Colton softball heads for state

He takes the eighth-graders every year, whether they will play or not.

“So they know how to act when it’s their turn,” said Brad Nilson, Colton softball coach, whose 2019 team opens at state in Yakima Friday at 1 p.m. against Wishkah Valley.

The Colton bus was set to leave Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. to arrive in Yakima to eat lunch, check into the hotel and hold a practice before Nilson goes to the coaches’ meeting that night.

The team is led by five seniors: Emily Schultheis, Jordyn Moehrle, Abby Kelly, Addison Kinzer and Maggi Pluid. Schultheis, Kelly and Moehrle have played on varsity si...