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This section is available for fans to report on their team and players. Provide your information by using the feedback form. Let us know about your top performers, team results, team and player stat's, milestones, exceptional matches, community involvement, where your seniors will be going to college, human interest stories and efforts made to become State Champs.
(5/29/99) --Harrisburg H.S.
Harrisburg H.S.
Harrisburg
Schedule Strength
I think Harrisburg can match Johnston City on the subject of schedule strength. Let's face it: softball in southern Illinois has gotten so good that everyone plays a tough schedule. Of the teams Mr. Morneweg cites for Johnston City, Harrisburg exceeds JC in that the Lady Dogs play Vienna twice, Herrin 3 times (and won twice) and Massac twice. Using Class AA as an argument, Harrisburg also exceeds JC by playing Murphysboro, Marion and Carbondale (all twice-JC only once, apparently) as well as AA Mount Vernon. Harrisburg equals JC by playing Carmi, Frankfort (2), DuQuoin (2) and some other tough schools which JC does not play: Anna-Jonesboro and Indiana's second-ranked AA team-Evansville Memorial. JC does exceed Harrisburg by playing Elverado, Edwards County and Nashville. By my count that makes the two schedules just about even. Fairfield and Oblong are weak this year, they can hardly be termed "strong" teams. The point is this: there are so many good teams in the Deep South (the Johnston City fans will agree with me that the Deep South is easily the most talented part of the state) that no one can claim to have the toughest schedule. I'm sure the folks in Pinckneyville, Elverado and any SIRR-Ohio team will agree. Johnston City did emerge from all this with the better record and the regional trophy, but a claim of the strongest schedule is incorrect.
Jed Nelson - May 28
(5/27/99) --Johnston City High School
Johnston City High School
Johnston City
Schedule Strength
This is a challenge for any softball team in the state, especially the deep south, to show a tougher schedule than the Johnston City Lady Indians(32-2) play. I saw where a youngster from Nashville claimed that they play a weak schedule. He obviously doesn't know who they play. For starters let me name: Nashville, Columbia, Elverado(2),Vienna, Edwards County(2),Carmi-White County, all of which won their Regional Tourneys. Also Harrisburg(3),Herrin, Pinkneyville, Massac County, West Frankfort(3), Fairfield, Rock Island High School(2),Du Quoin(2),Oblong, and the AA schools of Carbondale,Marion, and Murphysboro(2). Some of these games couldn't be played due to bad weather or other complications, however, they were scheduled. They also won the Pinkneyville Tourney which included West Frankfort, Columbia,Vienna,Belleville(Althoff),and the host team. No other team in the south (and possibly in the state) can boast of a stronger schedule. I'm really proud of this bunch of young ladies, and I can only hope that Nashville gets to Pekin for a rematch.
Bruce Morneweg - 5/27/99
(5/12/99) --Harrisburg
Harrisburg
Lady Dogs rolling along
Harrisburg has been dominant in southern Illinois this year, going 26-4 so far and now standing in first place in the south's toughest softball conference, the Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference's Ohio Division. Harrisburg has picked up quality wins over Herrin, West Frankfort, Vienna, Johnston City, Murphysboro and Indiana's #2 Class AA team, Evansville Memorial. Harrisburg has played a very tough schedule this year and has done very well against those teams. The Lady Dogs appear to be peaking at just the right time, the regional is just two weeks away.
Jed Nelson - May 9
(4/23/99) --Rockridge
Rockridge deserves to be rated higher.We may not win all our games by big shutouts, but you need to look at our competition. Currently 14-2, 10 of our games have been against strong AA teams. Last years' 1st & 4th place teams,(Thornwood,Fenwick) Rock Island, Geneseo, Sterling, and even East Moline. Our lone AA loss was a 3-2 game to East Moline, the tying run was tagged at the plate. Our 6 (A) games have been fairly lopsided, with the exception being a 1-0 loss (in the bottom of the 7th) to a very tough Orion team. Orion's pitcher was the best we had faced, the first time we weren't ready.
Mon. we play Alleman & if we win maybe we can move up a couple spots. If we lose I suppose we'll fall hard. Go girls!!!!!
Dad
(4/23/99) --Harrisburg
Harrisburg Pitcher Kara Pesavento
Congratulations to Harrisburg's senior pitcher Kara Pesavento who is now 12-0. Pesavento struck out ten hitters against Mount Vernon yesterday, and allowed only one hit against Massac County on Tuesday. Pesavento got some outstanding defensive play from shortstop Amy Murphy and first baseman Lindsay Jones, as well as solid hitting from catcher Erica Brown and left fielder Melissa Hunt to beat Massac 3-1 and Mt. Vernon 6-1. Harrisburg now stands at 17-1.
Jed Nelson
(4/23/99) --Nashville softball
Nashville softball
The Nashville softball team is 12-1. Amy Harre and Jenny Doehring have been doing the job for us this year on the mound and at the plate. Nashville has almost as good a record as Harrisburg and just as good as Johnston City, but Johnston City has a very weak schedule, mostly (but not entirely) sub-.500 teams who you won't see in the regional semis. Harrisburg has two good pitchers, but Nashville has two GREAT pitchers. When you vote in the ICA poll, don't forget Nashville!
Adam Weinzapfel
(4/21/99) --Harrisburg
Harrisburg Update: April 20
The Harrisburg Lady Bulldogs are now 15-1, having won five straight. Pitcher Kara Pesavento notched her 10th win of the season and her sixth shutout. The only loss came with Harrisburg's third pitcher on the mound. Erica Brown slugged her sixth double of the season on Saturday, and Amy Murphy legged out her third triple. Pesavento's 69 strikeouts and 0.32 ERA are the best around, and freshman Lacy Jones (3-0) is not far behind (16 Ks, 0.66 ERA). Harrisburg is now 4th in the ICA poll, and is still the best in the south.
(4/16/99) --Belleville East
Belleville East (AA)
East is going all of the way. Cristen Seaman is kicking'em in and Niki Delgado won't let anything through.
Joe Raab - 4-16-99
(4/10/99) --Rockridge
Rockridge
Taylor Ridge; Edgington IL
Updates
I really appreciate everyones comments. If you think your school might be a top 20 team please keep us informed on your season. I may not know where your town is but I love to read about the competion. R.R. is still 10-0. 7 games have been rained out, I hope we play Tue. Good Luck
Dad - 4/10
(4/10/99) --Lady Bulldogs!
Harrisburg H.S., Harrisburg, IL
The team to watch in Southern Illinois this year is defintely the Harrisburg Lady Bulldogs! Now standing at 8-0 after beating both the 1998 Class A and Class AA runners-up (Johnston City and Herrin), then beating three Class AA teams, Harrisburg is rolling along, in first place in the Southern Illinois River to River Conference's Ohio Division. Good pitching, sound defense and solid hitting, as well as great speed and excellent coaching are coming together to make Harrisburg the number one team in the south.
Go Lady Dogs!
A Harrisburg Fan
(4/10/99) --BUFFALO GROVE
BG is definitely the team to beat. They return 4 all-area players, Kim Czapla, Melissa Counley, Piper Mead and Lindsay Hamma from a 32-2 season last year. Also returning are Kate Stake. 833 average after 7 games and Chicago Tribune's player of the week, backup pitcher and now in the starting lineup Michelle Catalano, 3 year varisty members Erin Keubler and Kim Hardt, and probable all area catcher,Erin Bravo. What's amazing is that Hamma, Mead, Counley and Bravo are juniors and Stake is a sophomore. This team is amazing and full of depth and the most likely pick for the state championship.
Supa Fan
(4/8/99) --Rockridge
Rockridge wins again. R.R. is now 10-0 with at least 6 shut outs. Two more games that we were winning were halted because of rain. Last years AA winner Thornwood went down 6-2&9-0; and last years AA 4th place team Fenwick went down 4-1&1-0. Other AA victims were Rock Island, Sterling, and Geneseo. Two respected class A teams that were saved by rain were Farmington and Dakota.
R.R. biggest strenghs are there defense and team work.
We could possible be a regular competitor at state If we didn't have Allaman in our regional. I Imagine someone down south feels the same way about Casey's. Maybe this is our year. Regardless I think the girls are showing they are a top level team.
Dad
(4/6/99) --The Best Casey Team Ever?
Many people in town believe that this years team may be the best overall team Casey has ever had. 6 seniors and 3 juniors are projected to be in the tournament lineup. This is the first time in 2 seasons we have had more than one full time senior starter. 3 of the seniors have started since their freshman year.
The 1999 team is slightly different from traditional Casey teams. The pitching should be solid but not overpowering. This team will rely heavily on a very strong offense and an experienced defense at every position. Question marks for the team include how well Montgomery will play at short if Throneburg pitches and if Sanders knee is strong enough to make it through the season. Sanders missed 1998, but brings a very strong bat to the lineup for this year. The outfield has great speed with Lemond
I see the main competition for the title to come from Johnson City, Rock Island, Charrolton, Nashville, Mt. Zion, and probably Cumberland for no other reason besides Dana Yocum who I consider to be the best pitcher in the state. Maybe they will redistrict the sectional so the rest of the state can see how good she is. Otherwise you will just have to take my word for it if she has to go through Casey.
The girls are really focused on winning a 3rd title in 4 years. Last year was 41-1 but at Casey there is only one goal and we didn't get it done. This year there are 19 girls and 3000 fans putting in overtime to see that we reach that goal. Good luck to everyone, hope we see you at the big dance in June.
A Casey Fan
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