Teams facing diverse changes

By MIKE KILROY Eagle Staff Writer

March 29, 2005 Last Updated: March 29, 2005 02:03 PM High School

Ch-ch-changes.

From coaching changes to league changes to classification changes, there is a whole lot different on the softball diamond this season.

The biggest change came from the top, where the PIAA added the Class AAAA level, which bumped some area teams up a class.

Butler and Seneca Valley are now Quad-A. Mars, Knoch and Grove City made the jump to Class AAA.

"It won't really affect us very much," said Seneca Valley coach George Trew. "The only difference is Fox Chapel is in our section and Hampton is out."

Changes were a bit more drastic in District 10, where Grove City coach Shawnee Denbow stepped down after 10 seasons. She leaves with a 133-53 career record.

Sue Greaves, who was on board when the program began in 1995, takes over and faces the uncertainty of a new league and new competition in Class AAA.

"It's not the old comfort level we're used to," Greaves said. "We moved up a class, so it would be hard for me to predict how well we will do."

What hasn't changed much is the area talent pool, as some of the county's top players return in 2005.

Natalie DeMatteis and her better than .569 batting average return for a potent Moniteau offense and Seneca Valley pitcher Megan Wise returns with her 6-2 record and miniscule 0.80 earned run average.

Following is a capsulated look at this year's area softball teams:

Coach: Tanya Schnur, third seasonLast year: 9-10 overall, 3-7 in the sectionThey're outta here: Megan Marra, Heather Spangler, Kara Deal, Ali Schnur, Val Fair, Nikki Cranmer, Christie BrockleyLineup card: P-Kelly Reges (senior), C-Megan Shingleton (senior), 1B-Laura Myers (senior) or Kristen Shields (senior), 2B-Amy Ferrari (senior), SS-Brenda McPherson (freshman), 3B-Karra White (freshman) or Nikki Send (senior), OF-Dana Gillis (senior), Kelly Anzaldi (junior), Janelle Thompson (junior), Leah Geibel (junior), Kaitlin Carson (senior), Jenn Sychak (senior).Outlook: Butler lost six of its starters from last season, but returns a bevy of seniors."I think our overall goal this year is to improve every game," Schnur said. "We have a very competitive section. We just want to be competitive with the other teams and hopefully hang in there until the end."

Coach: George Trew, fifth seasonLast year: 10-9 overall, 5-5 in section playThey're outta here: Lauren Milkey, Courtney DeFalcoLineup card: P-Megan Wise (senior), C-Tina Mangola (junior), 1B-Courtney Grootegoed (freshman), 2B-Jackie Mangola (freshman), SS-Ali Intihar (junior), 3B-Nicole Lollo (sophomore), OF-Julie Marlowe (junior), Liz Dorog (sophomore), Jamie Guffey (senior), Rachel Jackson (junior), Lauren Pennell (sophomore)Outlook: The Raiders return their top three hitters in Tina Mangola (.391), Intihar (.382) and Marlowe (.356) and hope to give Wise more run support this season."We averaged just under four runs per game a season ago," Trew said. "We lost a couple of games in extra innings and a couple got away from us."

Coach: Michele Goodworth, seventh seasonLast year: 9-8They're outta here: Kara Stroup, Ashleigh Smith, Megan Maloni, Amy WatsonLineup card: P-Monica Glomb (sophomore), C-Gabrielle Robison (junior), 1B-Kyla Ferguson (junior), 2B-Kristin Scheller (junior), SS-Hannah Taggart (junior), 3B-Ashley Phelps (senior), OF-Amanda Charles (senior), Amanda Roche (sophomore), Katy Broskey (senior)Outlook: Glomb returns as one of the area's best hurlers. Pitching has not been the Planets' problem of late; it has been hitting, and that is an area that was under the biggest scrutiny this off-season."We really focused on our hitting since the first day of practice," Goodworth said. "It was one of our weaknesses last year and we spent a lot of time on it. I think the girls are a lot more confident."

Coach: Sue Greaves, first seasonLast year: 18-5They're outta here: Kristen Hughes, Katie Sonntag (the-now-defunct MCAC most valuable player)Lineup card: P-Krista Chiappini (senior) and Kristen Shipton (junior), C-Emily Robison (senior) or Tara Walmsley (sophomore), 1B-Ann Yetter (senior), 2B-Ali Gomola (senior), SS-Maggie Orr (freshman), 3B-Katie Stewart (junior), OF-Jessie Hodge (junior), Kari Barnes (sophomore), Kaitlin Moretti (junior), Kristen Kowalsky (junior)Outlook: The Eagles lost leading hitter Kristen Hughes and league MVP Katie Sonntag, who will try to walk on at Penn State next season.Expectations, though, remain high in Grove City."We have a good core group back from last year," Greaves said.

Coach: Mike Simpson, third seasonLast year: 7-11They're outta here: Shelby Waltman, Kristen Macurak, Chrichele Griffith, Danielle Brown, Stephanie Devore, Megan Simpson, Laura GanterLineup card: P-Roslyn Ferraro (senior) or Ashton Pakutz (freshman), C-Frankie Infanteino (senior) or Ashley Fuhrer (junior), 1B-Haley Callihan (sophomore), 2B-Marissa Evankovich (senior), SS-Jocelyn Bishop (senior) or Allyson Kepple (freshman), 3B-Shannon Christie (senior), OF-Katrina Arendosh (junior), Jessica Spafford (sophomore), FuhrerOutlook: The Gremlins lost some pop at the plate to graduation, but Simpson is still confident the team can improve."We're just trying to get back on the winning side of things," Simpson said. "We're young, but we have some speed and the pitching is coming together. We'll compete this year."

Coach: Cathy Bender, first yearLast year: 7-3 in section playThey're outta here: Heather Fair, Ally Wood, Nicole Beggs, Megan PrazenicaLineup card: P-Stephanie Leslie (junior) and Brittany Shower (sophomore), C-Jessica Rykackski (sophomore) or Bethany Jenc (sophomore), 1B-Laura Garlitz (senior), 2B-Michelle Micklow (senior), SS-Jenny Fair (senior), 3B-Leslie, Shower or Casey Hoak (senior), OF-Laney Pastoria (senior), Lauren Fuhrman (senior), Lauren Weres (junior), Kellie Hill (junior), Nia Lafferty (sophomore)Outlook: In her first season, Bendersaid her team can make an impact in a new section."They are a great group of girls and they all have worked really, really hard in the off-season as well as in practice," Bender said. "We have a pretty positive outlook."

Coach: Julia Nesbitt, ninth seasonLast year: 3-13They're outta here: Erinn Yetter, Sarah Hlebiczki, Michelle Frye, Candice Jenkins, Becky CramptonLineup card: P-Stephanie Fincher (sophomore), C-Lizz King (sophomore), 1B-Zoe Hughes (freshman), 2B-Autumn Miller (junior), SS-Kirsten Brant (freshman), 3B-Tiffany Allen (junior), OF-Sharayah Kiddle (sophomore), Meghan Bastin (junior), Kristin Rickerd (junior), Jade Thrower (freshman), Ashley Anoszyk (freshman)Outlook: The Knights are thin and inexperienced, with just 11 players on the roster and only one senior.That hasn't dimmed Nesbitt's hopes, however."We have two goals: Have a winning record and make the playoffs," the coach said.

Coach: Danny Hindman, third seasonLast year: 16-4They're outta here: Brittany Beachem, Salena Edinger, Melissa Casper, Melanie Foreman, Cori ChristieLineup card: P-Sara Vinca (junior) and Martina Burk (sophomore), C-Laken Burk (senior), 1B-Vinca or M. Burk, 2B-Natalie DeMatteis (senior), SS-Jenna Beatty (senior), 3B-Laura Kirschner (junior), OF-Kelly McMillen (senior), Brandy Neff (sophomore), Megan Campbell (sophomore)Outlook: The Warriors return DeMatteis, who hit .569 last season, and Vinca, who batted .565. Vinca is also a hard-throwing left-handed pitcher who is striving to harness her potential in the circle."There is no reason why we can't duplicate what we did last year," Hindman said.

Coach: Tom Wamsley, second seasonLast year: 4-13They're outta here: Tana Albright, Lindsey ThomasLineup card: P-Shanae White (sophomore), C-Shannon Aspinall (senior), 1B-Suzi Yurko (senior), 2B-Amanda Shearer (sophomore), SS-Jenny Remington (senior), 3B-Claressa McKnight (senior), OF-Sam Valponi (freshman), Ashley Pendel (senior), Liz Coradi (sophomore)Outlook: The Rockets lost their top pitcher and top hitter from a four-win season. To further complicate matters, they move up to Class AAA this season."This is the toughest schedule a Slippery Rock team has played in the last 10 years," Wamsley said. "I've been telling the girls that we aren't going to worry too much about wins and losses, just about improving every game, even if it's just 1 percent improvement. The girls have accepted that."