Warriors, Falcons set to contend for softball titles

By Dick Sparrer

A year ago, the Westmont girls softball team won a share of the championship in the Mount Hamilton Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.

And with a solid corps of returners back from that club, this year the Warriors are going for it all.

But third-year head coach Jon Hennig isn't necessarily predicting a championship for his Warriors. Not yet, anyway. Because he knows just how tough life can get week-to-week in the rugged Mount Hamilton race.

Hennig figures his club for a top three finish in the circuit, rating Mitty and Presentation as top title contenders along with his Warriors.

"We are returning seven starters from last season's co-championship team," said Hennig.

Topping the list are Lisa Chapman, Brittany Hennig and Jessica Davis, who each return for their fourth varsity season at Westmont.

Chapman is back as the top pitcher for the Warriors. The senior, an all-leaguer in each of the last two seasons, won 19 games for Westmont last spring and was picked the junior of the year in the Mount Hamilton Division.

Hennig is back at shortstop for the Warriors after hitting .394 last season. She is another two-time all-leaguer.

Davis is another varsity returner along with juniors Jenny Brown, Bonnie Huggett and Jessica Parola and sophomore Michelle Salmiery.

Davis was an all-leaguer as a sophomore and will play either first base or the outfield.

Huggett returns at third base for the Warriors after knocking in 16 runs and winning all-league first-team honors last spring, and Brown is back at second base after a solid .324 season when she won second-team all-league honors.

Salmiery returns as the starting catcher for Westmont and Parola is back in the outfield.

"The defense is very strong, especially the infield where Hennig and Brown form one of the area's best shortstop-second base combos," said the coach.

The club won't be too bad offensively, either, with Hennig, Brown and Huggett all bringing pop back to the lineup.

"[Davis and Salmiery] are expected to take on important roles bolstering the offense," added the coach.

Newcomers expected to step right in as key players for the Warriors are sophomores Katherine Bamford (first base), Kyle Soden (outfield) and Victoria Alexander (catcher), all up from the junior varsity, and freshman Danielle Chapman (outfield).

Falcons have high hopes

Unlike Hennig, Saratoga softball coach Al Pezino is predicting a league championship this spring.

The Falcons finished second to Lynbrook in the race for the title in the El Camino Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League last spring. "Last year, we lost two close games to Lynbrook--both 1-0 in eight inning games--that cost us the league championship," said Pezino.

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Photo: Redwood Middle School boys basketball team