LACEY — One team. One goal.
The North Thurston Rams dedicated their 2026 season to reaching the district tournament, a goal that was far from lofty as they had done it the season prior.
But the Rams were dissatisfied with a two-and-out finish in last year’s tournament and worked to book a longer stay in 2026. It took some time for North Thurston to fill its gaps from the departure of 2025’s graduates and to gain its collective confidence, but the Rams accomplished their one goal of playing in mid-May.
Unfortunately for the Rams, the result in the district tournament was the same as the previous. One day after falling to Enumclaw 17-7 in the first round, North Thurston was eliminated by Gig Harbor 8-5 Saturday at the Regional Athletic Complex.
Despite the sour finish to the season, however, the feeling among the coaches and the players was different, and for good reason. North Thurston completed its first winning season since 2019, and the Rams reached 13 wins just three years after a one-win season.
“With the culture they set from day one, you could tell that they were pushing themselves to make districts at any cost,” head coach Sam Harding said. “The fact of them buying into that early in the season and the hard work they knew they had to put in to get here is what propelled them.”
North Thurston’s season was bookended by losses to Gig Harbor. When North Thurston and Gig Harbor squared off in the season opener on March 16, the new-look Rams built an 11-0 lead but couldn’t hang onto their lead in a 15-13 loss. In the second matchup in the district elimination game, North Thurston was the one down early.
A bases-clearing double by Bella Altman, which was aided by an error in the outfield, in the bottom of the first inning put Gig Harbor ahead 3-0, and she nearly scored on that double but was thrown out at home. The Tides tacked on another run in the second inning as Brooklyn Harrison led off with a single and came around to score on an error and multiple wild pitches.
After leaving two runners stranded in the first and third innings, North Thurston broke through in the fourth, with Saihdee Trolson leading off with a single and crossing home on a wild pitch. Another wild pitch brought Syriahs Trolson home after she walked in her plate appearance.
A short groundball exchange from second baseman Lucia Green to first baseman Alyvia Belton was botched with two runners on in the fourth, allowing one to score. A wild pitch and an RBI double gave Gig Harbor a 7-2 lead in the fourth.
North Thurston’s comeback effort in the top of the fifth started at the top of the lineup with Isabella Haagen hitting a single to kick off the inning. Sara Halterman also singled, and Saihdee Trolson drove them both in with a first-pitch single. Belton ripped an RBI single with two outs to cut the deficit to three.
The Tides answered with a two-out RBI single by Sarah Cody in the bottom of the fifth. The Rams put two runners on in the sixth, including Paige Guyer hustling to reach first on a third strike that would’ve ended the inning, but couldn’t capitalize. North Thurston couldn’t chip away in the seventh with its season on the line as Tides pitcher Isabelle Bartlett retired the final three batters in order.
“We just couldn’t get the bats going in the situations that we were in,” Harding said.
Harding’s silver lining when talking to the team postgame was how the Rams fought back, not just against Gig Harbor but all season. North Thurston grew comfortable offensively, averaging 13.6 runs per game, while Syriahs Trolson became a stalwart in the circle, commanding nearly 80% of the team’s innings while Guyer pitched on occasion.
Perhaps the biggest reason why North Thurston didn’t hang its head after the loss was that nearly the entire roster will be back in 2027. Only senior Maya Cannon moves on from the team, which finished with a 13-9 record in 2026. Although the nucleus of the roster returns, Harding said Cannon’s contributions will be missed and called her “one of the most selfless players I’ve ever had” and “one of the best teammates on the team.”
Still, players like Halterman, Saihdee Trolson and Guyer will be seniors, and Haagen, Syriahs Trolson and Belton will be juniors. Harding’s eyes lit up when thinking about what the future could hold for the program.
“I was telling the girls that I can’t wait until next year. I cannot wait. I’m already thinking about next season right now,” Harding said. “I’m really proud of how the girls played this whole season. We accomplished so many things. It might not have worked out the way we wanted it to today, but I think that’s going to put a little bit of fire in their belly.”
