2009 prep softball preview capsules

Seminole District
Amherst Lancers
COACH: Larry Thomas (eighth season)
LAST SEASON: 12-9 (lost in first round of district tournament)
KEY RETURNEES: C April Pugh Sr.; 1B Terri Thompson Sr.; 2B Ashley Hill Jr. 3B Shauna Douglas Sr.; SS Ashley Campbell Sr.; CF Renesha Chiles Jr.; P Sydney Lewis Jr.
TOP NEWCOMERS: LF Nia Chiles Fr. DH Taylor Carter So.
OUTLOOK: Thomas believes Amherst has a legitimate shot at the district title. “I think we’ll be real competitive,” he said. “Defensively, we’ll be real strong again. Our pitching is going to be more consistent. It’s going to come down to putting the ball in play and hitting when we need to hit it. Our problem last year was leaving people on base.” The Lancers are led by Pugh, an all-Region III and honorable mention all-state catcher, and Thompson, a clean-up hitter who batted close to .400 last season. Hill, who bats leadoff, is Amherst’s best defensive player. “She’s playing a phenomenal second base,” Thomas said. Renesha Chiles, voted the No. 1 outfielder in the Seminole District last year, is also one of the Lancers’ leading hitters, batting third. Younger sister Nia Chiles, who has a strong arm and exceptional speed, will start alongside her in left field. Left-handed pitcher Lewis has improved from last spring, when she split time on the rubber. “She’s got good control and changes her speed well to keep batters off balance,” Thomas said, noting she will strike out her share of batters.

Brookville Bees
COACH: Gary Ferguson (first season)
LAST SEASON: Won Seminole District regular season title.
KEY RETURNEES: SS Sarah Truxell Sr.; P Nicole DeFilippo Sr.; 1B Beth Tyree Sr.; OF Amber Harvey Sr.; OF Tabatha Maddox Sr.; OF Kayla Moorman Sr.; 2B/P Hope Johnson So.; P/3B Megan Yeaples Jr.
TOP NEWCOMERS: 2B Kelsey Abell Jr.; C Tiffany Garrett Jr.; 3B Jessica Hesson Jr.; C Jessica Pleasants So.; OF Monica Harrison Fr.; OF Megan Arrington Fr.
OUTLOOK: Ferguson moves over from Appomattox to replace former Raiders football coach Larry Kidd, now in his first year as Brookville’s athletic director. “I’m very excited,” said Ferguson, who has six seniors to work with. “ I left a good bunch (at Appomattox) but I inherit a good bunch, too. We’ve got everybody back except one kid (centerfielder Alyssa Kidd, who will play volleyball at Christopher Newport next fall).” Ferguson, who coached the Raiders for two seasons in the Seminole, said defending the district title will be a challenge. “They may have snuck up on some people last year,” he said. “This year, we’ve got that bull’s eye on our back.” He said hitting-wise, the Seminole District is probably stronger and pitching-wise, the Dogwood District was better last year. But the Bees do boast the reigning Seminole pitcher of the year in DeFilippo. He also has a flexible lineup, both on defense and on attack. “We’ve got some people we can move around,” he said. “These kids are real versatile.” And they are also fast. “I don’t know how much stealing bases Brookville did in the past (but) we’re going to try to manufacture runs and put some pressure on some teams, with hitting and running,” Ferguson said. “We’ll play a little more up-tempo than they have been used to. We’re going to get after people.”

Heritage
COACH: Mike Hand (second season)
LAST SEASON: 7-13
KEY RETURNEES: P/3B Taylor Brzycki Jr.; 2B Alex Barb Jr.; SS Deshanna Jackson So.; C Chloe Brzycki Jr; P Rachel Reed Jr.; 1B Emily Scott Sr.; LF Kristen Orr Jr.
TOP NEWCOMERS: CF Kelsey Roark Fr. ; RF/C Sarah Bowman Fr.
OUTLOOK: After not winning a game for two or three of the past five seasons, the Pioneers had a breakthrough year last spring, winning seven times. They hope to continue that trend this spring, though they suffered a lopsided loss to Appomattox on Wednesday. “We’re looking for improvement,” Hand said. “With six starters back, we’re excited about the season and the potential. We’re trying to rebuild the program and we need to go out and improve every day and work hard.” Roark and Jackson give the Pioneers plenty of speed and Bowman has good power to all fields at bat and will platoon with Chloe Bryzycki at catcher. Taylor Brzycki, Chloe’s twin sister, is the Pioneers’ starting pitcher. Hand expects a tight race in the top half of the district this spring. “Brookville’s going to be pretty loaded and is probably the team to beat in the Seminole this year,” Hand said. “The second, third and fourth spots are going to be wide open.”

Jefferson Forest
COACH: Gary Harris (seventh season)
LAST SEASON: 15-8, lost to Broadway in Region III playoffs
KEY RETURNEES: 1B Brittany Roark Sr.; RF Cara Hanell Sr.; C Amber Smith Sr.; 2B Paige Hammock Jr.; SS Lauren Scrivner Jr.; P Ashley Parsons Jr.; P Carly Farmer So.
TOP NEWCOMERS: CF Haley Pinchback Fr.; LF Candace Guthrie So.; 3B Regan Morris Fr.
OUTLOOK: After winning the Seminole District title in Harris’ first six seasons at the helm, the Cavaliers are hungry to snatch it back from Brookville this spring. “It’s going to be tough,” Harris said. “Brookville’s got everybody back and really should be the team to beat this year. (But) we’re going to battle as always. They’ve got a little fire. They want to play.” It was a rollercoaster season last spring. “We were young, but it was still disappointing,” Harris said. “We feel we should be able to win it every year. This year, the group’s a year older and maturer.” The Cavaliers are playing pretty well defensively and hitting the ball better so far, compared to last year. “We don’t have a lot of power this year,” Harris said. “We’ve got to be consistent in what we do and don’t give up any big innings like we did last year.” Pitchers Parsons and Farmer are both improved. The Cavaliers open district play today against Heritage.

Liberty
COACH: Jeff Monroe (first season)
LAST YEAR: 18-7, lost in Region III semifinals to Turner Ashby
KEY RETURNEES: SS Hannah Martin Jr.; 2B Brandy Lacey Jr.; 1B Kelsie Davenport Sr.; OF/C Brittany Pierce Sr.
TOP NEWCOMERS: P Ashlynn Buttram Jr.; P Stacy Barringer So.; 3B Ashley DeLong Jr.; CF Callie Glover So.; LF Kasey Crouch Sr.
OUTLOOK: Monroe, who guided the Minutemen’s basketball team to the Group AA state semifinals this winter, hopes to get the Minettes’ softball team to that level in the near future, after taking over a successful program from Sherry Story. Monroe coached under Story for three years and at Chatham for two, making it to the state championship game his last year with the Cavaliers. But Liberty probably won’t be going to Radford University for the Group AA Final Four this spring. “ It’d be a long shot for these girls,” said Monroe, who brings up several players from a successful JV team last spring. “These girls do know how to win. Hopefully, it will transfer to some wins and being competitive at the varsity level.” He is assisted by former Liberty volleyball coach Lori Mattson. The Minettes open their district season today against Staunton River.

Rustburg
COACH: Michele Riddle (12th season)
KEY RETURNEES: Sr. Sammie Bogolin C; P Kara Bowles Sr.; LF Frances Booth Sr.; CF Adrianne Roberts Sr.; 3B Mollie Moses Jr.; SS Katie Steffy Jr.
TOP NEWCOMERS: IF Nicole Riley Fr.; Util. Elizabeth Hargis Fr.
OUTLOOK: The Red Devils experienced surprising success in the postseason last year, winning the Seminole District tournament before falling in the Region III semifinals. They will rely on Bowles, who returns more polished for her senior season, if they are going to make another run. “Kara’s really been working all offseason,” Riddle said. “She started to peak at the right time last season when we won the district. She’s gotten a lot better at hitting her spots and picked up some speed.” Riddle likes the leadership she has seen from her four seniors. “I really expect a lot out of them, especially my pitcher and catcher (Bogolin) working together,” she said. She said competition for playing time has been a powerful incentive. “We have 14 players on the team, 14 strong players all fighting for starting positions,” Riddle said. “It makes them work harder.” For a spark on the basepaths, she looks to Moses, who scored the first run in a loss to Altavista after stealing two bases and coming home on a wild pitch. “We’ve added some speed, which is where the young ones will really help out, and we’ve improved our baserunning, slapping and bunting and getting the ball in play,” Riddle said. Bogolin, Steffy, Booth and Bowles provide plenty of power at the plate.

Staunton River
COACH: Hoyt Dellis
KEY RETURNEES: P Raven Burnette Sr.; P Chelsey Nichols Sr.; SS Kelly Jackson Sr.; C Ashly Lawhorne Sr.; RF Jessica Morris Sr.; 1B Jordan Merrill Jr.; LF Cori Falls Jr.
TOP NEWCOMERS: 2B Hanna Owens So.; 3B Morgan Linkos So.; CF Allie Shrewsbury Jr.; P Jenny Roberts Jr.
OUTLOOK: Burnette, who pitched well last season before breaking her hand before the playoffs, gives the Golden Eagles two quality starters along with Nichols, who relieved her and lost to Jefferson Forest by one run. “Raven’s one of the better pitchers we’ve had,” said Dellis, a veteran of more than 20 seasons. “She’s fast and she moves the ball around well. Chelsey’s improved a lot, too.” They should be backed up by an even stronger defense than in previous seasons. “Right now, we think our defense is going to be pretty strong,” Dellis said. “Offensively, time will tell. A lot of these girls haven’t faced varsity pitching.” They will get an early test when they open district play today against Liberty. Lawhorne, replaces Sarah Mayhew, who tore her ACL in a basketball game against Northside, at catcher, and is one of Staunton River’s better hitters along with Merrill. The Golden Eagles have more speed than strength at the plate. “Really, we don’t have a power hitter right now,” Dellis said. “We’ve got some speed, if we can get them on base.”

Dogwood District
Altavista Colonels
COACH: Tim Fenn (second season)
LAST YEAR: 11-9, finished third in Dogwood District regular season and second in district tournament
KEY RETURNEES: P Brooke Short Sr.; IF Kacey Angell Sr.; OF Amanda Sandridge Sr.; IF Kristin Gibson Jr.; 1B Mallory Greene Jr.
TOP NEWCOMERS: C Lori Cox Fr.; SS Nicole Wade Fr.; Util. Lindsay Mayberry So.
OUTLOOK: The Colonels consider themselves contenders for the district championship and to become the third Dogwood team in as many seasons to capture a Group A state title, following William Campbell and Gretna. “All 30 players and all of our coaches, our only goal is to win the state championship,” Fenn said. “Our six seniors’ only goal is that they graduate at Radford (University, site of the Group A Final Four). The team is very motivated and very focused to do what they need to do (to take the title).” After making fundamental changes in its approach to the game last year, Fenn’s first, Altavista brings a polished team to the plate this spring.“Last year, we made changes in attitude and mechanics with our hitting and fielding,” Fenn said. “We need three players to fill in positions vacated by three seniors and everybody’s 100 percent confident they will be successful.” One of those players is Cox, who replaces Lauren Gibson behind the plate. “Lori is a really good catcher (but) she is young,” Fenn said. She has the advantage of catching for Short, an extremely accurate pitcher who rarely misses her target. “A catcher doesn’t have to worry about diving four feet out of the strike zone,” Fenn said. Besides Short, who Fenn considers the best all-around player in the state of Virginia, he believes Angell is the best second baseman in Group A. “She has the softest and fastest hands and the quickest feet for lateral movement,” Fenn said of Angell, who has recovered from reconstructive knee surgery after tearing her ACL playing basketball two years ago. She batted .386 with 26 stolen bases last spring.

Appomattox Raiders
COACH: Donnie Byers (first season)
KEY RETURNEES: LF Rachel Mayberry So.; 3B Haley Lawson Sr.; CF Jessica Williamson Jr.; 2B Lateesha Christian So.; Util. Lauren Paulette Fr.
TOP NEWCOMERS: P Jessica McCormick So.; SS Heather Mayberry Fr.; RF Sarah Baines Sr.; C Kelsey Parker So.; C Mandee Ragland Sr.; Util. Raven Carter Jr.;1B/P Cyndall Hamlett So.
OUTLOOK: Byers, who came over with athletic director Ron Carter and football coach Ben Martin from Amherst, inherits a young team with plenty of potential. “We’re really young, with only two seniors,” he said, noting his infield is made up completely of sophomores and freshmen. “But we’re very athletic and talented.” He plans to play even more small ball than his predecessor, Gary Ferguson, now at Brookville. “I like to put the ball in play, do bunting, slapping and stealing,” Byers said. “I’ve got some girls who can run. We want to get them on, move them over and drive them in.” That includes Mayberry, the Raiders’ leadoff hitter. “She can fly,” Byers said. McCormick, who pitched four innings of no-hit ball against Heritage, replaces Lawson on the rubber, with Lawson shifting to third base. “She’s one of the biggest bats in the lineup,” Byers said of Lawson. “She crushes the ball.” Baines “has a cannon for an arm” in right field, he added. “She hits the ball well and has a lot of speed.“ Mayberry, a freshman starting at short, has potential to be a superstar in a year or two. “She’s going to be a really special player for us,” Byers said. “Her dad was a pro ballplayer and she’s a competitor. She’s pretty feisty.” The Raiders open their district schedule today against William Campbell.

Gretna
COACH: Ketina Brooks (fifth season)
LAST SEASON: 21-4, won Group A state championship
KEY RETURNEES: 2B Nina Compton Jr.; RF Carrie Dudley Sr.; P Nichole Mills So.; SS Ashley Vasser So.; 1B Savanna Butts Sr.; C Ashleigh Meeks Sr.; CF Nikki Bowler Jr.
KEY NEWCOMERS: OF Katherine Moon Jr.; IF Melissa Dalton So.; 1B Brittnie Cooke Fr.; C/OF Kelley Dalton Fr.; 3B Monica Kennedy So.
OUTLOOK: The defending Group A state champion Hawks have their work cut out for them if they’re going to get back to the state tournament. “I have to replace my whole starting lineup,” said Brooks, who returns three starters but graduated Group A state player of the year Teresa Dalton, now at Randolph College, center fielder Ceceley Haynes and catcher Cheryl Crews, among others. “To repeat, it’s going to require all 12 players to play as a unit. We know it’s going to require a lot of hard work and the desire and the passion to reach that goal. We’re looking for the returners to provide the leadership for the younger kids. The newcomers are going to have to contribute early.” She said hitting is probably going to be Gretna’s strength, led by Mills, Compton, Vasser and Butts. Mills played shortstop as a freshman last year but will replace Dalton on the rubber. “She has a lot of potential,” Brooks said, noting she has pitched in travel leagues. She wouldn’t be surprised if a state champion comes out of the district for the third year in a row, following William Campbell and Gretna. “The entire district’s going to be competitive from top to bottom,” Brooks said. “We’ll be in the mix.”

Nelson County
COACH: Toni Dunigan (20th season)
LAST SEASON: 1-19
KEY RETURNEES: 3B/1B Deborah Pugh So.; C Natalie Campbell So.; 2B Haley Rorrer So.; OF Brittany Crawford So.; OF Erika Toliver So.; P Kim Maddox Sr.; 1B Chelsea Crouch Sr.; SS/OF Asia Harris Jr.; OF Kyra Stewart Jr.
TOP NEWCOMERS: P Maria McGarry Fr.; P Nicole Taylor Fr.
OUTLOOK: The Governors are young and inexperienced, but not as much so as last spring, when they started mostly freshmen and only two seniors. They still have seven sophomores and freshmen in the starting lineup, but they’re more polished now. “They have a better understanding of the game,” Dunigan said. “They’re just so young, I’m still trying to teach them the basic fundamentals. As the season progresses, we’re going to be competitors. Next year or the year after that, we’re going to be solid. The future looks bright.” Nelson opens its district schedule today at home against Altavista.

William Campbell
COACH: Chris Smith (12th season)
KEY RETURNEES: P Amber Marstin Sr.; 3B Heather Littles Sr.; OF Jessica Reamy Sr.; OF Samantha Anderson Sr.; CF/P Lauren Marstin So.; 2B/P Skylar Seals So.; C Brittney Lawhorn So.
TOP NEWCOMERS: 1B Chasity Toms Jr.; SS Ashton Ewers Fr.
OUTLOOK: Smith expects the youthful Generals to be stronger at the end of the year than at the beginning and should be in the Region B and Group A picture come tournament time. “We seem to have pretty good chemistry to begin the season with,” he said. “I think the girls will have fun and if we stay together, we’ll have a good year.” Marstin, who pitched the Generals to their first state title in softball in 2007, returns for her senior campaign, though she’s a little behind schedule after basketball season. “She’s not up to where she’s come into seasons before,” Smith said. Marstin split decisions with Altavista pitcher Brooke Short last spring after winning every previous matchup with her closest rival since they met in the 2006 district championship game. Marstin and Littles, who homered in a win over Brookville on Wednesday, will provide leadership on a team with a balanced lineup adept at playing small ball. “We’re always going to be a bunting team,” Smith said. “We’ll manufacture runs if we need them. We’ve got some speed.” Anderson is a four-year starter in the outfield and Singleton is probably the fastest player on the team. Ewers is swinging the bat well for a freshman. The Generals belted out 12 hits in a 5-3 season-opening win over Rustburg. They open their district slate against Appomattox today.

BRC
Holy Cross Gaels
COACH: Darrell Sandifer (first season)
LAST YEAR: 21-5, placed second behind LCA in the BRC regular season and third in VIS Division II state tournament.
KEY RETURNEES: 3B/P Samantha Thacker Sr.; C Taylor Thomas Sr.; P/3B Danielle Furniss Sr.; CF Emily Hickey Jr.; LF Layney Sandifer Jr.; 1B Jessica Christian Sr.; RF Marie Walker Sr; 2B Elizabeth Henson Jr.; C Amanda Thacker Sr.
TOP NEWCOMERS: SS Alex Sandifer Fr.; Util. Savina Montgomery Jr.
OUTLOOK: The Gaels are favorites to capture the regular-season crown this spring after returning all but one starter from last year’s runner-up squad, Kaity Harrison, older sister of LCA pitcher Killian Harrison. Sandifer, who has served as an assistant for the Gaels for the past 11 years, takes the reins from Kenny Brown and has two daughters on his roster, after formerly coaching oldest daughter Dara Sandifer, now an infielder at Lynchburg College. Thomas, an all-state VIS Division II player last year after batting in the mid-.400s, moves behind the plate after starting her first three seasons at second base, where she replaced Sandifer. She takes over the catching duties from Amanda Thacker, who broke her shooting/throwing hand at the end of the basketball season and should be back in early April. She will catch for Furniss, who transferred from E.C. Glass last year, and older sister Samantha, who platoon between third base and the pitching rubber. “They’ve been playing together for a while,” Sandifer said of the Thackers.

LCA Bulldogs
COACH: Brian Hensley (first season)
LAST SEASON: 16-5, won BRC regular-season title
KEY RETURNEES: P/OF Killian Harrison So.; OF Madison Owen So.; SS Stephanie Eubank Jr.; IF Casey Reynolds Jr.; OF Brittney Marchand Jr.
TOP NEWCOMERS: P/IF Courtney Wilson So.; OF Caitlin Rosser So.; 3B Lauren Freshour So.; 1B/P Kristina Barger So.
OUTLOOK: The Bulldogs graduated six seniors last spring and feature a new coach in Hensley, who served as the JV coach at Liberty Christian Academy for the past three seasons. “It’s definitely a young team, but it has lots of potential,” Hensley said. “We play good defense and we’re going to be fine if we keep growing. This is a foundation-setting year.” He believes the Bulldogs can contend for the BRC title even as they rebuild. “It would be nice to be able to repeat,” Hensley said. ”I think we’re going to be one of the teams to beat. We’ll be right there in the mix.” Harrison, who pitched well in spot starts as a freshman, is back as the primary pitcher this season. The Bulldogs’ strengths are speed and defense and their offense is extremely balanced, with good hitters throughout the lineup.

VACA
Timberlake Christian Tornadoes
COACH: Buster Bryant (sixth season)
LAST SEASON: 10-1 as an independent.
KEY RETURNEES: P/SS Kasey Bryant Sr.; 1B Heather Vinsky Sr.; P/2B Morgan Wall Sr.; C Danielle Alley Jr.
TOP NEWCOMERS: 2B/SS Whitney Bryant 8th grader
OUTLOOK: The Tornadoes were nearly wiped out by graduation. They will start only one player in the position they played last season and feature seven eighth-graders this spring. “It’s a really young, inexperienced team and we’re going to start rebuilding,” Bryant said. “When I started five years ago, we had a team like this one. It’s going to be a year to learn. Some of my younger players are going to have to be starters.” Their biggest loss was their pitcher, Katie Hensley, a five-year starter who lost only two games as a junior and senior after Timberlake moved out of the Blue Ridge Conference. This is TCS’ first year in the Virginia Association of Christian Athletics and Bryant believes it should be able to compete. “There are no power teams like LCA and Holy Cross in the VACA,” he said. “It’s going to be a year to learn and develop and look toward the future with the youth I’ve got coming up.” The Tornadoes open their season Saturday at Faith Christian Academy in Hurt.

Western Valley District
E.C. Glass Hilltoppers
COACH: Deidre Wesley (fourth season)
KEY RETURNEES: P/1B Courtney Boyd Sr.; 3B/2B Courtney Lyle Sr.; LF/C Sarah Gerin Sr.; CF Jessica Cobb So.
TOP NEWCOMERS: C/SS Katie Kitts Fr.; P Catelyn Jones Fr.; SS Haley Smith So. 2B Alyssa Chambers So.
OUTLOOK: Wesley has the luxury of more versatility this year than in previous seasons. “We’ve got a lot of options this year,” she said. “We’re able to put people in different places for the first time.” The Hilltoppers also are more experienced. “This is the only year when most of the starters have actually played before,” Wesley said, noting in the past, at least half of the team has been brand new to softball and this year, she starts only one player who is new to the game. “Out of 14 girls, I only have three players this year who have never played before. That’s a big change.” One of their most promising players is a freshman, Kitts, who will bat third and play catcher. “She is an all-around great player who has been playing softball her whole life,” Wesley said. “She’s going to be a big help offensively and defensively.” Another is a sophomore, Cobb, who bats fourth and anchors the outfield. “She’s got good range in (center) field and probably has the quickest bat,” Wesley said. Smith, another sophomore, replaces Kate Martin, Glass’ best overall player last year, at shortstop. “She’s working real hard, especially on defense, to get better,” Wesley said.