HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL / LEAGUE PREVIEWS : CITY SECTION : NORTH VALLEY

Cleveland

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 2-11 1-5

COACH YEAR Kimberly Kelly 4th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Tammy Wilhite Jr. 3B Oliva Miguel Sr. P Eva Freidberg Jr. 1B/OF

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Dahvi Wilson So. SS Lexie Mandell Jr. OF

OUTLOOK

The Cavaliers will need to fill some holes after three projected starters were declared academically ineligible last week. With only one player who plays softball year-round, the Cavaliers have struggled but Kelly is excited about the potential of Wilhite and Miguel.

Granada Hills

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 13-7 5-1

COACH YEAR Carolyn Gunny 10th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Stephanie Imada Jr. 2B Melissa Miller So. 3B Jodee Johnson Jr. C Jessica Creith Jr. P Tiffany Snyder Sr. RF/1B Jessica Krone So. LF/INF

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Amanda Dattil Jr. CF

OUTLOOK

The Highlanders reached the 4-A quarterfinals before losing to eventual champion El Camino Real, despite a two-hitter by Creith. Granada Hills started two freshman and three sophomores, who have a year of experience. Pitching and hitting are strengths, defense the only question mark.

Kennedy

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 9-8 3-3

COACH YEAR Lee Holden 2nd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Cindy Edison Sr. 2B Dana McCall Sr. SS/3B Kristie Ramirez Sr. OF Kelly Samuel Sr. CF Elaine Pacheco Jr. OF Kelli Moorman Jr. INF Jennifer DelReal So. C Sandra Durazo So. P

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Brandi Mercado Fr. P/IF

OUTLOOK

Kennedy made significant progress last season, reaching the playoffs for the first time in eight years before losing to Sylmar in the quarterfinals. DelReal and Durazo give Holden promise for the next three seasons. Even with the loss of three ineligible players, Kennedy has enough experience, defense and pitching to duplicate last season’s success.

San Fernando

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 14-11 5-1

COACH YEAR Will Reilly 10th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Lidia Olivares Sr. C/3B Gina Sanchez Sr. SS/2B Shameka Irving Sr. LF Lili Hernandez Sr. CF Susie Rodriguez Sr. RF

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Rosie Gonzalez Jr. 3B Maria Luna Jr. 1B Maria Garcia Jr. P Michelle Morga Sr. 3B/C Valerie Perez So. SS Barbara Calzada Jr. P/2B

OUTLOOK

With five senior starters, the Tigers may be the most-experienced team in the conference. Pitching is the biggest question mark, but Garcia was 20-2 for the junior varsity and Calzada’s sister, Ana, was San Fernando’s top pitcher in 1994. Hernandez and Olivares, who is switching from third base to catcher, will provide hitting punch. Sanchez will switch from second base to shortstop.

WEST VALLEY

Birmingham

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 9-7 4-2

COACH YEAR Jose Freire 1st

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Jaime Lee Sr. P Marcia Gonzales So. P/2B Stacy Fields So. 3B

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Desiree Rose So. P Christina Hernandez Jr. SS

OUTLOOK

Friere hasn’t had much time to evaluate talent because he also coaches the boys’ soccer team, which went deep into the City Section playoffs. He will be helped by the return of Lee, who quit the team midway through last season. Pitching will be a strength and Fields will provide power in the middle of the lineup and will be one of four sophomore starters.

Chatsworth

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 12-4 4-2

COACH YEAR Gary Shair 12th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Tawni Pakagi Sr. 1B Parisa Plant Jr. SS Jodi Borenstein Jr. 2B Sharleen Rubin So. 3B Kristy Faciane Jr. UT Lindsey Wesserman Sr. 1B/OF

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Jenysia Miller Jr. OF Michelle Charles Jr. OF

OUTLOOK

The Chancellors return their entire infield but need to find a replacement for pitcher Nicole Grizzel, who graduated. Plant, who backed up Grizzel last season, will get the first chance as other players will play various positions. “She doesn’t particularly want to pitch, but she’s very good at it,” Shair said. Chatsworth advanced to the 4-A quarterfinals last year before losing to San Pedro.

El Camino Real

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 20-4 6-0

COACH YEAR Neils Ludlow 11th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Tami Jones Jr. SS/P Ramona Shelburne So. UT Gretchen Vandenberg Sr. 1B/OF Lisa Brende Jr. 1B Ciana Baca Jr. 3B Kristin Gutekunst Jr. C Courtney Henderson Sr. 2B Jeni Redland Sr. OF Latoya Williams Sr. OF

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Morgan Smith Fr. UT Janessa Stafford Fr. P

OUTLOOK

The Conquistadores need to replace one key player from their championship team, but finding someone for Jennifer Gould, The Times’ All-Valley pitcher of the year, won’t be easy. Shelburne, an All-Valley selection as a freshman, and Jones, who likely will replace Gould, are among the top players in the City. El Camino Real has won seven 4-A titles in 10 seasons.

Taft

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 7-8 1-5

COACH YEAR Jim Lutz 1st

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Sonia Marin Sr. C Jessica Elbaum Sr. SS/1B Diana Monge Sr. OF

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Lisa Andrisano So. CF Michelle Hernandez Fr. P

OUTLOOK

Lutz will field a team of primarily sophomores, led by Andrisano, who Lutz believes has All-City potential. Other than Marin, Elbaum and Monge, most of the starting positions still need to be nailed down by players from the junior varsity.

EAST VALLEY

North Hollywood

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 7-13 5-6

COACH YEAR Carl Lager 2nd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Anna Celaya Sr. SS Claudia Soto Sr. C Karla Martinez Sr. P/IF

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Robin Rolfe So. OF

OUTLOOK

Celaya, the school’s best athlete, carried the basketball team to the second round of the City playoffs. Now she will be asked to carry the softball team. The four-year starter hit .290 and stole 32 bases without being caught in a 1994 season in which she garnered first-team Times All-Valley honors. She is joined by all-leaguers Soto, who struck out only once last season, and Martinez, who hit .300 but is coming off knee surgery. North Hollywood doesn’t have strong pitching and will have to manufacture runs.

Poly

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 8-10 7-8

COACH YEAR Kim McEwen 7th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Teresa Medina Sr. 2B Alida Gray Sr. SS Leticia Pelayo Sr. P Yolanda Crews Sr. 1B

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Mary Casillas So. P/IF Marivel Velasco So. C Patty Sandoval Jr. P/IF

OUTLOOK

The Parrots found themselves in a three-way tie for first place on the final day of the season last year and wound up third by losing. If they hope to get to the playoffs this season, Pelayo must become a stopper. Pitching was Poly’s undoing in 1994, but Casillas and Sandoval add depth. The defense is strong up the middle, which is important. The Parrots don’t expect to score a lot of runs.

Reseda

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 10-6 6-4

COACH YEAR Glory Jue 1st

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Rosie Yeatts Jr. P Brenda Lomeli Sr. 3B Jayme Rebbeck Sr. P/IF Kristy Rebbeck So. P/SS Jenaye Brown Jr. C

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Tayny Marquez Fr. C/SS Gabriella Lopez Fr. OF

OUTLOOK

Pitching is of paramount importance in softball, and the Regents have plenty of it. Yeatts, Reseda’s team most valuable player last season, is a polished left-hander who will get strong relief from the Rebbeck sisters. Reseda better have pitching. Jue, who returns from a three-year hiatus after previously serving eight seasons, has concerns about batting and defense. The Regents could benefit from dropping from the superior Northwest Valley Conference.

Van Nuys

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 0-15 0-10

COACH YEAR Tony Magnante 12th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Jessica Garcia-Montes Sr. SS Brook Votaw Sr. OF

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Cassie Allison So. 1B Amy Di Lorenzo Fr. P Natacha Baker Sr. OF

OUTLOOK

This program has seemingly plummeted since winning 30 consecutive league games in the late 1980s. The prospects for 1995 are not glowing, with only two returning starters. The defense is unsettled and pitching is always a problem for the Wolves. But two underclassmen who play summer ball--Allison and Di Lorenzo--could help lead the Wolves on a steady road to recovery. Di Lorenzo will pitch. Barker returns after a year of cheerleading.

MID-VALLEY

Canoga Park

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 6-9 6-4

COACH YEAR Steve Pietrolungo 3rd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Liz Vazquez Sr. C Janelle Balzer So. P/SS Lisa Pitillo Jr. 2B Vanessa Gonzalez Jr. SS/P Maria Bucardo Sr. OF Danielle Jeknavorian Jr. 3B

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Jessica Gonzalez Jr. 1B

OUTLOOK

Decent pitching might be all the Hunters need to challenge for a league title. First-team All-Mid-Valley Leaguers Vazquez, Balzar and Pitillo return. Balzar, Pitillo and the Gonzalez twins should bat in the .300s. Jeknavorian carried a .500 on-base percentage at El Camino Real last year. Seven starters return. The only concern is how well Balzar can replace Darla Jones at pitcher.

Grant

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 7-9 9-13

COACH YEAR Ray Blum 1st

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Kristin Kiley-Boynton Sr. SS Temesia Anderson Sr. CF Francisca Ramos Jr. 3B Ana Hernandez Jr. OF Laura Vargas Jr. C

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Heather Chavez Jr. 1B Jessica Aleman Jr. OF Eti Hadad So. 2B

OUTLOOK

Blum might have to rush his team in preparation for the season. Most of his returnees played basketball and soccer and advanced deep into the City playoffs. And the team’s only pitcher, senior Michelle Guadagno, was AWOL. Kiley-Boynton, Anderson and Las Vegas transfer Chavez, who plays travel ball, will generate offense.

Monroe

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 17-2 10-0

COACH YEAR Bill Hence 7th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Lupe Brambila So. C Kelley Hall Jr. P Charlotte Ali Jr. SS

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS None

OUTLOOK

The defending 3-A champions are stinging from the loss of second-team Times All-Valley third baseman Silvia Ramos, who transferred to Burroughs. Ramos batted .519 last year. But the Vikings might be better on defense and still have strong pitching with Hall, a hard thrower. Brambila batted .478 and should drive in plenty of runs. Pitcher Cynthia Perez and outfielder Denise Vargas should help after taking a year off for cheerleading. Hence, with a 61-19 record over the past five seasons, Monroe is a proven winner.

Sylmar

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 10-8 5-1

COACH YEAR Chuck Miller 7th

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Cherise Espinosa Jr. P Cristina Mendoza Sr. 2B Michelle Rodriguez Jr. SS Angela Hernandez Jr. C Jennifer Brown Jr. 1B Marisela Loyola Jr. OF Sonia Rodriguez Jr. OF Lorraine Zavala Jr. OF

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Nadine Traba Fr. UT Brooke Mora So. IF Karina Avendano So. 3B Patricia Mendoza So. UT

OUTLOOK

The Spartans have seven returning starters and should challenge Monroe for the conference title. Mendoza grabbed All-City honors last year, while Espinosa, Rodriguez and Hernandez were all-league selections. Miller is excited about pitching, team speed and experience--despite having only one senior among his top 12 players.

NORTHEASTERN

Verdugo Hills

‘94 RECORD OVERALL LEAGUE 18-2 9-1

COACH YEAR Dan Balkey 3rd

TOP RETURNEES YR POS Shannon Schoonover Sr. P Kelly Balkey Sr. SS Maryanne May Sr. 1B Charity Peterson Sr. 3B Melanie Wood Jr. P-OF Jody Kent Jr. C

TOP NEWCOMERS YR POS Kimberly Wood Fr. P-2B

OUTLOOK

The core of this Verdugo Hills team won the City Section 3-A championship in 1993, and lost to Monroe in the final last year. The biggest concern will be at shortstop, where Kelly Balkey will replace Stephanie Wood, last year’s 3-A player of the year. “I expect that with all the experience they have, being in the final game the last two years, they should be able to handle any pressure,” Balkey said.