Waterford Wolverines
Head Coach: Ellen Blair (6?)
Key Players Lost: Megan Jensen, Sara Terrian, Alyssa Helwig, Kelly Strasser, Abby Zortman
Key Returning Players: Maddie Szalewski, Alyssa Schimefeyng, Jenna Bouffiou, Haylie Ellie, Caitlyn Whitford
Strengths: Pitching- Maddie Szalewski returns to the circle and will be counted on to be the face of a re stocked defense. Szalewski is a tough lefty who moves the ball tremendously well.
Weaknesses: The Wolverines always seem to find hitters but they will be tasked with replacing both the core of their lineup as well as the bulk of it top to bottom. Waterford will also need to find defensive replacements at some key positions. The loss of Megan Jensen at SS and Sara Terrian behind the dish will leave big holes but Waterford always finds a way to reload so if they can do that yet again they will be extremely tough to beat.
Burlington Demons
Gary Caliva 3rd year at BHS 5th overall
Overall record at BHS 14 - 26
Key players lost Riley Hornicle, Jamie Kisting
Key Players returning Adriana Burd, Randee Jackson, Talyn Lewis Chyanne Onstad, Danielle Koenen
New comers Lauren Hockman, Jordynn Lois, Sadie Tenhagen, Courtenay Krusemark, Kira Allen
Strengths Pitching and defense
Weaknesses Will be young this year with 3 seniors 5 Juniors 3 sophomores and 1 freshman
I think we will have at least 6 starters in new positions this year. Our success will depend on how fast we come together as a team.
I will pass on conference rankings, however, the teams to beat will be Westosha, Union Grove, Waterford and Wilmot.
Wilmot Panthers
Head Coach: Pat Dopke (2nd season, 14-9 in 2013 and overall)
Player Lost: C Taylor Kontaxis, 2B Ashley Webster
Key Returning Players: IF Kerrigan Patterson (Sr.), P/IF Lauren Orszula (Jr.), P/IF Justine Schattner (Jr.), IF/C Hannah Grossi (So.), OF/C Alyssa Horn (So.), OF Sam Schloegl (So.), OF Kiana Vazquez (So.), IF Sawyer Wightman (So.)
The Panthers return eight players that saw significant playing time in 2013 and will rely on that experience and their growth to make a run at an SLC title in 2014. Pitching duties will again fall on third-year starters Orszula and Schattner, though they will be working with new battery mates in Horn and Grossi. Patterson, a fourth-year starter and the lone player remaining from the 2011 state runner-up team, will be looked upon to be a leader after finishing 2013 strong. The five returning sophomores will be looked upon to make significant contributions as well.
Conference outlook: Westosha Central, Union Grove, and Wilmot should contend for the title. The next tier has Waterford and the emerging teams in Burlington and Delavan-Darien. Elkhorn and Badger round out the league.
Delevan Darian
Head Coach: Hank Johnson (28-38 overall and this is my fourth year)
Players Lost: Morgan Benzing, Shelbie Greidanus, Sam Hoyord.
Key Returning Players: Jennah Speth, Amber Reed, Brooke Boss, Katelyn Gonzalez, Emily Moyer, Cindy Crawford
Strengths: Pitching, our defense, and playoff experience with our young players.
Weaknesses: Experience overall in our conference we only have five upperclassman in the program.
Westosha Central Falcons
Coaches: Konnie and Tom Lampe
Years: 4th Year at CHS
Varsity Record: 63-12
Players Lost: Sarah Fonk, Brittney Blazich, and Maggie McMullin
Key Returners: Taylor Bergles, Liz Fonk, Larkin Langston, Hailey Jester, Haley Spoerl, Kayla Konwent
Possible Newcomers: Alyssa Hrncar, Olivia Klean, Kira Mickelson
We have a unique mix of veteran leadership and youth in key positions. Obviously we have to replace Sarah Fonk in the circle and that will be big shoes to fill. Haley Spoerl, Alyssa Hrncar and Olivia Klean figure to fill the role. We also have to find replacements for lead-off hitter Brittney Blazich, DP-Maggie McMullin, and Sarah (clean-up). Fortunately we have plenty of candidate to pick up the offense; beginning with Kayla Konwent. With 7 position players returning, the defense should be okay and we still possess a pretty good offensive line-up. The key for us will be how quickly we gel. In terms of the Southern Lakes, I think this is the most wide-open race I've seen in years. Upwards of six teams could vie for the title. It should be quite a battle...if we ever get outside.
Elkhorn Elks
Coach's Name: Jacob Schueller
# Years at helm and overall: This will be my 2nd year as head coach.
Overall Record if Possible: 1-13 conference, 4-1 non-conference
Key Players Lost to Graduation: none
Key Players Returning: Meghan Etten - Jun Shortstop, Morgan Rudolph - Soph Catcher/IF, Megan Brunner - Jun 1B
Newcomers for 2014: Haley Wang - Soph IF/OF, Jasmine Bogart-Falbo - Jun OF/P, Carolyn Griswold - Soph P/IF
A brief overview of your teams strengths and/or weaknesses and keys to success for the season
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Strengths
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Weaknesses
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Keys to success
Potential Ranking - Best case I see us as 5th this year. Worst case we're last. Our goals are to steal a win or two from the big four and sweep Delevan and Badger.
Lake Geneva Badger
Coach’s Name – Emily Stepek - First Year
Assistant Coach - Duane Collins
This is my first year as the Head coach of the Lake Geneva Badger Badgers Softball program. I came from Brodhead High School where I was the Asst. Varsity Coach and prior to that I was an Asst. JV coach at Whitewater High School.
I understand that the Badger program graduated three 4 year letter winners, in any program that is a big loss of talent. We do have three returning letter winners which will serve as the backbone of this year’s team. We have a fair number of players returning from last year’s JV and Freshman teams, and all indications that this year’s freshman players have the potential to make positive impact on the program.
Since this is my first year at Badger and also my first year associated with the Southern Lakes Conference I have no preconceived notions about the level of completion we will face. I do know that with the staff I have been able to assemble we will have the girls ready to be competitive at all three levels of high school softball.
I am eagerly awaiting for the big THAW so we can get this season underway, I and my Staff are very excited and I know that the players that I have talked to are equally as excited to get underway.
Union Grove Broncos
Coach's Name: Ryan Boylen
# Years at helm and overall: Will be 7 at Varsity and 8 overall
Overall Record if Possible: Varsity record (127-31)
Key Players Lost to Graduation: Annie McClelland 1st Tm All-State C, Brooke Repta 2nd Tm All-Conference 3b, Sarah Petrovic 2nd Tm All-Conference OF
|Key Players Returning: Cassidy Kortendick 2nd Tm All-Conference Inf, Emily DeCheck 2nd Tm All-Conference 2012, Claire Ryan HM All-Conference, Allie Trudeau and Alyssa McClelland split much of the time in the circle as freshman.
Possible Newcomers for 2014: Cailan Scanlon OF (2015), Brittney Moore P/U (2016), Kelley Becker Inf (2016), Brooklyn Ottelien P/U (2017), Kalista Hribar C (2017),
A brief overview of your teams strengths and/or weaknesses and keys to success for the season
- Strengths
- We are very deep. We do not have the top end talent that we've grown accustomed to, however, we will have to leave some girls off our team that could just as easily start for us.
- Pitching is also an area of strength for us. We will have 5 pitchers competing for the ball with all 5 being accomplished pitchers. Whoever wins this position will likely be a bonafide ace and even then we will be able to switch things up if needed.
- Offensively we are blessed with a great blend of contact and power hitters which has to potential to be potent.
- Weaknesses
- Leadership and maturity. We have two Seniors and only 4 returning Juniors so we do not have much experience and maturity. We will need to grow up fast to compete for a conference title in an extremely tough SLC.
- Team speed. We are not blazing on the basepaths and will sacrifice some range in the field. We are not built to be a team to small ball anyone to death.
- Toughness. We struggled last season with achieving under pressure and looked to find excuses for why not rather than finding all the reasons why we could. If we can get mentally tougher we will be a formidable opponent for anyone and we expect that will come with age and experience.
- Keys to success
- We will need our young players to take a step forward and own their roles. Last year we had a lot of talent with a lot of girls hoping someone else would get the job done so they didn't have the pressure. If we are going to make some noise this year we need those girls to welcome the pressure and want to be the girl being relied upon to come through.
- Confidence will be key for this team. If they start hot it will be tough to stop them. If they start slow it will be a tough job for me to find ways to ease the burden. The schedule does us no favors this year as we will start out from the gates facing a barrage of good teams and there is very few let up games throughout. I would say this will be one of if not the toughest schedule in the State and add in that it is appearing that we may be bunching up a lot of games in a short period of time, momentum will be absolutely crucial.
Potential Ranking - I see us fighting for the top spot in the conference this year. If we finish outside of the top half I will be disappointed. I believe anywhere 1-4 will mean we had a really good season given the strength of the SLC. Our goal here is to always be one of the best teams in the State and I feel this team has the potential to achieve that.
