The Washington Academy baseball team from East Machias reached the state Class C championship game a year ago, searching for its first state title since 2014.
But it wasn’t to be as Monmouth Academy upended the Raiders 9-1.
The Raiders remembered that loss and are doing everything they can to earn another crack at a state championship: posting an 11-0 record to sit atop the Class C North Heal Points standings through Thursday’s games.
They have outscored their opponents 138-12, and their last five victories have come over teams with a combined 40-13 record: Class B North contenders Ellsworth and Mount Desert Island and Class C North front-runners Bucksport, Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln and George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill.
Ellsworth is 9-1 and is leading the Class B North standings and 7-4 MDI is fourth.
Bucksport, Mattanawcook Academy and GSA were second, third and fourth, respectively, in C North.
Fifth-year Washington Academy head coach Rich Olivares said the loss to Monmouth Academy left a “huge bitter taste in our mouths” and extra motivation.
“Credit goes to Monmouth Academy. They won. No excuses. We live and learn,” said Olivares.
“Our goal is to win a state championship. We’ve been talking about this for several years. We’re putting ourselves in good positon to compete for one,” he said.
The Raiders have played in three Class C North title games in five years, finally breaking through with a 1-0 win over Dexter in last year’s championship game.
They wound up 17-3.
Olivares said this year’s team is better than last year’s because it is more experienced.
“We returned seven starters,” said Olivares.
The Raiders have an exceptional one-two punch on the mound in juniors Trevor Shimabukuro and James Welch, who were both first team all-conference selections a year ago.
Lefty Shimabukuro is currently 5-0 with an 0.47 earned run average and righty Welch is 3-0 with two saves and an 0.71 ERA.
Welch has never absorbed a loss on the mound in his career, said Olivares.
Shimabukuro has beaten MDI, Ellsworth and Mattanawcook Academy and allowed just two runs in his three, complete-game outings.
“Trevor is a dominant pitcher,” said Olivares.
Senior Parker Cates gives them depth on the mound and won his first start, 13-0, over Bucksport with five innings of two-hit ball.
Shimabukuro and Welch are also two of the Raiders’ top offensive weapons.
Welch, who plays shortstop when he isn’t pitching, is hitting .528 with 13 runs batted in and Shimabukuro is hitting .462 with 10 RBIs.
Each has also stolen 14 bases and Olivares said the team has already stolen 85 bases.
Welch stole 37 bases a year ago.
First baseman Colby Moholland is hitting .469 and has a homer and 16 RBIs along with 12 stolen bases; outfielder-pitcher Cates is hitting .429 with two homers and nine RBIs; senior catcher-outfielder Jayden Mahan is at .389 with 10 RBIs; and senior catcher-third baseman Daniel Gardner is hitting .375 and has driven in 16 runs.
Sophomore second baseman George Welch, James’ brother, has scored 18 runs and is hitting .270.
The coach pointed out that his players are devoted to baseball and play in various competitive summer leagues, including travel team leagues. They consider it their primary sport.
“In Maine, a lot of basketball-first kids play baseball. We’re the opposite. We’ve got baseball kids, and I think only three of them play basketball,” said Olivares.
The Raiders have five regular season games remaining beginning with a 4 p.m. Friday road game against Houlton-Greater Houlton Christian Academy.
“We’re just excited to continue on this journey together this year. We’ll see what happens,” said Olivares.
