Scouting Lake County softball
The high school softball season started this week. Here’s a look at what to expect in Lake County.
Antioch Sequoits
Coach: Anthony Rocco (14th season, 317-107)
Last season’s record: 29-6, 11-1, Northern Lake County champions; Class 3A state runner-up
Top returning players: Tegan Schuler, soph., CF, Kailyn Bockwoldt, jr., OF, Addison Webb, jr., C, Samantha Hilner, jr., Claire Schuyler, jr.
Key newcomers: Addison Osborne, fresh., P, Addison Housh, soph., IF, Alyna Matarieh, soph., C-Utility
Worth noting: While 4-year standout Jacey Schuler is playing at Michigan State (65 1/3 innings pitched heading into this week as a freshman), the shelves are far from bare at Antioch where five of the team’s hitters in the 1-7 slots return. Schuler, a second-team all-stater last year as a freshman, hit .384 with 5 homers and 35 runs scored from the leadoff spot, while slap-hitting Bockwoldt, NFCA all-region first team in 2024, hit .402 (.550 in the playoffs). Bradley University recruit Webb, a third-team all-stater, had 10 extra-base hits and 32 RBI, while Hillner had 12 extra-base hits (4 homers), 27 RBI, 24 runs scored and 10 stolen bases, and, of course, belted homers in the sectional and supersectional title games. University of Minnesota-bound Schuyler had 10 extra-base hits, 26 RBI and 27 runs scored. Antioch is looking for its seventh NLCC title in eight years. Taylor Clark is headed to JUCO Rock Valley College in Rockford, while senior outfielder Maddy Clancy is the last remaining link to the 2022 third-place state team. She missed last year due to injury. The versatile Hillner, Rocco said, could start at first, third or second and will help Webb with catching duties. Bockwoldt had 2 hits in the state title game. “Kailyn increased her speed and offensive repertoire from the left side of the box, which could her impossible to defend,” noted Rocco, who is also hopeful for big offensive seasons from the likes of Schuyler and Webb. Rocco also mentioned Schuler could move from leadoff to third, changing from setting the table to clearing it. Lillie Glenn is Antioch’s only experienced pitcher returning (6-1 career record, 5-1 in 2024). The Sequoits are ranked No. 15 in the Class 3A preseason ICA poll. Twelve of Antioch’s nonconference opponents are ranked in various ICA polls, including an early-season swing with games against 4 ICA-ranked squads. Rocco is hoping for late-season improvements just like last year when Antioch hit .420 (152 hits in 13 games) from May 1 through the supersectional game. “It will take the pressure off our young and inexperienced pitching staff,” he said. At the end of the day, Rocco likes where this year’s roster is headed. “We have athleticism, defense and experience,” he said. “Many of our varsity kids have great metrics and ooze with talent appealing to the college coaches. Our track record speaks for itself with 6 players currently playing on college scholarships (3 in the Big Ten and 2 in the Missouri Valley).” Antioch had a team fielding percentage of .978 last spring. “That happens when you have a future Big Ten shortstop and a Division I catcher anchoring two key positions in a defense,” Rocco said. “Eight of our kids were part of our two state final appearances and know what it takes to win the big games.” Rocco said Antioch will have a target on its back in the Northern Lake County Conference where he hopes the parity seen last year continues. “It helped us focus and prepare for our playoff run,” he said.
Carmel Catholic Corsairs
Coach: Nicole Parney (2nd season)
Last season’s record: 14-17, 4-8, fifth East Suburban Catholic
Top returning players: Grace Brown, sr., SS-3B, Grace King, jr., C-3B, Kaitlyn Konen, jr., IF-P, Kate Buckingham, soph., CF-1B, Bella Camerson, soph., 1B-P
Key newcomers: Alivia Rice, jr., P-1B
Worth noting: Both Brown (Division I St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia) and King (Division I University of Louisville) are back after missing last season due to injury. Brown had 42 hits and 50 RBI in 2023, while King, as a freshman the same season, hit .500 with 10 homers and 41 RBI. “We bring a lot of experience back,” Parney said. “Last year, we had the majority underclassmen starting, so we will continue to build off that. We are coming back stronger and this group brings speed and quality bats throughout the lineup with great fundamentals.” Parney said Chicago Marist, Benet and Joliet Catholic are teams to watch in the ESCC. “The conference will be competitive,” she said. “We are looking forward to competing. We finished in the middle last year and after a rebuilding year we return almost all our starters and are looking to finish toward the top of our conference.”
Grant Bulldogs
Coach: Chris Van Alstine (10th season)
Last season’s record: 12-19
Top returning players: Kaylin Worley, sr., OF, Bri Lopez, sr., OF, Taylor Glover, sr., 3B, Kenzie Zamora, jr., P, Kahrsten Geary, soph., OF
Key newcomers: Riley O’Grady, soph., IF, Haley Lloyd, jr., OF, Whisper Hunt, jr., OF, Sophia Tellez, fresh., IF, Stella Capulong, fresh., Utility
Worth noting: Grant’s entire outfield of Worley (College of Lake County), Lopez (Division III Wisconsin-Oshkosh) and Geary are returning all-Northern Lake County Conference selections. “Tons of speed out there,” Van Alstine said. “We have a ton of fast players who love to make contact and see how far they can run. Our outfield is fast and skilled when it comes to tracking the ball so it will be fun to see how they do this season after a full season of playing together last year. This group works hard and is not expecting things to come to them. They are looking forward to the challenge of every opponent and they are very serious about how they are approaching this season. They are very unselfish and flat out want to win. They want to go after the conference and see what they can do in the postseason.” Van Alstine said Antioch is still the team to beat. “We look forward to seeing how we match up against the and anyone else that wants to play us. This group is tough and I think many people are going to find out how tough they are.”
Grayslake Central Rams
Coach: Jim Plaza (3rd season)
Last season’s record: 17-14, 7-5, fifth Northern Lake County; Class 3A regional champion
Top returning players: Emma Andrews, sr., SS, Annie Wolff, sr., P, Dani Eckenstahler, sr., 1B-3B, Kate Davis, jr., C-1B, Kaitlynne Faust, jr., P, Autumn Aliff, soph., OF
Key newcomers: Keira Clark, jr., IF, Reese Comerford, soph., IF, Evie Evert, fresh., P, Cameron Marshall, fresh., C-IF
Worth noting: Central graduated 7 seniors, including 3-time all-state catcher and current Evansville freshman Eliza Piggott, who hit a school-record 21 home runs last year, 3-time league sportsmanship winner Ally Struck, and 4-year varsity pitcher Trinity Breault. “However, we are excited about our returners and the new talent coming up,” Plaza said. “The senior leadership has been strong and it has been great to see the incoming freshmen and sophomores on varsity playing with confidence. We will have a relatively new-look team. The future of the program looks bright.” Central hit a school-record 57 homers last year with the returning Andrews (9 homers, 31 RBI, .421 batting, College of Lake County), Davies (.402, 9 doubles, 9 homers, 32 RBI, Division I Loyola-Chicago commit) and Wolff (.378, 10 homers, 26 RBI) continuing to provide sold production. “We think we will have a strong lineup with contributors from top to bottom,” Plaza said. Wolff was 10-7 in nearly 100 innings of work, while Faust logged 45 innings and struck out 39 last season. Eckenstahler (all-NLCC in 2023) missed last year due to injury, while Aliff hit .314 in 14 games as a freshman. Andrews was second-team all-state, while Davies was third-team all-state. The incoming freshmen battery of Evert and Marshall will get its first taste of varsity softball, while Clark and Comerford are newcomers in the infield. “We feel confident in our pitching and defense,” Plaza said. “We should be competitive in every game we play.” Plaza sees many tough teams in the NLCC. “It is a competitive conference,” he said. “We believe we can compete with these teams to battle for a conference championship.”
Grayslake North Knights
Coach: Amanda Rodriguez (5th season)
Last season’s record: 6-20, 4-9, sixth place Northern Lake County
Top returning players: Jane Pritchard, jr., SS, Alyson Alveranga, jr., 2B, Lauren Gaeding, sr., CF
Key newcomers: Grace Hoker, fresh., P, Riley O’Brien, fresh., P, Brena Dalton, fresh., Utility
Worth noting: Pritchard (.426 batting, 7 doubles, .951 fielding) and Alveranga (.355 batting, .932 fielding were all-NLCC selections, while Gaeding hit .324 (.939 fielding). Rodriguez likes how here seniors are performing on and off the field. “We have 3 returning seniors and 2 returning captains,” she said. “They are strong young ladies who know how to be positive, supportive and still hold themselves and others to high expectations.” Rodriguez said the athletic and versatile Pritchard brings strong leadership skills and a tremendous presence on the field to the table, while Alveranga, she said, has ridiculous range at second, is a great baserunner and competitor, while freshman Hoker has a strong arm in the circle and is solid at the plate. Rodriguez said Antioch will always be a tough game in the NLCC. “I believe with the new talent we have, we should be towards the top in our conference,” she said.
Lakes Eagles
Coach: Bill Hamill (17th season)
Last season’s record: 23-12, 9-3, second Northern Lake County, Class 3A regional champion
Top returning players: Emily Ovaska, sr., 1B, Liv Tautges, jr., C-IF, Zoey Christan, soph., C-IF, Mackenzie Matzl, sr., OF, Rae Carraro, jr., P-OF, Aubrey Murray, jr., P-Utility, Abby Charlton, soph., P-Utility
Worth noting: Christan and Ovaska are returning all-NLCC selections from a team that won 23 games and a Class 3A regional title last year. Hamill said defense and youth are on Lakes’ side, while in addition to Ovaska and Christan, junior pitcher-outfielder Carraro is another name to keep an eye on. Hamill, who noted there are 30 players in the Lakes program with many talented younger players among that number, said the NLCC will be competitive again this spring. “We are in a good conference. It is up in the air,” he said.
Lake Zurich Bears
Coach: Nicole Pieper (1st season)
Last season’s record: 15-12, 8-6, fourth North Suburban
Top returning players: Kelly Selzer, sr., SS, Isabella Vodicka, sr., CF-1B, Megan David, sr., RF, Brianna Rubicz, sr., RF-3B, Jenna Lewis, sr., RF-2B, Claire Kohlman, jr., C-3B, Kaitlyn Jenkins, jr., P, Alaina Krzeminski, soph., P
Key newcomers: Theresa Campobasso, jr., P, Kendall Hull, soph., Utility, Camryn Krysciak, soph., C-3B, Alyssa Springer, soph., OF, Emma Koelper, fresh., Utility
Worth noting: Senior shortstop Selzer (Division III Wisconsin-Oshkosh) hit. 368 with 32 hits a year ago, while Kohlman, who can catch or play third, hit .452 with 38 hits — both earned North Suburban honors. Rubicz is headed to Southeastern Community College. Center fielder/first baseman Vodicka (.378 batting), David, Lewis, Jenkins (22 1/3 innings pitched) and Krzeminski (72 2/3 innings pitched) contributed at the varsity level. “We have a strong core of returners coming back that can help lead and develop our new players,” Pieper said. “We have a good mix of returners and young players.”
Libertyville Wildcats
Interim coach: Dar Townsend (1st season, 5th in program)
Last season’s record: 16-16-1, 7-7 North Suburban; Class 4A regional champion
Top returning players: Taylor Higham, jr., P-OF, Zoe Kinsella, sr., SS, Emily Psyhogios, sr., 3B-C, Maddy Kleemann, jr., C-IF-OF, Sophia Lombordo, sr., OF, Callie Hill, sr., IF-OF, Siena Zombolo, sr., P-1B-OF, Natalie Engman, sr., IF-OF
Key newcomers: McKenzie Rhim, jr., OF, McKenna Weaver, P-IF-OF
Worth noting: Townsend, varsity assistant the last 4 seasons, takes over for Sean Farrell. The Wildcats return second-team all-stater Higham and third-team all-state pick Kinsella (headed to College of Lake County). Psyhogios, an all-NLC selection last year, has committed to Division III Lake Forest College. Townsend also is high on the potential of junior Kleemann. “Pitching will be one of our strengths this season,” he said. “Taylor already has set the school strikeout record. Another strength will be the senior leadership. This is a hard-working group of players that likes to compete.”
Mundelein Mustangs
Coach: Heather Ryan (2nd season, 4th overall)
Last season’s record: 36-3, 14-0, North Suburban champions; Class 4A state fourth place
Top returning players: Claire Connelly, sr., 1B-P, Kieley Tomas, jr., CF, Sophia Zepeda, sr., P-LF, Shae Johnson, jr., DH
Worth noting: The Mustangs, one of two Lake County-area teams to play in the state finals last year, are locked and loaded once again, particularly on the offensive end. Connelly, a second-team all-state pick headed to Division I Indiana State, hit .541 with 64 hits, 14 homer runs and a school-record 71 RBI. Tomas (recent NCAA Division I elevated St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota) hit .504 with 61 hits, scored 60 runs, stole 35 bases and also made the all-state second team. Zepeda (College of Lake County) was 11-0 on the mound with 82 strikeouts in 63 1/3 innings and hit .421 with 45 hits. She will be a key in the circle due to Johnson, the North Suburban Conference pitcher of the year, not pitching this season after a labrum injury. Johnson, a DH this year, hit .426 with 52 hits, 9 homers and 48 RBI, earning a first-team all-state selection. “With many of our outs last year coming from Shae’s strikeouts, we are excited for our defense to step up and for Sophia Zepeda to bring her senior leadership and mental toughness on the mound,” Ryan said. “Every person in our lineup will be a tough out, with many of our hitters bringing power, high IQ and lots of experience to the plate. The play of our newcomers will be key to putting together a solid and consistent team on both sides of the ball.” Sophomore shortstop Taylor Pyke hit .421 with 7 homers, 47 RBI and scored 41 runs as a freshman. Ryan terms here a dynamic player who shines both defensively and offensively. Junior third baseman Emily Courtney is a spark plug in the Mundelein lineup, Ryan added. “Emily can produce a base hit, lay down a bunt and pretty much anything else we need. She’s a true team player,” she said. Freshman catcher Sarah Benes is the sister of Karina Benes, Mundy’s catcher on last year’s state team. The Mustangs return 10 players, only 3 seniors.
Stevenson Patriots
Coach: Vera Pflugradt (2nd season)
Last season’s record: 20-11, 11-4, second North Suburban, Class 4A regional champion
Top returning players: Aubrey Jackson, sr., P, Sophia Becker, sr., C, Addie Pak, sr., OF-2B, Alyssa Shimanski, jr., OF, Ava Potempa, jr., P, Jasmine Lucero, soph., SS
Key newcomers: Kate Baird, sr., OF, Makenna Jacobson, jr., P, Maahi Patel, jr., C, Taylor Brutt, jr., 1B-3B
Worth noting: Lucero and Potempa are returning all-NSC picks, while Jepson (Division I Stony Brook University in New York) and Becker (research university Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio, NCAA Division III) were all-NSC honorable-mention selections. Pfugradt likes how Stevenson is shaping up at the plate and in the circle, plus she pointed out her players benefit from a strong team culture. She added Lucero will be strong on both offense and defense, while Shimanski brings good speed to the table. Jepson, also a strong hitter, and Potempa will lead the way in the circle. In terms of the North Suburban, Pflugradt sees the Patriots fighting among the league’s upper crust. “I believe we will be highly competitive in our conference, ranking among the top teams,” she said.
Vernon Hills Cougars
Coach: Jan Pauly (11th season)
Last season’s record: 15-19-1, 6-4, third Central Suburban North
Top returning players: Izzy Loiben, sr., OF, Cate Pangilinan, sr., IF, Annie Zbyut, soph., C, Lily Kozin, sr., P-1B, Lindsey Syrusis, sr., OF
Key newcomers: Gia Gossett, soph., 3B-P, Ashley Fayard, soph., IF
Worth noting: The Cougars return 4 seniors and a strong sophomore catcher in Zbyut (.362 batting last season). Loiben, all-CSL North in 2024 and headed to Division III Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, hit .342 (.518 slug) with 15 steals, while Pangilinan is a strong defender and hit .295. Kozin posted a .973 fielding percentage at first base, while Syrusis hit .339 and gloved it at a .969 clip in the outfield. “We will have depth at pitching this year with 3 healthy pitchers,” Pauly said. “We will have speed in the outfield and solid defense all around. This is a dedicated group of athletes with strong team chemistry that will show grit and determination all season.” Pauly expects Pangilinan, who was sidelined some with injury last year, to lead the Cougars at the plate and on the basepaths. She added Zbylut will take over most of the catching duties and will repeat as one of the team’s top hitters, while Loiben will play wherever needed “and will show power at the plate and bring a fierce competitive edge to the field each day,” Pauly noted. Pauly said Niles West and Maine West will be teams to beat in the CSL North, but “we will compete to win the conference title this year,” she said. “If we stay healthy in the circle, we will challenge these teams. We are a young team overall and will show great improvements during the first couple weeks of the season. We expect to be playing our best softball in May.”
Warren Township Blue Devils
Coach: Jenna Charbonneau (10th season)
Last season’s record: 23-8, 11-3 second North Suburban, Class 4A regional champion
Top returning players: Camryn Guldberg, jr., P, Katie Monroe, sr., C, Mia Meno, jr., Utility, Annalise Stitch, jr., OF
Key newcomers: Reese Albert, jr., IF, Norah Howell, soph., Utility-P, Lauren Jaronik, soph., Utility
Outlook: Monroe, headed to Division III Wisconsin-Stout, hit. 398 (.485 on-base) with 27 RBI and caught 161 innings on her way to earning all-state honorable-mention accolades. “Cool, calm and collected,” Charbonneau said of Monroe. “She isn’t a showy kid, but she executes her job at an elite level. She always puts bat on ball. Behind the plate, she is a constant to her pitching taff and has really worked to perfect her craft, which is something that often goes unnoticed.” Guldberg posted an 8-6 record in the circle and also hit .323 (.419 on-base) with 18 RBI. “Cam has gotten a lot stronger physically this offseason and I think that has benefited her on the mound,” Charbonneau said. “I would look for her to have a breakout year in the circle.” CMeno hit .322 (.408 on-base) with 17 RBI, while Stitch hit .329 (.434 on-base, .514 slugging) with 17 RBI. Charbonneau noted Meno is a “great returning player ready to make a name,” while Stitch “worked hard in the offseason weight room and is ready to show her grit on the field.” Charbonneau said the conference is filled with young and up-and-coming talent. “We expect to compete in each conference game and hope to come out on top,” she said. “The strength of this team will be their drive to compete and their overall toughness. This group of kids is hungry and ready to compete.”
Wauconda Bulldogs
Coach: Tim Orisek (8th season)
Last season’s record: 20-11, 7-5, fourth Northern Lake County. Class 3A regional champion
Top returning players: Ellary Nick, sr., OF, Alyssa Threde, sr., SS, Madison May, soph., C
Key newcomers: Aubrey Fetingis, soph., P-OF-1B, Kaylee Rohan, fresh., P-IF-OF, Georgia Reimers, fresh., P-IF-OF
Worth noting: May, only a sophomore, was a Class 3A all-state third-team selection after hitting .500 (49 hits) with 18 doubles and 29 RBI. She joined Nick (.345 batting, 5 homers, 20 RBI) and Threde (.392, 40 hits, 10 extra-base hits, 21 RBI) on the all-NLCC team. Orisek feels May can definitely play at the collegiate level and should start getting good looks after this season. “Our strengths will be from our senior leadership along with our younger players developing and making an impact,” Orisek said. “We have so many different players who can play multiple positions very well, so we will have plenty of options for different defensive combinations.” Orisek said the likes of Antioch, Grant and Grayslake Central are among the teams to watch in the Northern Lake County Conference. “It’s a tough conference,” he said. “We feel we should continue to compete, but I wouldn’t count us out at all in this competitive conference. I can’t wait to see what we can do.”