ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 6, 1997 TAG: 9703060061
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: DUBLIN
SOURCE: RAY COX THE ROANOKE TIMES
A roundup of how New River Valley high school softball teams will look this spring, including first-year teams in Pulaski, Blacksburg and Giles.
The question of whether softball would catch on as a varsity sport in its first year at Pulaski County High was answered on the day of tryouts.
Forty-four showed up to try out for 16 spots. The best of the younger players, 19 of them, were dispatched to the similarly newly mustered junior varsity.
Thus another sport was born to be added to the sporting buffet at the New River Valley's biggest school.
The task for the Cougars is to try to stay off the menu of the sharks at the more experienced softball-playing schools.
Gina Miano, the coach of the new team, fears not.
"I have some very talented athletes here,'' she said. "The thing we have to do is teach them how to be softball players.''
Some will require slightly less of an introduction to the sport than the others. Of a group of seniors that includes catcher Karen Heidt, Sharmon Underwood, Kory Harvey, Toni Wright and Christie Nester, all have some experience in the game, if only in the recreational leagues.
Another senior, Robyn Bower, is, along with Underwood and junior Mouse Blevins, trying to divide time between playing for the girls' basketball team as it went to the state Group AAA tournament and preparing for softball season.
The key will be to develop some pitching. Harvey, who grew up in California, is the only one of the bunch who has much experience as a fast-pitch hurler.
"Defensively, I've been impressed with them,'' said Miano, who has only been working with the team a few days. "They're not afraid of the ball and they seem to know where to throw it when it comes to them. We'll see about the pitching and hitting.''
Elsewhere, Blacksburg and Giles are also introducing teams this year.
Blacksburg had a big turnout for tryouts and the group had to go through two sets of cuts before co-coaches Amy Woods and Kate Neuman settled on a final 18.
The Indians will have their hands full in the Blue Ridge District, without a doubt the best Group AA league in the state top to bottom. Defending state champion William Byrd, Salem and Lord Botetourt have all either won or played for a state crown in recent years.
Woods and Neuman didn't know much about their team, having had only a few days to evaluate the material, but they did know that Jessica Boardman would be doing a lot of pitching along with Laura Wessel and Megan Donald. Karly Geller figured to handle much of the catching in the early going.
The double play combination was shaping to be sophomore Rene Elliott at shortstop and Rachel Kesler at second. Crystal Smith, one of the team's few seniors, was being penciled in in center field.
Yet another team just getting off the ground was at Giles.
Of the 27 players coach Steve Wilson kept, none of them had played true fast-pitch softball before. Right now, seniors Amy Matlock, Amy Wilson and Karrah Dunn are the foundation on which the team is being built.
Junior Leslie Williams figures to do most of the pitching. Sophomore Trina Stafford has shown signs of softball promise, too.
"We're coming in at the ground level,'' Wilson said. "We're going to have to play above our heads to win many games, but I think we're going to be competitive.''
Christiansburg will have a familiar look to it in its third season of competition.
"We have pretty much the same team we started with two years ago,'' Blue Demons coach Kirk Litton said.
They started as freshmen and sophomores now the junior class is the heart of the team. Among the notables: center fielder Heather Moore (.298, 28 RBI), shortstop Amber Reed (.318, 25 steals), right-handed pitcher Kasey Bowles (6-6), first baseman/designated hitter/pitcher Chris Miles (.347), and second baseman Tasha Huffman.
"Being in the Blue Ridge is going to make us better,'' Litton said. "I'm glad we had two years to get ready for it.''
The Blue Ridge isn't the only top-notch district in the area. The Three Rivers is one of the toughest Group A leagues around. Along with defending state runner-up Glenvar, the team to keep an eye on is Floyd County.
The Buffaloes have gone 41-5 the past two seasons, proceeding to the state's final eight in 1995 and the Region C semifinals a year ago, where they lost to Glenvar.
Wes Starkey's Buffaloes are loaded with veterans such as All Timesland shortstop Sonya Hylton, who once threw a no-hitter in her capacity as a spot duty pitcher.
Other standouts include catcher Laura Pratt, one of seven Floyd County players to bat over .500 and also the team leader in runs batted in with 32; center fielder Sara Conner (.537), and sophomore Amanda Harmon, who will be trying to replace departed J.J. Sowers as the workhorse of the pitching staff. Lisa Smith and Anita Quesenberry will play either at first or in the outfield. Julie Sowers, the incumbent third baseman, is likely to miss the season because of impending knee surgery.
Look for some epic clashes between the Buffaloes and Glenvar's Highlanders.
"We sure do enjoy playing them,'' Starkey said.
Also in the Three Rivers,Auburn and Radford again will have teams.
Radford will depend on versatile Jennifer Shrader and Hollie Harris for much of its pitching. Behind the plate, Katie Preston will be stationed. Laura Mabie will play either first or second. Robin Hester and Megan Richmond ought to see plenty of action in the outfield.
At Auburn, better times are ahead because more and more younger players are coming into the program with a familiarity with the game.
One of the youngsters is already a veteran. Sophomore catcher Meredith Anderson was chosen all district as a freshman.
Elsewhere, Jeannetta Politis can be worked in at pitcher, catcher or shortstop. She'll play somewhere because her bat is among the team's most effective. Veteran Holly McCoy is the leading contender at second base while third could be occupied by sophomore Julie Akers. Laura Underwood should anchor the pitching staff.
LENGTH: Long : 117 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: RAY COX THE ROANOKE TIMES. Pulaski County High School'sby CNBnew softball team is depending on its seniors (from left): Kory
Harvey, Sharmon Underwood, Karen Heidt (rear), Christie Nester and
Toni Wright surround coach Gina Miano (holding bat).