Softball preview: Hickory, Salem, Great Bridge top preaseason rankings

By Mike Keech
The Virginian-Pilot
© March 6, 2008

PRESEASON TOP 10

1. Hickory: A wealth of senior talent speaks volumes for the Hawks.

2. Salem: Ace Kendra Knight leads veteran cast.

3. Great Bridge: Hampton Roads’ winningest public school softball program in the last decade rolls on.

4. Kellam: Defending Group AAA state champ has key holes to fill.

5. Western Branch: The Bruins have eight returning starters.

6. First Colonial: Last year’s late success wasn’t a fluke.

7. Greenbrier Christian: The Gators are solid with their Brittany Lane-Robbin Kennedy battery.

8. King’s Fork: Lindsey Holloman gives the Bulldogs bite.

9. Kempsville: Young Chiefs could jell.

10. Churchland: The Truckers have the sticks to back ace Ashley Cornell.

DON’T COUNT OUT

Granby: A healthy ace Chrissy Crawford equals success.

Grassfield: New kid on the block has some talent.

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy: Brittany Wilkins-Kelsey Ritter duo will key success for the Saints.

PICKING THE LEAGUES

Beach District

1. Salem

2. Kellam

3. First Colonial

4. Kempsville

5. Princess Anne

6. Tallwood

7. Ocean Lakes

8. Cox

9. Green Run

10. Bayside

11. Landstown

Eastern District

1. Churchland

2. Granby

3. Lake Taylor

4. Wilson

5. Maury

6. Norview

7. Norcom

8. Booker T. Washington

Southeastern District

1. Hickory

2. Great Bridge

3. Western Branch

4. King’s Fork

5. Grassfield

6. Nansemond River

7. Deep Creek

8. Lakeland

9. Oscar Smith

10. Indian River

Tidewater Conference

1. Greenbrier Christian

2. Nansemond-Suffolk Academy

3. Norfolk Academy

4. Hampton Roads Academy

5. Peninsula Catholic

6. Norfolk Christian

7. Cape Henry Collegiate

8. Bishop Sullivan Catholic

9. Norfolk Collegiate

10. Walsingham

Metro Conference

1. Isle of Wight Academy

2. Portsmouth Christian

3. Alliance Christian

4. Broadwater Academy

5. Atlantic Shores

6. StoneBridge

7. Denbigh Baptist

8. Hampton Christian

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS

State Group AAA: Kellam

Eastern Region: Kellam

Beach District: Salem (regular season), Kellam (tournament)

Eastern District: Churchland (regular season), Lake Taylor (tournament)

Southeastern District: Hickory (regular season), Great Bridge (tournament)

Tidewater Conference: Greenbrier Christian (regular season and tournament)

Metro Conference: Isle of Wight Academy (regular season and tournament)

AROUND THE HORN

-- The Eastern Region’s best title race looms in the Southeastern District, where Hickory, Great Bridge, Western Branch and King’s Fork will duke it out. “This is a year where the district champion could have three losses because there’s so much competition,” said Ryan Wieck, who is in his 12th year as Hickory’s coach.

Wieck has a veteran cast that numbers nine seniors, led by pitcher Jennifer Gniadek, who has signed with Florida International, and catcher Michelle Lighton, who has signed with Appalachian State. Wieck said the pair, who totaled six home runs last season, will fill the third and fourth spots in the batting order. Wieck says Gniadek is in the best shape of her career. Another Hawks senior stalwart is Iona signee Jaclyn Quinn, who has moved from third base to shortstop.

-- Salem, last year’s regular season Beach champion, is again the favorite. Coach Jason Barefoot has pitching phenom Kendra Knight (20-4-1, 0.19 ERA) back, as well as the top six hitters in the batting order. Second baseman Sam Kruta, third baseman Jasmine Akers, catcher Ashley Huffman, shortstop Sarah Grey and outfielder Chelsea Stewart are other key returnees.

-- Churchland and Granby are Eastern District co-favorites thanks to the return of pitching aces Ashley Cornell and Chrissy Crawford, respectively. Cornell is also a hitting force — she batted .452 last season. Crawford pitched Granby to the district lead before being sidelined by a broken hand last year. Lake Taylor’s Eastern District title hopes took a blow when would-be senior pitcher Candace Robinson chose not to return for personal reasons.

-- Western Branch coach Sarah Wright has a special addition to her coaching staff until mid-May. Jessica Moore, an All-Tidewater performer in her Western Branch days and an All-American at Liberty University, is helping the Bruins. Moore, who starts her second fast-pitch professional season with the Washington Glory in May, is sharing her expertise with the likes of senior outfielders Kaitlin Bennett and Erin Paton, as well as junior shortstop Brittney Brinkley. Improved sophomore Sheri Draper returns to pitch for the Bruins.

--Tidewater Conference favorite Greenbrier Christian got a boost from a trio of transfers. “We secured our corners and gained some needed speed with the addition of third baseman Victoria Barrett from Indian River, leftfielder Shannon Renigar from Deep Creek and centerfielder Alie Vaughan from Atlantic Shores,” coach Dan Moore said. Led by dominant pitcher Brittany Lane and private school all-state catcher Robbin Kennedy, Greenbrier again should advance deep in the postseason.

-- Nansemond-Suffolk Academy should push the Gators for the TCIS crown. The Saints have the returning conference Player of the Year in catcher Brittany Wilkins, who is bound for Boston College. Her batterymate, freshman Kelsey Ritter, was an All-TCIS performer last year.

-- Norfolk Christian coach Jen Murden Allen says the Ambassadors will make their first long-distance road trip since her playing days in the early ’90s. Norfolk Christian will compete at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida March 25-29. The Ambassadors will play two teams from Wisconsin and one from Kentucky.

--First-year head coach Paul Day has initiated a dramatic makeover in the Atlantic Shores program. In addition to new warm-ups, uniforms and helmets, the Seahawks have a renovated field with a permanent fence, foul poles, dugout gates, and windscreens for the backstop and fence. Atlantic Shores will be chasing perennial power Isle of Wight Academy in the Metro Conference race.

-- Defending Group AAA state and Eastern Region champion Kellam not only lost pitcher and All-Tidewater Player of the Year Stephanie Kemp and All-Tidewater catcher Tamra Griffin to graduation, but steady shortstop Kelsey Bruan as well. Bruan, the Knights’ cleanup hitter in 2007, has transferred to Grassfield. Kemp’s replacement is freshman Miranda Paul, sister of Magon Paul, an All-Tidewater pitcher in her Kellam days.

-- Great Bridge has made the Eastern Region tournament field each of the last 10 years and has a good shot at another visit. Senior pitcher Chelsea Henline, slick-fielding senior shortstop Kristen Cheesebrew and junior hitting stalwart Kaitlynn Szczepanski are three reasons why.

-- First Colonial should be in the thick of the Beach District race despite the graduation losses of first baseman Brittany Spencer and catcher Carole Reda. Coach Stephen Butler raves about junior pitcher Ariel Whitmire, who adroitly balances softball with a demanding course load and a job. She was also the Patriots’ cleanup hitter last year. Shortstop Liz Berry, first baseman Alex Gregoire and centerfielder Ciara Orrell are other proven talents.

-- If Kempsville can develop some offense to back the pitching of Ashleigh Roenker, opponents beware.

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