Saturday, September 14, 2024
By Murray Gleffe
Correspondent
BROWN COUNTY – With another winter behind us, local softball teams are looking to hit the diamonds – some in Green Bay and others farther south.
Pulaski won the Fox River Classic Conference title in 2018 and made it to the sectional semifinals.
Meanwhile, Ashwaubenon won a regional championship by beating Bay Port.
However, it was Green Bay Preble that made the most noise in the postseason.
The Hornets took it one step farther, advancing to the sectional finals before losing to Appleton North for a chance to go to state.
These teams, and possibly others, will be looking to add a title for their school in 2019.
Ashwaubenon
Head coach: Shannon VanLaanen
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 23-6
FRCC record: 14-4
2018 all-conference: *Alexa Blasczyk (first-team outfielder, co-player of the year), Chloe Brabant (first-team catcher) Kally VanLaanen (second-team infielder), Katelynn Cleveland (second-team pitcher), Zion Estano (honorable-mention outfielder) and Josie Hilbert (honorable-mention outfielder).
Bay Port
Head coach: Amber Francour
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 14-8
FRCC record: 13-5
2018 all-conference: Maddy Ehlke (first-team infielder), Emma Hock (first-team catcher), *Sydney LaPoint (second-team pitcher) and Jourdan Lee (honorable-mention outfielder).
De Pere
Head coach: Matthew Eakin
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 13-7
FRCC record: 12-6
2018 all-conference: *Katelyn Simoens (first-team outfielder), Rachel Kerkhoff (first-team infielder), McKayleigh Piper (second-team infielder), Makayla Alexander (second-team catcher) and Natalie Cerrato (honorable-mention infielder).
Green Bay East
Head coach: Craig Kozlowski
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 10-11
Bay record: 6-7
2018 all-conference: *Iyana Grajeda (second-team outfielder), Kendra Flashberger (second-team infielder), Teagan Delarwelle (second-team catcher), Mariana Grajeda (second-team pitcher) and Morgan Nemecek (honorable-mention pitcher).
Green Bay West
Head coach: George Wehausen
Division: 2
2018 overall record: 0-18
Bay record: 0-14
Green Bay NEW Lutheran
Head coach: Kellie Meerstein
Division: 5
2018 overall record: 0-14
Packerland record: 0-11
2018 all-conference: *Dawn Pettyjohn (honorable-mention catcher) and *Mikala Perino (honorable-mention infielder).
Green Bay Preble
Head coach: Ron Metzler
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 21-6
FRCC record: 15-3
2018 all-conference: *Katie Kugel (first-team infielder), Keegan Piton (first-team infielder), *Brittany Baneck (first-team pitcher/co-player of the year), *Kennedy Kingston (second-team outfielder), *Cameron Koch (second-team outfielder), *Evelyn Hoge (second-team infielder), Camryn Baenen (honorable-mention infielder) and *Cassie Foytik (honorable-mention catcher).
Green Bay Southwest
Head coach: Tom Dietz
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 4-17
FRCC record: 3-15
2018 all-conference: Erin Flynn (second-team infielder) and *Julia Bolssen (honorable-mention infielder).
Notre Dame Academy
Head coach: Steve Broekman
Division: 2
2018 overall record: 3-19
FRCC record: 2-16
2018 all-conference: Katie Peters (honorable-mention infielder).
Pulaski
Head coach: Billi Vertz (FRCC coach of the year)
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 19-3
FRCC record: 16-2
2018 all-conference: *Emily Higgins (first-team infielder), Lauren Dixon (first-team pitcher), Hannah Kreuser (second-team outfielder), *Mallory Ruechel (second-team catcher), McKenzie Niespodzany (honorable-mention outfielder), *Madi Winter (honorable-mention infielder), *Kristin Burdeau (honorable-mention infielder) and Emma Wiese (honorable-mention pitcher).
West De Pere
Head coach: Tom Zimdars
Division: 2
2018 overall record: 17-4
Bay record: 12-2
2018 all-conference: Anna Young (first-team infielder), Genesis Eggart (first-team pitcher), Hannah Bearson (second-team outfielder), Breanna Schneider (honorable-mention infielder), Alexa Thomson (honorable-mention infielder) and Evie Larson-VanEgeren (honorable-mention catcher).
Editor's note: All stats and information was taken from the wissports.net 2018 season and school websites.
