Playoffs: See Vikings' Ace of Diamonds Charli Pugmire Tonight in Everett; Soccer to State, Track Takes Wesco
Fastpitch District Playoff Preview: Lake Stevens and Jackson in action tonight 6pm...Examining the dominance of Charli Pugmire...Soccer State bracket...Track's title-worthy stars...Football recruiting
Charli Pugmire: Vikings’ Ace of Diamonds Dominance Through Delivery
It takes just .36 seconds for Karlyn Pickens 72 mph fastball to bear down on overmatched SEC hitters, racing from her release point to the catcher's mitt in a little over a third of a second. The University of Tennessee star is regarded as the hardest thrower in college fastpitch and the 6’1 All-SEC performer has tossed two perfect games this year.Â
When Lake Stevens Vikings’ junior ace Charli Pugmire (10-0, 0.72 ERA) slings a fastball at Eastlake hitters later today (the Vikings play at 6:00 pm), they’ll have a similar experience, as Lake’s 5’8 wisp of kinetic energy channels the forces of physics to zoom that 12-inch optic yellow sphere through the strike zone just 1/100th of a second off the pace of Pickens, perhaps college’s hardest thrower.Â
Given that Charli is throwing in the low sixties, you might wonder how this is possible. The reason: Charli is manipulating the second variable available in the speed and distance combination, compressing the time a hitter has to identify and recognize a pitch.Â
Charli isn’t just throwing hard: she’s walking down on hitters, releasing pitches up in their grill, leveraging an incomparably graceful, athletic and hypnotizing delivery that vaults her release point as much as nine feet closer to the plate compared to the pitching plate from where she begins her delivery.Â
The net effect is that Charli’s 62 mph fastball looks the exact same to hitters as a 73 mph pitch throw from the average release point1 of top amateur fastpitch pitchers.Â
Given the fact that Charli is more of a point guard in a land of power forwards, the manner in which she exerts such an advantage over opposing hitters is especially noteworthy.Â
Fans of former UW and San Francisco legend Tim Lincecum, the 5’9 three-time World Series Champion and two-time Cy Young winner might spot it sooner than others: it’s the incredible stride length accomplished by fission-level energy transfers… generated from a strong base, augmented by gymnast-like hip and joint flexibility…and leveraged by core strength and feline balance.Â
Charli begins her motion from the pitching plate, square to the batter, ball against her right hip. She takes the sign, brings her hands together, rocking back with the ball-in-glove above her head, weight on her left foot. As the glove comes down, her hands separate, the high-vis yellow ball at waist level as she crouches down, gathering kinetic energy for a forward burst.Â
From her lowest point, she pushes forward off the pitching plate with her pivot foot, generating enough force to vault herself forward with enough momentum to land her plant foot some nine feet forward from its starting position behind the pitching plate.Â
As she pushes off the pitching plate from that low position, she explodes forward like a defensive end shooting out of a stance on a pass rush, the toe of her pivot foot barely keeping touch with planet earth as she impels herself forward, arm rising and beginning to travel a counterclockwise loop.Â
When Charli’s plant foot (left foot) lands – often touching the white chalk that marks eight feet forward of tbe pitching plate – her arm still trails far behind, raised at 11:00 above her ear, her shoulders at a 90 degree angle to home plate.
When the left foot lands, the energy of her forward motion is returned up her body from ground upward, transforming her body into a slingshot, whirring a projectile in an arc that functionally begins at the toe of her left foot and ends at the tip of her right hand, raised in the 11:00 position.Â
As David and anyone else whose ever tested the physics of a slingshot will attest, the longer the sling, the bigger the arc, the more damaging the projectile becomes.
With her left foot planted, she turns her upper body square to the batter, her shoulders over her front foot, the pitching arm now descending to 9:00. As she hits the 6:30 mark with her arm, her hips square to the batter, releasing another store of kinetic energy – and as the ball travels the last several feet of the throwing arc, Charli’s final advantage comes into play - flexibility that includes a double jointed right elbow, allowing for transfers of energy that would leave others crippled.Â
In that fashion, the elbow and the wrist become the final hinges to impart additional force on the ball, and finally – with her arm now out in front of her plant foot – sometimes by a foot or more, the ball is released – either as a rocket ship of a fastball or an awe-inducing, back-of-the-hand change up that comes out of her hand with the force and speed of a lightning bolt…but travels through the air like someone pulled the ripcord on a platoons-worth of airborne ranger parachutes invisibly tethered to perhaps a weightless paper mache replica of a softball.
In other words, this is something you should really see in person and there’s no better time to do it than tonight at 6:00 pm or Wednesday at 6:00 pm, both nights at Phil Johnson Field in Everett.Â
Viking Fastpitch Begins District Tournament Play on Cusp of National Rankings
The aforementioned Charli Pugmire is 10-0 on the season with a minuscule 0.72 ERA, and 14-3 Lake Stevens finds themselves on the cusp of the national rankings, with a solid shot at a state title run as the District 1 Playoffs begin at Phil Johnson Field in South Everett tonight.Â
The Vikings finished second in Wesco after losing both games to reigning state champion and current RPI frontrunner Jackson. Jackson, ranked 25th in the nation in the latest MaxPreps poll (Skyview of Vancouver is ranked 13th), needed 7th-inning heroics to overcome the Vikings on T-Wolves Senior Night last Tuesday, as Lake put three across against Jackson star and UNLV commit Yanina Sherwood and held a 3-2 advantage going into the final half frame. Jackson walked it off with a two run homer, ruining a tremendous start from Lake starter Mara Sivley – but the net effect made it clear that the Vikings were in Jackson’s neighborhood and a rematch in the state playoffs could be anybody’s game – especially since Jackson has not yet seen the Viks ace – Sivley took both starts against the state champs.Â
Jackson (19-2) and Lake Stevens are far from the only power players in the 425: Glacier Peak is the reigning state runners up (15th in RPI) and 15-4 Kamiak (9th in RPI) has defeated every team its faced that didn’t have a Timberwolf or a Viking mascot. These four Wesco powers will all be in action today at the ten-team District 1 4A fastpitch tournament, with five slots in the WIAA State 4A Fastpitch Softball Championships in Richland (May 24-25) up for grabs.Â
Game Preview: #3 Lake Stevens (15-3) vs Eastlake (14-8) 6:00 pm Phil Johnson Field
Projected Starters: Charli Pugmire, 10-0 0.72 ERA vs Eastlake Addi Baumgarner 10-6 2.65 ERA
Lake Stevens Preview
Wesco number two Lake Stevens plays Kingco’s third place team Eastlake at 6:00 pm on Field #4. The Viks are ranked third in RPI and third in the MaxPreps state power rankings, having lost only to Jackson and at Juanita by a run early in the season. The Viks bat .368 as a team with a collective 1.060 OPS and 23 home runs on the year. Vik pitchers have held opps to a miserly two earned runs per contest and a batting average right around .200.Â
The Vikings are led from the pitching plate by the aforementioned junior Charli Pugmire, 10-0 on the season with two no hitters and a 0.72 ERA to her name. The righty has struck 95 in 68 frames of work, holding opponents to a .164 batting average and allowing one home run on the year. In the field, senior shortstop Haylee Kim – a Western Washington University commit – has picked it clean all year with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. The Viks are strong throughout the infield and shine in the outfield as well with three exceptionally athletic defenders with big arms patrolling the outfield gaps. Catcher Alyssa Waldo has a strong arm and will fire on inattentive baserunners at an instant’s notice.Â
At the plate, Lake has shared the load, although senior center fielder Alexa Bradley – out of the lineup for the last two contests — leads many of the stat categories. Bradley leads the team in average, hits, runs, doubles, on base percentage and OPS. Bradley is hitting a scalding .596 with four home runs, nine doubles and a 1.656 OPS. Haylee Kim, McKenna Richer, Ava Heston and Emerson Cummins are all tightly grouped with respect to their offensive performances, with all of the above batting .370 or above and contributing in different areas. Kim and Cummins share the home run lead with five each – including Cummins’ walk-off game winner at senior night Wednesday in Lake Stevens. Kim, the Viks best offensive performer over the last three years is batting .426 with a 1.345 OPS. Junior right fielder McKenna Richer is a power threat, batting .418 with four home runs, seven doubles and a 1.248 OPS. Senior outfielder Zoe Hopkins – a soccer star committed to Seattle University – is third on the team in OPS and holds a .417 batting average. Senior second baseman Ava Heston is batting .397 and leads the team in steals (7). See Viking season stats here.Â
Viking Notes: Pugmire started the season a little wild, walking nine in an opener that also saw take a complete game road victory from 3A state title contender Juanita, whom the Viks stomped 12-2 on the road behind Charli’s CG and a McKenna Richer 3-hit performance. Charli’s incapacitation of 4th-ranked Juanita (3A) was just a sign of things to come:Â
Charli Pugmire Versus Ranked Opponents: 6-0 0.56 ERAÂ
#7 Kentwood 2 ip 2K
#5 Snohomish (Win, CG) 7ip 3h 0ER 10K
#6 Kamiak (Win, CG) 7ip 3h 1ER 10K
#10 Glacier Peak (Win, CG) 7ip 3h 0R 8kÂ
#8 Kamiak (Win, CG) 7ip 8h 1R 8k
#10 Glacier Peak (Win, CG) 7ip 6h 1ER 6KÂ
Eastlake Capsule
Eastlake (14-8, 24th in RPI, 38th in MaxPreps) is the KingCo three seed and comes in playing .500 ball over their last eight games.Â
Eastlake can swing it though, batting .342 as a squad with 24 homers and a gaudy .996 OPS. Their pitches have held opponents to a .259 batting average against.Â
Individually, Eastlake is led by sophomore catcher Heather Lloyd, and junior shortstop Mia Atkins. Lloyd is batting .429 on the year with eight homers, 30 runs batted in and an OPS of 1.437; and the shortstop Atkins leads the team in average at .469 and has contributed three homers and ten doubles. The Wolves top pitcher is sophomore Addi Baumgartner, who went 10-5 on the season with a 2.65 ERA, 76K in 96 IP and an opponent batting average of .234. (Click here for Eastlake stats).
#1 Jackson vs Glacier Peak/Redmond 6:00 PM today(Monday) Phil Johnson Field
The 2024 Wesco Champions and reigning State Champs take on the winner of the 4:00 game. If it’s Glacier Peak, then tomorrow’s 6:00 pm game will be another rematch of the 2023 state title game. Jackson is 2-0 versus the Grizzlies this year with 8-1 and 5-1 victories to their record.Â
Jackson is led by UNLV commit and state player of the year candidate Yenina Sherwood. Sherwood is 18-2 on the year with a 0.47 ERA and 201 Ks in 119 innings pitched. She’s also added nine home runs at the plate.Â
The reigning state champs are littered with Division 1 talent, including 2025 Husky commit Allie Thomsen, and outfielder tied for the team lead in home runs (9) and topping the team in average (.509). Senior shortstop Rachel Synum is batting .471 with seven home runs and ten stolen bases. Hailey Pelletier, a 2024 Western Washington commit, leads the team in RBI with 30.Â
Also:Â Kamiak vs Skyline; 4:00 pm Phil Johnson Field; Glacier Peak vs Redmond 4:00 pm Phil Johnson FieldÂ
Lake Soccer Punches Ticket to State with PK Win Over Glacier Peak, 14th Seed at Sumner Wednesday
The third time's the charm for Viking boys soccer, as they defeated the Glacier Peak Grizzlies in Snohomish Saturday via penalty kicks, taking the season series 2-1 and earning a trip to the state tournament after an 0-2 start to the district playoffs.Â
Both teams were held goalless through regular time and extra time. Lake got past GP 6-5 from the spot, avenging GP’s walk-off Wesco title-winning Golden Goal victory in Lake Stevens last month.Â
Lake (12-4-1) nabbed the 14th seed in the 16 team single elimination state playoff bracket. They open state tourney play at Sunset Chev Stadium in Sumner Wednesday, 7:30 pm against number three seeded Sumner (15-4). Viking fans might want to keep that map route saved on the Apple Car Play – Viking football opens the season at Sumner as well.Â
Viking Track Wins Wesco; David Brown, Teagan Lawson, Jada Sarrys Challenge for State Titles
Lake Stevens took the team title at the Wesco meet last week, with multiple Vikings earning new and/or repeat league champion status. David Brown set a new school record in the 110 meter high hurdles (14.11) – the reigning state third place finisher and Central Washington commit holds the state’s best time in this event by over four-tenths of a second and he’s within two tenths of a second of the state record. Steven Lee, the state runner up in this event last year finished second to Brown at Wesco. Junior high jumper Teagan Lawson set a personal best and tied the school record at high jump with a leap of 6’6 – the same mark took home the 4A title last year.
For the girls, Jada Sarrys continued her assault on the school record books, posting a new school record in her Wesco-title winning 400 (57.54, besting the old mark by almost a second and half). Sarrys is in the running for a state title in the 100 and 200 as well as the relays. Her 12.25 100 time is third all time at Lake Stevens. She finished second at Wesco in both sprints, while running for winning teams on both relays (4x100 and 4x200)....both Tupua sisters are headed to state, as Keira Tupua took Wesco’s top honors in shot put, while freshman Noelani Tupua vaulted into Lake Stevens all-time top ten territory with her Wesco-winning 100m and 300m hurdles performances…Freshman Kaysa Banks, who finished second to Sarrys in the 400m, also posted a time that is good for fifth all time at Lake Stevens (59.71).Â
Matson and Howard Star for FSP Spring Squad, Recruiting Update, Jayden Limar Stars in Spring
Lake Stevens Viking rising senior stars Kolton Matson and Keagan Howard suited up for FSP’s Spring tackle league exhibition against the Nordic Lions,a a visiting Northern European squad. Matson started at QB and had FSP up 28-0 when he departed after tossing a couple touchdowns…the reigning two-time state champs are currently engaged in Spring strength and agility work ahead of June practices.
Howard, the Viking 2023 leading tackler, is one of the top uncommitted linebackers in the state’s 2025 class.
Matson, the reigning Gatorade State Player of the Year was recently labeled the best quarterback prospect in the five state Northwest region by 247 National Scouting Director Brandon Huffman.
Matson, a three star prospect according to 247, has taken a series of visits to regional campuses including Oregon, Washington State, Montana State and Idaho. Huffman thinks the Cougars are a possible landing spot for the two time state champ QB.
Rising senior running back Jayshon Limar has held a boatload of high major offers since his freshman year. Things may have quieted down during a sophomore year that saw the 6’1 190-pound back recovering from injury while his brother did the heavy lifting – but Jaysjon more than answered the bell down the stretch last year, opening eyes across the West Coast with a 240 yard half against Woodinville and an exceptionally dominant performance throughout the Viks’ state title run.
Limar visited Stanford and Oregon last month and seemed to enjoy Palo Alto – his first time to the Silicon Valley mecca. Ideally, Limar would like to commit prior to the season and graduate before Christmas, allowing for Winter enrollment at his college of choice a la Jayden Limar…
Speaking of Jayden, the Viking legend is seemingly doing very well in Eugene, earning a starting spot on the team led by the Ducks’ new starting QB Dillon Gabriel in the Spring Game. Jayden carried the ball nine times and scored the game’s first touchdown. Afterword, a beat writer for the Eugene Register-Guard said Limar’s touchdown was just a fraction of the explosive ability that has both surprised and pleased the coaching staff throughout the Spring. I can’t say we’re surprised.Â