Name: Snohomish Panthers
City and State: Snohomish, WA
Head Coach
Nick Hammons
Assistant Coaches
Aaron West & Adam Ivelia
Who are some key returning players for the team and what do you hope to see from each of them this year?
We have a great returning core of returning players that finished 15-7 last year. Kale Hammer was the league MVP, Nickolas Sakamoto was a 1st team outfielder, Baylor Hill was a 2nd team infielder, Brendan Mckinley was a 2nd team all pitcher, Van Berman did an outstanding job as one of our starting pitchers, Austin Baalman caught the majority of our games and provides leadership, Gavin Maynard is a utility guy that has good speed and contributes in a variety of ways, Easton Leonard has some pop at the plate and will be a force offensively, Tommy Brandvold pitched in some very clutch moments and will do so again this year, Nolan Soderstrom was our closer last year and is very mentally tough, and Jackson Weeks is coming off an injury and pitched in some very key moments for us last year. We have a solid group of players returning.
Who are some key underclassmen that are moving up in the program and can make an impact? What do you hope to see from each of them this year?
Andrew Lynch is someone I see stepping up into a vital role as an outfielder. He’s got some great defensive instincts, a lot of speed, and hit over .400 on our JV team last year. I know he’s looking forward to his first opportunity up on Varsity.
What areas will you be focusing on early in the season?
Team chemistry and offense. We have a lot of good players and an older group so getting along, building our culture, and making sure that all our players are focused on team first will be our main focus. We’ve got to work together to become one team who has a goal of winning a Championship. Offensively, we’ve got a lot of guys that will need to step up into new roles this year. It’ll be the first time they play consistently on varsity, and I know they are all looking forward to the opportunity.
What are the expectations and goals for the team in 2023?
Realistic goal is making the state tournament and making a run. We will be in every game due to our experienced pitching staff.