Being the smallest player on a football field is often considered a disadvantage. Sometimes, however, it also serves as a challenge that brings out the best.

David Bentrott was often the smallest guy on both the football and baseball fields during his career at Maple Valley's Tahoma High School. He was also often the best.

Now the Washington baseball team's starting shortstop, the 5-foot-8 freshman has more than overcome any perceived lack of stature. Heading into this week, he had started 17 of the Huskies' 25 games and was batting .291 with just one error (he had his second error Tuesday night). Bentrott and the Huskies open a three-game series vs. No. 18 Arizona with a 6:30 p.m. game at Safeco Field on Friday.

The story of the little guy who overachieves in sports isn't an unfamiliar one. Usually, being underestimated provides motivation.

"I've been told I was too small to play football and baseball," Bentrott said. "I love to prove people wrong."

Probably better known as a football star at Tahoma, Bentrott earned All-South Puget Sound League 4A North Division honors as a running back, defensive back and punter while also handling kicking and return duties. And he was named the 4A all-state shortstop in baseball.

"Baseball was my first love in high school," Bentrott said. "I might have continued playing both if I'd had the opportunity, but it was my life's goal to play baseball in college."

The same speed, quickness and overall athleticism that led Tahoma to three straight SPSL North football titles (two outright, one shared) have translated to the baseball field and as his first season nears the halfway point, his play has continued to improve.

"Things have been getting a lot more comfortable," Bentrott explained. "My defense has been getting better."

Still, after so many outstanding Friday nights playing football, there are things Bentrott misses about that sport.

"My favorite thing to do besides running back was to return kickoffs," he said. "It's a thrill if you take one back. It's always a game-changing play, and the crowd really gets going. It's a good feeling going 100 yards. Good, but tiring."

Also at UW

Rowing: The San Diego Crew Classic men's race features five of the top-six finishers from the 2007 men's national championship race. The Huskies won last year's national title. UW women will row this weekend at the San Diego Crew Classic for the first time since 2004.

Softball: Freshman third baseman Jace Williams (Encinitas, Calif.) ranks third in the Pac-10 in batting (.419) and 10th in slugging (.656). Pitchers Aleah Macon (Upland, Calif.) and Caitlin Noble (Eastlake of Sammamish) rank sixth and seventh in strikeouts with 134 and 117, respectively.

Women's golf: The Huskies have notched fourth-place team finishes in two of their last three tournaments.

Men's golf: Junior John Wise (Skyline of Sammamish) tied for ninth at the Oregon Duck Invitational, his second career top-10 finish.

Cross country: Freshman Lauren Saylor (Clovis, Calif.) placed 38th at the World Cross Country Junior Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Sunday, helping Team USA finish fifth. Incoming freshman Kendra Schaff (Craven, Saskatchewan) was 20th to lead the Canadian junior team.

Women's tennis: Seniors Tara Simpson (Vancouver, B.C.) and Allison Rainey (Mercer Island) will make their final home appearances this weekend against Arizona and No. 12 Arizona State as UW looks for its first conference win.

Seattle Pacific

Gymnastics: The Falcons have qualified for the USAG Championships in Shreveport, La., April 17-19. It is the 24th time the Falcons will compete at Nationals. Last season, SPU finished runner-up to Towson.

Track and field: Sophomore Jane Larson (Cedar Park Christian of Bothell) will compete at the Stanford Invitational this weekend. Last Friday she won the 3,000 meters at the UW Outdoor Preview with a time of 10:01.19.

Rowing: SPU's women's novice eight won the Blue Heron Regatta in Eureka, Calif., with a time of 5:28.44.

Seattle U.

Softball: Sophomore outfielder Katie Antich (Gonzaga Prep of Spokane) has become SU's all-time steals leader with 32. With 18 this season, she is two away from setting the school's season record.

Washington St.

Women's golf: Junior Amy Eneroth (Mead of Spokane) shot a 4-over-par 75 to tie for first at the Inland Cup in Clarkston for her second career tournament victory. Idaho beat WSU by one stroke.

Western Washington

Softball: Sophomore first baseman Meghan Flem's (Hood River, Ore.) grand slam against San Francisco State tied WWU's career record of 12.

Track and field: Western is sending three athletes to the Stanford Invitational — sophomore Monika Gruszecki (Meadowdale of Lynnwood), NCAA II champion in women's javelin and freshmen Sarah Porter (Hockinson of Brush Prairie) in women's 5,000 and Jordan Welling (Burlington-Edison) in men's 5,000.

Football: Western, which begins spring drills Saturday, hired Jim Sandusky (Othello) as assistant coach this spring to work with wide receivers. Sandusky is the football coach and athletic director at Lummi High School.

Other colleges

Central Washington: Senior first baseman Mallory Holtman (White Salmon) hit her 34th career home run last Saturday to set the Great Northwest Athletic Conference record.

Eastern Washington: Junior golfer Chloe Nelson (Las Vegas) has been selected to participate in the NCAA National Student-Athlete Development Conference in Orlando, Fla.

Evergreen State: Joining the Geoducks are Caitlin Swift (Liberty of Issaquah) in volleyball, Madeliza Gibbs (Salt Lake City, Utah) in women's soccer and Corey Spears-Johnson (Mark Morris of Longview) and Cody Wooden (Mesa, Ariz.) in men's soccer.

Northwest: Two women's basketball players from Montana, sophomore forward Steph Flatau (Havre) and senior guard Jennah Mitchell (Kalispell), were named to the Cascade Conference All-Academic Basketball team.

Whitworth: The Pirates' baseball team has played only two games on its home field because of weather. Whitworth (11-15) has played 12 games in Lewiston, Idaho.

Elsewhere: Annie Hess (Bickleton), a junior from Concordia, threw 10 feet farther than any other U.S. college woman at the Oregon Preview meet in Eugene, Ore., on March 22 — 183 feet. Hess, the defending NAIA champion in the event, was part of a graduating class of four at Bickleton.

• Idaho State's Kandis Clesson (Mount Si of Snoqualmie), a sophomore, threw her first collegiate shutout Sunday, a 4-0 three-hitter over Eastern Oregon.

• Brooke Whitney (Snohomish), a former hockey standout, is one of six inductees into the Northeastern Hall of Fame. The 2003 grad had 86 goals and 88 assists and played for the U.S. National Team.

Sports information directors

contributed to this notebook.