CHS_Grad '85
06-03-2004, 10:52 AM
Tourney is something special
There’s just something about the state softball tournament that makes it so special.
Maybe it’s the rapid growth of the sport as we embark on the 12th one this weekend in Austin. I doubt if any other sport has blossomed so much, so fast.
Who could forget those first few seasons when the tournament was played at the Pleasant Valley Sports Complex amid those apartment complexes. It was a great facility for beer leagues, but hardly a place to hand out gold medals to 15-year-olds.
Fans had to bring a lawn chair to make sure they had a seat, and the media were entitled to the choice picnic tables on the complex’s roof. It wasn’t press row, it was crow’s row.
They finally tore down that complex to make room for more apartments, but the memories remain. The green-clad Brenham fans celebrated a state championship in 1996. The school that had six baseball crowns, wasted no time in showing it would be good on the softball diamond.
There was Bryan’s gut-wrenching loss to San Marcos, also in 1996. The vivid picture remains of a sobbing Briggs twin — either Denise or Monica — being held up by coach Janice Williamson.
Bryan would return to Austin three more times, but to snazzy Red McCombs Field, home of the University of Texas softball team. The Lady Vikings would win state and finish as runners-up twice.
The tournament has grown from one classification and about 100 schools to five classifications and more than 800 schools in a dozen years.
Softball is booming. The spillover from summer traveling teams has been good for visibility. More and more colleges have added softball programs to help balance scholarships between males and females as required by Title IX.
The trickle-down effect has been a boost for high school softball. Everyone wants to get to Austin. Towns go bonkers over their girls, more so than in basketball and volleyball. Maybe it’s the time of year with school out and everyone glad to get out of the office. Maybe it’s because the sport is so fast-paced. Or maybe it’s because the fathers have coached their daughters.
And don’t forget the players. Girls who play softball are colorful and quotable. They cry when they win. They cry when they lose. They douse the coach when they win a big game. They act like it’s a big sleepover. They wear their emotions on their sleeves, unlike say baseball players, who have to be cool.
It adds up to a special weekend like this one where three of our communities — Burton, Franklin and Caldwell — will make their maiden state tournament appearance.
Burton has lived in the shadow of Brenham, but that little Class A town loves its diamond sports as well. Franklin, well, Franklin is just a sports town. They’ve had a great renaissance this year in just about every sport. Caldwell, which has become a volleyball hotbed, has had some pretty good men’s fastpitch teams over the years, and you know they are proud of this team.
Caldwell players and fans celebrated for about 10 minutes after beating Splendora in the regional semifinals. Then the game with Troy drew 883 fans. Franklin faithful reveled in a 4-3 victory over Elysian Fields in the regional finals, after scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Win or lose, it’s been a banner year for softball in the Brazos Valley. That’s another thing about state softball, the finality of it. With no baseball teams left in the chase, this is it for the school year for everyone.
What a way to end it, at the state softball tournament. Thanks ladies, and good luck.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• Robert Cessna is the executive sports editor of The Bryan-College Station Eagle. His e-mail address is rcessna@theeagle.com.
Class 3A
Caldwell Lady Hornets, 29-2-1
District: 18-3A champs.
Playoff wins: Huntington, 1-0; China Spring, 15-1 (5); Splendora, 1-0; Troy, 2-0.
State ranking: No. 3.
Coach: Wendy Weiss
Caldwell starting lineup: CF Kelsey Spittler, fr., .423 BA, 19 RS, 6 2Bs, 4 3Bs, 22 RBIs, 10 SBs; 2B Amber Knesek, sr., .273 BA, 22 RS, 5 2Bs, 3 3Bs, 12 RBIs; RF Courtney Spittler, sr., .404 BA, 30 RS, 6 2Bs, 4 3Bs, 20 RBIs, 18 SBs; C Candi Witte, sr., .226 BA, 6 2Bs, 12 RBIs; P Brandi Crnkovic, jr., 29-2-1, 0.63 ERA, 342 strikeouts & .268 BA, 7 2Bs, 16 RBIs; SS Ashly McAlliser, jr., .253 BA, 20 RS, 7 RBIs, 12 SBs; 3B Coti Witte, sr., .215 BA, 9 RBIs; LF Tiffany Strange, sr. .178 BA, 6 RBIs; DP Krystal Sanchez, jr., .286 BA; 1B Lacey Williams, jr. .222 BA, 8 RBIs.
Wharton Lady Tigers, 24-7
District: 28-3A champs.
Playoff wins: La Vernia, 3-0; Marion, 5-1; Devine, 2-1 (10); Yoakum, 1-0.
State ranking: unranked.
State tournament history: lost to Kennedale in the semifinals last year, 3-0.
Key players: P Casey Matzke; 3B Staci Paul; SS Jami Lobpries; CF Hayley Miller; C Tracy Mueck; 1B Melanie Carlson; DP Chari Jackson; RF Leslie Castro; 2B Daverie Brewer, fr.
Monahans Lady Loboes, 31-6
District: 4-3A co-champs with Midland Greenwood.
Playoff wins: Canyon, 5-0; Pecos, 11-1 (5); Iowa Park, 3-1; Snyder, 3-0, 2-3 (10), 8-2.
State ranking: unranked.
State tournament history: first trip.
Coach: Amy Wilson.
Key players: 3B Emily Speed, sr.; P Raquel Hawkins; Lupe Navarrette; P Nicole Dickson, sr., 15-2; C Dina Ortiz;
Et cetera: It’s been a big year. The Lady Loboe volleyball team lost to Wimberley in the state title game and the golf team was the state runner-up to Yoakum
Lindale Lady Eagles, 20-4-2
District: 11-3A champs.
Playoff wins: Pottsboro, 7-1; Pilot Point, 3-0; Forney, 2-0; Van, 2-1.
State ranking: No. 8.
State tournament history: this is Lindale’s third straight trip to Austin. Splendora beat Lindale for the 2002 crown, 1-0; then last year Kirbyville beat Lindale in the semifinals, 5-4.
Coach: Michelle Smith.
Et cetera: The Lady Eagles are led by pitcher Randi Warren, sr. Other starters are C Kylie Packard, fr.; 1B Morgan Bond, fr.; 2B Kayla Parker, jr.; SS Jordan Pruitt, soph.; 3B Courtney Crowell, sr.; RF Hali Boyette; CF Kim Malone, sr.; LF Blair Camp and DP Misty Cosby.
Game Times
Tickets:
STUDENT- $5 per session
ADULT - $10 per session
ALL SESSION TICKET - $80
Thursday, June 3
1A SEMIFINALS
8:30a.m. Windthorst (17-3) vs. McLeod (25-7)
11a.m. Elkhart Slocum (23-5-1) vs. Burton (22-8)
2A SEMIFINALS
2p.m. Aubrey (22-3) vs. Clyde Eula (23-4-1)
4:30p.m. Franklin (29-1) vs. Danbury (24-5)
3A SEMIFINAL
7:30p.m. Caldwell (29-2-1) vs. Wharton (24-7)
Friday, June 4
3A SEMIFINAL
8:30a.m. Monahans (31-6) vs. Lindale (20-4-2)
4A SEMIFINALS
11:30a.m. Port Neches-Groves (26-4) vs. Nacogdoches (20-7)
2p.m. Crowley (25-6) vs. New Braunfels (26-10)
5A SEMIFINAL
5p.m. San Antonio Marshall (33-2) vs. Tomball (30-2)
8p.m. Fort Bend Elkins (37-0) vs. Fort Worth Paschal (27-5)
Saturday, June 5
8a.m. Conference 1A Final
11a.m. Conference 2A Final
2p.m. Conference 3A Final
5p.m. Conference 4A Final
8p.m. Conference 5A Final
There’s just something about the state softball tournament that makes it so special.
Maybe it’s the rapid growth of the sport as we embark on the 12th one this weekend in Austin. I doubt if any other sport has blossomed so much, so fast.
Who could forget those first few seasons when the tournament was played at the Pleasant Valley Sports Complex amid those apartment complexes. It was a great facility for beer leagues, but hardly a place to hand out gold medals to 15-year-olds.
Fans had to bring a lawn chair to make sure they had a seat, and the media were entitled to the choice picnic tables on the complex’s roof. It wasn’t press row, it was crow’s row.
They finally tore down that complex to make room for more apartments, but the memories remain. The green-clad Brenham fans celebrated a state championship in 1996. The school that had six baseball crowns, wasted no time in showing it would be good on the softball diamond.
There was Bryan’s gut-wrenching loss to San Marcos, also in 1996. The vivid picture remains of a sobbing Briggs twin — either Denise or Monica — being held up by coach Janice Williamson.
Bryan would return to Austin three more times, but to snazzy Red McCombs Field, home of the University of Texas softball team. The Lady Vikings would win state and finish as runners-up twice.
The tournament has grown from one classification and about 100 schools to five classifications and more than 800 schools in a dozen years.
Softball is booming. The spillover from summer traveling teams has been good for visibility. More and more colleges have added softball programs to help balance scholarships between males and females as required by Title IX.
The trickle-down effect has been a boost for high school softball. Everyone wants to get to Austin. Towns go bonkers over their girls, more so than in basketball and volleyball. Maybe it’s the time of year with school out and everyone glad to get out of the office. Maybe it’s because the sport is so fast-paced. Or maybe it’s because the fathers have coached their daughters.
And don’t forget the players. Girls who play softball are colorful and quotable. They cry when they win. They cry when they lose. They douse the coach when they win a big game. They act like it’s a big sleepover. They wear their emotions on their sleeves, unlike say baseball players, who have to be cool.
It adds up to a special weekend like this one where three of our communities — Burton, Franklin and Caldwell — will make their maiden state tournament appearance.
Burton has lived in the shadow of Brenham, but that little Class A town loves its diamond sports as well. Franklin, well, Franklin is just a sports town. They’ve had a great renaissance this year in just about every sport. Caldwell, which has become a volleyball hotbed, has had some pretty good men’s fastpitch teams over the years, and you know they are proud of this team.
Caldwell players and fans celebrated for about 10 minutes after beating Splendora in the regional semifinals. Then the game with Troy drew 883 fans. Franklin faithful reveled in a 4-3 victory over Elysian Fields in the regional finals, after scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Win or lose, it’s been a banner year for softball in the Brazos Valley. That’s another thing about state softball, the finality of it. With no baseball teams left in the chase, this is it for the school year for everyone.
What a way to end it, at the state softball tournament. Thanks ladies, and good luck.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• Robert Cessna is the executive sports editor of The Bryan-College Station Eagle. His e-mail address is rcessna@theeagle.com.
Class 3A
Caldwell Lady Hornets, 29-2-1
District: 18-3A champs.
Playoff wins: Huntington, 1-0; China Spring, 15-1 (5); Splendora, 1-0; Troy, 2-0.
State ranking: No. 3.
Coach: Wendy Weiss
Caldwell starting lineup: CF Kelsey Spittler, fr., .423 BA, 19 RS, 6 2Bs, 4 3Bs, 22 RBIs, 10 SBs; 2B Amber Knesek, sr., .273 BA, 22 RS, 5 2Bs, 3 3Bs, 12 RBIs; RF Courtney Spittler, sr., .404 BA, 30 RS, 6 2Bs, 4 3Bs, 20 RBIs, 18 SBs; C Candi Witte, sr., .226 BA, 6 2Bs, 12 RBIs; P Brandi Crnkovic, jr., 29-2-1, 0.63 ERA, 342 strikeouts & .268 BA, 7 2Bs, 16 RBIs; SS Ashly McAlliser, jr., .253 BA, 20 RS, 7 RBIs, 12 SBs; 3B Coti Witte, sr., .215 BA, 9 RBIs; LF Tiffany Strange, sr. .178 BA, 6 RBIs; DP Krystal Sanchez, jr., .286 BA; 1B Lacey Williams, jr. .222 BA, 8 RBIs.
Wharton Lady Tigers, 24-7
District: 28-3A champs.
Playoff wins: La Vernia, 3-0; Marion, 5-1; Devine, 2-1 (10); Yoakum, 1-0.
State ranking: unranked.
State tournament history: lost to Kennedale in the semifinals last year, 3-0.
Key players: P Casey Matzke; 3B Staci Paul; SS Jami Lobpries; CF Hayley Miller; C Tracy Mueck; 1B Melanie Carlson; DP Chari Jackson; RF Leslie Castro; 2B Daverie Brewer, fr.
Monahans Lady Loboes, 31-6
District: 4-3A co-champs with Midland Greenwood.
Playoff wins: Canyon, 5-0; Pecos, 11-1 (5); Iowa Park, 3-1; Snyder, 3-0, 2-3 (10), 8-2.
State ranking: unranked.
State tournament history: first trip.
Coach: Amy Wilson.
Key players: 3B Emily Speed, sr.; P Raquel Hawkins; Lupe Navarrette; P Nicole Dickson, sr., 15-2; C Dina Ortiz;
Et cetera: It’s been a big year. The Lady Loboe volleyball team lost to Wimberley in the state title game and the golf team was the state runner-up to Yoakum
Lindale Lady Eagles, 20-4-2
District: 11-3A champs.
Playoff wins: Pottsboro, 7-1; Pilot Point, 3-0; Forney, 2-0; Van, 2-1.
State ranking: No. 8.
State tournament history: this is Lindale’s third straight trip to Austin. Splendora beat Lindale for the 2002 crown, 1-0; then last year Kirbyville beat Lindale in the semifinals, 5-4.
Coach: Michelle Smith.
Et cetera: The Lady Eagles are led by pitcher Randi Warren, sr. Other starters are C Kylie Packard, fr.; 1B Morgan Bond, fr.; 2B Kayla Parker, jr.; SS Jordan Pruitt, soph.; 3B Courtney Crowell, sr.; RF Hali Boyette; CF Kim Malone, sr.; LF Blair Camp and DP Misty Cosby.
Game Times
Tickets:
STUDENT- $5 per session
ADULT - $10 per session
ALL SESSION TICKET - $80
Thursday, June 3
1A SEMIFINALS
8:30a.m. Windthorst (17-3) vs. McLeod (25-7)
11a.m. Elkhart Slocum (23-5-1) vs. Burton (22-8)
2A SEMIFINALS
2p.m. Aubrey (22-3) vs. Clyde Eula (23-4-1)
4:30p.m. Franklin (29-1) vs. Danbury (24-5)
3A SEMIFINAL
7:30p.m. Caldwell (29-2-1) vs. Wharton (24-7)
Friday, June 4
3A SEMIFINAL
8:30a.m. Monahans (31-6) vs. Lindale (20-4-2)
4A SEMIFINALS
11:30a.m. Port Neches-Groves (26-4) vs. Nacogdoches (20-7)
2p.m. Crowley (25-6) vs. New Braunfels (26-10)
5A SEMIFINAL
5p.m. San Antonio Marshall (33-2) vs. Tomball (30-2)
8p.m. Fort Bend Elkins (37-0) vs. Fort Worth Paschal (27-5)
Saturday, June 5
8a.m. Conference 1A Final
11a.m. Conference 2A Final
2p.m. Conference 3A Final
5p.m. Conference 4A Final
8p.m. Conference 5A Final