Softball Preview

Posted: March 16, 2015

By ROBERT STOCKS
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — With 16 of the 21 All-Northwestern District softball players from last year returning, many of the area teams bring back veteran lineups.

No area team returns more experience than Sherando with a roster that includes first team all-district infielder Michaela Carper, center fielder Carly Nixon, and outfielder Katie Manson, who will move behind the plate this season. Second team all-district selection Heidi Brown, who saw a lot of time in the pitcher’s circle last year, moves back to her more natural position at first base with the addition of senior transfer and first team all-district and All-Conference 21 selection Hannah Lockhart (who played at Millbrook last season and at Handley for her first two varsity seasons).

Sherando coach Clarence Smith said his players know that this is their best chance to make a run at the district title and be competitive in conference.

“We’ve talked about it and we’re not making any excuses with eight seniors and seven are decorated [with postseason honors],” Smith said. “We should be good and in the hunt for the top of the district and one of the top two spots in the conference and that’s what we’re shooting for.”

The Warriors certainly have plenty of offensive firepower returning. Manson returns after hitting .463 with a team-best 30 RBIs a season ago and she’s one of five returning Sherando players who ranked in the area’s top 10 in batting average. Carper (.463, 10 RBIs, 21 runs), lead-off hitter Nixon (.433, 26 runs), Brown (.403, 20 RBIs, 21 runs) and the addition of Lockhart (.435, 22 RBIs, 28 runs) should give the Warriors plenty of production.

Add in outfielder Lexi Schlag, a junior outfielder who transferred from Strasburg, and freshmen Korenn Paige and Tori Seymour (who both had older sisters play for the Warriors) and Sherando possesses talent up and down the lineup.

Millbrook, led by first team All-Conference 21 and Northwestern District Player of the Year Sarah Clark, returns four starters from last year’s team that went unbeaten (12-0) in the district. With pitcher Mackenzie Steele graduating (and now a freshman playing at Appalachian State), Clark takes over as the Pioneers’ No. 1 pitcher.

“This is [Sarah’s] chance to lead in the circle and I think it’s a good role for her in her senior year,” Millbrook coach Mandee Madden said. “It will really challenge her.”

Clark certainly challenged opposing pitchers last year, hitting a team-high .462 with and led the area in home runs (nine), RBIs (41) and runs (30). Of Clark’s 30 total hits, 18 were extra-base hits with six doubles and three triples in addition to the nine homers.

Clark and senior Natalie Roy, a second team all-district selection as an outfielder, are the Pioneers only returning all-district players. Roy will move from the outfield to catcher this season.

“Our goal this year is to be well balanced offensively,” Madden said. “Sarah’s hitting was key last year and we’re looking to be consistent and put pressure on teams’ defenses.”

Skyline, who returns five all-district players in junior infielder Makaela Dawkins, senior infielder Michala Craig, senior pitcher Carrie Robinson, senior catcher Samantha Santmyers and junior ToriJo Brown, should also contend for one of the district’s top spots coming off a 13-8 (9-3 district) season.

James Wood, under first-year head coach Todd Baker, returns three second team all-district selections in sophomore shortstop Courteney Harper (.339, 15 RBIs), sophomore infielder Alyssa Brown (.386, 24 runs) and senior left fielder Taylor Rizzari (.308, 19 RBIs).

Baker, who had been one of the Colonels assistant coaches for the past three seasons, said his team should benefit from the addition of freshmen pitchers Lani Spielman and Lauren King.

“I think a lot of it starts with pitching and we’ve got some pretty strong arms,” Baker said. “We’ve got five pitchers so we can rotate some arms and keep everybody fresh. [Spielman and King] have played travel since a very young age and they’re one-sport athletes. Even though we’re young, these girls have played in some really big travel games, so I’m confident they can handle the varsity level.”

The Colonels, coming off a 5-16 (4-8 Northwestern) season, hope to improve on last year’s record, but Baker knows there’s plenty of experienced teams to contend with.

“The entire area is pretty strong so we’ve got our work cut out for us,” Baker said. “Millbrook was dominant, and I know Sherando is very strong. Every time you cross the mountain [to face the Loudoun County teams] you have to bring your ‘A’ game, so we’re just hoping to get better every week.”

Area teams struggled in the postseason against Loudoun County schools, going 0-3 in the Conference 21 quarterfinals.

All of the Conference 21 teams face each other once during the regular season this year, and Madden said that should be good experience for the conference tournament.

“It helps from the coaching aspect but it helps the kids the most because most of the softball teams have one pitcher they use the most, so we’ll be able to see that pitcher and the level we need to rise to so it will be good motivation,” Madden said. “Woodgrove won the state title 24-0 last year, so when you can see that team multiple times, it’s a good reminder and will keep us focused this year.”

Smith said the Loudoun County teams present a big challenge, but he hopes facing them during the regular season helps.

“I’m excited about [facing the Loudoun County teams in the regular season] because we’ve had trouble playing against these teams,” Smith said. “They’ve got a lot of great talent and it starts with Woodgrove. We open with three road games against Briar Woods, who was in the state final, a state quarterfinalist in Turner Ashby and then Woodgrove is the defending state champion, but we’re excited to get outside for a change.”

Clarke County returns five starters — senior pitcher Sarah Miller (10-4, 2.58 ERA, 56 strikeouts), senior third baseman Jaime Hoggatt, senior designated player Allie Hicks (.351, 21 RBIs), sophomore utility Kendall Benoit (.394, 27 runs) and sophomore shortstop Tifani Adams (.344, 21 runs) — from last year’s team that finished 14-6 (11-4 Bull Run).

“We’ve got a lot of question marks and just got our full team [together last] Wednesday,” Grubbs said. “We have a lot of talent up and down the lineup.”

Clarke freshman pitcher Megan Hicks injured her knee against Nottoway in the 2A East Region basketball playoffs, and Grubbs said her status for the season will depend on the results of an MRI later this week.

“A lot is going to ride on Megan and her knee,” Grubbs said. “She’s a decent pitcher. We have backups in Jade [Feltner] and Sarah [Miller] and that could change other positions. We’re just trying to figure out where the basketball players are going to be. We have 16 girls on varsity and a lot are very capable of starting.”

The following is a glance at the area teams:

Millbrook

Coach: Mandee Madden, 3rd year

Last year: 15-3, 12-0 Northwestern District, lost in Conference 21 quarterfinals.

Key losses: Mackenzie Steele, Sydney Barr, Marissa Lee and Hannah Lockhart

Top returning players: Sarah Clark, Sr. P; Kellie Jenkins, Sr. 3B; Beth Gloyd, Sr. IF; Becca Miller, Sr. UT; Hannah Croyle, Jr. 1B; Natalie Roy, Sr. C.

Key newcomers: Katie Tirona, Fr. SS; Shannon Smith, Fr. UT; Logan Priest, Jr. OF; Harleigh Crowl, Jr. OF.

Quote: “Right now we’re just trying to figure out where everyone works best together,” Madden said. “With losing a pitcher [Steele] and center fielder [Barr], those are some pretty big gaps we’re trying to fill in. We’re looking at combinations but we’re lucky that we have girls who are willing to play anywhere for us.

“We have experience but we also have a lot of youth. With half of our team having no varsity experience, we’ll have to work really hard to compete with other teams.”

Opener: Tuesday at Broadway, 5:30 p.m.

Sherando

Coach: Clarence Smith, 4th year

Last year: 8-11, 5-7 Northwestern District, lost in Conference 21 quarterfinals.

Key losses: Jessy Shipman, Ashley Saville.

Top returning players: Katie Manson, Sr. C; Carly Nixon, Sr. CF; Michaela Carper, Sr. SS; Heidi Brown, Sr. 1B; Sarah Stickman, Sr. 2B; Alison Bauer, Sr. 3B; Maryssa Walker, Sr. OF; Niki Marshall, Jr. OF.

Key newcomers: Hannah Lockhart, Sr. P; Lexi Schlag, Jr. OF; Marissa Webb, Soph. P/UT; Korenn Paige, Fr. IF/OF; Tori Seymour, Fr. OF; Madison Clark, Jr. UT; Dani Edmonds, Jr. OF.

Quote: “I’m excited because we have a very talented team, and I don’t think I need to hide it,” Smith said. “We’re talented and I hope that the coaching staff and Ican put them in a place to succeed. I’ve brought in Gina Carty to work with the pitchers and Frank Paige is working with the hitters.”

Opener: Tuesday at Briar Woods, 7 p.m.

James Wood

Coach: Todd Baker, first year

Last year: 5-16, 4-8 Northwestern District, lost in Conference 21 quarterfinals.

Key losses: Kierstyn Peacoe,

Top returning players: Laura Gates, Sr. 2B/1B; Taylor Rizzari, Sr. LF; Kenzie Garrett, Sr. UT; Alyssa Brown, Soph. 3B/SS; Courteney Harper, Soph. SS

Key newcomers: Lindsey Anderson, Fr. C; Lani Spielman, Fr. P; Lauren King, Fr. P; Camryn Rizzari, Fr. OF/IF.

Quote: “ The teams that we’ll be playing — they will be more experienced but I think if we stay together as a team and keep the belief that we can win any game and continue to improve then I think we can have a good season,” Baker said. “The goal for any local team will be to try to finish in the top two in the conference and not have an away game in the conference playoffs.”

Opener: Tuesday at Luray, 5 p.m.

Clarke County

Coach: Susan Grubbs, 27th year

Last year: 14-6, 11-4 Bull Run District, lost in Conference 35 semifinals.

Key losses: Alex Jackson, Morgan Ottobre, Lexi Call, Stephanie Nelson.

Top returning players: Sarah Miller, Sr. P/1B; Jaime Hoggatt, Sr. 3B; Allie Hicks, Sr. DP/C; Kendall Benoit, Soph. UT; Tifani Adams, Soph. SS; Dani Bloomingdale, Soph. OF; Morgan Withers, Soph. OF/2B; Rachel Thompson, Sr. OF.

Key newcomers: Chelsea Trenary, Fr. C/SS; Jade Feltner, P/1B; Whitney Mitchell, Fr. OF; Megan Hicks, Fr. P/OF; Molly Lanham, Soph. IF; Haley Haun, Soph. 1B/3B.

Quote: “ I think we should be in the upper part of the district,” Grubbs said. “That’s always our hope. We’ve finished first, second or third the past few years. They definitely would like to get into the same place and maybe get one more game to get to regionals. We lost in the conference semifinals so we’d like to get to that conference final so that could be one of our goals that we’d like to obtain.”

Opener: Today at Manassas Park, 7 p.m.

Handley

Coach: David Stokes, 2nd year

Last year: 0-15, 0-12 Northwestern, lost in Conference 23 quarterfinals.

Key losses: Katherine Ramey, Logan Gallogly, Shanquetta Butler.

Top returning players: Catie Whittle, Sr. C; Oakley Johnson, Sr. SS; Lizzy Beaudoin, Jr. OF.

Key newcomers: Lindsey Martin, Fr. 1B; Lacie Allen, Fr. 3B; Savannah Burleson, Fr. P; Robin Blowers, Soph. P.

Quote: “We’re looking to develop the team,” Stokes said. “Some of them came to offseason workouts and have improved, so I’m looking forward to see them finally play. The way that I’m approaching it is I want my team to give their best effort every play. Going up against more established teams, as long as they’re giving me their best effort, that’s the goal of every play of every game.”

Opener: Tuesday at Freedom, 6 p.m.

— Contact Robert Stocks at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.