Author:	Reilly Roach
	Grade:	Senior
	School:	DeSales HS
	Mascot:	Irish
	League:	South East
	Classification:	1B

Greetings from Walla Walla! Amidst the beautiful spring weather, busy wine weekends, the annual Walla Walla Balloon Stampede and all the rest that goes on in my rural small town, I have had a busy yet exciting end of the year.

While the school year here at DeSales High School appears to be winding down academically for me as a senior, as an athlete, I still have two solid weeks left in my athletic endeavors. Currently my baseball team continues to battle hard with high hopes of a repeat 2B State Championship. With our 9-2 win against Asotin in the state title game last year, which gave us a 24-2 overall record, and with eight returning starters, the Fighting Irish have had a big target on their back throughout the year. Far from perfect, we have already fallen short twice this year with a 10 inning, 2-1 non-league loss, to 5A La Grande, Oregon and a narrow 4-3 loss to Asotin. From these losses we have continued to play hard taking small steps to achieve a grander goal. Last weekend we redeemed our league loss to Asotin in a 6-0 shutout win clinching the league championship. Just Tuesday we also avenged our La Grande loss by defeating them 8-3. This weekend we hope to advance to state as the winner of the Walla Walla Regional. At the state tournament we hope to come home with nothing shy of our DeSales Baseball Program’s 18th state title (in twenty-four years), which would end my high school career and twelfth sport season with a bang!



Throughout my four years at DeSales, I have holistically matured as a man. From the hot and horrible freshman two-a-days, which started my time at DeSales, to the Valedictory commencement speech that I will address to my graduating class, which will end my time at DeSales, I feel that my overall high school experiences are ones that I will cherish for a lifetime.

This fall I will begin a new and exciting chapter of my life as a freshman at Gonzaga University where I will study Business Management. I am certainly excited to venture away from home, though the Walla Walla community will forever remain an important and worthwhile part of my life!

Serving as a member of the WIAA LEAP Committee has been a wonderful experience and one that I am very grateful to have been a part of. The WIAA’s efforts should never go without recognition!

As always, GO IRISH!

My name is Reilly Roach and I approve this message.