It sure has taken a while, but the 2018 high school softball season has finally started to get rolling.
After a seemingly endless number of postponements, teams in the North Tier are beginning to get out of the gyms and onto the still-soggy fields.
An abbreviated schedule will add some chaos to what already figured to be a wide-open season with no clear favorite among the local teams in the area.
Jon Peterson’s Smethport squad is coming off of a 14-6 campaign that ended with a first-round district loss to Elk Catholic.
But the Lady Hubbers return 13 letterwinners in 2018, including six starters. The large senior class includes Emily Treat, Abbey Woodard, Hailey Wright, Kia Orner, Alana Durphy, Taylor Luff, Haley Hoch, Haleigh Larson, and Heidi Lent.
“We’ve got a lot of returners, a lot of experience,” Peterson said. “We have to replace our whole outfield but we’re looking for good things.”
But even with so much returning talent, Peterson knows things won’t be easy for the Hubbers given how close the rest of the Northern Allegany teams are to one another.
“Every team should be competitive,” he said. “Every team looks quite solid.”
Smethport is one of the last teams that has still yet to play a game. Like everyone else, Peterson is eager to simply get out on the diamond.
“We’re ready to see what the dirt’s all about,” he joked. “We’ve been outside a few times. But you don’t know what you’ve got till you get outside.”
Coudersport is another team to keep an eye on. The Lady Falcons return eight letterwinners and seven starters — including Northern Allegany All-Stars EmmaRae Easton, Joplin Osgood, and Shaelyn Black — from a team that made it the D-9 Class A title game before losing to DuBois, as well as making appearance in the state tournament.
“Right now it’s about developing confidence in themselves and to see if they can do what they did last year,” Coudy coach Dan Counts said. “The new girls want to fit in and do well.”
The Falcons got off to a rollicking start on Tuesday, opening the season with a 20-5 victory over Oswayo Valley.
“We got off to a good start,” Counts said. “I liked what I saw. It was cold, the wind was blowing, but they did well.”
Counts noted how difficult it is to get a gauge on your team when games and practices are constantly wiped out by the weather, an issue that every team in the area has had to deal with.
“It’s tough playing indoors,” he said. “The kids are getting tired of practicing inside, but it is what it is. We were on the field today for just the second time this year.”
Once the weather finally cooperates, however, Counts is confident that his experienced group can reach their potential.
“We’re just going to take it day by day, build them up that way, and get ready to play ball,” he said. “Our expectations are pretty high right now. They’re seasoned enough to understand how the little things can make a big difference. We’re just trying to stay focused and bring the younger girls along. I just want to see progress and confidence.”
Below is a capsule look at teams in the Northern Allegany League:
BRADFORD
League: Northern Allegany
Coach: Jennifer Snow (1st season)
2017 record/postseason: 1-16; no postseason
Roster: Johna Hart (sr.), Kelsey Jordan (sr.), Sierra Williams (sr.), Mackenzee Maley (jr.), Alyssa Hardy (jr.), Katie Skok (jr.), MacKenzie Torrey (jr.), Molly Boser (so.), Haleigh Reid (so.), Emily Warner (so.), Adrienne Angell (fr.), Louissa Brandt (fr.), Paige Craig (fr.), McKenna Kelly (fr.), Holly Lockwood (fr.), Sadie Oliver (fr.), Rylee Skaggs (fr.), Mia Vanscotter (fr.)
Dugout notes: “We have a very young team this year. We lost six seniors last year, but we gained just as many new players. Despite having a young team, I remain very optimistic because of the positive attitudes and hustle I have seen at practice. Over the past three weeks we have worked very hard on fine tuning the basics and focusing on building the team mentality. I know this year will involve some experimenting in terms of movin girls around to different positions in order to find a combination that works best for the team. We asked the girls early on to let us know positions they preferred to play. We also asked if there were any they did not want to play, and the overwhelming response was, ‘Put me in coach.’ I hope the willingness to step up and play where the team needs someone will mean that we have some flexibility as the season progresses.”
CAMERON COUNTY
League: Northern Allegany
Coach: Jocelyn Wensel (1st season)
2017 record/postseason: 13-4; Clarion (L, 12-0, D-9 Class A first round)
Roster: Lilliana Bailey (sr., 2B), Lexi Newton (sr., OF), Amily Schatz (sr., SS), Taylor Britton (jr., 3B/OF/1B), Ashlea Burgett (jr., OF/3B), Kaitlyn Burgett (jr., OF), Heather Dowd (jr., OF), Alyvia McKimm (jr., 3B/C), Allyson Narby (jr., 2B), Kelsee Reid (jr., 1B), Caryn Smith (so., OF), Julia Aikens (fr., OF/3B/SS), Kaelee Bresslin (fr., 1B), Reggie Goodrow (fr., 2B), Haley Rees (fr., C/OF)
Dugout notes: “The 2018 season looks promising with half of the team being returning starters that create a good, solid core. The incoming first-year players show some real talent to round off the team as a whole. The girls really seem to work well together, take direction and aren’t afraid to ask questions. This group is focused on getting better not only individually, but as a team. As a first-year head coach, and new to the program, the girls have really accepted me and I look forward to working with them and seeing what the season holds for this team.”
COUDERSPORT
League: Northern Allegany
Coach: Dan Counts (90-32 record)
2017 record/postseason: 16-5; Otto-Eldred (W, 12-2, District 9 Class A first round), Clarion (W, 4-2, D-9 Class A semifinals), DuBois Central Catholic (L, 9-0 D-9 Class A title game), Claysburg-Kimmel (L, 11-5, PIAA Class A first round)
Roster: EmmaRae Easton (sr., 2016, 2017 Big 30 All-Star, Northern Allegany All-Star), Joplin Osgood (sr., 2017 Northern Allegany All-Star), Emma Powell (sr.), Madison Smith (sr.), Shaelyn Black (jr., 2017 Northern Allegany All-Star), Tori Miller (jr.), Chelsey Streich (jr.), Paiton Whipple (jr.), Erica Williams (jr.), Hope Daisley (so.), Alayna Fry (so.), Kim Johnson (so.), Kayla Korb (so.), Claudia Miller (so.), Bella Butler (fr.), Sarah Chambers (fr.), Addie Meyers (fr.), Rosalyn Page (fr.), Dylan Pierce (fr.), Kaylee VanWhy (fr.)
Dugout notes: “I anticipate a competitive league once again this year. We have experience returning this year, but have a couple of crucial sports to fill from last season. This group of girls works hard and attempts to get better every day. We have decent leadership and a nice batch of younger girls coming up. The weather has been a hindrance but everybody across the league is facing a similar situation. I look forward to the season and the challenges it creates.”
NORTHERN POTTER
League: Northern Allegany
Coach: Andy Hyde
2017 record/postseason: 1-18; no postseason
Roster: Alyssa Hoops (so.), Alyssa Burchell (so.), Ellen Molsani (sr.), Mikayla Lewis (sr.), Jenna Hyde (sr.), Emma Kosa (so.), Jordan McClellan (so.), Kalie Cowburn (sr.), Hope Porcuri (so.), Marissa Bliss (fr.), Morgan Pomater (so.), MacKenzie Gurston (so.)
Dugout notes: “We have eight returning players from last year and four new players. I’m excited to see what they will bring to the team. I’m sure it will be a good learning experience for both the players and the coaches.”
OTTO-ELDRED
League: Northern Allegany
Coach: Andre Veilleux
2017 record/postseason: 9-7; Coudersport (L, 12-2, D-9 Class A first round)
Roster: Emily Smith (sr., OF/3B, .429 avg), Camryn Thomas (sr., 1B, .324 avg), Alyssa Shelander (sr., P/OF, .429 avg), Haylee Frederick (jr., SS), Harlee Van Scooter (jr., OF), Autumn Smith (jr., 2B), Britney Greeley (jr., C, .300 avg), Gabrielle Nickerson (jr., OF), Katelynn Raught (so., OF), Emilee Sheeler (fr., 3B/OF), Reilly Raught (fr., 3B/C), Kayley Heeler (fr., 1B/OF), Hanna Bennett (fr., OF), Hanna Garthwait (fr., OF), Brandi Neureiter (fr., OF)
Dugout notes: “We are returning seven starters from last year and added a strong freshman class to the team”
PORT ALLEGANY
League: Northern Allegany
Coach: Will Daniels
2017 record/postseason: 7-9; no postseason
Roster: MaKenzie Burr (sr., P/INF), Lauren Dynda (sr., SS/CF), Autumn Freer (sr., P/INF/OF), Hannah Lathrop (sr., 1B/C), Kierra Keck (jr., OF), Jenna Sprankle (jr., INF/P), Cailey Barnett (so., C/INF), M. Daniels (so., OF), Raelyn Torpey (so., OF), Kaylee Boyd (fr., P/INF), Mallory Causor (fr., OF), Jade Evens (fr., P/OF), Bree Garzel (fr., INF/C), T. Thomas (fr., OF), Mara Rush (fr., INF/P), Lily Bosnorth (fr., OF)
Dugout notes: “ We have some good returning starters mixed in with some good, young talent.”
SMETHPORT
League: Northern Allegany
Coach: Jon Peterson
2017 record/postseason: 14-6; Elk County Catholic (L, 8-4, D-9 Class A first round)
Roster: Emily Treat (sr., P), Abbey Woodard (sr., C), Hailey Wright (sr., OF), Kia Orner (sr., SS), Alana Durphy (sr., 3B), Taylor Luff (sr., OF), Haley Hoch (sr., OF), Haleigh Larson (sr., 2B), Heidi Lent (sr., C/OF/1B), Samantha Tanner (jr., 1B), Baylea Strom (jr., OF), Willow Lapp (jr., OF/P), Rylea Crowley (jr., OF), Lizzy Ruffner (jr., 2B), Daisy Smith (jr., P/OF), Jasmine Willetts (jr., 3B), Kianna Miles (jr., 1B), Kurstin Smith (fr., OF), Salena Williams (fr., OF), Abby McKeirnan (fr., 2B)
