CURWENSVILLE – The 2007 Curwensville Lady Tide softball season was about as magical as it can possibly get. The Lady Tide, who went 25-2, won the school’s first ever team state title when they captured the PIAA Class A championship by beating Upper Dauphin 7-3 on June 15, 2007. A score and date that will forever live in the hearts of the Curwensville faithful.
Now the calendar has moved forward to March of 2008 and time to open another campaign as Head Coach Allen Leigey prepares the Lady Tide for next Tuesday’s (March 25) opener at home against Ridgway. It will be the first of twenty regular season contests and hopefully a springboard to the playoffs.
Coach Leigey understands that additional pressure comes with being the returning state champions, “We are very aware that we have a huge target on our backs. Each and every time we take the field our opponent will have a little extra incentive to knock us off our perch.” He then added, “We just are going to have to take it one game at time and not worry about the next game or the one next week. If we can maintain our focus we should be just fine. The squad is young, but we will be okay once we get some games under our belts.”
The Lady Tide’s biggest concern is replacing the entire infield. Graduation took seniors Ronna Knepp, 1B, (.341), Kristi Newpher, 2B, (.246), Dani Struble, SS, (.411) and Dana Johnson, C, (.397, 32 RBI’s). Returning junior and last years third baseman, Ashley Demchak (.328, 19 RBI‘s), has moved behind the plate this season thus leaving all infield spots bare from last year. The infield is a concern for Coach Leigey as he stated, “Several girls have game experience but we have moved a lot of them to the infield to fill holes due to graduation. That will be a concern for us, especially early on.”
The 2008 campaign will start with Sophomore Stacey Johnson at first base. Second base has two juniors vying for playing time in Morgan Peterman and Jenae Stiles. Stiles may miss the entire year however with recent surgery on her injured right knee that occurred during basketball season. Last year\’s starting right fielder, Shannon McDonald (.400, 24 RBI‘s), has moved to the infield were she will anchor shortstop. As mentioned, Demchak has moved from third base to catcher leaving a three-way battle for the starting spot at third between junior Jenessa Stiles, senior Lauren McKeown and Sara Clark, a sophomore.
Sophomore Tess Bloom (.388) will once again patrol center field for the Lady Tide. Erin Bressler, a junior has right field locked up while senior Samantha Haney (.357) and Clark look to roam left field.
Even with all the new moves Leigey feels very confident when talking about his defense, “Our defense is going to be better than what a lot of people think. I think we are real strong up the middle.”
Then there is the matter of pitching for Curwensville. Not a problem! Junior sensation Holly Lansberry (.372, 31 Runs) is back after a sizzling 2007 season. Lansberry struck out 247 while compiling a marvelous 23-2 record during the Tide’s run to the state championship. The Tide pitching machine posted an ERA of .046 while tossing 15 shutouts. Also seeing some mound time as needed will be Bressler, a lefty, and Johnson.
Coach Leigey sums it all up by echoing, “It is obvious that our pitching is our strength, but I am also very pleased with our catching and defense up the middle. We just need to get some girls who are new to a lot of positions some real game experience. Once that happens then I am sure we will be okay.”
As mentioned, Curwensville’s season opener is at home against Ridgway on March 25 at 4:15 pm. The Lady Tide beat the Lady Elkers in a doubleheader last year, 12-1 and 18-2.
NOTE: All referenced hitting statistics are through the 2007 regular season only.
ROSTER:
SENIORS: Samantha Haney (*), LF, Lauren McKeown, 3B/1B, Christina Rhine, OF.
JUNIORS: Erin Bressler, RF/P, Ashley Demchak (*), C, Holly Lansberry (*), P, Shannon McDonald (*), SS, Morgan Peterman, 2B, Jenae Stiles, 2B, Jenessa Stiles, 3B/SS.
SOPHOMORES: Tess Bloom (*), CF, Sara Clark, 3B/LF, Stacey Johnson, 1B.
FRESHMAN: Katie Wriglesworth, 1B/OF.
(*) – Denotes letter winner.
SCHEDULE:
MARCH – 25 – Ridgway, 27 – at Sheffield (4:15), 29 – at Brockway (11 am), 31 – Clearfield ( 4:00).
APRIL – 2 – at DuBois Central Catholic (4:00), 4 – West Branch, 10 – Elk County Catholic, 12 – at Johnsonburg (10 am), 14 – Harmony, 16 – Punxsutawney,
22 -St. Mary’s, 25 – at Moshannon Valley (4:30), 28 – Brookville, 30 – Johnsonburg.
MAY – 1 at Glendale (4:30), 6 – at Redbank Valley (4:15), 8- Brockway, 12 – DuBois Central Catholic, 14 – at Ridgway (4:15) , 15 – at Elk County Catholic (4:15)
NOTE: All home games other than Clearfield (3/31) to start at 4:15.