The Cougars will be a team to watch next year. Unfortunately, they’ll need a lot of time to get over this season’s bitter ending.

The Wallowa High School baseball team lost its May 7 district playoff against Imbler High, 11-10. “It was pretty disappointing,” coach Warren Wilson said. “The better team did not win that game. It was the team that made the least amount of mistakes.”

The season ended a little too early with an 8-12 overall record. Five Cougars earned all-district honors. Wallowa improved during the latter half of the season, winning five consecutive district games during one stretch. “Offensively, we were one of the top teams in the league,” Wilson said. “Tyler (Harshfield), G.T. (McKenzie) – they were among the better pitchers. Defense was our Achilles heel.”

The boys will try to make up for the loss of senior catcher Mitchell Shelton to graduation.