PREP SOFTBALL: Central Hardin preseason pick to win region by coaches (02/06)

After failing to win the 5th Region Softball Tournament in 2012, the Central Hardin Lady Bruins are fully expected to go back to the state tournament this year.

When a statewide coaches’ poll was released Monday, the Lady Bruins found themselves at the top of the 5th Region preseason rankings.

While that was news to Central Hardin coach Jamie Goodman, it wasn’t entirely unexpected.

“I hadn’t seen that and I hadn’t even looked for it,” Goodman said Tuesday afternoon. “I guess everyone will be shooting at us then, right? But it’s a good honor to get.

“It’s a nice honor, but it doesn’t mean a whole lot until you start playing,” he added. “I mean, I like being the favorite and I like having that pressure. And I think the girls will work harder and play harder when people are gunning for them.”

Central Hardin went 26-11 last season, beating Elizabethtown for the 17th District Tournament title before falling to eventual champion Green County in the region tournament final.

The Lady Bruins return plenty of talent, including four preseason region top-10 picks in senior second baseman Jordan Lasley (first), sophomore shortstop Kelsey McGuffin (fourth), senior corner infielder Jackie Holbert (sixth) and junior pitcher/outfielder Jessica Nall (eighth).

“It’s an honor for all of them for to be ranked and I wouldn’t downgrade any player ranked in our top 10 because you can’t see all the players play all the time,” Goodman said.

Rounding out the top 10 players were Marion County junior pitcher Ashley Walls (second), Elizabethtown freshman shortstop Erin Boley (third), Green County senior infielder Rachel Marr (fifth), Bardstown Bethlehem  sophomore catcher/infielder Abi Duncan (seventh), Nelson County senior catcher/outfielder Ashley Seaman (ninth) and Bethlehem junior pitcher/shortstop Alex Newton.

“It’s a great honor, but at the end of the day, it’s about what we do as a team,” Lasley said. “To me, preseason rankings don’t mean much. At the end of the district and region tournament is when it really matters who comes out No. 1.”

Rounding out the top 10 teams were Marion County, Elizabethtown, Green County, Taylor County, LaRue County, North Hardin, Adair County, Washington County and Hart County.

Counting the flex player/designated hitter, Elizabethtown returns 8-of-10 starters from last year’s team which matched Central Hardin by advancing to the region tournament semifinals.

Elizabethtown coach Matt Mardis was surprised by the lofty expectations placed on his still-young team.

“Are you kidding me? Wow. OK. All right,” Mardis said. “That’s unexpected, but it’s nice to hear I guess. First time in a while for us, I’m sure.”

The regular-season opens a month from today. The 17th District Tournament is tentatively scheduled to start May 20 at Elizabethtown, while Nelson County will host the region tournament beginning May 27.

In the 3rd Region, Meade County picked up a pair of honors as junior shortstop Ashley Nikolao was tabbed as the top player in the region, while junior outfielder Chaselyn Allgeier was picked third.

“Well, that’s good because Ashley deserves it. I’ve never coached one that’s better,” said veteran Meade County coach Mike Harreld. “And Chaselyn doesn’t surprise me because she had a great year last year. She’s been working really hard, so I’m expecting her to have another good year this year.”

However, Meade County was nowhere to be found in the region’s top 10 teams, which were Owensboro Catholic, Owensboro Apollo, Muhlenberg County, Daviess County, Grayson County, Butler County, Hancock County, Edmonson County, Breckinridge County and Owensboro.

“That doesn’t surprise me because we graduated a lot. We’re extremely young with only one senior (Megan Aebersold) who even started for us last year,” Harreld said. “But I think with our younger kids, that will motivate them quite a bit. They’ll want to prove they’re better than that.”

Nathaniel Bryancan be reached at (270) 505-1758 or nbryan@thenewsenterprise.com.

 

 

SOFTBALL

PREP

COACHES’ PRESEASON REGIONAL TOP 10 TEAMS

1st Region

  1. Reidland

  2. Marshall Co.

  3. Lone Oak

  4. Heath

  5. Murray

  6. Calloway Co.

  7. Graves Co.

  8. St. Mary

  9. Carlisle Co.

10. Ballard Memorial

2nd Region

  1. Livingston Central

  2. Christian Co.

  3. Henderson Co.

  4. Madisonville

  5. Hopkins Central

  6. Union Co.

  7. UHA

  8. Webster Co.

  9. Hopkinsville

10. Lyon Co.

3rd Region

  1. Owensboro Catholic

  2. Apollo

  3. Muhlenberg Co.

  4. Daviess Co.

  5. Grayson Co.

  6. Butler Co.

  7. Hancock Co.

  8. Edmonson Co.

  9. Breckinridge Co.

10. Owensboro

4th Region

  1. Greenwood

  2. Bowling Green

  3. Warren East

  4. Glasgow

  5. Allen Co.

  6. Metcalfe Co.

  7. Barren Co.

  8. Franklin-Simpson

  9. South Warren

10. Clinton Co.

5th Region

  1. Central Hardin

  2. Marion Co.

  3. Elizabethtown

  4. Green Co.

  5. Taylor Co.

  6. LaRue Co.

  7. North Hardin

  8. Adair Co.

  9. Washington Co.

10. Hart Co.

6th Region

  1. Mercy

  2. PRP

  3. Butler

  4. Bullitt East

  5. Holy Cross

  6. Bullitt Central

  7. Fern Creek

  8. Jeffersontown

  9. Southern

10. Fairdale

7th Region

  1. Ballard

  2. Male

  3. Eastern

  4. Assumption

  5. Sacred Heart

  6. CAL

  7. Manual

  8. Atherton

  9. Presentation

10. Portland

8th Region

  1. Oldham Co.

  2. Collins

  3. Anderson Co.

  4. Gallatin Co.

  5. Walton Verona

  6. Owen Co.

  7. Simon Kenton

  8. Spencer Co.

  9. North Oldham

10. South Oldham

9th Region

  1. Conner

  2. Ryle

  3. Boone Co.

  4. Notre Dame

  5. Dixie Heights

  6. Cooper

  7. St. Henry

  8. Newport Catholic

  9. Highlands

10. Holmes

10th Region

  1. Harrison Co.

  2. Bourbon Co.

  3. Montgomery Co.

  4. Nicholas Co.

  5. Clark Co.

  6. Bracken Co.

  7. Bishop Brossart

  8. Mason Co.

  9. Campbell Co.

10. Scott

11th Region

  1. Scott Co.

  2. Dunbar

  3. Lafayette

  4. Madison Central

  5. Franklin Co.

  6. Woodford Co.

  7. Tates Creek

  8. Henry Clay

  9. Madison Southern

10. Western Hills

12th Region

  1. Boyle Co.

  2. East Jessamine

  3. Southwestern

  4. Somerset

  5. Lincoln Co.

  6. Mercer Co.

  7. Pulaski Co.

  8. Danville

  9. McCreary Central

10. West Jessamine

13th Region

  1. North Laurel

  2. South Laurel

  3. Corbin

  4. Middlesboro

  5. Harlan Co.

  6. Whitley Co.

  7. Knox Central

  8. Clay Co.

  9. Bell Co.

10. Harlan

14th Region

  1. Estill Co.

  2. Perry Central

  3. Jenkins

  4. Letcher Central

  5. Powell Co.

  6. Breathitt Co.

  7. Leslie Co.

  8. Jackson City

  9. Lee Co.

10. Hazard

15th Region

  1. Johnson Central

  2. East Ridge

  3. Magoffin Co.

  4. Lawrence Co.

  5. Pikeville

  6. Shelby Valley

  7. Paintsville

  8. Belfry

  9. Pike Central

10. Prestonsburg

16th Region

  1. Boyd Co.

  2. Ashland

  3. Russell

  4. West Carter

  5. Rowan Co.

  6. Greenup Co.

  7. Rowan Co.

  8. Fleming Co.

  9. Raceland

10. Menifee Co.

COACHES’ PRESEASON REGIONAL TOP 10 PLAYERS

1st Region

  1. Breanne Ray          Sr.          Marshall Co.

  2. Mallory Young         Sr.          Marshall Co.

  3. Hope Davidson       Sr.               Reidland

  4. Sarah Kreuter         Sr.              Lone Oak

  5. Neely Quint             Jr.                   Heath

  6. Audrey Dodd           Fr.               Reidland

  7. Hannah Ridolfi       So.               Reidland

  8. Jacqueline Roof      Sr.              Lone Oak

  9. Elizabeth Grogan    So.                  Murray

10. Casey Wade            Jr.            Graves Co.

2ND REGION

  1. Jordan McNary        Sr.     Hopkins Central

  2. Maggie Glass         Sr.         Christian Co.

  3. Katekyn McMillan     Jr.      Henderson Co.

  4. Adarian Gray           Fr.          Madisonville

  5. Tiffany Padon         So.  Livingston Central

  6. Hannah Tow            Jr.     Hopkins Central

  7. Hailee Lampley        Jr.  Livingston Central

  8. Morgan CunninghamSr.         Christian Co.

  9. Ayla Hendrickson    So.             Union Co.

10. Courtney Walker      Sr.  Livingston Central

3RD REGION

  1. Ashley Nikolao        Jr.            Meade Co.

  2. Brittany Murphy       Sr.Owensboro Catholic

  3. Chaselyn Allgeier     Jr.            Meade Co.

  4. Lillie Goetz            So.Owensboro Catholic

  5. Hayley Frey             Sr.Owensboro Catholic

  6. Hannah Lee           Sr.    Breckinridge Co.

  7. Taylor Fenwick        Sr.                   Apollo

  8. Markie Smith          Sr.     Muhlenberg Co.

  9. Jessika Young        Sr.          Grayson Co.

10. Catlin Armstrong      Sr.          Daviess Co.

4TH REGION

  1. Brittany Vaughn      Sr.       Bowling Green

  2. Elizabeth Moss        Jr.            Greenwood

  3. Aeron Smith            Jr.            Greenwood

  4. Kathryn Downing     Sr.       Bowling Green

  5. Emily Gravette         Sr.            Greenwood

  6. Angela Adkins         Sr.            Greenwood

  7. Brittany Rippy         Sr.               Allen Co.

  8. Kelsey Greer          Sr.               Glasgow

  9. Bailey Alexander      Jr.               Glasgow

10. Taylor McMurtrey     Sr.          Metcalfe Co.

5TH REGION

  1. Jordan Lasley         Sr.       Central Hardin

  2. Ashley Walls            Jr.            Marion Co.

  3. Erin Boley               Fr.        Elizabethtown

  4. Kelsey McGuffin     So.       Central Hardin

  5. Rachel Marr            Sr.             Green Co.

  6. Jackie Holbert         Sr.       Central Hardin

  7. Abi Duncan            So.            Bethlehem

  8. Jessica Nall            Jr.       Central Hardin

  9. Ashley Seaman       Sr.            Nelson Co.

10. Alex Newton            Jr.            Bethlehem

6TH REGION

  1. Jordan Vorbrink      So.                   Mercy

  2. Morgan Meyer         Sr.                   Mercy

  3. Savannah Mercer     Jr.                     PRP

  4. Morgan Raymer       Jr.            Bullitt East

  5. Caroline Keck         Sr.                   Mercy

  6. Madison Ray          Sr.            Holy Cross

  7. Katelyn Heiness      Sr.            Holy Cross

  8. Sarah Bibb            So.            Fern Creek

  9. Taylor Alvey             Jr.            Bullitt East

10. McKenna Brinley      Sr.        Jeffersontown

7TH REGION

  1. Alexia Hull             So.                 Ballard

  2. Savannah Madison  Sr.                 Manual

  3. Hannah Gray           Jr.                 Ballard

  4. Lilly Nitzken            Jr.           Assumption

  5. Jessica Adell           Jr.                 Ballard

  6. Alexandra Miozza     Sr.                    Male

  7. Cassidy Cook        So.                     CAL

  8. Kaitlyn Holden         Jr.         Sacred Heart

  9. Casey Smith           Sr.                Eastern

10. Sadie Cohen           Sr.                 Manual

8TH Region

  1. Jessica Leanhart     Sr.           Oldham Co.

  2. Sarah Lopesilvero   Sr.           Oldham Co.

  3. Bailey Rankin         Sr.                  Collins

  4. Brooke Dossett       Jr.           Gallatin Co.

  5. Bailey Curry           8th        Anderson Co.

  6. Courtney Galvan      Jr.        South Oldham

  7. K.K. Rigdon            Jr.           Oldham Co.

  8. Emily Lykins           Sr.          Spencer Co.

  9. Rebecca WishnevskiSr.           Oldham Co.

10. Hannah Thacker       Jr.        Walton-Verona

9TH REGION

  1. McKell Oliverio        Sr.                     Ryle

  2. Elizabeth Sims       So.                 Conner

  3. Ali Crupper              Jr.                     Ryle

  4. Sydney Himes         Jr.                 Conner

  5. Dallis Knotts           Jr.            Boone Co.

  6. Jessica Koors         Jr.                 Cooper

  7. Kelsey Hammes       Jr.                     Ryle

  8. Erika Stein             Sr.            Boone Co.

  9. Lauren Willett         Sr.                 Cooper

10. Noelle Butts           Sr.              St. Henry

10TH REGION

  1. Ashley Coppage      Sr.          Harrison Co.

  2. Mercedes Stanfield  Sr.          Bourbon Co.

  3. Miranda Ingram       Sr.          Bourbon Co.

  4. Kolbi Mitchell           Jr.                     GRC

  5. Megan Arrasmith    So.     Montgomery Co.

  6. Megan Bretz          So.          Nicholas Co.

  7. Reesa Martin          Sr.          Nicholas Co.

  8. Emma Conley          Jr.          Bracken Co.

  9. Shannon Bertz        Sr.          Nicholas Co.

10. Morgan Florence      Sr.          Harrison Co.

11TH REGION

  1. Michal Luckett        Sr.              Scott Co.

  2. Marlee Tevis           Jr.              Scott Co.

  3. Jamie Vescio          Sr.              Lafayette

  4. Kara Howard           Jr.           Franklin Co.

  5. Kaitlyn Elias           Sr.                 Dunbar

  6. Riley Stokes           Sr.            Henry Clay

  7. McKenna Brown      Sr.         Western Hills

  8. Katelyn Mitchell       Jr.              Lafayette

  9. Katie Brock             Jr.     Madison Central

10. Finley Yuttayong      Sr.          Tates Creek

12TH REGION

  1. Hannah Miniard       Sr.              Boyle Co.

  2. Sydney Fourman      Jr.        Southwestern

  3. Ashley Harley          Sr.            Mercer Co.

  4. Cyndol Kiser           Fr.    McCreary Central

  5. Lauren Rice            Sr.              Somerset

  6. Katharine Holmes    Sr.              Somerset

  7. Jessica Upchurch    Sr.            Wayne Co.

  8. Destiny Molden      So.        Southwestern

  9. Bethany Edwards    Sr.              Somerset

10. Tori Bell                So.            Wayne Co.

13TH REGION

  1. Megan Baldwin       Sr.          North Laurel

  2. Hannah Hart           Jr.                  Corbin

  3. Hagan Burns           Jr.         South Laurel

  4. Amber Hyde            Sr.         South Laurel

  5. Sidney Herrell         Sr.          North Laurel

  6. Lesley Roberts       So.               Clay Co.

  7. Emily Sears            Sr.          North Laurel

  8. Jadon Dopel           Sr.            Whitley Co.

  9. Lindsey Barton        Jr.                  Corbin

10. Vanessa Smith        Sr.          North Laurel

14TH REGION

  1. Rachel Robinson     Sr.               Estill Co.

  2. Kim Barnett            Sr.         Breathitt Co.

  3. Grace Bio               Fr.          Jackson City

  4. Melissa Bartley        Fr.                Jenkins

  5. Paige Shepherd      Sr.             Leslie Co.

  6. Emily Thatcher         Jr.         Breathitt Co.

  7. Krana Puckett         Sr.               Estill Co.

  8. Pam Senastian       Sr.         Perry Central

  9. Marissa Davidson    Jr.             Leslie Co.

10. MacKenzie Angel     So.               Estill Co.

15TH REGION

  1. Brooke Williamson    Jr.     Johnson Central

  2. Chole Blair             Sr.     Johnson Central

  3. Kristen Caudill        Sr.        Lawrence Co.

  4. Rebeckah Fairchild  So.     Johnson Central

  5. Tabitha Potter         Sr.            East Ridge

  6. Rachelle Fairchild    So.     Johnson Central

  7. Hannah Skaggs       Fr.         Magoffin Co.

  8. Teena Rowe           Sr.            East Ridge

  9. Mariah Newsome     Jr.         Shelby Valley

10. Mollie Blackburn      Sr.                Pikeville

16TH REGION

  1. Emily Stewart          Sr.              Boyd Co.

  2. McKenize SummersSr.            Rowan Co.

  3. Megan Hensley      So.                Ashland

  4. Paige Hurst            Sr.           Fleming Co.

  4. Leatha Reynolds      Jr.           West Carter

  6. Becca Duff            So.            Rowan Co.

  7. Breanna Grubb       Sr.              Raceland

  8. McKenzie Vanover    Jr.                Ashland

  9. Taylor Wheeler         Jr.              Boyd Co.

10. Kira Brown              Jr.           Fleming Co.