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St. Cloud’s Olivia Lemeau will lead an interesting team of seasoned veterans and promising freshmen as the Bulldogs hope to challenge for the OBC crown. PHOTO/ST. CLOUD HIGH SCHOOL -
Catcher Natalie Booth brings a big bat at the plate when she's not catching behind it for the Harmony Longhorns. PHOTO/HARMONY H.S.
Defending Orange Belt Conference champion Harmony will once again be the team to beat in softball this season.
This year’s conference champion will be determined by a weekl ong tournament, held April 10-14 at St. Cloud, and although the Longhorns will be among the favorites, they could be challenged by several other teams.
Here is a look around the county:
HARMONY LONGHORNS Coach Kristi Mindrup – 2022 Record 14-6 Although Brinley Cowart (.429 batting average) graduated and juniors Emma Blandford (.417) and Aurielle Reavis (.597) have moved out of state, the Longhorns welcome back the vast majority of last year’s OBC championship team, including senior captain Amanda Whalen (Florida Gateway University signee), an outfielder/shortstop who hit .453 last season. Junior Natalie Booth (.484, C/ OF), senior Ireland Sibbitt (.464, 1B/C/P), and Lindsay Green (.429, P/1B/C) return to give the Longhorns four everyday players who hit over .400.
Green, just a sophomore, will be the pitching ace as a threat to throw a complete game shutout every time she enters the circle. Sibbett, a lefty, and Whalen will serve as relievers and spot starters The loss of Reavis and Blanford will be somewhat offset by the addition of transfer Katelyn Lund-Rodriguez and junior newcomer Isabella Correa-Ayala. Mindrup says she is also excited about the addition of Emerson Aslan, who she describes as “a freshman who brings a huge bat to our lineup.”
Coach also said it was difficult putting a schedule together for 2023, as she sensed some reluctance of local teams to play the Longhorns. “We put together a solid schedule that includes some really good teams like Hagerty, that will hopefully lift our power ranking for the postseason.”
ST. CLOUD BULLDOGS Coach: Ray Whobrey – 2022 Record:15-11 Harmony’s most likely challenger for the OBC, Bulldogs Coach Whobrey simply says his team is going to “surprise some folks,” as his squad has a nice mixture of solid veterans from last year as well as some extremely talented newcomers.
The leaders include Kamrie Poppell (1B/ OF), Brooklyn Scott (SS, .422 last year), and Olivia Lameau (1B/OF, .424) with Scott being the returning RBI leader (19). In addition, senior transfer Kaitlyn Harkema will take over at second base.
But it is the newcomers that has bolstered Whobrey’s confidence heading into the season. He calls his freshmen class of Brianna Costa (P/OF), Addison Felblinger (P/ OF), Leah McLaughlin (C), and Addisyn Todd (P/1B/ OF) “perhaps our most talented freshmen class ever and added that “all should make significant contributions”.
“We are super excited to get underway. We had a great off-season and this team reminds me an awful lot of our district champion team from 2016-17.”
OSCEOLA KOWBOYS Coach Miranda Watford – 2022 Record: 10-15 An extremely difficult schedule and some close losses led to Osceola’s first non-winning season in more than two decades. This senior class that includes seven players who will move on to college softball next year: Nayeli Hernandez (.478), Gabriela Avila (.339), and Eylany Laboy (.290, 20 RBI, 6 extra base hits). Kaylee Jones is another senior who will solidify the Kowboys’ lineup.
“We have a senior dominated team this season and that is always exciting,” Watford said.“Obviously you don’t have to worry about leadership when you have a group like this.”
Osceola also returns starting pitcher, junior Alexis Miranda, who went 6-4 as a sophomore.
Although the Kowboys slipped last year, this is a program with a proud pedigree that could challenge for the county championship.
“Harmony and St. Cloud are really good teams, I would like to think we can be in the mix for an OBC championship this year,” Watford added.
POINCIANA EAGLES Coach Randy Beeken – 2022 Record: 10-12 Head football coach Randy Beeken was asked to take over Poinciana softball coaching duties just days before the Eagles were to kick off the 2021 season.It was not an ideal situation for Beeken, as Poinciana had won six games in the previous seven seasons. After a 2-14 first season, the Eagles turned the program around and won a district playoff game. Beeken says the goal is to continue to instill a winning attitude and to continue to improve the culture surrounding the program.
“Our goal is to win 16 games, that would insure an above .500 season,” he said.
Poinciana returns eight full or part-time starters including Aidalee “Poptart” Vargas (.433 BA). Tristin Skoog (.444), and Mia Guieb (.391). Sophomore catcher Alondra Lozada (.333) “Is a Division-I talent, Nichols State and others have already been in contact.”
The biggest concern for the Eagles is at pitcher, where no starter returns.Poinciana will most likely use last year’s starting shortstop Mayra Saez (BA .419).“I hate to move her because she is incredibly valuable to us as a shortstop,” Beeken noted.“But right now she is the best option.”
TOHOPEKALIGA TIGERS Coach Chantal Schuster – 2022 Record: 1-17 Top returning players include Nina Delgado (1B), Mya Rivera (C), and Jessalyn Morales (PP/SS). Both Delgado and Rivera have on-base percentages north of the .430 mark. Newcomers Jessilyn Diaz (P/2B) and Valentina Fontanez (3B/SS) have shown preseason promise.
“We lost a few great seniors from last year, but we have had some or our first year players have stepped in and made a statement,” Schuster said.“The entire team has been working hard each day for not only themselves but for their team as well.”
LIBERTY CHARGERS Coach Rich Roy- 2022 Record: 9-11 The Chargers played in the district final where they lost to Eau Gallie. Roy returns some solid talent in Abigail Esparaza (P/UTL), Yainad Torres (INF) and junior Yasmin Elaraj (1B), who hit .515 last season with 28 RBIs. Keep an eye on Arianna Serrano, a freshman who went 3-0 as a pitcher and started in the infield when she wasn’t in the circle.
GATEWAY PANTHERS Coach Samuel Milien – 2022 Record 5-13 The Panthers ended the season on a high note by winning three of their final four games, including a district playoff win against Jones. Milien’s squad features nine freshman and sophomores and just one senior, Yanelis Martinez.
CELEBRATION STORM Coach Anyssa Robles – 2022 Record:5-11 The Storm also features nine freshman and sophomores and just one senior, Natasha Alejandro. Sophomore Kacey Pagan had a sensational freshman campaign by hitting .529 with 17 RBI and 13 runs scored. Junior Valeria Martinez, who hit .370 and led the team in runs scored (17).Carolina McAuley (.240) and Amelia McMahon are also returning starters.
