Schoonover Willing but Wounded : Softball: Verdugo Hills’ ace pitcher will be playing a backup role during City Section 3-A playoffs.

As the Verdugo Hills and Granada Hills high softball teams prepare for Tuesday’s City Section 3-A and 4-A Division title games at UCLA’s Easton Stadium, Verdugo Hills’ Shannon Schoonover can’t help but think back a year.

Prior to the Dons’ 1994 3-A championship showdown with Monroe, Schoonover was firmly in control.

The junior pitcher was 15-0 and in perfect health as Verdugo Hills tried to win back-to-back 3-A titles.

But the Dons were upset by the Vikings in only their second loss of the season, and disappointment remains in Schoonover’s voice when she discusses the game.

Schoonover trained with her usual determination, however, for the 1995 season.

Not so fast. Beginning in February, Schoonover began to suffer health problems that relegated her to a supporting role as the top-seeded Dons (15-3) prepare to face second-seeded Garfield (17-3).

First there were the wisdom teeth. Prying them out was more difficult than expected and Schoonover didn’t play at full strength for nearly three weeks.

A nasty bout with flu followed, but Schoonover shook off the effects and pitched four solid innings against Southern Section Division IV power La Canada.

Scheduled to pitch the Dons’ Northeast League opener against Wilson on April 3, Schoonover awoke with a searing pain in her stomach and was barely able to make it through a day of classes, let alone play a game. Doctors discovered an ovarian cyst and performed surgery to remove it, but Schoonover recovered in time to pitch the rematch against Wilson on April 24th.

“I was kind of in shock for a while; I was just really angry that all this stuff had happened to me,” Schoonover said. “But I’m trying to have as good an attitude as I can. It’s making me tougher.”

After carrying the load for Verdugo Hills last season, Schoonover has pitched only 15 innings for the Dons in 1995, though she has struck out 18 batters and has five saves.

She will likely only see action in Tuesday’s 3 p.m. game in relief of starter Melanie Wood (13-2), who has an 0.62 earned run average and has not allowed a run in 90 of 101 innings.

“Whatever happens, it happens. Melanie’s done a great job and we’re friends,” said Schoonover, who in April signed a letter of intent to play at Northeast Louisiana. “I’ll be ready and hopefully we’ll get a big lead.”

At Granada Hills, the third-seeded Highlanders are preparing for the 4-A championship against fourth-seeded San Pedro (21-5) at 5 p.m.

Granada Hills (15-5) last played for a City title in 1991, losing to El Camino Real, but the Highlanders exorcised any remaining ghosts Tuesday with a 1-0 semifinal victory over the Conquistadores.

“Ever since we beat El Camino we think we can beat anybody,” said Granada Hills pitcher Jessica Creith (15-5), who has an 0.31 ERA and is batting .459. “All we’d been hearing was El Camino this and El Camino that. It’s good that people get to hear more about us.”

The Highlanders, whose lineup includes four players from the 1994 City junior varsity championship team, had four of five losses decided by unearned runs. Tenth-year Coach Carolyn Gunny thinks the adversity has toughened her team, which won the North Valley League.

“The team has had losses all year, but most came early and early season losses don’t bother me,” Gunny said. “You just have to try to come to the top at this time of the season.”