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50 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, May 2, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend April 3, 2004 SOUTH MEDFORD COACH: Dan Marshall (second year) LAST YEAR: 18-8, 12-2 SOC. CURRENT RECORD: 10-1. RETURNING STARTERS Player Pos. Yr. Advertisement Jackie Chaplin 3B Jr. Katie Kaufman SS Sr. Jennifer Mendenhall P/1B/OF Jr. Erica Corns 1B Sr. Christin Palazzolo OF/2B Sr. Alex Jordahl C Jr. Jonni Byrne 2B Jr. Bethany Stousland OF Jr. OTHER NOTABLES Simone Hubbard OF/C So. Jill Jeter P So. Marissa Towry INF/OF So. Taylor Robinson C/OF So. Michele Trautman INF/OF Jr. AT A GLANCE: Expectations are soaring for a loaded South Medford roster that returns nearly its entire lineup from a squad that shared the SOC crown at 12-2 with North Medford. Chaplin (first-team all-state third baseman) and Mendenhall (second-team all-state pitcher) highlight a roster that features only three seniors. "We were able to sneak up on people a little bit last year," says Marshall, whose fifth-ranked Panthers lost 5-0 to Forest Grove in the first round of the state playoffs last season. "This year, no question, people will be ready for us. It’ll be interesting to see how we handle it." ... A major setback South will have to overcome is the loss of catcher Jordahl. The junior first-team all-SOC performer broke her fibula in a scrimmage and is done for the year. Sophomore Hubbard will fill her shoes and, so far, has produced well defensively to go with a batting average above .400. ... Mendenhall and Jeter, who is 5-0 and has yet to yield a run, should make up one of the better pitching combinations in the SOC. ... South outscored its opponents 56-6 in nonconference play. The Panthers’ lone loss was a 2-1 decision to North Medford. NORTH MEDFORD COACH: Brent Barry (second year) LAST YEAR: 27-3, 13-1 SOC. CURRENT RECORD: 4-1. RETURNING STARTERS Player Pos. Yr. Deni Rowley RF Jr. Darcy Cordell SS Sr. Laura Tarkon 1B Sr. Stephanie Haskett C Jr. OTHER NOTABLES Kendra Strahm P/DH Jr. Mallorie Hoover P/3B Jr. Kailey Bostwick CF Sr. Tiffany Schmelzer LF So. Megan Lamson 3B/UT Sr. Rachelle Wilden 2B Jr. Tara Sikes 2B Fr. Katie Gould OF Fr. Nikki Lecroy OF So. AT A GLANCE: The loss of three all-SOC first teamers to graduation off a 27-3 team — including standout pitcher Keri Sevano — is a major hit to North’s conference-title aspirations. But the Tornado doesn’t rebuild, they reload. "A lot of these girls, other than the freshmen, went through the playoffs with us," says Barry of his team’s big-game experience. "We have some very capable players filling those holes (left by graduation)." ... Strahm takes over No. 1 pitching duties, while Hoover fills the No. 2 slot. "I still think Strahm and Hoover are fully capable of doing the same things that last year’s pitching did. We’ll be in a lot of games because of them." ... Rowley, a first- team all-state outfielder, and all-SOC first-teamers Cordell (shortstop) and Tarkon (first base) have gotten off to hot starts at the plate. Rowley led North with a .449 batting average last season, while Tarkon drove in a league-high 14 RBIs. ... The Black Tornado lost all three games last year by one run, including a season-ending 1-0 defeat to eventual state-champion Sprague in the state quarterfinals. ... North has won outright or shared the last nine SOC titles. CRATER COACH: Chris Arnold (third year) LAST YEAR: 18-8, 10-4 SOC. CURRENT RECORD: 6-0. RETURNING STARTERS Player Pos. Yr. Jenni Bittle P/1B Sr. Janelle Cristofaro P/OF Jr. Ty Sutherland SS Jr. Allesha Spradling CF Sr. Justine Bettencourt C Jr. Becca Shelamer OF Jr. OTHER NOTABLES Paula Moore UT Sr. Sam Womelsdorf UT Sr. Staci Bauer 1B Jr. Angela Bettenburg 3B Jr. Ashley Shuck 2B Jr. AT A GLANCE: Despite graduating almost its entire infield off a third-place SOC squad, Crater will be in good shape with one of the best pitching duos in the state. Cristofaro (first-team all-SOC) and Bittle (SOC honorable mention) should keep the Comets in most games while the inexperienced defense meshes. "(Cristofaro and Bittle) complement each other very well," says Arnold. "They’re a very good 1-2 punch. Either way, it gives me a lot of flexibility." ... Shortstop Sutherland is the lone holdover from last year’s infield. She’s missed some nonconference play while on a trip to Europe. ... Leadoff hitter Spradling is batting over .500 in nonconference play. "She’s real quick and usually puts the ball in play," Arnold says. "She’s one of the better slap-hitters in the league." ... Crater’s offense won’t be limited to the small-ball approach. Juniors Bauer and Bettenburg are both players Arnold highlights as potential big bats in the lineup. "It’s nice to be able to do both when we need to," says Arnold of his team’s offensive flexibility. "Our main focus is to consistently produce runs." ... Crater has qualified for the state playoffs in eight straight seasons, but last won a postseason game in 1998. GRANTS PASS COACH: Clay Rounsaville (sixth year) LAST YEAR: 21-9, 9-5 SOC. CURRENT RECORD: 2-3. RETURNING STARTERS Player Pos. Yr. Jenny Austin 3B Sr. Karyne Sander C Sr. Jamie Torgerson LF Jr. Justine Cerda SS Jr. Ashley Franko P/OF So. Tess Bransfield 2B So. OTHER NOTABLES Jennifer Dolmage C/DH Jr. Kory Seymour CF Jr. Trista Morton P Fr. Jenny Spurling P/DH Jr. Danielle Sereda RF/UT So. Iris Woodhead 1B So. Allie Farmer 1B/3B So. AT A GLANCE: Minus its top two pitchers from a year ago, Grants Pass heads into the SOC slate with a bit of uncertainty. Jessica Morton, now at University of Hawaii, and Amber Gallegos graduated, leaving the pitching duties to a sophomore (Franko) and freshman (Trista Morton). "We’re going to have highs and lows and I think we’re going to surprise some people," says Rounsaville. "We’ll play great for six innings then just fall apart. But I think we’ll get better and better as the season goes on." ... Trista Morton lost a 2-0 decision to South Medford at the North Medford tournament in early nonconference play, but looked very sharp, according to Rounsaville, against one of the better teams in the state. ... Last year’s team that prided itself on pitching and defense may pack more of an offensive punch while its young hurlers get more acclimated to the varsity level. "I think we have more weapons on offense than we’ve ever had," says Rounsaville, who notes the early offensive contributions from Cerda, Austin, Sander and Farmer. ... The Cavers finished fourth last year in the SOC, but advanced all the way to the state semifinals. ROSEBURG COACH: Tony Campos (second year) LAST YEAR: 12-11, 6-8 SOC. CURRENT RECORD: 7-2. RETURNING STARTERS Player Pos. Yr. Allison Rader 1B Sr. Denay Martin CF Jr. Ali Paz SS So. Kim Posey P/UT Jr. OTHER NOTABLES Krissy Smith P Sr. Tanya Johnston C Fr. Brandi Campos 2B Fr. Ashley Roy 3B So. Kristen Harris LF So. Bryttny Kreshka RF So. Ashley Schroder C/DH Jr. Courtney Lovemark UT Jr. Elli Ampi UT Sr. Jayde Curry P So. AT A GLANCE: Speed will be the weapon of choice for a Roseburg team that finished fifth in the SOC last season but was decimated by graduation. Junior Martin, an honorable mention all-SOC pick a year ago, leads the Indians on the basepaths. "We have pretty good speed out there," says Campos. "We’re young but we have some kids that are pretty experienced in softball. They all know how tough it is in the SOC." ... Paz, a second-team all-SOC performer a year ago as a freshman, returns at shortstop. She hit .320 last season and is joined by Roy and Schroder as the power hitters of the group. ... The Indians lack the true power pitcher, but boast two solid throwers in Smith and Posey. "We don’t have the big stud pitcher, but we do have some kids that can keep people off balance," says Campos. "I think we’ll be pretty tough on the mound." Sophomore Curry will also get some time inside the circle. ... Roseburg gets a strong test right out of the gate with back-to-back home games against SOC heavyweights South Medford and North Medford. EAGLE POINT COACH: Jackie Auchard (first year) LAST YEAR: 4-16-1, 1-13 SOC. CURRENT RECORD: 8-2. RETURNING STARTERS Player Pos. Yr. Shannon Richardson 3B/P Jr. Kelsey Heider P Jr. Kristina Bateman CF Sr. Randi Mapes 1B Sr. Toni White LF Sr. OTHER NOTABLES Tara Whipple SS Fr. Dawn Wilkerson 2B Fr. Kirsten Emigh OF/P Fr. Amanda Hamner C So. AT A GLANCE: Auchard takes over for Keith Williams as coach and inherits a young team that finished 1-13 in the SOC last season. This is Auchard’s first head coaching gig at the high school level and, so far, she’s pleased with her team’s nonconference play. "We’re improving," says Auchard, who moved to the Rogue Valley with her husband and two kids from San Diego. "They’re much more observant of the game and how they can take advantage of certain situations." ... The Eagles have only three seniors (Bateman, Mapes, White) returning from last year’s squad and will have three freshmen in the starting lineup. ... Heider moves in as the No. 1 pitcher for the Eagles and has posted a 6-1 mark in nonconference action. "We’re averaging about 10 strikeouts per game," says Auchard, "but we’re not real deep in the pitching area." Richardson and Emigh will also see time on the mound ... Richardson, who made honorable mention all-SOC as an infielder a year ago, owns Eagle Point’s lone home run of the season. The solo shot proved to be the game-winner during a 4-3 victory over Hillsboro. ... Bateman will make the transition to the outfield after anchoring the middle infield last season. Freshman Whipple takes over shortstop duties. ... Eagle Point last qualified for the state playoffs in 1996. KLAMATH UNION COACH: Kristi Sturgeon (third year) LAST YEAR: 13-10, 5-9 SOC. CURRENT RECORD: 7-0. RETURNING STARTERS Player Pos. Yr. Bess Fagan P/SS Sr. Johanna DeGroot INF/OF Sr. Loretta Hamilton-Dixon 1B Sr. Tatum Harris CF Sr. Kristen Croxford C Jr. Ashley Willhite 3B/OF Jr. OTHER NOTABLES Brianna Meltzer UT Sr. Stefanie Thelin 3B Jr. Kaylene Burke P/2B Jr. Whitney Cummins OF Jr. AT A GLANCE: The resources are limited for Klamath Union with a small turnout at the varsity and JV level. The Pelicans, who will carry only juniors and seniors on varsity, hope to avoid the injury bug. "Right now it’s a numbers battle," says Sturgeon. "We’re basically going to have to go with 10 kids at this level and hope we don’t lose any JV kids." ... KU, despite its unblemished record, hasn’t faced a team at full strength just yet. "We’ve played some pretty good teams, but none of them had their top pitchers because of spring break or other reasons." ... Cummins has missed most of the nonconference with a broken hand. She should be ready for the SOC slate. ... Outfielder Tabatha Cooke will miss the season after tearing her ACL during basketball season. The Junior would have been penciled in as the No. 3 or 4 hitter, but instead continues to rehabilitate the injury. ... Nikki Ayers, Klamath’s No. 2 pitcher last season, may not be eligible after moving to California then transferring back to KU. ... Croxford, a two-year starter at first base, will move to catcher full-time this season. ... Fagan, an honorable mention all- SOC performer last year, will be the Pelican’s No. 1 pitcher. ... Klamath Union also started last season 7-0, but lost 10 of its final 16 games. ASHLAND COACH: Rich Beugli (fourth year) LAST YEAR: 3-22, 1-13 SOC. CURRENT RECORD: 7-2. RETURNING STARTERS Player Pos. Yr. Aimee Jeska P/1B Sr. Liz Clason IF Sr. Jackie Renteria OF/IF Sr. Jenna Randall 1B/UT Sr. Alysse Carlson SS Jr. OTHER NOTABLES Randi Powell C Sr. Amanda Bolsinger P/UT Sr. Amanda Cardoza OF/P Jr. Bailey Hasty C/OF/IF So. Janice Jones OF Jr. AT A GLANCE: Untested but boasting seven seniors, Ashland is looking to turn last year’s misfortune into a positive this season. The Grizzlies lost pitcher Megan Beugli to graduation but bring in newcomers such as Powell, who played with Ashland as a sophomore before spending last year in Montana, to try and turn around last season’s 1-13 SOC campaign. "The SOC is the best (softball) conference in the state," says Beugli. "If the ball bounces the right way for us we could be there for a playoff spot. If not, we could be at the bottom of the barrel." ... Ashland dropped five one-run decisions last season in the SOC and started nonconference play this year with a 3-2 loss to Rogue River. All three runs given up were unearned. "We just gave that game away," says Beugli. "We’ve got to step up and compete every game, every inning." ... Zara Seligson, who played some third base for the Grizzlies last year, won’t be back for her senior season. Seligson will be in Europe for school and won’t be available. ... In a conference dominated by pitching, Ashland elevates Jeska to the No. 1 position with Bolsinger and Cardoza also in the mix. Bolsinger leads the Grizz with a 5-2 record, while Jeska stands at 2-0. ... Randall is Ashland’s only returning all-SOC (honorable mention) performer. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times