In her fourth season as the head coach of the Interlake softball team, Sarah Brown is hoping she has found the right mix of youth and experience to take the Saints to the 2A state playoffs for the first time in school history.

With three freshman and two sophomores in the starting lineup, the Saints are hoping they can develop enough winning experience during the 3A KingCo slate to become a seasoned vets by the time the playoffs roll around. “I have a lot of confidence in our team, we have a lot of young girls but they seem to be meshing well together,” Brown said.

One of the challenges has been developing cohesion in the field, where Interlake has been spending extra time working early on. Brown said her team is still “trying to work together on defense and figuring out how each other plays”. The coach added that the group of girls she has brought together in 2011 is not only the deepest she has had in her six years at the school, but also “a great group of girls that is really having fun”.

With their unique standing as a 2A school in an otherwise exclusively 3A conference, the Saints will earn two victories in the standings for every one game they win this season against 3A competition in league play. Interlake will compete in West Central District 3 for a shot at the state playoffs.

Even knowing full-well the arduous road her team must take to the playoffs, Brown remains confident. “I think we can make it to state this year,” Brown said noting that the Saints have improved team chemistry in 2011 as compared to other seasons. “Chemistry is a huge part of it, they have fun out here and I think having fun leads to performing well.”

Saints at a glance

Coach: Sarah Brown, sixth season

Returning starters: Four

Impact newcomers: Morgan McCaslin, FR, C/3B/OF; Maddy McCaslin, FR, P/SS/OF

Crucial matchups: 4/4 VS Bellevue, 4:30pm; 4/5 @ Juanita, 4:30pm