HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL / LEAGUE PREVIEWS : SOUTHERN SECTION : MARMONTE

Agoura

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 15-6 9-5

COACH YEAR Pat Grennan 2nd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Heather Bunch So. 1B Christine Larralde So. SS Breanne Polhman So. RF Melody Vujiuic Sr. C Katie Melvin Sr. 2B Michelle Fritz Jr. OF

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Jennifer Hunt Jr. 3B Jennifer Grennan Fr. RHP

OUTLOOK

The Chargers will have to rely on pitching and defense, because they lost most of their best hitters from last year’s team. The defense will be solid, with Larralde and Melvin returning at their positions up the middle. Grennan, the coach’s daughter, will have a chance to become the top pitcher.

Camarillo

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 13-10 5-9

COACH YEAR Darwin Tolzin 7th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Jessica Ziese Jr. 1B Amanda Buttell So. 2B Julie Borchard Sr. SS Gina Hammett Sr. 3B Ashley Cardillo Jr. C Kortney Edge So. RF Jefflyn Spahr Jr. CF Robin Degner Jr. LF Melanie Richardson Jr. RHP

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Brooke Rutschman So. RHP Cindy Ball Fr. RHP Jessica Mendoza Fr. C/IF

OUTLOOK

Although Newbury Park and Thousand Oaks figure to be the top teams in the league, Camarillo isn’t far behind. The Scorpions return nine starters, although only Ziese was an all-league performer. Borchard has signed to play at Wisconsin, which is starting a softball program this spring.

Channel Islands

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 8-14 0-14

COACH YEAR Mike Young 1st

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Lisa Contreras So RHP Renae Simmons So. RHP Maria Gonzalez Sr. 1B Cindy Canchola Jr. 2B Mara Neadeau Sr. SS Celina Contreras Sr. 3B Debbie Vasquez Sr. C Veronica Garcia Jr. OF Tina Portillo Jr. OF/C Erica Sananigo So. OF/C

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Brandi Peterson Fr. IF Evelyn Navarro Sr. OF Sharlene Duffy Sr. OF

OUTLOOK

The Raiders can’t help but improve on last year’s league mark, and with a solid corps of returnees, Young is confident they will. He hopes his team will be taken lightly. “You always hope you will get (an opponent’s) second pitcher and really make things interesting,” Young said.

Newbury Park

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 21-8 10-4

COACH YEAR Mike Morgan 2nd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Kristi Fox Jr. RHP Christine Arguijo Sr. 1B Mandy Kinningham Sr. C Melissa Brecht Sr. LF Jann Thorpe Sr. 3B Jenny Bapp Jr. CF Amy Berman Jr. SS

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Tina Roscoe So. UT Julie Zuckman Jr. 2B Michelle Disney Sr. UT

OUTLOOK

The Panthers are the league favorites, but they may get off to a slow start because five of the key returnees are also competing for the Newbury Park basketball team, which is No. 1 in the state in Division III and could be playing into mid-March. One of the basketball players is Fox, The Times’ 1994 Ventura County player of the year.

Royal

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 13-10 7-7

COACH YEAR Andy Silva 3rd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Leah Barroso Jr. SS Kim Whitehead Sr. CF Kaelynn Jones Jr. RHP

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Theresa Rough Sr. 1B Kristi Thompson Sr. OF

OUTLOOK

Barroso and Whitehead are the only returning starters. “We’re going to be so young and inexperienced that I can’t say we are going to be right there banging on the door,” Silva said. “We’ll be competitive, but maybe not enough to make it into the playoffs.”

Simi Valley

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 24-3 12-2

COACH YEAR Suzanne Manlet 14th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Julie Difatta Sr. C Lisa DeStefano Jr. 3B Corinne Long Jr. 1B Nicole Newhart Sr. SS Marcie Leeds Sr. OF Megan Garrison Sr. UT

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Chrissy Gates Jr. RHP Michelle Schoen Jr. UT

OUTLOOK

The Pioneers lost Sara Griffin, The Times’ 1994 Ventura County pitcher of the year, but they have some key players back, including Difatta, another all-county selection. “We’re going to be young,” Manlet said, “but we have some talent and we are going to be competitive.”

Thousand Oaks

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 17-11 8-6

COACH YEAR Gary Walin 2nd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Jessie Davenport Sr. RHP Megan Keesling Sr. C Erika Hanson So. 1B Allison Bowman Sr. 2B Ashley Bergin Jr. SS Jenny Bottomly Sr. 3B Holly Pierskalla Jr. LF Chara Smith Sr. CF

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Jennifer Sharron So. LHP Justine Rachlin So. C Angela Ciufo So. 3B

OUTLOOK

The Lancers have the best chance to challenge Newbury Park for the league title because of a strong group of seven returning starters. The marquee player is Davenport (9-9, 0.32 ERA), an all-county pitcher last season. “I’ve got a nice blend of experience and newcomers that are adding strength to an already good team,” Walin said.

Westlake

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 13-12 5-9

COACH YEAR Doug Gove 2nd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Cathy Davie Sr. CF Kelly DeArman Jr. LHP Amanda Martin So. 1B Gretchen Latour Jr. 2B Michelle McGinnis Sr. LF

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Michelle Notaro Fr. 3B Arin Carlson So. OF Danielle Perino So. SS Heather King Fr. C Chrissy Davie Fr. 1B/OF

OUTLOOK

DeArman and Cathy Davie are the top players, but they are joined by Carlson, a transfer from Phoenix; Perino, from Agoura; and talented freshmen Notaro, King and Chrissy Davie. “Last year we relied on Cathy Davie and Kelly DeArman to do everything,” Gove said. “I think this year we have better depth.”