Bartlett, South Elgin hope to be in the race

While the balance of power in Upstate Eight Conference softball doesn't appear to have shifted this season, it's abundantly clear the conference championship race will be a dogfight all the way.

Defending league champ Lake Park, which finished third in the state last year, Bartlett, Neuqua Valley, St. Charles North and South Elgin all figure on contending in the UEC race this season, and all with good reason.

"The teams in our conference are very tough," said Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith. "Neuqua Valley has the best pitcher in Colleen Hohman, St. Charles North returns most of their top players, South Elgin has one of the best players in the conference in Kim Pierce, and Lake Park has a couple studs back in Alexis Munaco and Carly Willert."

Here's a look at how the Fox Valley area schools in the UEC stack up this season.

Bartlett: The Hawks lost one of the best pitchers in the state to graduation in Lauren Wydra, but a plethora of talent returns for a team that went 28-7 last year before being upended by Glenbard North in the sectional semifinals.

"We return our top three hitters, five of our top seven and seven of our nine position players," said Wolfsmith, whose 2007 team made the Elite Eight in East Peoria. "We expect to compete for the Upstate Eight championship and look to advance in the state series and return to East Peoria after not getting back there last year."

The core of the nucleus coming back for the Hawks starts with senior Elizabeth Kay, who has signed with Illinois State. A natural catcher, Kay can play any position on the field and this year has added pitching duties to her arsenal.

"She has a great drop, she throws about 57 (miles per hour), she can spot the ball well and she has a decent change she's working on," Wolfsmith said. "It should be interesting watching her develop as a pitcher. She pitches nonstop and wants to be the best."

Kay, an all-state catcher last season, hit .438 for the Hawks a year ago with 8 home runs, 12 doubles, 2 triples and 39 RBI. She struck out only 7 times in 127 plate appearances, had a .567 on-base percentage, a .769 slugging percentage, stole 9 bases and scored 43 runs.

While Kay may see a fair amount of time in the circle, Bartlett's No. 1 pitcher is junior Callie Dennison, who backed up Wydra last year with a 16-3 record and a 1.42 ERA. Dennison, who is being recruited by Butler and UIC, among others, also plays shortstop and hit .360 with 3 homers, 13 doubles and 18 RBI from the leadoff spot.

Other top players returning for the Hawks include sophomore SS/2B Nicole Beck (. 374, 28 RBI), junior third baseman Megan Morales (. 300, 18 RBI), senior first baseman Rachel Anello (. 283, 22 RBI), senior utility player Jilly Heidelmeier (. 286, 12 RBI), junior outfielder Allyse Taormina and senior outfielder Tia Filishio.

South Elgin: After a run to the sectional finals last year, Storm coach Jason Schaal is optimistic about another rewarding season being on the horizon.

"We're able to bring a lot back and if our pitching holds out, our defense should be solid," said Schaal, whose team went 23-11 last year. "Offensively we should be able to put runs on the board."

South Elgin has one of the top players in the area returning in senior center fielder Kim Pierce. The Indiana State signee who transferred here from Sarasota, Fla., hit .495 last season with 9 home runs and 47 RBI. She struck out only 5 times in 97 at-bats.

First baseman/pitcher Lauren Vitiello also returns with her powerful bat. Vitiello hit .539 last season and had 7 homers and 41 RBI as the Storm averaged close to 6 runs per game.

The team's third and fourth leading hitters return in sophomore Katelyn Stonecipher (. 337, 10 RBI) and junior Caitlin Stredde (. 330, 10 2Bs, 21 RBI).

Senior Cary Thereon, along with Vitiello, will be looked at to carry the pitching load, which has a hole to fill with the graduation of Rebecca French, who won 13 games for the Storm last year. Thereon pitched 62 innings last season and went 5-4 with a 1.24 ERA, while Vitiello also saw 27 innings in the circle.

"We're optimistic," Schaal said. "The girls are ready to play."

Larkin: The Royals are coming off an uncharacteristic 6-23 season and will be challenged again this season with eight underclass starters.

"Inexperience will be an obstacle," said Royals coach Larry Hight, now in his 14th year and just 22 wins short of 300 for his career. "If we get good pitching we can achieve our goals."

Emerging as the Royals' No. 1 in the circle is freshman Lexi Smithberg, who earlier this week became the first freshman to start a game for Larkin since 2000. Smithberg is the daughter of former Larkin baseball pitching standout Roger Smithberg, who went on to a stellar career at Bradley University and then pitched in the majors for the Oakland Athletics. Hight also expects sophomore Megan Johnson, who got some varsity pitching time last year, to contribute in the circle.

Sophomore catcher Victoria Nino (. 422, 14 RBI), who was all-conference in 2008, returns as does sophomore shortstop Corinne Wimmer (. 321, 14 RBI).

The Royals have only four seniors on the roster this season.

Elgin: The Maroons struggled to a 3-23 season a year ago but things could be looking up with the emergence of freshman pitcher Hannah Perryman, who drew rave reviews on the summer travel ball circuit. Senior leader Kelly Patchett will pitch again as well as play first base and the outfield.

Veteran Elgin coach Peg Corcoran has moved senior Caris Alan behind the plate. Alan hit .396 last season and is one of the most versatile athletes in the area.

Also back for Elgin is speedy junior center fielder Brandi Hernandez (. 318), junior 3B/OF Jenna Jaynes an senior catcher April Harwood.

Top newcomers also include sophomore Jaclyn Navarro, who Corcoran says can play anywhere on the field, and freshman 2B/OF Rachel Roth, the younger sister of Elgin three-sport standout Tom Roth.

"We've been hit with some injuries and some sickness and we haven't seen our full squad together yet," said Corcoran, whose team has started the season 0-3. "When we get everyone back we're hoping to get some wins on the board."

Streamwood: New coach Nick Baird, a former baseball standout at Streamwood, has a young team but he's encouraged by what he's seen so far.

"We're progressing," Baird said. "We only have two seniors on the team but we're learning and improving. I'm impressed with the way we're learning so far. They're willing to be coached and we've got some talent, we just need to bring it all together."

The top returning players from last year's 8-24 team include seniors Arielle Gallione and juniors Kelsey Johnson, Delaney O'Malley and Julissa Alvarez.