Northern clubs have history, pitching on their side in softball tournament

Spencer Patterson

Tuesday, May 16, 2000 | 9:47 a.m.

When Chaparral High School captured Nevada's seventh state softball title in 1983, no one could have known how difficult it would be to bring the trophy back to Las Vegas.

Yet in the 17 years since the Cowboys' win, and despite the area's population boom, the large-school softball championship has returned to Southern Nevada just once -- when Clark won it in 1993.

The other 16 years have seen utter dominance by the state's northern half, with seven Reno-area schools claiming at least one title during that span.

And with the 4A State Tournament set to open Wednesday at Sunset Park, chances appear good that the sport's most prized possession will remain up north.

Wooster High comes into the three-day, double-elimination event as the favorite. The Colts (38-2) swept Nevada competition this season, losing only to two highly rated California opponents.

Right behind Wooster are the Galena Grizzlies (29-8), 4A champions in three of the past four years. And the north's other two representatives in the eight-team event -- Reed and Douglas -- are no slouches, having combined for 46 victories.

The four local entries -- Silverado, Eldorado, Centennial and Durango -- come in with solid credentials.

But area coaches point out that the Reno area's pitching superiority could turn the tournament into an all-north event by Day 2.

"The No. 1 thing I see as the difference is that all four north teams have seen superior pitching all year long," Silverado coach Chuck Pope said. "All four (southern) teams are going to have to adjust to that, and how we adjust will determine how we do at the state tournament."

Durango coach Sandy Morgan agreed: "If you don't see good pitchers who throw good pitches and throw them hard, then your batters have trouble making that adjustment. It's hard to prepare your team for that kind of pitching."

More than any team in the state, Wooster has relied on its pitching to carry it throughout the 2000 season. Veterans Chelsea Crosby -- the Sun's 1999 State Player of the Year -- and Jenne Bator throw hard, and freshman Brianna McGowan looks like the next in a long line of northern pitching greats.

Centennial coach Cyndi Parus, whose first-year club captured the Sunset Region title last Friday, said she is going to great lengths to prepare her players for the pitching they will see this week.

"We're going to be working on shortening our swings, working on our bunts, on getting on base any way we can," Parus said.

"They have such dominant pitching, which we don't see on an every-game basis. We need to put the ball in play and make them field it -- not just look for the big hit."

Valley pitcher Callie Payne was named Most Valuable Player for the Sunrise while Bonanza shortstop Sara Bausher received the honor in the Sunset Region.

Silverado's Pope and Centennial's Parus were chosen coaches of the year.

For a complete list of the selections, see page 6D.

Spencer Patterson covers prep sports for the Sun. Reach him at 259-4085 or by e-mail at spencer@lasvegassun.com.