Foothill Accomplishing Goals Short-Handed

Foothill entered last week as the second-ranked softball team in Orange County, but the Knights showed why they were ranked No. 1 in the pre-season poll by winning the Santa Maria Righetti tournament.

Foothill won three games Wednesday, including a 1-0 victory in the final over Fresno Bullard, the top-ranked team in the state. Bullard was 26-0 entering the game.

The Knights won all five of their tournament games short-handed.

Senior pitcher Lauren Schwendimann, who has signed with Northwestern, has been out for two weeks because of a sore shoulder. Sophomores Courtney Fossatti, who won three games in the tournament and earned most valuable pitcher honors, and Elizabeth Bendig, picked up the slack.

Bendig threw two one-hitters last week after playing primarily behind the plate this season.

“She’s done a great job catching,” Foothill Coach Joe Gonzalez said of his utility player. “She never caught before, but she’s a good athlete and she has one of the strongest arms on the team.”

Shortstop Jaime Clark, the Righetti tournament MVP who has signed with Washington, sophomore Kristin Mann and freshmen Autumn Champion and Tiffany Haas made key contributions.

And starting second baseman senior Eryn Manahan, who missed three weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery March 10, is back in the lineup. Starting outfielder Erin Mobley is also at full strength after suffering a knee injury in the fall.

Foothill lost its early season No. 1 ranking because of losses to El Toro, Fresno Buchanan and Greenway (Ariz.). But the Knights are aiming for the Southern Section playoffs.

“I thought this year’s schedule was the toughest we’ve ever had,” said Gonzalez, whose teams have won eight consecutive Century League titles. “You want to play the tough teams, so no, I’m not concerned about our three losses.

“It was a good tournament for us, and, for the first time this season, we’re almost completely healthy. That’s exciting.”

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Lindsey Davidson and Chelsea Trotter of Brea Olinda High were selected to Parade’s All-American high school girls’ national basketball team published Sunday.

Davidson, a senior guard, was on the third team and Trotter, a junior center, was on the fourth team. Trotter was The Times Orange County Player of the Year and and Davidson was on the all-county first team.

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Joni Colburn, formerly Joni Easterly, took off a season to have a child but has rejoined the girls’ basketball coaching staff at Irvine.

Colburn, one of the county’s best at Katella during the late 1980s, resigned in 1998. At the time, she talked of creating a basketball school.

“I still want to do that, but I miss the girls too much right now,” Colburn said. “This is a great group of kids, not only talent-wise, but they’re great people. I want to get back there, and hopefully be there for awhile.”

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Servite catcher Ryan Garko and Brea Olinda pitcher Mike Davern are among the 19 players on the USA Baseball junior national team that will play in the Pan American Championships in Caracas, Venezuela from April 17-24.

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Staff writer Martin Henderson contributed to this story.