Inglemoor got its revenge and ended Snohomish's chance to repeat.
Snohomish beat Inglemoor in the Class 4A state quarterfinals last year en route to a state title. This year, Inglemoor eliminated Snohomish 1-0 in the quarterfinals.
Inglemoor (14-3-2) will take on Pasco in Friday's semifinals in Lakewood.
Brendon Cloyd scored the game's only goal.
"Losing to them last year ... that, that hurt like nothing," Cloyd told the Seattle Times. "Senior year, I'm not about to go out the same way to the same guys. My pride can't take that."
Snohomish (17-2) was missing star forward Brandon Kelly, a San Diego recruit, who sat because of an injured knee.
In the other Class 4A semifinal, Federal Way returned to the semifinals for the first time in 29 years beating crosstown rival Beamer, 4-0, in the quarterfinals.
The Eagles (15-1-4) had three players ejected in the win, which means all three must sit out their semifinal game against Cascade. Federal Way hasn't lost a game since its season opener.
- Sammamish, a team with seven nationalities on its team, made it to the Class 3A semifinals with a 3-0 quarterfinal win over Mount Rainier. Josh Guerrero scored twice for the Totems.
- Sophomore Israel Padilla scored with less than two minutes remaining as Hazen beat Newport, 2-1, to advance to the semifinals. Before this week, Hazen had never won a state playoff game.
- In the Class 2A semifinals in Sumner, Mark Morris will play Aberdeen and Toppenish will play East Valley. In the Class 1A semis, King's will play Charles Wright and Highland will play Wahluke.
Soccer: Three Named All-American
Three state soccer players, who all play on the same club team, have been named All-Americans by Parade magazine.
Ellis McLoughlin from Seattle, Danny Wenzel from Federal Way, and Brandon Zimmerman from Pasco all play for Crossfire out of Redmond.
Jorde Kussman, who plays for Charles Wright in Tacoma, was named to the girls team.
Fastpitch: Nationally-Ranked Powers Could Collide
Shadle Park of Spokane enters the Class 4A state fastpitch tournament in Tacoma with a No. 11 national ranking by USA Today.
Junior pitcher Sam Skillingstad, who has committed to Oregon, will lead the Highlanders, who could well run into another nationally-ranked power in the championship game.
Kentlake is 23-0 and led by Washington recruit Felecia Harris, who is a threat pitching and hitting.