The Fastpitch Chronicle

Sun Prairie

Division 1 – Enrollment this school year is 2447 – Sectional 3 at Verona
Defending State Division 1 Champion
Conference – Big 8 (Madison La Follette, Madison East, Madison West, Madison Memorial, Middleton, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Beloit Memorial)
Head Coach: Jamie Olson – 8th Year (141-42) 4 Conference Titles, 4 Regional Titles, 4 Sectional Titles, 4 State Tourney trips, 2 Final Four Appearances
Assistant Coaches: Eliza Zwettler, Ellyn Will
Head Coach Jamie Olson returns an all-state junior pitcher in Maddie Gardner so that gives her the #1 ranking immediately. She also returns all-state outfielder Sabrina Reuter who batted .420 last season from the left side of the plate, with 4 doubles,1 triple and 20 rbi. Also returning are seniors Leah Hamilton (.380), Zoey Meyers (.357),Sydney Spatola (212 along with juniors Kierra Steffes, Haley Johnson, and sophs Bailey Hadley, Sierra Eck and Grace Radlund. When thinking about her club before the season got underway Olson said that her team’s strengths will lie in Gardner and in some big hitters and team quickness. “I believe the Big 8 will be up for grabs this season,” she said. “

Janesville Craig

Division 1 – Enrollment this school year is 1634 – Sectional 5 Final at Badger
Conference – Big 8 (Sun Prairie, Beloit Memorial, Madison La Follette, Madison East, Madison West, Madison Memorial, Middleton, Janesville Parker)
Head Coach – Kristen Worm – 1st Year – 21st year in coaching, last 17 as Craig JV coach
Assistants: Melissa Ander4son,. Lauren Meredith, Shane Lilly, Amanda Kortte
First Year head coach Kristen Worm is np stranger to coaching softball or Janesville Craig as she has been at Craig for 17 years at the JV level. She welcomed returning All-Conference Players Abby Humphrey a second team infielder, infie3lder Paige Peloquin and infielder Amanda Carlson and will be looking for leadership out of those girls. Peloquin is a MATC commit. She believes her team’s strengths will be experience as Craig returns nine seniors and 13 players with varsity experience. She sees Sun Prairie and Verona as the conference favorites. Craig must break in a new catcher to get this rolling.

Elkhorn Area

Division 1 – Enrollment this school year is 954 – Sectional 5 with Final at Badger
Conference – Southern Lakes
Head Coach – Steve Remington – 4th Year (38-36) – 1 regional championship
Assistant Coaches: Tom Trewyn, Matt Barker and Morgan Rudolf
Head Coach Steve Remington returns Haley Remington, Izzy Regner and Ryley Rand to the Elks in 2019. He sees Westosha Central and Wimot as the strength in the conference and sectional.

LaCrosse Central

Division 1 – Enrollment this school year is 1075 – Sectional 3 at Verona
Conference -  Mississippi Valley
Head Coach – Nahmie George – 2nd Year -1 Regional title
Assistants: Mike Regner, Jim Hansen and Josh Buxton
Central Head Coach Nahmie George returns just one all-conference pick from a year ago in catcher Beth Meyers who was also named an all-district selection. Others to watch this season are Madison Trussoni and Whitney Misliviecek. She sees her strengths as having an experienced coaching staff along with team speed, good defense and team cohesiveness. They need to work on two key elements of the game – hitting and pitching.

Homestead

Division 1 – Enrollment this school year is 1324- Sectional 7 at Germantown
Conference – North Shore
Head Coach – Debbie Segebrecht – 3rd Year (21-26) - (2 regional titles)
Assistant Coaches: Lorin Kelly
Homestead returns Bernie Moyer and Catherine Seiberlich as all-conference players. Moyer was also named all-district in 2018. Other players to watch include catcher Allison Konya, and some younger players. Her team’s strengths are based on their off-season work as well as great leadership with seven returning players. “We are young and hungry,” she said.