Freeman High baseball team honored at assembly after winning state

ROCKFORD, Wash. — The Freeman High School gym filled with students, energy and excitement Thursday as the 1A State Baseball Champions showed off their new hardware.

Freeman High School students gathered for an assembly recognizing the student-athletes who competed this season in golf, track, tennis and baseball. The baseball team was welcomed to a thunderous round of applause as they brought out the state championship trophy at Thursday’s assembly.

It was a surreal moment for senior teammate Desmond Parisotto.

“This year especially it was super cool because no one really expected us to make it this far. A lot of people didn’t even think we would win league and then to go all the way and win state,” Parisotto said. “I think it just kind of represents the Freeman Strong mentality.”

It’s been an emotional year for the Scotties. A school shooting in September claimed the life of one of their classmates and left three injured. In May, the school was gifted a new baseball field by the KXLY Extreme Team Diamonds and Dreams makeover. At the end of the month, the Scotties took home state.

Principal Jim Straw said the school’s student-athletes represent what it means to be Freeman Strong.

“They made that happen and then took care of business in Yakima and it was really a great weekend,” Straw said. “We had medalists at tennis, we had medalists at Eastern… It’s good for us to be back doing what we do, which is letting our kids be kids and you know, they’re competitive, so it’s fun to be around them.”

Senior catcher Konner Freudenthal said sharing the state championship with his classmates and community is something everyone needed.

“Just to bring that back to our school and our community and have all the students there to just enjoy that experience with us — we’ve been through so much and to bring that back, you know, is just a
symbol of what we’ve overcome and what we can do and what’s in our future,” Freudenthal said.

Administrators were also recognized Thursday. They were met with a standing ovation for all of their work during this tough year. Parisotto and Freudenthal said the celebration was a special way to end the year before summer vacation starts June 12.

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