OTHELLO — In the All-State games held June 27-28, Aiden Garza and Quade Gonzalez from Othello had the opportunity to play on Team Rainier. The two former Huskies are very proud of the opportunity to compete at All-State and are looking forward to what’s coming next in their baseball careers. 

“It’s an amazing experience and opportunity that not everyone gets,” said Gonzalez. “Definitely no matter the outcome, take advantage of it and have fun.” 

Both players earned First Team All-League honors in the spring baseball season and qualified to play for Team Yakima in the All-Star game in Richland at the start of the summer. Despite the team taking a loss in the feeder game, both Gonzalez and Garza earned top 10 honors to qualify for the All-State game.

“It was a great time,” said Garza. “I didn’t even think I was going to have that first experience at the feeder game and then being at the state game was just a whole new experience, being with all the top players at state. It was really good.” 

Once qualified for the All-State game, the players got right into preparations to compete against other top players in the state. Gonzalez said the mindset was to just treat preparations for All-State no different than any other matchup. 

“You just have to be locked in at all times,” he said. “In a game like that it’s going to be fun, so even if you do make a mistake, you’ve just got to flush it and worry about the next one.” 

For Garza, the focus was just to make sure to enjoy the experience. 

“I went into this game just thinking to have as much fun as possible,” said Garza. “You only get one chance at this and might as well have the best time I can, and I think I did.” 

The duo was selected to play for Team Rainier in the All-State game, competing alongside players from Bellevue, Colville, and Kitsap under the coaching of Alan Dillman from Woodinville.  

Though Team Rainier did not end up winning the championship in the All-State finals, both players felt that the ability to compete at such a high level was a great experience. During the course of the weekend, Garza said he got to pitch three innings and did well enough to have a chance at getting the MVP title. 

“It was an amazing opportunity and experience,” he said. 

Gonzalez and Garza felt that being able to compete in the All-Star and All-State games helped them recover mentally from their loss against Selah in the spring postseason. These two games gave the players a new opportunity to end their high school careers on a high note. 

“It definitely felt a lot better than how we first ended it,” said Gonzalez. “That bitter feeling that we had in our mouth is kind of gone now. Got our last little bit out, had fun and got (to wear) our jersey for the last time.” 

The future of baseball remains strong for both the Othello players.  

Gonzalez will be playing summer baseball for the Walla Walla Sweets, then will be heading west to attend Seattle University.  

“The atmosphere (at Seattle University) was great,” said Gonzalez. “Amazing coaches, great location and it was just the best opportunity for me.” 

Garza is going to be playing with Rein Baseball Club for the remainder of the summer and in the fall he will attend Columbia Basin College.  

“CBC is super close to home, which I love,” said Garza. “It was just such a good I was looking at and they offered me and I was like, ‘Of course.’” 

Garza and Gonzalez are both planning to study kinesiology, which is the scientific study of human movement dealing with anatomy, biomechanics, physiology and neuroscience. Through kinesiology, the players hope to gain a further understanding of baseball and use their knowledge down the line to help others. 

“Hopefully that’ll help me stay around the game a little more and maybe come circle around back to Othello and start coaching,” said Gonzalez. 

Garza said his desire to study kinesiology was inspired by Othello High School’s Athletic Trainer Lauren Sitton, who just recently concluded her time with the program and is heading off to the next step in her life. 

“She’s kind of a big reason why our pitching staff stayed healthy this year and that’s just something I’m interested in,” said Garza. “That’s how I want to stay with baseball.” 

The game of baseball has helped develop these players into who they are today, according to both Garza and Gonzalez. 

“Baseball has always been a huge part of my life,” said Gonzalez. “It has always been an important thing, so now that I’m able to continue playing and pursue my dream, it feels great. It’s amazing.” 

For Garza, without baseball he feels he would be a very different man than he is today. 

“Baseball has taught me responsibility, taught me discipline and how to be a hard worker,” he said. “I’m very happy with baseball.” 

    Quade Gonzalez hugs his teammate Aiden Garza as Team Rainier gathers on the mound to compliment Garza’s pitching during All-State.
  

    At All-State, representing Team Rainier, Quade Gonzalez steps up to bat.