Prep Softball: After strong showing in ‘98, South ready to break through

Matt O'Brien

Thursday, March 18, 1999 | 11:01 a.m.

After four years of futility against northern opponents, Southern Nevada's prep softball clubs nearly broke through last spring.

Following a season filled with local parity from start to finish, the Bonanza Bengals stunned some of the north's top teams en route to a second-place finish at the 4A state tournament.

This year, the south's top softball squads will try to take the final step -- capturing the area's first state title since 1993, when Clark won it all.

The Bengals should be back in the thick of things again, along with defending zone champion Silverado, Cimarron-Memorial, Durango, Green Valley and Basic.

Following is a team-by-team look at Southern Nevada's 4A softball teams:

Sunrise Division

BASIC WOLVES

Coach: Aly Cerrone (third year) 1998 Record: 17-15, 4th Sunrise Top Players: Tarah Badger, 1B, Sr.; Jen Redding P/3B, Sr.; Candice Rizzi, SS,Sr.

Outlook: The Wolves return seven starters from last year's zone-qualifying team, but will need to get more production from the bottom of the order to advance to the state tournament. Redding, an honorable mention all-state performer, will once again anchor the pitching staff. If she gets support from freshman Jen Bowen, the No. 2 starter, Basic could challenge for supremacy in the division.

CHAPARRAL COWBOYS

Coach: David Masterson (first year)

1998 Record: 7-18, T-5th Sunrise

Top Players: Alexess Cristiani, P, Sr.; Brandee Neel, CF, Sr.; Cindy Thompson, C/P,Sr.

Outlook: Masterson, who takes over for longtime coach Tona Lytle (retirement), inherits an experienced squad. Neel is capable of getting on base, but the Cowboys must find someone to drive her in. If it can cut back on errors, Chap should win a lot of the close games it lost last year and finish .500 in the division.

ELDORADO SUNDEVILS

Coach: Brian Bogart (first year)

1998 Record: 21-9, T-2nd Sunrise

Top Players: Janelle Gervias, SS, Jr.; Jaymie Martin, 2B, Jr.; Laura Stein, CF, Sr.

Outlook: Anchored by a solid infield, Eldorado should challenge Green Valley and Silverado for first place in the division. A balanced pitching staff will keep them in many games, but the Sundevils need to improve their run production in order to dethrone the Skyhawks.

GREEN VALLEY GATORS

Coach: John Culver (first year)

1998 Record: 27-13, T-2nd Sunrise

Top Players: Katie Amoia, SS, Jr.; Renee Heitbrink, P, Sr.; Christy Ingram, P / CF, Sr.; Kathy Waddilove, C, Sr.

Outlook: Head football coach John Culver will attempt to lead the Gators back to the state tournament. It won't be easy without standout Nicole Truax, who's now pitching at UNLV, but the cupboard certainly isn't bare. Look for all-state honorable mention pick Waddilove to have a productive year at the plate and for the Gators to once again qualify for state.

LAS VEGAS WILDCATS

Coach: Kevin Jones (second year)

1998 Record: 13-15, T-5th Sunrise

Top Players: Kristine Dugan, SS, Sr.; Rachel Hirsch, P, Jr.; Kelly Mance, 1B, Sr.; Melody Marckesano, CF, Sr.

Outlook: The Wildcats lost five starters from last year's club and hope to fill the void with a group of talented freshman. Dugan, an all-conference performer, returns to anchor the infield, but the club lacks an intimidator on the mound. Hirsch must pitch effectively in order for Vegas to finish in the top half of the division.

RANCHO RAMS

Coach: C.J. High (first year)

1998 Record: 1-18, 8th Sunrise

Top Players: Hilary Blackburn, 1B, So.; Vanessa Gomez, P/SS, Jr.

Outlook: High certainly has his work cut out for him. Though he inherited five returning starters from the departed Brenda King, the Rams are still young and will be hard-pressed to climb from the Sunrise Division cellar.

SILVERADO SKYHAWKS

Coach: Chuck Pope (fifth year)

1998 Record: 33-8, 1st Sunrise

Top Players: April Arata, SS, Sr.; Laura Conners, 1B, Sr.; Tiffany Finateri, P, Sr.; Stormy Hanson, C, Sr.

Outlook: With the head coaching position in the division experiencing more turnover than the local Smith's grocery store, Pope suddenly finds himself the elder statesman. And the respected fifth-year head man has plenty of weapons at his disposal. Arata is solid at the plate and in the field and the battery of Finateri and Hanson is one of the area's most talented. Barring injury, the Skyhawks have an outstanding chance of defending their zone title.

VALLEY VIKINGS

Coach: Cyndi Parus (first year)

1998 Record: 6-17, 7th Sunrise

Top Players: Kellie Payne, P, Jr.; Annie Schlosser, SS, Sr.; Tia Thayer, C, Sr.; Jen Walsh, CF, Jr.

Outlook: Former UNLV player and Basic assistant Parus has a good chance of turning things around at Valley. The Vikings have six returning starters and several talented underclassmen. If freshman hurler Sarah Leavitt gives Payne some much-needed support, Valley could be the most-improved club in the division.

Sunset Division

BISHOP GORMAN GAELS

Coach: Tony Dyre (first year)

1998 Record: 12-13 (7-5, 4th Sunset)

Top Players: Lisa Comastro, 3B, Jr.; Nicole Koval, P, Sr.; Jody Lupo, 1B, Sr.; Kristie Parker, C, Sr.

Outlook: While Valley may be the most improved team in the Sunrise Division, Gorman could very well be the most improved in the Sunset. The Gaels return seven starters and have a core group of talented newcomers. If it can shore up the defense, especially up the middle, look for Gorman to return to the zone tournament and challenge for a berth in state.

BONANZA BENGALS

Coach: Cheryl Speer (fourth year)

1998 Record: 25-8 (12-0, 1st Sunset)

Top Players: Sara Bausher, SS/CF, So.; Kelly Glass, SS/CF, Sr.; Lindsey Johnston, 1B, Sr.; Katie Kaempfer, C, So.

Outlook: The Bengals will be hard-pressed to waltz through the division undefeated as they did last season. The entire outfield from the 1998 state runners-up -- most notably center fielder Chrystal Stevens -- was lost to graduation and the league has improved considerably. With as many as seven underclassmen being counted on to contribute, look for Bonanza to struggle early, then make a run late in the season.

CHEYENNE DESERT SHIELDS

Coach: Rick Kazee (first year)

1998 Record: 8-18, 6th Sunset

Top Players: Colbi Clothier, SS, Sr.; Sara Velasquez, C, Sr.

Outlook: A former assistant coach with the Desert Shields, Kazee takes over for Pat Beckwith, who relocated to Carson High. Despite inheriting four-year starter Clothier, the first-year coach has a major rebuilding job on his hands. The Desert Shields only return three starters and 10 of the 15 players on the roster are underclassmen.

CIMARRON-MEMORIAL

SPARTANS

Coach: Gary Kaempfer (fourth year)

1998 Record: 20-13, 2nd Sunset

Top Players: Val Bendele, 2B, Sr.; Shauna Newmiller, 1B, Sr.

Outlook: With eight returning starters (four of them seniors), look for the Spartans to battle Bonanza and Durango for Sunset supremacy. Newmiller, one of the area's top first basemen, and Bendele are the nucleus of a solid defense that compliments a balanced pitching staff. If it is able to produce runs, Cimarron should have little trouble returning to the state tournament.

CLARK CHARGERS

Coach: Don Hopkins (first year)

1998 Record: 10-14, 5th Sunset

Top Players: Ashley Ablahani, SS, Jr.; Nicole Amandor, P/1B, Sr.; Rebecca Hogan, C/3B, Sr.; Jennifer Nay, P/1B, Sr.

Outlook: Longtime assistant coach Don Hopkins hopes to guide the Chargers to the zone tournament in his first year at the helm. It won't be an easy task in the top-heavy division, but he does have some talent to work with. Ablahani and Amandor are quality players and freshman Jodee Italiano, whose sister Stephanee was a standout at Clark, should contribute immediately.

DURANGO TRAILBLAZERS

Coach: Sandy Morgan (sixth year)

1998 Record: 23-12, 3rd Sunset

Top Players: Christina Conrad, 1B, Sr.; Courtney McCandless, C, Sr.; Tisha Salamino, P, So.; Aja Sherman, P, So.

Outlook: Despite graduating three-fourths of its infield, Durango should be strong. The Trailblazers, led by Conrad and McCandless, possess the zone's most explosive offense and have a talented group of freshman as well. If Morgan can blend the newcomers with the veterans, Durango could win zone and challenge for a state title.

MOJAVE RATTLERS

Coach: Dennis Benedict (first varsity year)

1998 Record: no varsity team

Top Players: Ashlee Dean, C, Fr.; Amy Sauer, P/3B, Fr.

Outlook: With no seniors and five underclassmen in the starting lineup, the Rattlers will struggle in their first year of varsity competition.

PALO VERDE PANTHERS

Coach: Lisa Campbell (first varsity year)

1998 Record: no varsity team

Top Players: Dusti Roberts, SS, Jr.; Nikki Rose, 2B, So.; Leslie Wolfe, P, Fr.

Outlook: Palo Verde is a little more talented than Mojave, but will still struggle in its maiden year in the competitive Sunset Division. "We're not going to put emphasis a win-loss record this year" said Campbell, taking a philosophical approach to the season.

WESTERN WARRIORS

Coach: Scott Leonard (first year)

1998 Record: 0-21, 7th Sunset

Top Players: Desi Beal, SS, Sr.; Heather Ledingham, 3B, Sr.

Outlook: With 12 of 15 players returning from last year's squad -- and two first-year teams added to the division -- the Warriors have a legitimate shot of winning a league game for the first time in 2 1/2 seasons.

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