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Grad losses no big deal

Power teams should remain successful in '07

Some big names, such as Brie Berkopec, Sara Vinca, Ali Intihar and Tina Mangola, graduated from some big-time high school girls softball programs.

Yet all three of those programs — Mars, Moniteau and Seneca Valley — figure to be right back in the playoff mix this spring.

Berkopec was the catcher for Mars a year ago, when the Planets captured their first WPIALClass AAA championship. She is now playing at Denison (Ohio)University.

Her sister, sophomore Brittany Berkopec, is moving from left field to catcher to replace her.

"Our team is still so young,"said Planets coach Michele Goodworth. "But these girls understand that everybody will be out to get us now, that we have to stay on top of our game."

Senior pitcher Monica Glomb, who committed to Kutztown University last fall, figures to do just that. Glomb has struck out 254 batters in her past two high school seasons combined and fanned 200 more for the Pittsburgh Patriots last summer.

Vinca was the No. 1 pitcher for Moniteau last year as the Warriors won the Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference title. Senior Martina Burk and sophomore Sarah Dittig will handle pitching duties this year.

Moniteau has four sophomores and two freshmen in its starting lineup.

"It's a young lineup, but we're expecting big things,"Moniteau coach Dan Hindman said. "We're going to Florida the week after Easter to play teams from Minnesota, New Jersey and Ohio in Cocoa Beach. That early competition will help us get better."

Intihar and Mangola graduated from Seneca Valley and are collegiate starters. Intihar is starting at second base for Cornell and Mangola is an outfielder at Ohio Northern.

"We've got two good pitchers coming back and four girls who hit over .300,"Raiders coach George Trew said. "We lost in the first round of the playoffs last year and want to improve on that this time around."

Here is a look at area high school softball teams:

<B>Coach:</B>Lindsey Partridge, second year<B>Last year:</B>0-17<B>Key players lost:</B>Janelle Thompson CF, Kelly Anzaldi RFCo-MVP, Jen Fleming DH, Ashley Holmes 3B<B>Prospective lineup:</B>P-Stacy Reges (junior) or Amy Steinheiser (soph), C-Karra White (junior), Steinheiser or Trisha Hollerman, 1B-Steinheiser or Hollerman, 2B-Lauren Anderson (junior), SS-Jenna Geibel (soph) Co-MVP, 3B-Brenna McPherson (junior), LF-Karen Cumberledge (soph), CF-Jessica McWilliams (senior), RF-Erica Reeves (senior)<B>Partridge says:</B>"We struggled at the plate last year and we've been working hard to rectify that. Our younger classes have a lot of talent, but we're in such a competitive conference. Right now, we just want to show improvement."

<B>Coach:</B>Jim Rapp, second year<B>Last year: </B>11-6 (10-4 in section)<B>Key players lost:</B>Stephanie Leslie P-3B, Stephanie Hinchberger OF, Lauren Weres OF-3B<B>Prospective lineup:</B> P-Brittany Showers (senior), C-Bethany Gent (senior), 1B-Jessica Rykaceski (senior) or Sarah Mientus (junior), 2B-Megan Doerfler (senior), SS-Lynn Patterson (senior), 3B-Marissa Rotto (junior); CF-Kylie Hepler (senior), OF-Caitlin Watt (senior), Miranda Lingelbach (freshman) or Madison Rotto (freshman)<B>Rapp says:</B>"We tied for second in our section last year, but didn't make the playoffs. Our goal this year is to win the section. We lost catcher Katie Gaydas to a dislocated knee, but Bethany Gent can fill in ably there."

<B>Coach:</B>Sue Greaves, third year<B>Last year:</B>10-7<B>Key players lost:</B> Katie Stewart 1B, Kait Moretti RF(Mercyhurst), Kristen Kowalsky LF, Jessie Hodge 2B<B>Prospective lineup:</B> P-Chelsea Filer (soph), C-Tara Walmsley (senior), 1B-Becky Brahaney (junior), 2B-Cara Udy (senior) or Cassie Barker (soph), SS-Courtney Chutz (soph), 3B-Maggie Orr (junior), LF-Casey Carrara (junior), CF-Kari Barnes (senior), RF-Ashley Patterson (senior) or Theresa Alessio (soph)<B>Greaves says:</B> "Chelsea Filer would have broken our school strikeout record if the end of the season wasn't canceled by bad weather last year. Tara is a four-year starter and captain behind the plate, as is Kari in center field. We lost in the first round of the playoffs, 1-0, in eight innings, so we need to develop our hitting. Our goal is to still be playing in June."

<B>Coach:</B>Mike Simpson, fifth year<B>Last year:</B>8-10<B>Key player lost:</B>Brittni Miller 3B<B>Prospective lineup:</B>P-Ashton Pakutz (junior) and Brandi Dunkle (soph), C-Samantha Pyle (senior), 1B-Haley Callihan (senior) .300 or Lisa Kaylor (soph), 2B-Samantha Bly (soph) .300 or Alyssa Williams (senior), SS-Allyson Kepple (junior), 3B-Breanna Bowser (junior) or Becky Totteridge (soph), LF-Erica Fallecker (senior) or Stephanie Stoughton (freshman), CF-Jessica Spafford (senior) .300, RF-Haley Bachman (freshman) or Samantha Ryan (soph)<B>Simpson says:</B>"We have eight returning letterwinners, so we're looking to get back above .500 this year. Last year, we fell two games short of the playoffs. This year, we're gonna get there."

<B>Coach:</B> Scott Docherty, second year<B>Last year:</B>10-9<B>Key players lost:</B> Tiffany Allen 3B, Meghan Bastin LF (all-section), Jackie Brodeur 1B<B>Prospective lineup:</B> P-Stephanie Fincher (senior) and Chelsea Martin (soph), C-Lizz King (senior) or Justine Rich (soph), 1B-Jade Thrower (junior), 2B-Martin or Fincher, SS-Kirsten Brant (junior), 3B-Amanda Sheppeck (soph), LF-Michelle Steinmiller (junior), CF-Zoe Hughes (junior), RF-Ashley Antoszyk (junior)<B>Docherty says:</B> "We've got two quality pitchers and I'm going to alternate them. We have a good lineup, and if we don't go 15-5 this year, I'll be disappointed. This program won one game two years ago. We won 10 games last year. This program is going straight up and our goal is to win the section."

<B>Coach:</B>Michele Goodworth, ninth year<B>Last year:</B>19-4, WPIALchampion<B>Key players lost:</B>Kristen Scheller 2B, Kyla Ferguson 1B, Hannah Taggart SS, Gabrielle Berkopec C(Denison)<B>Prospective lineup:</B>P-Monica Glomb (senior)120 K's, 0.67 ERA, C-Brittany Berkopec (soph) .345, 1B-Emma Wharrey (senior) or Kelsey Ferguson (junior), 2B-Kaitlyn Cubarney (junior), SS-Saber Horner (junior), 3B-Autumn Barber (junior), LF-Jaime Fiorina (junior), CF-Zara Zollner (junior), RF-Kayla Durkin (junior)<B>Goodworth says:</B>"We have a lot of girls back who made nice contributions last year. Having Monica back as a pitcher and being able to move Brittany from left field to behind the plate is such a plus because those girls work so hard ... You feel confident and comfortable with a battery like that."

<B>Coach:</B>Dan Hindman, fifth year<B>Last year:</B>16-4, KSACchampion<B>Key players lost:</B>Sara Vinca P, Larissa Fowler LF(Elkins)<B>Prospective lineup:</B>P-Martina Burk (senior) and Sarah Dittig (soph), C-Amber Neff (soph), 1B-Maura McCaslin (soph), 2B-Megan Campbell (senior), SS-Brandy Neff (senior), 3B-Ashley Pisor (soph), LF-Ashley Lominsky (freshman), CF-Michael Cousins (freshman), RF-Dittig<B>Hindman says:</B>"I think we have even more talent than last year. Our target has to be beating Brookville in the district playoffs. That's something we haven't done yet and until we take that step, we can't take any more steps."

<B>Coach:</B>George Trew, seventh year<B>Last year: </B>13-7<B>Key players lost:</B>Ali Intihar SS (Cornell), Tina Mangola C(Ohio Northern), Julie Marlowe LF-1B(John Carroll), Rachel Jackson LF<B>Prospective lineup:</B>P-Lauren Pennell (senior) and Courtney Grootegood (junior), C-MeganMcCormick (junior), 1B-Grootegood .382 or Lindsay Troyer (senior), 2B-Jackie Mangola (junior) .305, SS-Dana Hughes (soph) .318, 3B-Nicole Lollo (senior), LF-Caitlin McGill (junior), Kelsey Gray (junior), Ali Barry (soph) or Rachel Huffman (junior), CF-Liz Dorogy (senior) .345, RF-Ashley Watkins (junior)<B>Trew says:</B>"The starters we lost will be hard to replace, but we've got a lot of talent back. We should be in the mix with every team we play and should certainly contend for a playoff spot."

<B>Coach:</B>Zoe McDowell, first year<B>Last year:</B>N/A<B>Key players lost:</B>N/A<B>Prospective lineup:</B> P-Shanea White (senior) or Morgan Robinson (freshman), C-Jamie Laughner (soph), 1B-Miranda Brezell (senior), 2B-Amanda Shearer (senior), SS-Shearer or Erin Ferguson (soph), 3B-Sam Volponi (junior), LF-Lindsay Bennett (junior), CF-Courtney Moore (senior), Hillary Pendle (soph) or Jessica Hotz (soph), RF-Pendle or Hotz<B>McDowell says:</B> "These girls have a wonderful work ethic and the right attitude. They have the ability to get to the playoffs. I'm glad to be working with them. The weakness is myself — I'm far removed from the fast-pitch game. I've been doing research to educate myself so I can see these talented girls through a good season."

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