WEB EXTRA Central A Ronan Maidens softball season preview
Last Season the Maidens finished 3-9 in conference and 4-13 overall. The fourth and final seed for state was within sight until the last week of the season. Highlights included a doubleheader sweep from Stevensville and they clipped powerhouse Butte Central in extra innings. Several games on the negative end of the ledger were close affairs. Thought they lost both matches to annual contender Frenchtown, the games were such tight battles that the coach of the Broncs expressed relief that his team wouldn’t have to play the Maidens any further that season. The encounter with valley rival Polson was the closest it had been in years, a 3-0 loss which could have easily gone the other way with a couple of critical defensive plays and some timely hitting to back up a superb pitching performance.
Departing from the 2008 squad were outfielder/catcher Kristen Cordier, outfielder Kallia Orr and outfielder Katy Sorrell, all capable fielders as well as contributors at the plate who provided valuable senior leadership. Also graduating, not only from the Maidens but also from this life in a tragic rollover accident last summer, was Allison Crenshaw. “Al” was an indispensable utility player whose broad skills were matched by her versatility, filling in where needed in a variety of roles (catcher, pitcher, infield, outfield). Her contributions to the team will be hard to replace, so finding other players approaching her kind of range would bode well for the kind of success the Maidens are capable of attaining this upcoming season. Many of Crenshaw’s former teammates are dedicating this season to her memory, which will be evident during the Maiden half of the inning by the A.C. commemorating her on their batting helmets. The Maidens will also need to adjust without the services of senior three-year starter Carli “Six-Pack” Starkel at first base (8 H, 7 RBI, 2 SB), whose moniker derived from her jersey as well as the SPARQL (Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction, Quickness and Leadership) she injected into the lineup. Starkel was an integral part of the Ronan lineup the duration of her prep career and her numerous contributions were an influential component of Maiden team dynamics.
The following will be seeking to create their niche on the Maiden roster, several of them returning from varsity last year:
Garnering all-conference 2nd-team honors as a utility player last season is senior three-year starting pitcher Kaylee “Rock’n Fire Five” Larson, whose nickname also derives from her jersey, refers to her consistently solid level of play (22 R, 21 H, 1 HR, 8 RBI, .396 Avg, 21 SB) as well as the heat she throws from the mound. With the graduation of pitching aces Kasie “with a K (over 300+ strikeouts last season)” Conder from Corvallis, Nicky Koening from Hamilton and Kelli O’Leary from Butte Central, their absence from the conference elevates Larson into greater prominence as one of the premiere pitchers in the league (54 SO, 2.85 ERA).
Competing for the position at the back of the diamond will be 2006 all-conference 2nd-team senior catcher Jordan “Smalls” Strozzi, who is a huge defensive asset behind the plate, has a rifle for an arm and often comes through big with the bat in clutch situations (12 H, 7 RBI, .300 Avg, 4 SB). Strozzi brings a wealth of experience which includes substantial involvement in ASA summer ball. Readers may recall she sustained an injury to her leg during basketball the final week of the regular season, but that should be mended by the time the first pitch needs to be caught and then thrown back to the mound.
Seeking to reprising her role at second base is senior Kelsey “Wheels” Clairmont, who can shift through the gears when tracking a ball on defense and can really roll along the base path when opportunity presents itself (9 R, 10 H, 4 RBI, .204 Avg, 4 SB). Clairmont would fall under the classification of a very hard nosed softball player with a lot of heart according to her coach, “old-school” in terms of her devotion toward excelling at the fundamentals of the game.
A trio of other seniors trying out with broad varsity experience include outfielder Dani Crockett, who is very fast, which makes her a superb outfielder when a long ball has to be tracked down. Fellow senior April Soukup has lots of experience at the centerfield position, has a great arm, a good nose for the ball and knows the game well according to her coach (12 H, 5 RBI, .324 Avg, 2 SB). Not to be overlooked is senior Amanda Bartel, who has filled in at various infield positions, but more extensively at third base. A good infielder with a great arm, Bartel will be looking for opportunities to make some strategic contributions to the Maidens this season.
Other upperclassmen competing for positions include junior Brittani “Bee” Clairmont, a versatile utility player who has shown an ability to adapt to either infield or outfield positions. Clairmont has a good nose for the ball defensively and is a good hitter who could sting opposition pitchers if they try to sneak something fat across the plate. Junior outfielder Makenzie Middelton is a good hitter with a very strong work ethic. Junior infielder Chelsea Bourdon has shown a deep knowledge of the game, is a great infielder and hard-nosed player who has also filled in as a substitute pitcher when needed on occasion. Junior infielder Abby Luke is a hard worker who has shown a broad awareness of the game. Luke drew several pitching assignments last season, but one of her greatest contributions both on and off the playing field is her sense of humor which helps keep the dugout loose and the atmosphere light. Another is junior Lyndsie Conklin, who acquired some experience in the role of catcher last year.
A pair of sophomores seek to make a contribution to the Maidens this season. One is Alice Van Gunten, whose broad range of athleticism became evident during her participation in volleyball and basketball, and hopes for some opportunities to make contributions at different positions. The other is Polson transfer Katelyn “Katie” Andrews, an addition to the Lady Pirate expanded state roster last season, whose skills and broad capability honed from summer ASA tournaments provide a distinct bump to the Maiden program with her acquisition.
A promising freshman class, many of them with extensive summer ASA experience, will likely apply pressure to upperclassmen as they vie for slots on the Maiden varsity roster. Some of them include Lindsay Clairmont (c/2b) and Payge Delaurenti (p/3b/ss), who will be shifting their transferable athletic talents from the basketball court over to the softball field.
Much like their Mission Valley rivals at the south end of the lake, the senior-laden Maidens could find themselves susceptible to senioritis, that mysterious ailment which seems to afflict graduating seniors toward the end of their prep career. Any concerns will likely be countered in part by the prospect of a fresh season full of anticipation. Some of their teammates will need to shake off the tendency to carry with them any residual aftertaste stemming from previous seasons of underperformance and focus instead upon the blending of individual strengths, teamwork and maximizing opportunities in order to achieve a more rewarding result this Spring.
The Maidens will be entering their second season under the tutelage of head coach Lucky Larson, a firm believer in mastering fundamentals and executing strategy at critical junctures of a game. Ronan will also benefit from the insights as well as combined repository of softball knowledge of assistant coaches Andy Luedtke and Steve Woll. With a team familiar with coach Larson’s approach to the game and the additional benefits of having several players who have been in one softball program or another since 10U, the prospect for Ronan to improve upon their record from last season would certainly seem attainable. In the event the Maidens improve upon their fielding to such an extent that they minimizing solid hits from stretching into extra bases at the defensive end, this adjustment will dramatically reduce the number of runs scored against them. At the offensive end, some timely hitting in their half of the inning that brings home runners left on base in scoring position last season will go even further toward keeping them in contention and putting them over the top in close contests. The prospect for the Maidens to secure one of the berths for state would seem to be within their grasp given their level of talent and experience. Should they qualify for the postseason this year, close to the same benefits of home field advantage are at their disposal given that the tournament will be played just up the road within Lake County this year. The orange and black fan base can look forward with anticipation that the Maidens should provide them with something to cheer about many times over this Spring.
The home opener at the end of March with valley rival Polson may be subject to rescheduling due to the involvements of several Maiden players in the Ronan show choir. Fans should check the activities calendar as the time approaches.