Softball: Lake County all-area team

Jackie Allen, Vernon Hills

Crowd the plate and lean completely over it, and the senior pitcher probably would still throw a strike. Allen faced 619 batters this season -- and didn't hit one. She posted 128 strikeouts and just 17 walks. "Great control," coach Paul Weber said. Allen's impeccable control wasn't luck. Weber said she'd run about two miles on days she was going to pitch. She worked hard on her conditioning during the off-season, too. "She didn't lose focus as games went on," Weber said. Allen won a school-record 19 games and lost only four -- all by one run, including the Cougars' 1-0, sectional-final defeat to Marengo. Her ERA was 1.04 in her third varsity season. She throws a half-dozen pitches -- fastball, rise, screwball, changeup, drop, curve -- and maybe more. "And she uses them all," Weber said. A first-time all-conference pick, Allen will attend the University of Illinois, but will not play softball.

More Coverage Links All-Area captain Katie Buczynski

Jenna Anderson, Warren

You could draw a walk and steal base -- and your coach would never complain -- or you could just crack a double. The senior has that knack. She smacked 11 doubles this spring and had 14 her junior year. She's a power hitter," coach Carri Nichols said. "She knows how to pull the ball and get around (the pitch)." A four-year varsity player and two-time all-area and all-conference selection, Anderson hit .313 (1 homer) and served as a captain the last two seasons. "She has a lot of leadership (qualities)," Nichols said. "The girls look up to her." Anderson isn't done with softball, as she'll play for Millikin University.

Allie Anttila, Antioch

She gives new meaning to power alley and new spelling -- Power Allie. The sophomore second baseman/pitcher provided a big bat for the Sequoits in her second varsity season. Anttila pounded out 25 extra-base hits -- 11 doubles, 7 triples and 7 home runs -- while also driving in 43 runs. She had a .317 batting average, 46 hits total and 44 runs scored in an all-conference season. Coach Mary Easton called Anttila "reliable" at the plate. A varsity basketball player, as well, Anttila is proving to be one of the school's best athletes. Said Easton: "Allie will be a great leader for us next year."

Alex Booker, Warren

After hitting and running her way onto the all-area and all-conference teams last year, the sophomore switched sides of the plate. As a lefty, she was all right. Much better, actually. Batting almost exclusively from the left side, the speedy Booker batted .411 from the leadoff position. She slapped-hit and just hit, period, totaling 46 hits total. She also stole 17 bases. "She's just a very athletic girl," coach Carri Nichols said. "She's a very talented individual." Booker also played varsity volleyball and basketball during the school year. The Blue Devils' center fielder the last two springs, she played shortstop and even caught for Warren's 16-U travel team last summer. "She really has good knowledge of the game," Nichols said. "She's a very well-rounded player."

Katie Born, Wauconda

Born #8230; to hit. The senior catcher has dealt with an injured back most of her high school career, but when she got the opportunity to swing a bat, the result was often positive for the Bulldogs. She hit .478 this spring with equally staggering .797 slugging and .562 on-base percentages. In just 24 games Born produced 4 doubles, 6 triples, 2 home runs and 22 RBI, while striking out only three times. She earned all-conference honors for the 18-game winners and collected her second all-area nod in three years. "Just a terror (at the plate)," coach Tim Rennels said. "Even when she came off the bench, she had big hits." Born was good defensively, too. "Exceptional defense," Rennels said. "She threw out every runner but one. She showed great leadership."

Katie Buczynski, Lake Zurich

She was fast -- on the bases. Note the powerfully built senior's bunt single in a regular-season game against Mundelein. "She was one of the fastest runners on our team," coach Becky Lewandowski said. Buczynski's pitches? Fast. She blew away hitter after hitter while racking up 283 strikeouts (just 21 walks) in 181 innings. The Bears' three-year varsity ace boasted a 22-4 record with a 0.58 ERA, and fired 17 shutouts. She hit, too, batting .360 with 10 home runs. "She's ridiculous," Lewandowski said of her three-time all-area and all-conference star, who's the captain of the Lake County All-Area team and who will continue her softball career at Heartland Community College. "She's such a good kid. I think what I'm going to miss most is her as a person."

Lindsay Callanan, Antioch

Antioch vs. Lakes: The Lindsay Callanan show. In early May, the senior put all her softball skills on display in one game. She went 5-for-5 with 2 perfectly place bunt singles, made a pair of defensive gems while patrolling first base and raced home on a wild pitch -- from second base. That, after the always hustling speedster stole. "She was a leader on the field at first base and a fantastic leadoff hitter," coach Mary Easton said. Northern Iowa recruited Callanan to walk on its Division I softball team and she certainly put up numbers that suggest she can play at that level. The two-time all-area and three-time all-conference pick batted .422 with a whopping 62 hits (8 doubles) and 13 RBI for the Sequoits. Said Easton: "Lindsay was one of our two captains and will do great at Northern Iowa next year."

Kelly Cook, Carmel Catholic

Winning recipes often involve a cook. The Corsairs' involved Cook. A three-year varsity starter and captain, she helped Carmel win back-to-back regional championships and a sectional title in 2007 thanks to rock-solid defense and leadership. She made only 5 errors this season and anchored a strong defense. "She is one of the headiest players I have had an opportunity to coach," coach Jason Raymond said. "She has a great understanding of the game. She was a clutch performer. She seemed to always rise to the occasion in big games." Cook contributed offensively, as well, batting .275 with a homer. "The thing that I loved about Kelly was her commitment to team success," Raymond said. "She would do anything to help the team succeed."

Shannon Cooley, Lakes

Cool for Lakes: Cooley has three years left of varsity softball. Eagles coach Tia Martinez remembers the freshman belting a homer to dead-center field against Zion-Benton early in the season. She knew then that she had a good player with great potential. "That first home run, I was like, 'Whoa,' " Martinez said. While Cooley batted a modest .259, that led the team and she also displayed good power. She finished with 7 doubles, 2 triples and 2 home runs. "She's a great girl, very coachable," Martinez said. "She's played the game her whole life." Cooley was also the 14-game winners' No. 1 pitcher, was named team MVP and earned all-conference recognition. "I'm looking forward to watching her grow because she's only going to get better," Martinez said. "She's a strong girl and she's very determined to do well."

Annelise Docel, Stevenson

Back on the diamond after using last spring to focus on volleyball, Docel excelled. The junior catcher gave the Patriots a legitimate middle-of-the-order hitter, and her "receiving skills provided stability" for sophomore pitchers Allison Micucci, Jordan Willis and Genny Duffy, coach Larry Friedrichs said. Docel led the 19-game winners in extra-base hits (6 doubles, 5 triples) while batting .354 (34 hits) with 19 RBI. In her first season on varsity, she earned all-conference honors. Friedrichs called her "a long-ball threat every time she stepped to the plate."

Alyssa Dougherty, Vernon Hills

After bowling at 299 game at sectional and competing at state in February, the senior kept rolling, so to speak. Dougherty went from rolling strikes to hitting strikes. She set school records for batting average (.415) and hits (49), while tying the school mark for runs scored (44), all while helping lead Vernon Hills to a 30-win season. She had 6 doubles, 4 triples, 2 homers, 29 RBI and 10 stolen bases. She also struck out just eight times -- after fanning 25 times her junior year. Coach Paul Weber called that the "biggest difference" from last season to this season. Dougherty, a first-time all-conference pick, also used her speed to more than effectively patrol center field. She plans to continue her softball career at Quincy University. "Excellent defensive outfielder, excellent arm," Weber said. "She covers great ground. She's got all the tools -- speed, can hit for power, can hit for average, can steal bases, and can throw out people on the bases."

Kelly Gerli, Carmel Catholic

Cheers. The senior delivered plenty as a four-year varsity cheerleader. She also earned plenty on the softball field the last two springs. The catcher for a Corsairs team that counts 7 postseason wins since last year, Gerli was often hoarse after games because she had done so much -- what else? -- cheering. "She's a competitor," coach Jason Raymond said. "No one wants to win more than her." Few players are more clutch. Gerli homered in the Corsairs' sectional-final win last year and belted a mammoth shot in Carmel's upset of Fremd in the sectional semifinals this season. She batted .342 her senior year with her 36 hits including 5 doubles, 1 triple and 5 homers. She also had 15 RBI and 3 stolen bases. She stepped up with her arm, as well as her bat, during the state tournament, throwing out the speedy Alex Booker of Warren on an attempted steal of second base in the regional semifinals. "It was a bullet strike to second base," Raymond said. "She's just that way. When it's game time, she brings out her best -- offensively and defensively." Gerli, a three-year varsity player and two-time all-East Suburban Catholic Conference choice, will attend the University of Missouri but will not play ball. "She is a big-time player," Raymond said. "If she wanted to continue to play softball at the college level, she would make an impact."

Abbie Goetsch, Grayslake Central

Abbey absolutely appreciates Abbie's abundant ability with a bat. "She's intimidating," coach Abbey Tadelman said of her strongly built slugger. Goetsch put up huge power numbers in her rookie season on varsity for the Rams. The junior batted .407 with 11 doubles, 1 triple, 5 home runs and 26 RBI. She also played great defense at first base, her coach said, and made the all-Fox Valley Conference team. "Abbie is very aggressive at the plate," Tadelman said. "She just goes up there with confidence. Even when we were not playing well -- which was pretty often -- she just always found a way to get on base."

Leslie Harshey, Mundelein

In a season atypically devoid of many highlights for the tradition-rich Mustangs, their best player provided a monster highlight. Harshey pitched a 3-hitter, as the No. 14 seed stunned third-seeded Lake Zurich 3-1 in the Lake Zurich regional semifinals. "Clutch situations, Leslie's definitely the competitor," coach Ted Juske said. A year after earning all-area and all-conference honors as a first baseman and backup pitcher to star Lauren Ott (Butler University), Harshey served as Mundelein's ace. Once again, she hit with authority. The senior's .318 batting average led the Mustangs, with her 28 hits including a home run. In the circle, Harshey struck out 86 batters in 91 innings. "She started pitching freshman year and then she started taking lessons sophomore year," Juske said. "Last year, maybe I should have pitched her a little more for Lauren Ott."

Megan Kubacki, Vernon Hills

If she wasn't getting hits, she was stealing them from other hitters. "She just got better and better at third base," coach Paul Weber said. Kubacki, a junior, started in right field last year and made Weber look wise in moving her to the hot corner, where she made all kinds of catches, even in foul territory on the first-base side. "She's got a gun for an arm," Weber said. Offensively, Kubacki was equally impressive. She boasted a .355 batting average (37 hits) with 6 doubles, 1 homer, 25 RBI and 25 runs scored. She made all-conference in helping the Cougars win the North Suburban Prairie Division championship. "She's just an all-around player," Weber said, "and an excellent third baseman."

Katie Larson, Libertyville

Thumbs up for the catcher, whose wounded thumb on her mitt hand threatened to mess up her senior season. "She really needed surgery," said Mary Tiegs, the Wildcats' coach and Larson's mother. An all-area and all-conference player since her sophomore year, Larson earned a "three-peat" with those honors this spring thanks to a .340 batting average and defensive effort that yielded a .989 fielding percentage (just 2 errors). She wore a cast on her left thumb during the winter. "We didn't even know if she was going to catch," Tiegs said. Larson's injury affected her power numbers (4 doubles, 1 triple, 1 homer), but she still produced 35 hits as the Wildcats' leadoff hitter. "She's a gamer," Tiegs said. "She played through (the pain)." Larson will attend the University of Iowa, but will not play softball.

Amanda Leon, Grayslake North

The Knights leaned on Leon. The senior patrolled center field and batted leadoff for the second-year varsity program, and she definitely produced. Leon batted a team-best .389 with her 37 hits including 9 doubles and 2 triples. She easily led the team in runs scored with 31, while also pacing Grayslake North with 9 stolen bases. In the outfield, she recorded 5 assists. "Amanda is an outstanding person and player," said coach Stacy Selle, whose Knights won 10 games. "She is everything a leadoff batter needs to be. She gets on base, scores runs and is defensively sound." Leon will attend the University of Notre Dame in the fall and study business with an emphasis in pre-law.

Adriana Longobardi, Vernon Hills

There might not have been a better player at knocking in runs and knocking down balls. The junior catcher was an RBI machine for the 30-win Cougars, driving in a school-record 42 runs, while also playing stellar with the mitt and gear on. "Defensively, she was very tough for us all year," coach Paul Weber said. "She's real active, has a good arm, is a good receiver, and had very few passed balls all season." A late-season slump dropped Longobardi's batting average to .295, but the three-year varsity player still had 36 hits, including a team-best 11 doubles, 1 triple and 1 homer. She fanned only 10 times in collecting all-area and all-conference honors for the second year in a row. Said Weber: "She was just a real good clutch hitter."

Ashley Mysliwiec, Antioch

Ash mashed. The junior crushed the softball, clobbering 12 home runs while hitting .338 in her third varsity season. She was "unstoppable," coach Mary Easton said. Mysliwiec's other offensive numbers included 7 doubles, 4 triples, 29 RBI, 39 runs scored and 49 hits overall. A first-time all-conference and all-area selection, she was also the Sequoits' No. 1 pitcher, winning 12 games and posting a 1.93 ERA. "She shows great knowledge of the game and has confidence on the mound," Easton said. "Ashley will also be a great leader next year."

Cara Nance, Wauconda

She had a game to remember. Her freshman season was memorable, too. All Nance did in a game against Round Lake was jack 3 home runs, including a grand slam, and drive in 9 runs. She finished with a .427 batting average, .663 slugging percentage and .500 on-base percentage. Nance also had 6 doubles, 3 triples, 4 homers and 28 RBI. She struck out only four times. The right fielder/catcher earned a spot on the all-conference team. "She didn't miss a beat (coming in as a freshman)," coach Tim Rennels said. "Great defensively. Great mechanics. Her offense just got better and better as she found her swing."

Marci Pasquesi, Vernon Hills

Her team came up short but, yes, the senior did beat Marengo and star pitcher Sarah Steinmann. A month before Steinmann pitched the Indians to a 1-0 shutout of Vernon Hills in the Richmond-Burton sectional final, Pasquesi defeated Marengo in Game 1 of a nonconference doubleheader. "She's a tough little pitcher," coach Paul Weber said. But while Pasquesi posted a 6-2 record, where she really excelled was at second base and in the batter's box. The first-time all-conference pick hit .333 (39 hits) from the No. 2 hole. She had 6 doubles, 37 runs scored and 22 RBI, and consistently made contact (just 8 strikeouts). "I was really happy with her performance," Weber said. "She was 'dyno' #8230; She was one of the best second baseman I saw in the area this year."

Heather Ruetsche, Grant

Her last name is commonly misspelled and mispronounced. That's surprising since people should know her by now. Ruetsche (pronounced Rich-ee) followed up an all-area and all-conference season in basketball by earning the same honors in softball. "Her pitching made us a much more competitive team," coach Mike Dolezal said. While Ruetsche won only 6 games because "we just didn't hit for her," Dolezal said, the senior posted a 1.44 ERA and threw strikes. "She really had good command of her pitches and took control of some games," Dolezal said. Ruetsche -- who pitched Grant to an upset of top-seeded Mundelein in the regionals her freshman year -- provided offense, as well, in making all-conference for the second straight spring. She hit .325 with 5 doubles, 2 homers and 24 RBI. She'll try to play both basketball and softball at Lakeland College. "She did everything we asked her to do," Dolezal said. "She was just a joy to have on the team and really plugged away."

Coryn Schmit, Lake Zurich

Cutting up her throwing hand while trying to scoop a ball during indoor practice didn't faze the tough-as-nails catcher. Neither did getting a line drive off her eye during another practice inside. "Two hours later, she was like, 'Let's go,' " coach Becky Lewandowski said. "She's a tough kid." Schmit's a tough ballplayer, too. She led the North Suburban Conference champions with a .382 batting average, with her 39 hits including 8 doubles, 3 triples and 4 homers. She also knocked in 21 runs, stole four bases and struck out only eight times. And behind the plate, the junior made only 1 error. Schmit is a repeat all-area and all-conference pick. "Coryn, she's a rock," Lewandowski said. "She calls her own game. She knows the kids. She's such a leader."

Tovah Schwartz, Stevenson

Coach Larry Friedrichs has been watching her field groundballs and mature on and off the field since before she entered high school. "Having known Tovah since she came to our summer camp in sixth grade, it has been a pleasure to see her grow as an athlete and a team leader," Friedrichs said. "The stability she has provided at third base, as well as her offensive numbers, over the last three seasons will be hard to replace." A three-year varsity player, Schwartz put together her best season yet for the Patriots, batting .339 with 40 hits and earning all-conference honors for the second year in a row.

Rachel Tack, Carmel Catholic

Carmel's postseason strategy: Attack with Tack. "Rachel loves pitching in the big games," coach Jason Raymond said. "She may be nervous but you would never know it watching her perform. She always seems to find a way to get the big strikeout or get the hitter off balance to record outs." The sophomore is 7-2 in the state tournament in two years. Frustrated during most of the regular season because she wasn't living up to her own expectations, Raymond said, Tack got hot when it counted most. The same thing happened last season in helping lead Carmel to its first sectional title. As the 12th seed again this year, the Corsairs upset Fremd 2-1 in 10 innings in the sectional semifinals -- their sixth win in a row -- as Tack went the distance in the circle. Her season numbers included 14 wins, a 1.93 ERA, 123 strikeouts and 25 walks in 163 innings. "She reminds me a lot of how (future) hall-of-famer Greg Maddux pitches," Raymond said. "Rachel may not overpower a team with eye-popping strikeout numbers, but in the end she will have the win or will give your team a chance to win every time. She hits her spot, keeps hitters off balance and is great with the glove."

Chrissie Wichmann, Lake Zurich

She's been the Bears' No. 2 pitcher -- and a good one -- the last two years. But with Katie Buczynski (the All-Area captain) proving more than capable of being the team's ace, Wichmann found another way to make an impact on the diamond. The senior had a breakout season with the bat. She batted .357 with her 30 hits including 6 doubles for the North Suburban Conference champs. "She's a solid hitter," coach Becky Lewandowski said. "You knew she'd get on base at least once a game." Wichmann will head to the University of Colorado, which does not have a varsity softball program.

Special mention

Antioch: Jen Precht (Jr. CF), Samie Seamon (Jr. LF)

Carmel: Katie Cornell (Sr. 3B), Caitlin Hendricks (Sr. 2B)

Grant: Brianna Brugioni (So. P)

Grayslake Central: Monika Wedick (Jr. P)

Grayslake North: Samantha Fletcher (Jr. SS)

Lakes: Hannah Karstedt (Sr. 3B/P)

Lake Zurich: Ella Aslan (So. 1B), Kyra Boyer (Jr. RF)

Libertyville: Katy Pfund (Sr. 1B), Ali Haws (Sr. SS), Leanne Kaczmar (Sr. 3B/2B)

Mundelein: Jordan Lundsten (Jr. C)

Round Lake: Karla Muldowney (Sr. C)

Stevenson: Courtney Belcastro (Sr. RF), Traci Africk (Sr. 2B)

Vernon Hills: Anastasia Guletsky (Sr. LF)

Warren: Sam Berrios (Jr. P), Sarah Clauser (So. SS)

Wauconda: Kate Martino (So. SS), Amanda Pausa (Jr. CF)