Interlake baseball coach Marc Linn is not naive.
In only his first season in the dugout for the Saints, Linn is well aware of the daunting task his squad faces competing as the only 2A school in one of the most powerful baseball conferences in 3A. But that doesn’t mean he or his players are shying away from the challenge.
With a deep group of seniors returning from last year’s 2-18 team and Linn now at the helm, the Saints are hoping to put the misery of 2010 behind them and build towards a 2A playoff run in 2011.
Linn comes to Interlake from Sultan High School, where he was on staff since 2002 and is also the coach of the Bellevue Legion baseball club. “I know a few of the coaches in the league and I know it’s a tough competitive league,” Linn said. “If in all of the 3A games we can just scratch and claw and get a few wins along the way, that will just help us in the playoffs.”
But scratching out those wins has been anything but routine for the Saints in the past several seasons. The Saints endured a 2-16 finish in 2008 and a 3-16 mark in 2009 before going 2-18 last season. Changing the culture around the program has been a focus for Linn, who believes his team’s success will begin with keeping their own house in order.
“The biggest thing for us right now is taking care of what we can do,” Linn said. “Taking care of the baseball, getting guys on, getting them over and finding a way to have someone step up.”
One thing that Interlake will not lack for is experience, with seniors Ahmend Mardini, Ari Kira, Jake Miller, Adam Crouch, JT Capers, Griffin Sutich, Kyle Farber and Gavin McNeils all entering their final prep season hoping to get the program on course.
Linn said there has also been an emphasis on giving the players ownership of the program and creating a renewed sense of pride in the Interlake name.
The Saints will likely also rely on their resiliency during a league schedule that is bound to test their will with match-ups against Mercer Island, Mt. Si and Liberty, who shared the regular season crown in 2010.
But Linn believes his team has the mettle to survive their treacherous KingCo slate with enough wins to break into the 2A bracket. “Our goal is to complete in the KingCo league for a league title, but just get us to the playoffs and get us a chance,” Linn said.
Saints at a glance
Major losses: None
Key returners: JT Capers, Kyle Farber
Impact newcomers: Kamana Adriano,
Crucial matchups: Friday, April 8 @ Sammamish, 4pm; Friday, April 22 @ Bellevue, 4pm; Wednesday, April 27 VS Mercer Island, 4pm; Monday, May 2 VS Lake Washington @ Lee Johnson Field (Peter Kirk Park), 4pm
