Lady Tide Softball Sets Sights On New Season; New District Class

CURWENSVILLE – With the first pitch of the 2013 High School softball season, the Curwensville Area High School squad will be viewing things in a slightly different light.  While the Golden Tide’s schedule will look very similar, the post-season will provide a more unfamiliar set of opponents.

Curwensville will make the move from Class A to Class AA,  if and when they find themselves in District IX and PIAA state playoff brackets.  The Lady Tide was forced to step up in class due to enrollment – where a total of three female students pushed the district over the limit.

“We are looking at the move as a huge opportunity,” said Tide head coach Allen Leigey.  “Our goal now is to be the first sports team in school history to earn a (Class) AA district title.  Not even the two State Championship teams can claim that.”

It may be important for the squad to embrace that goal as the 2013 season is the first since 2007 that hasn’t had a player with a gold medal on their shelf. 2012 grads Molly Demchak and Madi Peterman were the final holdouts of the 2009 Class A Title team.  The leadership from Demchak and Peterman along with fellow grads Hannah Bressler and Megan Barrett left holes to fill in the new campaign.

However, with five senior starters back from a year ago, the Black and Gold have to be considered among the top squads in the district.  Shortstop Cheyenne Pentz comes into the season with the best batting average returning.  Pentz belted out 30 hits in 2012 to post a .469 average for the season.  Taylor Goodman, the other middle infielder, hoisted a .422 mark with three home runs among 27 hits.  Catcher Tiffany Carter and center fielder Sarah Wriglesworth both finished with .407 averages – Carter on 22 hits with two long balls; Wriglesworth had three triples among her 22 knocks.  Left fielder Abby Johnson will look to improve her .380 average from a year ago which included 19 hits and a homer.

“There’s no doubt that the senior bats will make the train run this season,” said Leigey.  They are the backbone of our offense.  (Tierra) Shope will give us what she can in the circle, but we have to be an offensive squad to be successful.”

Shope, a junior,  has been in the circle for the Tide since her freshman year and is 26-12 in two seasons.  She has 185 strikeouts in 229 innings while giving up 148 runs on 142 hits.  Perhaps Shope’s most impressive stat is the 3.12 ERA for her career that has helped keep her team in most games.

“We are in better position in the circle than we have been in previous years,” Leigey mentioned. “Tierra has done a great job for us the past two season, but the bullpen is strong as well with Nikki Harker, Jazmin Soult and Riley Young all ready to step in if needed.”

The real question mark for Curwensville will take the form of the replacement players.  The vacancy of the graduating seniors will be filled by relatively untested defensive players.  Harker, a sophomore,  did see limited action at first base and batted 17 times with a .176 mark last season.  Junior third baseman Abby Dugo was featured mostly as a pinch runner with two stolen bases in 2012, however in her two plate appearances, she slapped out two hits.  The final two positions are still being contested, as senior Tricia Laird and sophomore Alaina Stiles are jousting for the right field and designated player spots.

“Anything less than a district title is a bum season,” Leigey mentioned laying down the challenge to his squad. “There are seven AA teams in the district and last year we beat teams that had beaten all of them except Cranberry.  I told the girls that step one is to first make us eligible in the regular season.  Once you get to the playoffs, all things are possible.”

Kane and Redbank Valley are the only D-IX Class AA teams the Tide faces in the regular season.  Other teams on the horizon include Brookville, Karns City, Moniteau and Cranberry.  Cranberry, who defeated Karns City in last year’s title match,  is the defending district champ.  Other factors to consider for Curwensville in the post season include the fact that there is no automatic bid into the PIAA Playoffs to the winning team.  The D-IX champ must play the District 8 Champ in a play-in scrap.  Last season District 8 did not send a representative to this game and forfeited the spot to Cranberry.

“In the Moshannon Valley League, I see West Branch as our stiffest competition,” mentioned Leigey.  “And in the middle of the season we have a tough game with Class AAA Punxsutawney – on the road – which is always a good gauge of our competitiveness.”

The competition for Curwensville is scheduled to get started on Monday as Johnsonburg invades Riverside Stadium.  Unfortunately, as most early seasons tend to face, Mother Nature may be the true winner on opening day.

ROSTER

Seniors

Tiffany Carter c, Taylor Goodman 2b, Abby Johnson of, Tricia Laird of, Emily McGarry if, Cheyenne Pentz ss, Sarah Wriglesworth of.

Juniors

Bethany Carns if, Abby Dugo 3b, Melanie Milliron of, Tierra Shope p, Kealy Wassil 1b.

Sophomores

Nikki Harker 1b/p, Megan McCartney if, Jazmin Soult of/p, Alaina Stiles of/c.

SCHEDULE