SOFTBALL INSIDER
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Annie Korth
St. Charles North, So., OF/C/INF
What she did: One of North’s most versatile defensive players, Korth had a big week with the bat. She clubbed three-run home runs in wins against Larkin and St. Charles East, then had two hits in North’s Upstate Eight-clinching win against Waubonsie Valley.
Coach April Stary says: “She did a beyond phenomenal job as far as her hitting went this week. She definitely has been coming on stronger the last couple weeks than she did earlier in the season. We knew she could hit ... it was just kind of a matter of unleashing the demon.”
HIGH FIVE
1. St. Charles North (25-8). A loss Saturday to Neuqua Valley doesn’t figure to put much of a dent in the UEC champion’s momentum entering regionals.
2. Kaneland (26-8). The Vest girls – Delani and Rilee – played a major part in Kaneland’s second-place finish in the Western Sun Conference.
3. St. Charles East (23-9-1). After a wobbly stretch run, East capped the regular season with a 1-0 victory Saturday against Geneva.
4. Batavia (15-15 ). The offense has gone south at the wrong time of season for the Bulldogs. We’ll see if the Bulldogs can regroup for regionals.
5. Geneva (16-17). Geneva will likely need top bats Melissa Barber and Nikki Davis to be at their best if the Vikes are going to upset St. Charles North.
NOTEWORTHY
Ace in the hole: Although St. Charles North has played its likely regionals opponents – Geneva and Lake Park – during the season, neither team has faced North pitcher Amanda Engel.
That element of surprise could work in North’s favor.
“That’s kind of one of those weapons you use in reserve,” North coach April Stary said.
Amanda Ciran pitched against both teams earlier this season, including in a 1-0 North win against Geneva. Stary said she plans to use both Engel and Ciran this postseason.
The Upstate Eight Conference champion North Stars have a couple practice days leading up to Wednesday’s Lake Park Regional semifinal against Geneva.
“There isn’t anything major that needs to get fixed,” Stary said. “We just need to do fine-tuning. A nudge here and a nudge there.”
Geneva is prone to low-scoring games, which could make for a tense game on Wednesday.
“We’d prefer to be the squeakers and not the squeekees,” Stary quipped.
North sophomore Annie Korth thinks the sophomore-dominated North Stars are ready to give their strong regular season a fitting encore.
“I think we’re definitely ready for it,” Korth said. “We have a really good group of girls, very talented. I really think that we can hold up to all of the competition that’s out there.”
Familiar foes: Burlington Central has eliminated Kaneland two straight years in regionals, and if seedings hold, the Rockets and Knights will do battle once more in Saturday’s Class 3A Burlington Central Regional championship game.
Central (20-5), led by fireballer Mackenzie Scott, is the regional’s top seed.
The Rockets had won 16 straight games before dropping a pair Friday to big-school powerhouses Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way East. Central coach Scot Sutherland said Ashley Scheffler, Brittany Priest and Jess Herrmann have been swinging hot bats lately.
The Knights might have extra emotional ammunition considering Central has triumphed the last couple times around.
“There’s all kinds of different ways [to look at it] but this time of year anything can happen,” Sutherland said. “How many of the teams that are supposed to get [downstate] or move on don’t. You can’t take anyone lightly. Everyone gets the same amount of respect.”
For a regionals rematch to take place, Central would have to beat Illinois Math and Science Academy on Tuesday and Kaneland needs to eliminate Hampshire on Wednesday.
Cozy digs: St. Charles East coach Kelly Barnett is happy her Saints are able to stay home for regionals.
East opens postseason play at the 4A St. Charles East Regional on Tuesday against either Conant or Willowbrook.
“I think it’s exciting,” Barnett said. “I think it’s a tribute, really, to my booster parents because they’re the ones who built the stadium. ... It’s nice for our girls, too, because more of their friends come out.”
East could meet Batavia in the regional finals if both teams win their openers. Barnett downplayed the expectations of advancing considering the Saints, seeded third in the Lake Park Sectional, are the top seed in their regional.
“Our expectation is to pitch well and play good defense,” Barnett said. “That’s all we think about.”
– Jay Schwab
jschwab@kcchronicle.com
COACH SLY SEZ
Poor Kaneland. Those Knights just can’t seem to get away from Burlington Central lately in the postseason, and they’re due to bump heads again this week at the BC Regional. If you’ve seen Mackenzie Scott pitch, you know that is NOT a good thing. Not to say the Knights can’t turn the tables if they meet in the regional championship game this week, but it might take some favorable bounces and airtight defense to get it done against the Rockets.
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