Senior-Led Irish Set Sights on State Title

SEATTLE — The Fighting Irish walked off the field with their season over after a first-round playoff loss to top seed and eventual state champion Mt. Vernon. In a hard-fought game, O’Dea fell just short, losing 4–2.

Despite the early postseason exit, the Irish finished the regular season on a strong note, winning seven of their final nine games. This year, the team hopes to build on that momentum, return to the state tournament, and finish what they started.

After graduating five seniors last season, four of whom went on to play Division I baseball, O’Dea will rely on several returning players to fill the leadership and talent void. Senior Lincoln Turner believes the team is ready for the challenge.

“We lost some good guys from last year, but lack of leadership and talent won’t be a problem,” Turner said. “We have a big senior group this year who will step up in their own roles to help keep the team motivated, with one goal in mind: the state championship.”

Following a 13–14 season, the Irish know there is room for improvement. To compete for a Metro League title and another postseason run, the team will need to play consistent baseball throughout the year. Key matchups in league play will come against Eastside Catholic, Roosevelt, and Seattle Academy.

“We’re going to take it one game at a time,” Turner said. “Our goal is to be 1–0 after every game.”

After being considered a younger team last season, the Irish now return a roster dominated by seniors, giving the team both experience and confidence heading into the year.

At the plate, O’Dea features a deep lineup capable of generating runs from top to bottom. Some of the team’s key hitters include seniors Uriah Stringfield, Noah Vandervort, and Miles Green, along with junior Luke Bishop.

“The hitters we have this year are going to consistently give us a great batting average and allow the team to rack up runs,” Turner said.

Defensively, the Irish are just as confident as they are offensively, led by a strong pitching staff.

“The pitching staff this year is going to be very good and will be able to take over the Metro League,” Turner said.