EPHRATA — The Naselle Comet baseball team finished their 2024 season among the top four 1B squads in the state for the third-straight year.

Following a 6-3 state quarterfinal win over Orcas Island last week, the second-ranked Comets lost to No. 3 seed Almira/Coulee-Hartline 11-1 on Friday, May 24, in the semifinal and then fell on Saturday, May 25, to top-seeded Liberty Christian 8-7, finishing in fourth place.

“Obviously it wasn’t the way we hoped or anticipated it ending, but the boys came a long way through the season and a lot of growth was made from our young guys; looking forward to next year with this group,” summed head coach Randy Lindstrom.

The Comets will lose one senior to graduation: pitcher/third baseman Dean Helvey. Helvey was instrumental in Naselle’s back-to-back state championships in 2022 and 2023 as well as their postseason run this year, where the senior ace led a 6-3 quarterfinal win over Orcas Island.