Any Liberty Hill......

[NastySlot]

posters make the Liberty Hill/Fredericksburg softball game today?

[solocam]

Nope,not me

[NastySlot]

I was wondering if any of LH posters had daughters that played...that's a pretty solid team.

[LH Panther Mom]

I'm not aware of any, but I could be wrong. I haven't seen them yet this year, but they should be pretty solid. Only two seniors last year from the Quarterfinalist team, one that's playing at Temple. Two of this years' seniors have signed - one with Garden State (I believe) and the other with Texarkana.

[NastySlot]

Originally posted by LH Panther Mom
I'm not aware of any, but I could be wrong. I haven't seen them yet this year, but they should be pretty solid. Only two seniors last year from the Quarterfinalist team, one that's playing at Temple. Two of this years' seniors have signed - one with Garden State (I believe) and the other with Texarkana.

Coach Hankins and her staff do a great job....and they will get even strong with the group of eighth graders they have.....hopefully Fred/LH will become a good little rivalry....not a hate one but one of respect...speaking with some of the fred coaches and players they have a lot respect for the LH program.

[LH Panther Mom]

Originally posted by NastySlot
Coach Hankins and her staff do a great job....and they will get even strong with the group of eighth graders they have.....hopefully Fred/LH will become a good little rivalry....not a hate one but one of respect...speaking with some of the fred coaches and players they have a lot respect for the LH program.
I'm sure it will become a good one! I'm certainly looking forward to watching the Billies in several sports the next couple of years. Unfortunately I don't get to make as many games as I'd like, but do try to catch all the teams at least a couple of times.


How did the game turn out?

[NastySlot]

Originally posted by LH Panther Mom
I'm sure it will become a good one! I'm certainly looking forward to watching the Billies in several sports the next couple of years. Unfortunately I don't get to make as many games as I'd like, but do try to catch all the teams at least a couple of times.


How did the game turn out?

The Billies won 6-4.......held off the Panthers in the top of the seventh.....down 6-1 a bases clearing double brought home three Panthers....the batter was tagged out when she rounded second too far....a fly ball to center and strike out ended it.

[K-MAC Chuck]

Originally posted by NastySlot
Coach Hankins and her staff do a great job....and they will get even strong with the group of eighth graders they have....


Just like girls' BB coach John Avritt, softball coach Charice Hankins is sitting on a GOLD MINE with the 7th & 8th graders coming up through the program!

And, just in time, too, with the newly-aligned District 8-3A..but wow, the potential is out of this world..

This year's team is still struggling to gain an identity. More to follow..

[K-MAC Chuck]

Despite missing some players, 2008 still shapes up as good year for LHHS softball

By Chuck Licata
Independent Sports

Liberty Hill High School softball coach Charice Hankins certainly had a lot of reason to be excited about the 2008 softball season.
Her 2007 squad made it all the way to the regional finals – the furthest of any LHHS team in the history of the program.
However, in using a baseball term, Hankins was “thrown a curve ball” when a couple members of the ‘07 squad decided to hang up the cleats this year.
No worries, though – Hankins has enough returnees, as well as some new faces, to continue the winning tradition of the program.
And Hankins – who was named the LHHS women’s athletic coordinator last July – expects this year’s edition of the Lady Panthers to return to the regional round of the UIL playoffs.
“Our expectations are extremely high,” a smiling Hankins said Tuesday afternoon in the girls’ coaches office at LHHS. “I hope to make it back to where we were last year. If we get that far (regional quarterfinals), this would be a different group and they'll take a different path to getting there, but I'm confident they can do it.
“I really do expect to win the district title – I think the coaches and girls will be disappointed if we don’t). Then we’ll make our way through the playoffs and get to (the level) where we got to last season, at least.”
The one non-returning senior Hankins and the Lady Panthers didn’t look forward to replacing was former All-District pitcher/first baseman Ashley Steinbach, who now pitches for Temple Junior College. Steinbach was the main pitcher for last year’s squad and she was a force offensively as well.
This year the Lady Panthers have thrown three pitchers out on the mound to handle throwing duties.
First and foremost, junior lefty Katelyn Zurovec. “She’s our number one pitcher and she’s working hard,” Hankins revealed. “She hits the ball hard, too; she had a grand slam in last weekend’s tournament (in Killeen). She’s a little affected by stepping in for Ashley Steinbach; but she showed signs last weekend of starting to get over (that pressure).”
“Z,” as she’s known, very well fits into the Steinbach mold. The only thing holding her back from the same level of success may be her own self-confidence; once she feels comfortable and becomes confident in her ability to get hitters out, she’ll be just as effective. And, she’s got two years (this year and next) to get to that level of success.
Sophomore Siera Sproul is the team’s #2 pitcher as well as the Lady Panthers’ best shortstop. “Siera doesn’t play like a sophomore,” Hankins commented. “She adjusted to playing shortstop last season (she was a center fielder before being moved to short). She’s got such a strong arm she’s doing very well as a pitcher.”
Blair Stalder – a senior headed to Garden City, KS next season – is “another great team leader who works very hard and sets great work ethic example,” according to Hankins. “Blair is great to have on the team; she sets a great example and doesn't complain about playing center field or (her natural position of) second base.”
Behind the plate, senior Lindsey Cantrell makes the calls on defense – appropriately, the spunky catcher was named 18-3A Defender of the Year in basketball. “Lindsey’s a great team leader,” Hankins said. “She’s great in giving the pitchers confidence and has a lot of power in her bat.”
Elissa “Scoop” Remmert holds down dual roles this season. The stellar third baseman from last year’s squad also puts on a first-baseman’s glove this season. “She's being a great team player, handling double duty this season,” Hankins stated.
Moving to the outfield, seniors Hannah Carson and Kelsy Parks can be found pairing up, just as they did for the LHHS basketball team. “Hannah brings a lot of speed to outfield and her hitting is really coming around,” Hankins explained. “Kelsy Parks will be used in the outfield as well as a pinch/designated runner. She did very well in the recent Killeen tournament. Kelsy is very fast, we hope to utilize her speed all over the diamond. She also brings a good athletic "attitude" to the team – she’s a ‘gamer’ and rubs off on her teammates.”
Rounding out the ’08 edition are four newcomers to the varsity - sophomores Tori Kercheville (who plays third) and Chelsea Leath (left field); junior Morgan Buchanan (right field); and, freshman Bailey Potts (infield/DH). “The girls are still learning to play at varsity level,” Hankins said. “Her teammates and the coaching staff are trying to create a positive atmosphere so they (the freshmen) feel confident. They each bring their own special talents and all of them fit on this squad. We’re just trying to get them some confidence in their play.”
They’ll get plenty of playing time – depending on who the pitcher is that day. Hankins, who’s used to having “one player at one position, period,” is using different defensive lineups when Zurovec, Sproul and Stalder toe the rubber.
For Zurovec, one will find Remmert at first, Kercheville at third and Sproul at short. The “wildcard” factor in this case is Stalder, who will play center field against the better-hitting teams (like Giddings). Otherwise, the LHHS senior leader will hold her own at second base.
When the spry, spunky Sproul is on the mound, Remmert will play third, Zurovec will man first base and Potts can be found at short.
“I’ll be honest,” Hankins started, “the kids weren’t really up for the idea of playing different positions when we started the season. Just like me, they’d rather play one position. But the kids have seen it work (so) now they understand the ‘need’ to do things that way.”
Any way they do it, the Lady Panthers can be counted on to contend for the District 18-3A title this season. Should the offense find its stride and the pitching become a staple, there’s little doubt the team has the potential to reach Hankins’ goal of another trip to the regional quarterfinals.

[NastySlot]

Originally posted by K-MAC Chuck
Just like girls' BB coach John Avritt, softball coach Charice Hankins is sitting on a GOLD MINE with the 7th & 8th graders coming up through the program!

And, just in time, too, with the newly-aligned District 8-3A..but wow, the potential is out of this world..

This year's team is still struggling to gain an identity. More to follow..




your so right about basketball.....7th and 8th grade might good...but i saw that freshman team play and in all my years of watching and a little coaching of girls basketball that was the most impressive team I have seen...they were so fundamentally sound team and play great together.