Friday, May 20, 2005 | 9:51 a.m.
Kourtney Davis ... gone.
Brianne McGowan ... gone.
Shannon Crisp ... gone.
It has been nearly a decade since the state softball tournament has been without a team with a dominating force on the mound. Davis led Galena to three titles. McGowan led Wooster to four consecutive titles and just last year Crisp led Centennial to the title.
"It's the first tournament in several years where it's pretty even all the way across," said Sierra Vista coach Jerome Streets, whose Mountain Lions will face Silverado at 5 p.m. today.
"You have four great teams in the tournament. I think we all match up pretty well against each other and the team that goes out and does all the little things is going to win, but all four teams are capable of the little things."
With the field wide open, all four coaches believe there is no strong favorite or even an underdog.
"Whoever can put a couple of base hits together and score a couple of runs will win," Las Vegas High coach Kevin Jones said. The Wildcats open up against McQueen at 5 p.m. Friday.
Even though there isn't one pitcher who will set the tone of the tournament, that doesn't mean the tournament lacks quality pitching. Las Vegas has junior Giovanna Guzman, Silverado has senior Kelly Griego, McQueen has junior Katie Eshelman and Sierra Vista has its duo of juniors -- Kylee Kissane and Rebecca Rumsey.
All five pitchers turned in brilliant performances in their regional tournaments. Guzman only gave up four runs in four games. Griego allowed only five hits in a 20-inning stretch. Kissane and Rumsey combined for two shutouts and only 10 runs, and in more than 34 innings, no earned runs crossed the plate on Eshelman.
The question mark is who will stay hot after a week of rest.
"Every team has solid pitching," Streets said. "It will come down to who can hit their spots."
Experience will also play a role, and could hurt the young Mountain Lions, who don't have a senior on their roster.
"I think a weakness would be the inexperience," Streets said. "I have some kids that have been here before, but the majority of the team has not been to a state playoff before. However, they trust each other and that is our strength."
As for McQueen and Vegas, both of their coaches are looking for their seniors to take on a leadership role.
"We have good strong senior leadership," McQueen coach Stacy Allison said. "They are really motivated to do well."
All four teams have solid pitching and solid hitting; another key will come down to who can take care of the ball defensively.
"I've always felt defense has been a major part of this game," Allison said. "I think that is going to be key."
Silverado coach Steve Hodges echoed the very same sentiment.
"Defense, without exception, is genuinely something that gets the job done," Hodges said.
The four teams didn't get here by chance. They are all well-rounded, but when you get down to it, the difference will be in day one. Whoever can stay undefeated today will have the upper hand.
"If you lose on Friday, it will take three straight wins on Saturday, and that's not easy to do," Jones said.
All tournament games are held at Henderson's Stephanie Lynn Craig Fields, located just west of the US 95 at Galleria and Russell.
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