Most River teams struggle in UEC crossovers
Of all the Upstate Eight River softball teams who struggled in crossover matchups against the UEC Valley schools, nobody had it worse than Geneva.
The Vikings went just 1-6. They certainly had company as St. Charles East went 2-5, and Batavia lost by a combined score of 25-1 to Lake Park, Bartlett and Waubonsie Valley.
What gives? Are the Valley teams that much stronger? It certainly seemed that way during the girls and boys basketball season when the two divisions faced offf in a challenge at the end of the year.
The first-place teams played each other, the second place teams faced off, etc., all the way down to the two seventh-place teams going head-to-head. The River went 0-7 in girls basketball and lost the first 5 matchups in boys basketball until Geneva and Elgin salvaged some River pride with wins over Neuqua Valley and Metea Valley on the final night of the regular season to give the River a 2-12 record.
Back to softball, Geneva coach Greg Dierks said he doesn’t feel there is that big of a gap between the two divisions.
“Honestly I don’t think there is a whole lot of difference throughout,” Dierks said. “They (the UEC Valley) got the best of us as a whole and they certainly got the best of my team. Clearly they played a little better than us at this point.”
One River team who held their own against the Valley is defending conference champ St. Charles North. The North Stars went 5-2 and both losses were by 1 run to Bartlett and Neuqua Valley.
That made it all the more surprising when St. Charles North and Geneva kicked off the River schedule and the Vikings jumped to a 7-0 lead and won 7-6.
Dierks knows that Geneva’s 1-6 record through the Valley schedule is going to make it nearly impossible to get back in the race for the title, but that isn’t going to keep his team from setting a new goal.
“Realistically we’re not looking at first place,” Dierks said. “We’d have to win out and then have some other special things happen. We get in-house and we’re going to keep track of how we do in our own division and push hard.”
Veteran Vest: Kaneland senior Delani Vest burst onto the local softball scene three years ago as a freshman.
As the leadoff hitter, she hit .385 with a .418 on-base percentage, 2 home runs and 14 stolen bases. In the circle she went 17-6 with a 0.50 ERA.
Now Vest has gone from the freshman phenom to the experienced senior, and there is a new freshman putting up big numbers for the Big Northern Illinois 12 East leading Knights.
Through the first month of the season, Paige Kueffler ranked among the area’s top five hitters in batting average (. 484), hits (30), runs (22), RBI (27) and home runs (2). She was first in hits and RBI.
“We’ve settled her into the three spot and she’s doing really well,” Kaneland coach Brian Willis said. “We’ve got some youth. We’ve got a nice little mix this year.”
Vest said she hasn’t had to give much advice to her younger teammate.
“Not that I have taken her under my wings,” Vest said. “We all pretty much get along. She’s at our caliber already as a freshman so we don’t need to tell her much. But if she does make a mistake, a freshman is always going to get flustered so we tell her, hey, don’t worry about it and she’s really good about it.”
Vest is one of the best slap hitters around. At the start of last week Vest ranked as one of the top hitters in the area with a .500 average and the most runs scored with 27.
Vest used to hit right-handed and switched to a lefty as a freshman.
“Ever since I’ve been slapping,” Vest said, “I really like it. It was difficult at first but if you like it you will practice it. Now I love it.
“The key is to keep moving forward. Everyone thinks it is weird to run out to the pitcher’s mound but that is just to keep myself moving.”
Also at the top: Like Vest, Lexi Perez leads off for her team, St. Charles East.
Also like Vest, Perez leads the area in an offensive category — stolen bases (21).
Against Fremd when Perez swiped six steals in one game the Vikings were convinced she was leaving early.
“She was not early at all and they (the umpires) were watching her,” Saints coach Kelly Horan said. “She gets her momentum going but she’s not off the base.
“It took her a couple games to get going but what a gamer,” Horan said of Perez who has scored 17 runs. “What a momentum starter to have her get on because it’s pretty much she gets on and she’s at two.”
When Perez gets in scoring position the Saints have no shortage of .300 hitters waiting to drive her or other teammates in: Kate Peterburs (.315), Casey Basic (.311), Olivia Lorenzini (. 306), Shelby Palomares (.303) and Tess Hupe (.302). Sarah Collalti is just off that mark at .294.
Horan has also noticed a more vocal player now in her junior year in Perez.
“She’s playing great defense,” Horan said. “And she’s not so quiet anymore.”
Perez explained what she tries to bring to the team as a leader.
“I think communication is a big part of the game,” Perez said. “I thought if I could be a leader on the field it can really help everyone to want to communicate with each other and then we can make those outs that maybe we couldn’t make.
“In the dugout you need to cheer on the girls so they can get that timely hit so we can get those runs in and beat a team. We’ve been beating teams by one run and that’s where it counts where you are really talking to the girls ‘we got this’ and you go and execute it.”