POULSBO — Thursday afternoon was the definition of rivalry game as the Kingston Junior High Cavaliers and Poulsbo Junior High Panthers likely faced off for one final contest in the history of the two schools.
Next year both will become middle schools.
“We have a nice tradition of playing against each other going,” said PJH coach Cheryl Foreman. “Next year we both won’t be junior highs anymore, so this is kind of it.”
It was rivalry game where most of the fans in the stands knew nearly every player in both dugouts.
In the end, KJH (3-3 overall record) came up with 13-3 victory against PJH (0-6 overall) Thursday afternoon in Poulsbo.
“That’s all of their buddies over there,” said Cavaliers coach Joe Schiel. “We just played a good game today. Our team was very relaxed. Kingston fastpitch teams are going to be good for a long time. Five of our starters are seventh graders.”
KJH starting pitcher Lauren Peiguss gave up only three runs and just seven hits in six innings of work. She finished the game with seven strikeouts.
“Lauren has a great attitude on the mound. She throws the ball in the strike zone and does a great job out there for us,” Schiel said.
Peiguss said she thought her team would win the rivalry game before they even hit the field.
“I was pretty hopeful we would win it. It feels very good,” she said. “We were really confident before the game. We thought we were going to win.”
Jordan Tapp, Hannah Corneilson, Meghan Parrick and Nicole Avila each collected two hits apiece in KJH’s winning effort.
The Cavaliers scored in every inning, putting a game-high four runs on the board in the top of the third.
Despite her teams sixth loss of the season, Foreman was proud of the effort her team put forth.
“I am not upset about the loss at all,” she said. “Our team never gives up and backs each other up all the time. I’ll take that any day for any team I coach. I would take that over an undefeated season. They know how to support each other and work together as a team.”
Panthers eighth grader Ariana Elkington was the leading hitter for PJH, going 2 for 3 with 2 RBIs. Heather Martin and Lindsey Foster also collected two hits in the contest.
