The Bluffer - Red Bluff, CA
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/114196
Sports Page 7 V. Softball seeks repeat of last season Mitch Fox Staff Writer "Coming off a Section Title victory we are looking to work harder then ever before and make our way back to that championship game again this year," said senior middle infielder Haley Harris. The varsity girls softball team has been to the championship the last two years but only have won one of them, they are trying to make it two and a row this year. The Spartans have two returning seniors Haley Harris and Bryce Etzler who have both gotten All-League and All-Section awards all three years in high school and are both hoping to achieve those awards again this year. Last year Etzler had seven triples and played the majority of her time pitching and playing shortstop. This year one of her main goals is to give up as few of home runs while she is pitching as possible. In the section game last year Haley Harris lead off the game with a triple off the wall which set the Spartans in the right direction fast to their victory. Along with the teams senior power, this year Aubrie Strohman will be one of the coaches, taking the spot of Jared Nortan. Aubrie played 1st base at Utah State division 1 softball. Last year she coached the JV softball team. "Aubrie is really good, she is going to push us, I am excited on how she is going to work with our team", said Etzler. "We are going to miss Nortan, but having a coach who has played D-1 softball will help us," said Junior Tayler Zazueta. Zazueta was pulled up to varsity as a freshmen and earned All-League last year as a sophomore. She mostly plays centerfield and 3rd base. This year senior Savanah Carrillo wants to try and put last years victory behind them and keep pushing for another one this year. "Team is looking good, everyone has put a lot of work in during the off-season," said Carrillo. The Spartans open up there season March 8 vs. Wheatland. The lady spartans will rely on senior leadership, hard work, and dedication to repeat for a section championship. "Our league is tough, but I believe we have the potential and talent to do so. We just need to continue to work hard in practice," said Carrillo. March 8, 2013 S partan ound off What do you look forward to most about spring sports? Cris Lucero (9) "Track because I'm excited for the season." Bluffer/CeighleeFennel Amy Knox (10) "Watching my boyfriend play baseball." T he Red Bluf f High S choo l var sit y sof tball p la yer s par ticpated during a prac tice af ter their f ir st week of tr you t s where p la yer s prac tice on fundamentals . JV softball attempts to work as a team and adjust with the new coaching staff Ceighlee Fennel Staff Writer The JV softball team has officially started the season and has already had their first games on Thursday March 7th in a tournament at Anderson. They had 24 girls try out for the team and 18 girls made it. Out of the 18, six of the girls are returning sophomores. The tryouts were held from Monday February 25 through Thursday February 28th. According to Randy Watt, the head JV softball coach, the girls have been hustling and paying attention. Randy Watt said, "I have been really happy with the tryouts so far and with how hard the girls are working." Although, unlike the other high school teams, the JV softball team started late compared to when the other teams started. The team started later because the head Varsity softball coach did not want any conflicts from or with other sports and he did not want to hold team tryouts over the break according to Coach Randy. Even though Randy Watt is a first time coach for any Red Bluff teams, he taught softball at Colusa for 23 years and he then retired. His first time coaching was at North Bay. Since he has not been coaching at Red Bluff, he cannot compare this year's team to the last year's team, but according to him there is a lot of potential in the team this year. This year, all the softball coaches have won section championships. Last year's JV coach, Aubrie Stroman moved up to coaching Varsity this year. Even though they just started the season, the team has already put goals in place. Some of their more general goals are to prepare for the Varsity softball and to get better at playing softball. According Coach Randy, the season is still pretty premature to be setting specific goals, but the kids are very talented. Although, according to Bailey Akins, a returning sophomore, the team needs to work on not being so individual and to work more as a team. Spring Athletes to Watch: Athlete Name: Lily Brose Sport: Track Accolades: All league4x100m, 4x400m, 100m, 200m All Section- 4x400m, 100m, 200m Brose was also a state particapant in 3 events. Athlete Name: Haley Harris Sport: Softball Accolades: All-league 3 straight seasons. Harris has had back to back batting averages of .462. Last season, Harris drove in 40 RBI's home runs. Athlete Name: Tayler Zazueta Sport: Softball Accolades: All-league 3rd baseman. Zazueta hit .365 with 38 hits, 19 RBI's, 23 runs scored and 1 home run. Athlete Name: Cj Varner Sport: Tennis Accolades: As a sophmore and freshman Varner has earned 3 all league honors, 1 in singles and has earned 2 in doubles. Varner will be Red Bluff's #2 player this year. Athlete Name: Thunder Shaffer Sport: Tennis Accolades: Shaffer has been all league in doubles and singlesboth times in just 2 years of tennis. Shaffer will be Red Bluff's #1 player this year. Athlete Name: Jared Poore Sport: Baseball Accolades: Poore recorded 2 wins on the mound last year as a sophomore. Poore also hit .400 from the plate with 3 doubles. Athlete Name: Bryce Etzler Sport: Softball Accolades: All-league 3 straight seasons. Etzler hit .425 at the plate last year with 36 RBI's, 6 doubles, 7 triples, and 3 homers. On the mound Etzler pitched 60.1 innings with a 2.44 ERA, 40 strikeouts and 5 complete games. Athlete Name: Adrienne Hinkston Sport: Track Accolades: All league4x100m, 4x400m, and 400m All Section- 4x400 and was runner up in the open 400m. Hinkston competed at state in the 4x400. Other notable athletes to watch: Austin Torres, Greg Dufour, Evan Sinclair, Joanna Smith Conrad (state track participant), Mitch Fox, Sean Freeny, Tyler Boone, Sam Jones, Wyatt Houghtby, Savannah Carrillo, Nick Reinhardt, Jaime Gonzalez, Brittany Clatty, Allison Winning (state track participant), Laurel Shoop, Kayla Thayer, and Curtis Twitchell. Athletes to watch/ Garrett Sandow Dakota Davis (11) "Baseball because I use to play and it's good to see again." Taylor Rogers (12) "Even though I'm disappointing Mr. Hein and Joanna, I'm excited I'm not doing track." Mr. Hendricks (Teacher) "Coming out of retirement and helping with track." Mrs. Flores (Teacher) "Seeing many kids get the exercise their body's need." Sound Off/ClaireSamay