Mariners to face Laurel at state

The Daily Inter Lake

The Mission Valley Mariners will not have a lot of time for rest and relaxation.

The American Legion baseball team will be back on the field just three days after surviving the Western A District, this time in Three Forks for the Class A State Tournament.

The Mariners cruised through the district bracket in Whitefish before being toppled in the finale by the Bitterroot Red Sox. The Red Sox stung Mission Valley twice, 7-4 and 16-6, on Monday to claim the title and the West's No. 1 seed at state.

The runner-up finish still earned the Mariners (37-25 overall) a spot at state. They open against Laurel at 8 a.m at Luzenac Field on Thursday. The championship game is set for Monday, Aug. 3, and the winner of that will move on to the Class A Regional Tournament in Ogden, Utah.

Mission Valley won its only state title in 2007 in Libby. That season, Mission Valley's Brandon Thompson was named the Class A MVP, while head coach Jami Hanson earned Coach of the Year honors alongside Damon McLaughlin of the Richland County Patriots.

The Mariners went on to play in Alaska in the Regional and finished 1-2.

The Vauxhall Spurs out of Alberta, Canada, won the Class A title last year, toppling Lethbridge, Alberta, 21-10 in the title game. The Spurs went on to finish second at Regionals.

Since 1997, the Bitterroot Red Sox, who face the Billings Cardinals in the opening round at 11 a.m., have won five state titles, more than any other team in Class A.

State A Tournament

At Three Forks, Luzenac Field

Thursday

First-round pairings

8 a.m. - Laurel vs. Mission Valley

11 a.m. - Bitterroot (Hamilton) Red Sox vs. Billings Cardinals

2 p.m. - Lethbridge vs. Livingston-Helena winner out of District tournament

5:30 p.m. - Tri County (Conrad-Shelby-Cut Bank) vs. Gallatin Valley (Three Forks)

Note: The championship is set for Monday, Aug. 3, at noon. The second championship, if necessary, is at 4 p.m.