ROYAL CITY – The Royal Knights (16-10) have concluded the 2024-2025 season, and the young team gets a little younger with three seniors graduating. Head coach Brandon Jenks reflects on his team’s performance this season.  

“Overall, pretty successful season,” Jenks said. “The team we lost to ended up getting third, and so we know we’re capable. The boys made a lot of progress this year. I think they proved to themselves that we're really close to being a state contender.” 

The Knights opened the season with five straight wins, and they showed their defensive presence early on. Through those five games, the most runs they allowed in a game was four. Jenks identified the defense as their biggest strength. Oftentimes, their success ran through defense.  

“The biggest part is pitching, in our league, if you throw strikes and make them earn everything, we played pretty good defense. Most of the time when our defense faltered, that's normally when we lost, you had to earn it to beat us,” he said.  

Jenks saw his team show a lot of grit throughout the season. Despite dropping a game here and there, they showed mental fortitude in the face of adversity, according to him. He called back to their doubleheader against Cashmere. 

In the first game, they were defeated handily 15-5. The Knights almost made it a game heading into the fifth inning; Cashmere only led 7-5, but in back-to-back innings, they put up four runs and held the Knights to zero runs.  

In the second game, the Knights took the fight against Cashmere. They would go down 4-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. However, with the defense back in the game, the Knights strung together two runs in the fourth and fifth innings to tie it up. The Knights held Cashmere scoreless for the rest of the game and scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to win 5-4.  

“We're going to get better; they came back out and played a great game the second game, and we had to earn everything there, but that's when you realize the mental fortitude is there. These boys are capable of doing some really good things,” Jenks said.  

After the district tournament, the Knights won their way into the 10-seed. They played Charles Wright/Life Christian Academy who was the seventh seed. It would prove to be a defensive battle and a low-scoring affair as it came down to the seventh inning to decide.  

The Knights were tied at two after the first inning and would take the lead by one score in the third inning. In the bottom of the fifth, CWA-LCA tied it up at three a piece before taking the lead in the bottom of the sixth and holding the Knights scoreless for the rest of the game. The Knights were defeated 4-3 and were eliminated in the first round of the 1A state tournament.  

Despite the loss, Jenks was pleased with how his team performed this year. Even though they are a young team, he said they are knocking on the door to being an annual state contender.  

“We're young and we're making a lot of progress; there's no doubt it's benefiting us in the long run. It's little things that make a big difference, but that experience has made a big difference for our young guys as they gain those opportunities to be more confident for the next year,” Jenks said.  

Three seniors will be graduating and making the Knights a little younger than they already were. Ben Jenks, Jackson Larsen and Nolan Wright contributed to the baseball team in pitching, defense and hitting.  

Ben played shortstop. According to Jenks, he is dedicated to baseball and has loved every moment of playing for the Knights.  

“He's a great defender, so this is his passion in life, and he had a heck of a great year. He would tell you, still not up to his standards, but he did a lot of really good things,” Jenks said.  

Larsen was the pitcher and lead-off hitter for the Knights during his time with the team. “Wonderful young man. Works hard, fast, steals bases. He pitched 60 innings somewhere in that regard, a great baseball player,” Jenks said.  

Wright was the catcher for the Knights and formed a strong trio in the senior class.  

“The three of them are your consummate teammates. They're the dudes you want leading your team. We will miss them a lot,” Jenks said.  

The Knights will have younger players like Bryan Larsen and Logan Piper to step up and fill the roles this year's seniors had, according to Jenks. At a school where football is king, the baseball team is building something special for the long term, according to Jenks.  

    Jackson Larsen pitching for the Knights in a previous game this season. Larsen was a defensive leader pitching for the Knights.
  

    Ben Jenks batting for the Knights in a previous game this season. Jenks also played shortstop for the Knights.
  

    Bronson Scroggins going for the catch in the outfield in a previous game this season. Scroggins will be returning to the Knights next season and work to make another run at states.
  

    Jackson Larsen eyeing second base before throwing his next pitch. Coach Brandon Jenks praised Larsen for his hard work and dedication to the team.