La Center baseball team has made it to the final four for the first time; Columbia River and King’s Way Christian boys soccer are in the final four, and track and field championships run today through Saturday
Paul Valencia
Clark County Today
The best baseball team in school history.
That seems like a bold statement.
But honestly, has there ever been a better baseball team at La Center High School before this season’s Wildcats?
Not according to WIAA records.
So with respect to all who have played for La Center in past years, past decades, let us celebrate the 2025 La Center team.
In the next two days, this La Center squad will finish first, second, third, or fourth in state.
And this La Center squad will be the first to ever make the final four.
“The past three years, we’ve made it to state. The past two years, we’ve been eliminated in the quarterfinals,” said senior Caden Taylor. “This year, we knew we had one more hump to get over to make school history. It felt amazing to win that game. This year, we finally get to play in the final four.”
Houston Coyle, also a senior, said the six seniors on this year’s squad have made the difference, set this team apart. They all led by example, and the younger players followed. They are united, and they will bring that unity to the final four, he said.
La Center’s historic baseball team hit the road Thursday to get to Bellingham. The Wildcats, the No. 3 seed in the Class 1A state tournament, are taking on No. 7 Charles Wright/Life Christian at 10 a.m. Friday in one semifinal. The winner will play for the state championship at 4 p.m. Saturday at Joe Martin Stadium.
“For us to go to the final four, that’s pretty special,” Coyle said. “It’s been done in other sports, but baseball, for sure, it’s a great feeling.”
La Center led 1-0 in the sixth inning in the quarterfinals last week when Wyatt Eisland hit a two-run home run to give the Wildcats some breathing room.
“When that was hit, you kind of had a feeling,” Taylor said. “‘OK, it’s actually going to happen.’”
Then La Center got the third out in the top of the seventh to start the celebration.
“It was probably the best feeling I’ve ever felt from the sport,” Taylor said.
The baseball team is on this incredible journey, and they have plenty of family and friends along for the ride, too.
“There has been a lot of support. Because we are from such a small town, you just definitely feel that everybody is rooting for your team,” Taylor said. “You hear people are going to drive all the way to Bellingham to support us. That’s pretty cool.”
La Center will play two games in two days. One in the semifinals, and the second game will be for the championship or for third place. The season will end Saturday, and so, too, will the high school athletic careers for six seniors.
“Last week we were playing to keep playing. We didn’t want it to end,” Taylor said.
The results this weekend are yet to be determined. The experience will be magical, regardless of the scores of the games.
“We’re going out on a high note, no matter what,” Taylor said.
“I’m really grateful we have people behind us,” Coyle said. “Whatever happens, it’s a memory no matter what.”
This week marks the end of spring sports for all high school athletes in Washington. There are state semifinals and finals in baseball and boys soccer. Columbia River (2A) and King’s Way Chrisitan (1A) are in the boys soccer final four. The boys and girls track and field championships got started Thursday and will continue through Saturday.
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- Falcon Baseball Academy to host inaugural Extra-Innings Bazaar & Market at Prairie High School
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Columbia River’s boys and Evergreen’s girls both reached the final day of their state basketball tournaments, returning to Vancouver with fifth- and sixth-place trophies. - High school state basketball: Columbia River suffers heartache in overtime loss in semifinals
Columbia River’s run to the Class 2A semifinals ended on a buzzer-beater in overtime, while Evergreen advanced to a trophy game and several other Clark County teams wrapped up their state tournament seasons. - Pro basketball: Vancouver Bears set to debut new name in new league
Vancouver’s professional basketball franchise has rebranded as the Vancouver Bears and will open its season in a new league March 7 at Hudson’s Bay High School. - State basketball quarterfinals: Columbia River Rapids keep dream alive, advance to final four
Columbia River defeated Pullman in the Class 2A state tournament quarterfinals in Yakima to reach the semifinals, while four other Clark County teams fell in their respective state quarterfinal games.
