Buchanan a great catch for WSU

AUBURN -- The Great Wall of Auburn ends his reign this month. Fortunately for Washington State, the Cougars get the Trojans' star senior catcher for another four-year term.

When Kyle Buchanan's high school career ends sometime in the next week during the state tournament, all of the South Puget Sound League 3A should rejoice. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder has wreaked havoc on the competition as a four-year starter.

"The best indicator (of his talent) is that when he was a freshman, we had an all-league catcher (Kael Johnson, who is playing football at Menlo College) so Kyle had to go to first base," Auburn coach Gordon Elliott said. "He immediately was one of the best-fielding first basemen we had. ... He could play third base and could even be a decent high school shortstop."

Since his sophomore year, Buchanan has been a steadying force for Auburn's ace right-handers Colton Brown and David Olson (WSU).

"He's an animal," Brown said. "He's a stud back there."

Offered Olson: "Basically he doesn't let anything get by him."

Olson (8-2, 2.52 ERA, 62 strikeouts) has extreme confidence in his classmate and has developed a tremendous rapport.

"It's really nice when you want to throw a two-strike curveball down in the dirt or something and you can have that confidence that he'll stop it and not have it get by the batter," said Olson, who shared the cover with Buchanan in last month's edition of RISE magazine.

Buchanan, who played on the USA Under-18 national team, was the 17th-ranked prospect among seniors entering 2008, according to baseballnorthwest.com. But he's had his worst season hitting: .182 average, two home runs, 15 RBIs, .345 slugging percentage.

"I didn't have quite the best year in the world," said Buchanan, who does have 14 walks and has been hit seven times.

The same could have been said about the Trojans (16-5, 10-4) until a couple of weeks ago, when they finally got it together.

After being ranked No. 1 in the state in March based on last year's state runner-up finish, Auburn quickly dropped three consecutive games. But a closer look at the losses showed that Bonney Lake tied Auburn atop the league standings, Franklin Pierce was a game back, and Newport was second in KingCo 3A.

Buchanan took this losing in stride, because as Brown puts it, "He's the leader and we all pretty much just rally around him."

Added senior shortstop Travis Shreve: "When he's down, he's the same as when he's up. He never changes his mentality to the game."

Auburn was dealt another setback, though, with the loss of Brian Embery.

The first-year head coach resigned April 23, the same day Bonney Lake completed a season sweep of Auburn en route to clinching the league title by way of a tiebreaker. (Embery had been placed on administrative leave three games prior following an athletic code violation within the team.)

Since Elliott, Auburn's football coach and junior-varsity baseball coach, officially took over, Auburn is undefeated in six tries. The winning streak includes four sub-district and bi-district playoff games.

"He's a motivator, he gets you pumped, he knows his fair share about baseball," Buchanan said. "But other than that, he kind of just lets us play."

Auburn's senior-laden squad (eight) featured no juniors until the postseason, while five sophomores and a pair of freshmen were on varsity all year. They've had three coaches in a year, after Tim Kuykendall accepted a job closer to his home at Curtis.

Now, the Trojans begin their quest for a third consecutive state championship game appearance when they play Blanchet in the opening round at 1 p.m. Saturday at Wheeler Field in Centralia. Elliott is counting on Buchanan to lend a voice while he adjusts to being in charge on a pressure-filled platform like state.

"It's kind of like having an assistant coach with you," Elliott said. "Kyle really knows baseball."

KYLE BUCHANAN

Auburn Sr.Catcher

COLLIN BENNETT

Newport, CF, 6-1, 180, senior

THE SKINNY: The three-sport athlete had his season cut short after a horrific outfield collision with fellow senior Blake Gibbs in the second-to-last regular season game. Bennett, who is uncommitted, was in the hospital for a few days after suffering a lacerated kidney. The 15th-rated senior prospect according to Baseball Northwest was the team leader in walks and stolen bases while hitting .359 with a .519 on-base percentage.

THE TALK: "He was a really gifted athlete in anything that he did. He was by far probably the best defensive outfielder in the state. I think he's going to be able to do some big things wherever he ends up. He's been around the game so long and just led by example." -- Brian Fischer, Newport coach

ANDY BETHEL

Seattle Prep, SS, 6-0, 180, senior

THE SKINNY: One of the slickest-fielding shortstops in the state, the UW-bound Bethel is 23rd according to Baseball Northwest. Entering state with his team on an eight-game winning streak, Bethel has hit .493 with six home runs and 31 RBIs and has an on-base percentage of .553 and a slugging percentage of .896.

THE TALK: "He's one of the best infielders I've ever coached. He has an excellent glove. He is a great clutch hitter and has a great work ethic. I just think the numbers speak for themselves." -- Ed Paulter, Seattle Prep

MATT BOYD

Eastside Catholic, LHP/1B, 6-3, 200, junior

THE SKINNY: The only junior in the P-I's top 10, Boyd is ranked eighth in his class by Baseball Northwest. He finished the season with a.429 average, a .540 on-base percentage and a .898 slugging percentage with six home runs, 22 runs and 21 RBIs -- and didn't commit an error. In the regular season, Boyd was 7-0 with a 0.71 ERA and 49 strikeouts.

THE TALK: "He's a gamer, he's a ballplayer. He trusts the guys behind him and just throws strikes. He's done it offensively and defensively this season for us." -- Curt Towey, Eastside Catholic coach

BLAKE GIBBS

Newport, LF, 6-2, 215, senior

THE SKINNY: Gibbs led the Knights in home runs (5), RBIs (17) and slugging percentage (.733), and tied for the team lead in runs (18) while hitting .311. The Oregon State commit, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and meniscus in the collision with Bennett, is ranked seventh in his class.

THE TALK: "I've been doing this 12 years and I'd put him on my one hand in terms of the best I've ever had here -- just as a person, as a player, as a teammate. He was a coaches' player, he lifted, he did everything you wanted. He would stay after every day and work on his swing. He deserved everything he got when he played the game." -- Brian Fischer, Newport coach

DEREK JONES

Snohomish, LHP/OF, 5-11, 190, senior

THE SKINNY: Ranked 22nd by Baseball Northwest, Jones was a WIAA First Team All-State selection on the Panthers' state runner-up team last year. The WSU commit, who was a P-I All-Area football selection, hit .310 with six home runs and 17 RBIs while walking 16 times. On the mound, Jones went 5-2 with a 1.99 ERA and a 4:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

THE TALK: "Being a four-year starter at Snohomish and being a three-year starter in football -- that's something. He's an outstanding pitcher, an outstanding hitter. He's been asked to do it for so long, that it's just another day for him. He's one of the most talented kids to ever come through Snohomish. -- Kim Hammons, Snohomish coach

DOUG JOYCE

Stanwood, C, 6-3, 210, senior

THE SKINNY: This Florida International recruit is the area's second-highest rated prospect according to Baseball Northwest, coming at No. 6. While the Spartans didn't make it to state, they have a sweep of state runner-up Snohomish to show for their season as Joyce went 4-for-7 with five RBIs.

THE TALK: "He killed us. He hit a 3-run bomb to right center and a double in that 6-4 loss. Behind the plate, I thought he did an outstanding job, receiving, blocking pitches. I timed him (throwing from home to second) at 1.9 (seconds)." -- Kim Hammons, Snohomish coach

DANNY OH

Jackson, CF/P, 5-11, 180, senior

THE SKINNY: The Cal-bound Oh is the latest big-time recruit (Travis Snider, Toronto Blue Jays, 2006; Geoff Brown, UW, 2007) in this powerhouse program. Jackson's leadoff hitter and closer is a 5-tool player that Baseball Northwest lists as its 13th-best prospect. His .545 average is the best in school history and he had a .670 on-base percentage.

THE TALK: "He's what they call a five-tool guy -- he does everything you want him to do. He's a very intelligent kid. When he's out there, he makes everyone around him better. I could coach Danny forever and not get tired of it." -- Kirk Nicholson, Jackson coach

COLBY SOKOL

Emerald Ridge, CF, 6-2, 180, senior

THE SKINNY: Sokol will play on Oregon's resurrected baseball program, as the Ducks are going back to the diamond for the first time nearly three decades. The left-handed converted pitcher (due to arm injuries as a sophomore and junior) is the top-ranked senior prospect in the area, coming in fifth at Baseball Northwest. He hit 423 and had two home runs, five triples and 15 RBIs.

THE TALK: "Colby is an incredible baseball player and athlete. In less than one calendar year, he developed himself into a powerful offensive player. It takes amazing work habits and talent to do that. Colby has a bright future in post-high school baseball." -- Tim Spears, Emerald Ridge coach

CAL TOWEY

Eastside Catholic, SS, 6-0, 180, senior

THE SKINNY: A complete shortstop with great lineage (father and coach Curt Towey played in the Mariners farm system), Towey made just one error and hit for average (.508) and power (seven home runs). He also hit seven triples, drew 15 walks and had 30 RBIs. Baseball Northwest ranks Towey, who recently committed to Baylor, 39th among seniors.

THE TALK: "He plays one of the toughest positions to play and he's eating it up. Plus, it's the home runs, the doubles and the triples. He does it offensively and defensively, just like Matt." -- Curt Towey, Eastside Catholic coach

WHERE THEY'RE HEADED

A look at area players who have committed to college programs:

WASHINGTON: Matt Gorman, P, Meadowdale; Brady McGuire, C/3B, Kentridge; T.J. Parthemer, P, Eastside Catholic.

WASHINGTON STATE: David Olson, P/1B, Auburn; Anthony Drobnick, P/3B, Seattle Prep; Jake Theis, P, Mountlake Terrace; Ryan Stromberg, C/1B, Eastside Catholic.

GONZAGA: Ryan Leahy, P, Snohomish

TEXAS TECH: Garrett Totten, OF, Mountlake Terrace

BOSTON COLLEGE: Spenser Payne, 3B, Eastside Catholic