Inside the Huddle

Hold on tight — here is the latest from the prep playoff scene. The next two weeks are about as busy and things get on the prep beat, but it’s an exciting time for the athletes and sports nerds like me alike.
I’ve tried my best to keep things short, but there is a lot to talk about. Scroll down and look for your sport, or sports, of choice in bold lettering.

Baseball
The Central Kitsap High School baseball team defeated Emerald Ridge High School 7-1 in a loser-out game Saturday at Kent Memorial Park to earn a berth to the Class 4A state tournament. The Cougars have now advanced to state four consecutive seasons.
Senior Tyler Baumgartner hit two home runs and fellow senior Drew Vettleson struck out 11 batters in 6 2/3 innings to pace the Cougars (16-8), who earlier that day lost to Puyallup High School, 11-5.
Up next for Central Kitsap is the opening round of state and a matchup with the Hawks of Mountlake Terrace High School (15-6), the Northwest District I champion and winners of four consecutive games.
The Cougars defeated the Hawks in the first round of the 2008 tournament, 11-5. Mountlake Terrace has made five appearances at state since 1986, but is winless in those games and has been outscored 31-13.
The winner of Saturday’s game advances to the quarterfinals at 4 p.m. on the same field, playing the winner of a game between Skyline High School and Kentwood High School.
See the bracket here.

Fastpitch
For the Central Kitsap and Olympic High School fastpitch teams, the march toward state begins Friday.
When the Lady Cougars open the 4A West Central District III tournament against Tahoma High School at 10 a.m. Friday at Sprinker Recreation Center in Tacoma, they will begin their quest for a fourth consecutive berth to the 4A state tournament.
Coach Bruce Welling’s squad secured its first state-tournmament victory since 2000 with a win over Kamiakin High School in the first round last year.
A win over Tahoma would put Central Kitsap in a winner-to-state contest against Puyallup or Gig Harbor High School at 2 p.m. Friday at Sprinker. A loss drops the team to the consolation bracket and a loser-out game at 4 p.m. Friday, also at Sprinker.
The Lady Cougars (14-6) face defending 3A state champion Bainbridge High School in a non-league tune-up game at 4 p.m. Monday at Linder Field in Silverdale. Central Kitsap and Bainbridge have split two games this season.
Olympic, meanwhile, will compete in the 3A West Central District III tournament beginning Friday, despite struggling to a 6-14 record during the regular season.
The Lady Trojans open against Mount Rainier High School at noon Friday at Sprinker. In the event of a win the team would face Union High School or Peninsula High School in a winner-to-state game at 6 p.m. the same day.
A loss would drop Olympic to the consolation bracket and a loser-out game at 8 p.m. Friday at Sprinker.
See the brackets here.

Girls tennis
With district tournaments beginning Tuesday and Wednesday and continuing Friday and Saturday, the girls tennis playoffs are in full swing.
In 4A action Central Kitsap senior Corinne Wurden will look to advance to state for the fourth time in as many seasons, opening districts at 10 a.m. Wednesday against Kim Auton of Emerald Ridge.
Wurden is the Narrows League No. 1 seed, while Auton is the South Puget Sound League No. 9 seed.
Bremerton’s Bre Casias opens districts as the Olympic League No. 1 seed and will face the No. 4 seed from the Seamount League at Sprinker Recreation Center on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, senior Maggie Becker and sophomore Tracy Landram of Klahowya both look to return to the 2A state tournament after advancing in 2009. Becker finished fourth and Landram took second.
They begin districts Friday at Auburn High School.

Boys soccer
The Bremerton boys soccer team missed an opportunity Saturday to reach the 3A state tournament. The Knights, whose most recent appearance at state was in 1991, lost 3-2 in overtime against Auburn Mountainview High School. It was a loser-out, winner-to-state contest.

Track and field
The 3A Olympic League boys and girls sub-district championships were Saturday at Port Angeles High School, with Bremerton and Olympic in action.
See the results here.
The West Central District III championships are Friday.
On the 2A side, Klahowya will participate in districts Wednesday. See the pairing here.
And finally, in 4A competition, Central Kitsap will compete in districts beginning Friday. Senior Shane Moskowitz will look to reach state after becoming an individual champion in 2009.