Girls’ Player of the Week : Longeway’s Freshman Season Leaves Her Almost Speechless

Ward Longeway, father of Kennedy High School freshman Cheryl Longeway, says his daughter is just a basic kid.

“If you came to our house,” Ward said. “You’d just never know she was a softball player. She’s just your typical, low-keyed, 15-year-old.”

Until she walks to the mound, that is.

Longeway, The Times’ player of the week, has been dazzling opponents this season--especially through the Southern Section 3-A playoffs, where Kennedy is the top-ranked team.

In a Southern Section 3-A second-round playoff game Wednesday, Longeway pitched a 1-hitter and struck out 10 in an 8-inning, 1-0 victory over Sunny Hills.

Friday, Longeway allowed only 3 hits, struck out 12 and hit a solo home run--her first of the season--to lead Kennedy to a 7-0 victory over Covina.

What does she think of her success?

“I don’t know,” she said. “It was just another week, I guess.” It’s difficult to get Longeway to speak of her accomplishments. She would rather speak of her teammates, her coaches, her family and anyone else who supports and encourages her.

“She isn’t the type who rushes out to find her name in the paper everyday,” Ward Longeway said.

She started playing softball as a 7-year-old with the Orange County Batbusters. At 9, she started taking pitching lessons from Jerry Ocker, a private pitching instructor.

By 10, Longeway was one of the Batbusters’ starting pitchers along with current Garden Grove League rival Stephanie Smith, a freshman at Garden Grove.

With Longeway and Smith pitching, the Batbusters won three national titles from 1984 to 1987.

In August, Longeway again will join the Batbusters as they travel to Marietta, Ga., for the national championship tournament.

Longeway’s best pitches are her riseball and drop. Her curve, she said, needs improvement.

“It pretty much goes straight into the batter,” she said.

Although Longeway said that she never expected to be a starter this year, she has set for herself an impressive first-year goal.

“I want to win the (3-A) title as a freshman,” she said. “That would be pretty good, wouldn’t it?”

TOP PERFORMERS

Allison Franke of Canyon defended her Southern Section Masters title in the discus Friday night with a throw of 158-feet 4-inches, a career best by almost three feet and the second-best mark in the nation this year.

Lori Graper of Kennedy had two triples and four RBIs in helping the Fighting Irish to a 7-0 victory over Covina Friday.

Michele Granger of Valencia threw a 1-hitter and struck out 23 in a 1-0 victory over Bellflower Wednesday. Granger threw a 2-hitter and struck out 17 in a 2-0 victory over Buena Park Friday.

Jenny Heydt of Mission Viejo pitched her third no-hitter of the season in a 3-0 victory over Palm Springs Wednesday.

Sita Jones of La Habra recorded the county’s season-best mark of 5:03.81 in the 1,600-meters Friday night at the Southern Section Masters meet.

Margo Melendrez of Laguna Hills threw a two-hitter and a three-run homer in a 6-0 victory over Saugus Wednesday and a one-hitter in a 2-0 victory over Santa Fe Friday.

Danielle Reaves of Esperanza placed second in the 300-meter hurdles in a personal best 44.30 seconds Friday night at the Southern Section Masters track and field meet. Reaves also was the No. 2 runner in the Aztecs’ 4 x 400 relay, which placed fourth.

Cheryl Longeway

Kennedy High School

Position: Pitcher

Height, Class: 5-2, Fr.

Last Week: Pitched a 1-hitter and struck out 10 in a 1-0 victory over Sunny Hills Wednesday. Pitched a 3-hitter, struck out 12 and hit a solo home run in a 7-0 victory over Covina Friday.

Season: Longeway (21-3) has shut out all three playoff opponents. She batted .405 during the Garden Grove League season and is batting .311 overall with 24 hits, 15 RBIs and 11 runs scored.