News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area
From left, top row: Coach Flint Bjorson, Danielle Laramie, Kami Rosenbaum, Jazmyne Marchand, Trinity Sweat, Alana Epperson, Ashley Semmens, Riley Epperson, Brianna Goggles-Whalawitsa, Meagan Drywater. Bottom row: Keya Fast Horse, Johnny McCraigie, Savannah Marin, Jada Desautel, Ciara Nault, Raelynn Dennis, Burgandy Day. Not pictured: Hailey Chaney, Harley Dice, Raelynne Ensminger and Riki Wippel.
Lady Raider Softball enters the 2012 season with only four returners from last year’s 11-11 squad that put together a winning streak to close out the season.
Seniors Jada Desautel, Ciara Nault, and Raelynne Dennis along with junior Danielle Laramie return to the squad this year. A noteworthy absense from the returners is Senior Briana Monaghan, who was a 2011 First Team All Central Washington North selection.
Head Coach Flint Bjorson expects these four to be the leaders for the young squad. Two of the returners received post-season honors in 2011 and look to continue to impress in 2012. Desautel, a 2011 All-Central Washington North first-team selection, held a .687 batting average during the 2011 season. Nault was a second-team CWL North selection.
Filling out the squad are 14 newcomers (nine freshmen, four sophomores, and one junior) and one returning after sitting out last season — junior Hailey Chaney.
With this much youth, the Lady Raiders will focus on the basics and look to replace the solid pitching of Rhandi Morin; in softball if a team has one great pitcher, that team will win a lot of games.
"Pitching is something that we will have to work really hard on this year,” Bjorson said. “It is somewhat of a building year, with all the new kids, but I can see the possibility of a post season. They are talented, athletic and eager to learn.”
The young Lady Raiders will be facing a hard schedule against the likes of the Brewster Bears and Pateros Nannies, who finished ahead of the Lady Raiders last season, and against Liberty Bell, who finished ahead of the Bears at the state tournament in 2011.
Bjorson looks at the schedule and believes that once the pitching situation is solved, the Lady Raiders will be just as good if not better than last season.
"It's a lot of pressure for who ever gets put in the circle, but I am confident that we can iron it all out and have a successful season,” he said. “I'm really excited to have the large amount of young players to build with, but we are taking things one day at a time."
The Lady Raiders begin the season with old Caribou Trail League rivals Cashmere on March 20 in Cashmere and Okanogan at home in Grand Coulee on March 22. The home opener will provide a good opportunity to see the future of LR Softball in action against a high quality opponent.
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