Season starts with tournament play
Mike Sciacca
The 2004 prep softball season begins in full force this weekend, with
three local schools involved in tournament play.
Below is a capsule look at three of the local prep teams:
Ocean View Seahawks
League: Golden West
Head Coach/Year: Kathy Ponce/Fifth
2003 record: 9-12 overall; 6-6 in league
CIF Result: Didn’t qualify for the playoffs, first time since
1992.
Returners: Jennifer Shafizadeh, SS, .412, first-team all-league,
Sr., committed to Columbia University; Jesica Cruz, 2B, .375,
first-team all-league, team co-MVP, Sr.; Jessica Lupton, OF,
first-team all-league, team co-MVP, Sr.; Jerian Isfeld, P,
second-team all-league, Sr., committed to Southern Virginia; Jen
Walker, Sr., committed to Indiana Tech.
Key Newcomers: Nikki Ayres, P, transfer, Jr.; Melissa Point, P/3B,
Jr.; Sara Seman, 3B, OF, Sr.
Team Outlook: Ocean View found itself in an uncustomary position
last spring, as it missed the CIF playoffs for the first time since
1992. The Seahawks begin their season March 20 at the Northwood
Tournament.
“We did not lose anyone to graduation, and with the addition of
three new, strong players, we are in the hunt for a league title,”
Ponce said. “Last year was the first time that we didn’t qualify for
CIF since 1992, when I was a student at Ocean View, so we are
definitely looking to go back. I don’t see any real weaknesses, but
we need to play together as a team, and play to our ability. We have
three players who have committed to four-year universities.”
Edison Chargers
League: Sunset
Head Coach/Year: Suzy Mathieson/Eighth
2003 Record: 15-15 overall; 3-7 league
CIF Results: Did not qualify
Returners: Alex Bottorff, C, Sr.; Monica Chavez, 3B, Sr.; Heather
Hamilton, OF/C, all-league, Jr.; Vanessa Hardway, OF/SS, Jr.; Jessica
Marlow, CF/SS, Soph.; Jackie Obie, OF/2B, Jr.; Ashley Westphal, 1B,
all-league, Sr.; Alexandra Wilson, 2B/OF, Sr.
Key Newcomers: Jessica Aldrich, P/1B, Soph.; Monica Bledsoe, 2B,
Fr.; Britney Gorman, Utility, Soph.; Krystina Ramirez, P, Soph.
Outlook: “Strong senior leadership could help to produce a few
more wins this season,” said Coach Suzy Mathieson, whose Chargers
open play Saturday at the Cypress Tournament.
Huntington Beach Oilers
League: Sunset
Head Coach/Year: Bob Macias/First
2003 Record: 1-9 in league
Returners: Holly Jackson, SS/P, all-league, Sr.; Brittany Hay, 3B,
all-league, Jr.; Victoria Batistelli, C, Sr.; Karissa Plotnik,
C/P/Utility, Soph.
Key Newcomers: Samantha Randall, 2B/OF, Soph.; Mallory Smith,
CF/Utility, Soph.; Nikki Uranga, Utility, Soph.; Simone Permenter,
Utility, Soph.
Outlook: The Oilers are playing their first season under Bob
Macias, who previously coached Connie Mack Baseball for 25 years and
was a scout for the Houston Astros.
Huntington joins Edison and Marina Saturday at the Cypress
Tournament.
“We’re looking forward to a good season,” Macias said. “We have a
good group of sophomores and with the leadership of the seniors on
the team, we will be very competitive. We are, perhaps, in one of the
toughest leagues in the county and our nonleague schedule is very
hard.”
Marina Vikings
League: Sunset
Head Coach/Year: Shelly Luth; 14th
2003 Record: 17-10 overall
2003 CIF Results: Lost in first-round
Returners: Krystal Heinle, P, 0.62 ERA, .430 avg., Soph.; Britt
Boyer, C, .338 avg., all-league, Jr.; Mandee Farish, 3B, .260 avg.,
Soph.; Amanda Marchegiano, 2B/SS, .188 avg., Sr.
Key Newcomers: Michelle Fuzzard, P/1B.
Outlook: Marina will field a young squad, with Marchegiano the
only senior on the roster. Among the returners are first-team
all-leaguer Boyer and Heinle, who was the Sunset League’s most
valuable pitcher and rookie of the year as a freshman.
“We have excellent pitching and that is a great start,” Coach
Shelly Luth said. “We are very young with only one senior; however,
Amanda has awesome leadership skills and is leading our young players
everyday. We will definitely be competitive within the county and I
expect us to do very well in the Sunset League.”
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