Time to play ball

Joe Everson Correspondent\ Correspondent Mike Boyle contributed to

They call them spring sports, but to high school athletes wearing the layered look in the past couple of weeks, the only thing that says "spring" is the calendar.

Remember those 50-degree days back in January? Shirtsleeves and sunglasses? So do the kids with sweatshirts, parkas and runny noses.

If it's snowing, it must be the beginning of March, when the six spring sports officially commence. And, today, it's time to play ball with six softball teams from the Greater Spokane League and one from the Northeast A League.

Of the North Side GSL teams, only Rogers made the district playoffs a year ago, but the others have their sights set on success in the expanded league that now features 14 teams in two divisions. And Northwest Christian enters its third season in the NEA with high hopes of a .500 season.

The GSL softball divisions look like this:

American - Central Valley, Cheney, Ferris, Mt. Spokane, Rogers, Shadle Park, University.

National - Clarkston, East Valley, Gonzaga Prep, Lewis and Clark, Mead, North Central, West Valley.

All the North Side GSL coaches named University and East Valley as division favorites.

Rogers

Coach Cris Coffield enters his second year after the Pirates finished third in his debut season. He has six of nine starters back and high expectations for this season.

"We have the core of our pitching back, with Samantha Merrill and Shawna Livengood," he said. "Both pitch and play first. We really have two No. 1's."

Rogers also is returning an all-GSL shortstop, senior Shelly Seipp, and senior centerfielder Jodi Schock. One key to Pirate success, Coffield says, is how well sophomore Jamie Taxter adjusts to catching, where she's replacing an all-leaguer. Junior Alainah Conrad moves from second base to third.

"She's the fastest player on our team, if not in the league," Coffield says.

Junior outfielders Whitney Rosenquist and Amanda Anderson and junior second baseman Lindsay Peterson round out the starting lineup.

"The key to our success will be our ability to score runs," Coffield said. "We'll be OK if we beat the teams we're supposed to beat."

Mead

The Panthers barely missed the district playoffs a year ago and return six players, including four starters.

"We're expecting to make the playoffs this year," says coach John Barrington. "East Valley is obviously the cream of the crop on our side, but after that it's a scramble."

Barrington has only one senior on the squad, shortstop Jenna Sheffield. Halley Cey is a returning second-team all-GSL outfielder, and junior utility player Lacey Parry, an all-GSL firstteamer, hit over .500 last season. The other veterans are junior outfielder Melissa Wells, junior second baseman Tiffany Wilkinson and sophomore pitcher Kim Watson.

Newcomers to the varsity are junior infielder Rachelle McGrath and a half-dozen sophomores: infielder Kelli Adams, outfielder Megan Bertolero, utility player Debra DeFelice, infielder Erin Gallagher, pitcher/ outfielder Sammie Rayner, and catcher Megan Foster.

With Foster behind the plate, the Panthers have an all-sophomore battery, and Barrington knows that all his sophomores need to play well early.

Shadle Park

The Highlanders had made four straight trips to the state tournament before last year, but finished 4-16. This year, though, coach George Lynn expects better things, with nine returning players.

Sophomore Stephanie Trudeau will carry the load again on the mound, Lynn says.

Lynn's other sophomore "veterans" include twins Natalie and Brittany McNeal and Stephanie McVay. Natalie's an outfielder, Brittany a catcher/infielder, and McVay a utility player. Other returners are junior second baseman Emily Bryan, junior infielder Jen Albano, senior third baseman-shortstop Katie Perham, senior centerfielder Chelsea Smith (honorable mention all-GSL last season), and senior outfielder Merissa Earls.

Newcomers are freshan pitcher/outfielder Abby Bertholf, freshman utility player McKinzee Powell, and sophomore utility player Randi Sandifer.

"It's definitely a game of pitching," Lynn says. "All I want to do is compete in each game, and we have the kids to do that."

North Central

Coach Herm Marshall has one of the GSL's top returning players, three-time all-league senior shortstop Amanda Nilles. "She's just an outstanding softball player," he says, "and we'll definitely build around her."

NC returns two other regulars, senior second baseman Courtney Hansen and junior outfielder Trisha Samuels, but Samuels is out for a while with an injury. Sophomore Ashley Sevier, who pitched about half NC's games a year ago, and sophomore third baseman Jamilyn Schibel also return.

Newcomers include sophomore outfielder Whitney Monge, sophomore first baseman/pitcher Felicia Kinder, freshman outfielder Elyssa Schuller, junior outfielder Courtney Blubaugh, junior infielder Heather Corker, senior pitcher/ infielder Jessica Regalado, and sophomore catcher Brianna Scott.

"We'll try to improve each week and hopefully pick off a playoff spot," Marshall said.

Mt. Spokane

The Wildcats, 2-18 a year ago, have higher expectations this year, says third-year coach Carl Adams.

"We're beginning to develop some depth in the program, and not just at the varsity level," he says. "Things may change when we get going and see who's doing well."

Adams has nine returners from last season, including several starters, among them pitchers Jamie Kent, a senior, and junior Kellie Carstens. Those two will play shortstop when not on the mound.

Other veterans are senior outfielders Courtney Stewart and Bri Bowman, sophomore second baseman Katee Nauert, sophomore third baseman Kassie Lewis, senior first baseman/pitcher Bry Andrews, senior catcher/first baseman Karlie Hunt, and junior catcher/ outfielder Tori Dillon.

Newcomers include sophomore catcher/first baseman Jakie Purser, senior outfielder Reanne Stewart, junior pitcher/third baseman Sherri Urann, senior third baseman Jen Bauder, and sophomore utility player Katie Stokes.

"We should be solid defensively, not too many holes," says Adams. "I think we'll be much improved."

Gonzaga Prep

The Bullpups' sixth-year head coach Paul Cooley welcomes back five starters to a team that tied for fifth in the GSL last season and made it into the playoffs. But if you looked at this year's outfit, you may not recognize anyone on the team, as Cooley is shifting the positions of every returning player this season.

"We had a lot of people do really well in other positions last year," said Cooley. "I moved them around ... I've a couple of freshman who are going to start. It just strengthens us in the infield.

Learning new spots on the diamond this season include first-team all-city center fielder junior Cortney Forsberg, who goes to catcher, and second-team all-city shortstop Lyndsay Weber, who shifts to first base. Senior right fielder Maygen Hill goes to third base, junior second baseman Megan Bowles will head to centerfield, and sophomore Michelle Tully will go from first base to pitcher.

Pitching changes, too. Tully will be backed up on the hill by senior Jennifer Norman and freshman Katie Antich. Antich will be the starting second baseman, while fellow freshman Laura Christenson will take over shortstop duties from Weber. Sophomore Whitney Peterson will start in left field. Senior basketball players Sara Burns and Becky House, as well as fellow senior Jennifer Liefer will add depth off the bench.

Northwest Christian

The Crusaders don't have a lot of experience, and lost a couple of their best players to transfer.

"Our issue will be pitching," says coach Jim Orr. "This is just our third year of playing fastpitch, so it's still a struggle for us. We hope to be competitive until we get to a place in the program where we're developing our own pitchers up through the ranks."

His returners include three seniors, pitcher Laura Paulus, centerfielder Hope Johnson and third baseman Jamie Connor. Other returners are juniors Amber Vandenberg at first base, Lauren Turner at second, and Jackie Benson in left field. Other regulars should be three sophomores: catcher Danielle Nesbitt, outfielder Raylyn Watts, and shortstop Rachee Smith.

NWC also has two freshmen, catcher Crystal Pitkonen and pitcher/ outfielder Nikki Colin.

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