Advertisement

The 2008 News' All-County squad is a deep pool of ability and players who bring passion with their game.

This year's team commences with a pair of pitchers who mirror one other in style -- Marlette's Caitlin King and Brown City's Kristen Greene. They are about having great control with several pitches and keeping hitters off-balance

Two of King's losses this season were a 1-0 decision to Brown City (GTC East champ) and 2-1 setback to USA ('06 & '07 state champs). A senior, she collected 15 victories this season and finished with a 2.25 ERA. She struck out 209 batters this year, bringing her career total to 59. King, a three-year All-County selection, has been All-District and All-Conference years in a row.

"She's not overpowering, but she does have a good fastball and mixes it in with other pitches. When she hits her spots, she's terrific," commented veteran Marlette coach Harold Titus. "She's been a joy to coach for four years, and she's an Academic All-State player. She's a real gamer, a kid with a tremendous heart."

Greene was a true two-way star for the Lady Green Devils this season. In 161 innings pitched, she struck out 193 batters and walked only 28. She had 31 victories, including eight shutouts, and finished with a 1.04 ERA. At the plate, she had tremendous power numbers, leading the team in home runs, extra base hits and RBI. Greene finished with a .383 BA and an amazing .713 slugging percentage.

"Kristen was pretty much the driving force of the team," lauded Erin Snyder, BC coach. "How she did is like how everybody else did. That's quite a bit to ask for out of a sophomore." Snyder added, "This year she really developed some power at the plate and she developed a little more confidence as a pitcher. (As a pitcher) she doesn't overpower anyone, I think, but it's about where she places the ball."

One of two underclassmen catchers chosen to the squad is Sandi Oligney of Brown City. A junior starting behind the plate for her second season, she took charge of the Lady Devils on defense. Then, as the team's lead-off hitter, she had the ability to spark the offense. As a catcher, Oligney made just three errors and allowed just six passed balls in 194 innings and also threw out 11 base runners. At the plate, she batted .360, had an on-base average of .472 and led the team in steals with 33.

Coach Snyder commented, "She was a general on the field - she really took control this year... that was big for us. Last year she was a little tentative, but this year she really stepped up. I also like her in the lead-off spot, she not only gave us base hit opportunities, but also has a little bit of power, and she's probably our smartest base runner."

The second of two sophomores on the All-County team, Tiffany Smith of Deckerville showed tremendous poise behind the plate in her sophomore season as a catcher. Along with a .950 fielding average, Smith threw out nine runners on the bases. At bat, she finished at .397. She totaled 48 hits, including 18 two-base hits, two triples and one home run, and drove in 43 runs. In 121 official at-bats, Smith struck out just five times.

"As a freshman (last year) I thought she did a tremendous job, then, as a sophomore, she did even better. I can't imagine what she'll be like as a senior," praised Coach Christi Pavlovics of Deckerville. "Other than RaChelle (Rich) she was our leader out there, and as a sophomore, that's huge. She recognizes what she has to do out there on the field... and she does not wilt under pressure."

Probably no one has been chosen to more All-County teams in their high school career than Jenna Lange of Marlette. This is her third appearance on the A-C softball squad, adding to the four as a volleyball player and the three as a basketball standout. She will play on a volleyball scholarship at Oakland University this coming year. The 6' senior batted just .290 overall this season, but did bat much higher in GTC East play. Lange, though, is outstanding, defensively, at first base. Playing in 134 games for the Lady Raiders she had a fielding percentage of .968.

"That's pretty special," remarked Coach Titus on Lange's defensive stats. "She's a terrific defensive player. She's a well-rounded athlete that's been very good in every sport she had participated. She's a great kid, too. She always gives 100 percent, no matter what."

There has not been a better pure hitter, with power, at Peck than Sarah Long in many years. The senior Lady Pirate, who anchored the defense at shortstop, is a legitimate All-State candidate with her offensive numbers. The four-year varsity player batted .500 this spring with seven doubles, eight triples, and five home runs. Finishing with a .656 on base average, she also drove in 22 runs and stole 12 bases.

Coach Crystal Cramer of the Lady Pirates could not say enough about Long's season. "She carried our team. She was the backbone of our defense and offense. She's a great player that loves the game. She's the best hitter I've seen (at Peck), so far."

Another four-year varsity standout is Jordan Alexander of CPS. The Lady Tiger senior moved from third base, her natural position, to shortstop this season. Offensively, she is the owner of the school record in career hits with 146. Alexander, who batted .463 this season, had 44 hits - including 13 doubles- scored 36 runs, walked 25 times and had an on base average of .585. She also collected 16 RBI and 25 stolen bases.

"She's very disciplined and knows the game very well," remarked Coach Bob Sarkella of CPS. "She works very hard on her game. She's just a dream player - she's a team player and a team captain. She definitely, definitely leads by example."

Brown City had a savvy all-around player in senior Jamie Clark. The four-year varsity player moved from outfield to third base two years ago and is one of the best at that corner spot. While owning a .942 fielding average, she did her part at the plate, too, with a.372 BA

"We're really going to miss her," noted Coach Snyder. "She's an excellent third baseman and has a cannon for an arm. She gets to the ball quick and doesn't make errors. Her hitting was a little below last year's average, but she was always putting the ball in play. Basically, we're losing our best defensive player and an outstanding hitter."

Another main ingredient on offense and defense for Brown City this season was the improved play of Michelle Burgess. The junior shortstop blossomed on defense and became a major threat at the plate. Burgess was BC's leading hitter at .404, with a .491 on-base percentage. She also had 26 stolen bases.

Coach Snyder talked about her abilities: "I would say that she improved the most of any player on the infield. She's really settled into the shortstop position. She's always played it, but the difference when you make the move from JV to varsity is that there's a lot more pressure. At the end of this year we were making a lot more double plays, and she's at the heart of that. Offensively, she always hit well in key situations, She's one of our biggest offensive threats."

Dedication has put Deckerville's RaChelle Rich among the elite players in the area. The Lady Eagles senior turned in a great season at shortstop and at the plate. Rich finished with a hefty .458 batting average with a team-high 49 hits, including 11 doubles and a pair of triples. She also drove in 30 runs.

Coach Pavlovics talked about Rich's play. "RaChelle is one all-around player. No matter where I would put her, she would excel. She's a leader out there. She puts a lot of time in on the field, and it really shows." Pavlovics continued, "She has a lot of heart, too. She's a perfect role model for her peers."

A young Sandusky team needed to find some leadership somewhere on its team this spring, and Maddie Hale stepped forward. The lone junior on a team that had no seniors, Hale moved to shortstop, an unfamiliar spot and handled the change well. She went on to lead the Lady Redskins in hitting from the No. 4 spot in the line-up with as .439 batting average. Hale collected 36 hits this season, including seven doubles and six triples, and added 17 RBI, 18 runs scored and eight stolen bases.

"She was a co-captain. We looked for her to be a leader," said Jaime Nicol, Sandusky coach. "She's actually one of our fastest players on the team, and her batting really came along. She's very athletic... she's pretty versatile and very reliable."

One of the reasons for the maturing of a young Cros-Lex softball squad was the steady play on the infield from junior Taylor Rankin. Playing second base, she was part of a team that really came together toward the end of the season. Rankin was one of the top hitters on a team that had just a couple of seniors. She batted .379 this spring and drove in a team-high 24 runs. In 95 at-bats this season, she only struck out five times.

"She is a good team leader," commended C-L coach Bob Young. "She is a gal that you could rely on. Most often, she'd be one that gets the bat on the ball in critical situations."

While Kayla Roberts' bat did not always sizzle this season for Marlette, she had plenty of several key hits that make up her .274 batting average. Her bat is not what makes her All-County - it's her greatness in playing center field. Up for Division 2 All-State honors as an outfielder, Roberts, a senior, was named the team's Co-MVP, along with King.

Coach Titus praised Roberts. "She is the best defensive outfielder I've ever coached, without hesitation. She gets a great jump on the ball... and the accuracy of her throws is exactly where you want it to be. She also is a really good bunter, she's All-State academically, and she's a terrific kid."

Rounding out the players on this year's All-County squad is another Lady Pioneer junior. Brooke Johnston, a Cros-Lex right fielder, made a quick adjustment as an outfielder after playing on the infield in prior seasons. Johnston had a team-leading batting mark of .384 and was second in RBI with 21.

"She was critical in our batting order from the four to six spot in the line-up," noted Coach Young. "She transitioned well in the outfield and did a pretty good job for us."

The choice for Coach of the Year by the Sanilac County News this year is Erin Snyder of Brown City. She was a Co-Coach the Year in 2007 after her team won a District title and co-owned the GTC East title. This year, Brown City rolled to a 31-3 overall record, completing a 12-0 season to win the GTC East outright and also added District and County crowns.

Snyder came into the season with high expectations and goals. Much was achieved, but there were no guarantees.

"Comparing last year to this year, there was a lot more pressure this time. We started right out as champs in the league and district champs," reflected Snyder. "I put a little pressure on myself, too, to make sure this team would get better.

"The girls were focused and really learning the game, and that's my job," she added.

It was disappointing for Snyder and her team to see the season end with their loss to Lake Fenton in the Regionals. Snyder, though, reminded that pausing to reflect back and looking at what has happened with the program does reveal much.

"I wish we could have done more in the tournament, but for our program, this (success) is relatively new. We're starting to build the tradition, and I think we're off to a good start.

"There's been a lot of support from the community and parents, and that's important. The girls like that. It's been one special season for them."