West helping the Eagles soar

Taylor West didn’t have a long time to prepare for the softball season after helping lead the Estancia High girls’ soccer team to its first CIF Southern Section playoff appearance in 11 years.

West, just a sophomore, is part of a soccer program on the rise after several years of being in the dumps. With up-and-coming stars like West, Estancia ? under former Eagles’ boys’ soccer coach Steve Crenshaw ? broke through this year and appears ready to burst next season since so many of its top players are underclassmen.

After the Eagles were eliminated in the soccer playoffs, West joined the softball team, where she has an opportunity to help a similar cause.

Estancia’s softball team went 3-9 in the Golden West League last year and looks to turn things around with the help of West and five other returning starters.

West didn’t take long to acclimate herself to the different sport. She did more than her part in Estancia’s season opener against Sage Hill last Wednesday. West slugged a double, a triple and a home run in an 11-1 victory.

“She’s a good athlete and a great hitter,” Estancia Coach Alan Caouette said. “She’s aggressive and not scared to hit ? she loves to hit.”

West said she’s slowly rounding into athletic form after suffering a back injury during softball season last year. She started to feel healthy before re-aggravating the injury during soccer season.

West says her back is starting to feel better again, which is not good news for opposing pitchers ? especially considering West is used to hitting a smaller, harder ball that’s often traveling at a faster pace. Growing up, she spent her time playing baseball instead of softball.

“I played baseball with boys all my life,” West said. “It was a lot of fun. I was the only girl on team.”

West didn’t start playing softball until her freshman year at Estancia, but adjusted to the differences in the two sports quickly. Her hitting rapidly improved, not a big surprise since the softball looked as big as a cantaloupe after facing baseballs thrown overhand by boys.

“Picking up the ball is different,” West said. “I hit the ball better in softball because the ball is bigger. I hit it farther.”

West said she likes hanging out with the girls on her softball team more than the boys on her baseball club. She said she enjoys the camaraderie.

“It’s more fun to hang out with girls,” she said. “The team cheers me on and we have a lot of fun.”

West leads an impressive offensive attack that has the potential to land the team in the playoffs this season. West is one of six returning starters along with fellow sluggers Josie Flores and Allison Wyman and senior Be Diep, who is a spark plug at the top of the order.

“The team is looking good,” West said.

Despite just being a sophomore, Caouette says West is the kind of player other players look up to.

“She’s well respected,” he said.

The Taylor West File

Hometown: Costa Mesa

Height: 5-foot-4

Weight: 120

Sport: Softball

Position: Outfielder

Coach: Alan Caouette

Favorite food: Sushi

Favorite movie: “A Walk to Remember”

Favorite athletic moment: “Hitting my first high school home run against Sage Hill.”

Week in review: West, fresh off the Estancia High girls’ soccer team, had a double, a triple and a home run in the softball team’s 11-1 victory over Sage Hill last Wednesday in its season opener.dpt-girlathleteofweek17.IMGGraphicInfoFR1P1UNC20060317FR1P1UNCNo Captiondpt.17-athleteofweek1-j-BPhotoInfoVV1P1TO720060317iw9695knJAMIE FLANAGAN / DAILY PILOT(LA)