Kingston beats NK in softball to advance to state

Olympic, Klahowya also qualify for state

By Luke Caputo • May 18, 2025 1:30 am

Kingston’s softball team is on to state after winning a district elimination game against rival North Kitsap 4-2 May 17 in Lacey.

The No. 6 seed Buccaneers started the tournament by losing to No. 3 seed Olympic 7-5, and then beat No. 7 seed Orting 6-5 to stay alive at districts. The Trojans blew out No. 2 seed Franklin Pierce 13-1 in the district semifinals before falling to No. 1 seed Port Angeles in the championship.

Before Kingston lost to Olympic, the Bucs made quick work of No. 11 seed Steilacoom 22-1 in the opening round of districts.

“It’s always nice to play teams you haven’t already played and not knock someone out of your league,” Kingston coach Brenda George said. “But we’ll take any opponent, they’re all teams we can compete with.”

The Bucs got out to a fast start with the Steilacoom starting pitcher struggling, letting up six runs off one hit in the first inning. Left fielder Josephine Castillo hit a double, driving in Teagan Stanford, who had previously been walked.

The scoring continued into the second and third innings, with first-baseman Aadland Goller, Castillo, and pitcher Peyton Miller all accounting for four runs scored in the second. The Bucs had their largest scoring splurge of the game in the third with the Sentinels committing multiple fielding errors, allowing Kingston to drive in seven additional runs and increase its lead to 17 by the end of the third.

Before No. 4 seed NK lost a district semifinal game 8-1 to PA, the Vikings cruised to a 14-2 win over No. 5 seed Fife.

In NK’s game against Fifie, pitcher Charizma Fake got the start for the Vikings and forced three quick outs in the top of the first inning. Left fielder Campbell Weible earned an RBI double in the bottom of the first, scoring shortstop Reese Anderson and giving the Vikings an early 1-0 lead. Fake continued her strong pitching performance in the top of the second with another 1-2-3 inning, giving NK an opportunity to build on its lead.

Fake provided some offense too by hitting a single to center field, allowing Anderson to round the bases and score. Weible hit a two-RBI double to left-center field, scoring Alivia Syverson and Kacey Wallace, increasing NK’s lead to 5-0 by the end of the second.

Fake added on to the NK scoring by hitting a two-RBI double to left field in the bottom of the third inning, scoring McMillian and Maddy Syverson and increasing the Vikings’ lead to seven. Anderson added on to that with her own two-RBI double to center field, driving in Alivia Syverson and Anderson.

Reyna Blackwood hit an RBI single to left field, and Wallace hit an RBI double to left field as well, giving NK an 11-0 lead. Wallace advanced home on a dropped third strike, and shortstop Coriana McMillian hit an RBI double to center field.

In other Kitsap softball action, No. 3 seed Klahowya qualified for state in 1A by beating No. 1 seed Seattle Christian 11-2 in the championship game May 16.

Central Kitsap failed to qualify for state in 3A by going 1-2 in districts.