Loaded Lady Broncos dominate second all-area squad
There are a few familiar faces on the 2015 All-Area Softball Team.
Last year’s player of the year, Allie Trudeau, is back near the top for the Union Grove Broncos.
Also, star players like Mackenzie Kyle, Alyssa Schimelfenyg, Tay Lewis and more return to the area’s elite squad, which features athletes from Burlington, Catholic Central, Waterford and Union Grove high schools.
However, nobody made a more meteoric rise to the top of the heap than a Union Grove junior that lived in the gym in the offseason.
Before I bore you with more space-filling banter, let’s jump right into the team, which looks at overall stats, leadership and intangibles and is decided by the Southern Lakes Newspapers sports staff:
Player of the Year
Claire Ryan, junior, Union Grove
After hitting .347 last season and earning honorable mention All-Area, Ryan absolutely went off in 2015.
Her .560 batting average, 11 home runs and 41 RBIs helped the Broncos to a 19-6 record and a trip to the Division 1 sectional final.
The scary thing is Ryan is only a junior, and the sky is the limit next spring.
“Claire had the best offensive year I’ve ever had from a player and I’ve had some good ones,” said Union Grove coach Ryan Boylen. “Claire combines power, average and clutch hitting to really define the role of a No. 3 hitter. Claire isn’t as naturally gifted as some players, but she works harder to be what she is.”
Ryan’s 11 bombs were tied for fifth in the state.
Ryan was named first team all-state, first team all-Racine County, first team all-district and first team all-conference for her Herculean efforts.
“Those who have seen me play a lot over the years have said this season was a better reflection of my ability than the previous two,” Ryan said Tuesday evening via Facebook. “I really appreciate and am thankful for all the positive comments. Many have asked what changed and in thinking about it, the biggest difference I see is being more relaxed than previous years.”
At the plate, Ryan isn’t seeking to kill the ball. She simply trusts her ability and lets the bat do the rest.
“Timing, bat angle, swing speed, and stuff like that comes into play, but a lot of the credit for my home runs comes from the hours each day that I spend working out,” Ryan said.
Ryan added it was disappointing to miss state this season, and she said the team must do a better job of executing in the playoffs. She acknowledged that playing teams like Westosha Central to go to state isn’t easy.
“Next season, Union Grove will have the goal of winning state,” Ryan said. “I don’t see that changing and it shouldn’t surprise anyone. Personally, I want to help the team get ready for all of the big challenges ahead.”
First team
Brittany Moore, junior, Union Grove
A close second to Ryan for POY, Moore was the most dazzling pitcher in the area this season, posting a 10-3 record and 1.42 ERA.
Moore struck out a mind-boggling 180 batters in 88-2/3 innings. That’s a little more than two batters per inning.
Her outstanding season earned her first team spots on the all-state, all-county, all-district and all-conference teams.
“She is one of if not the best pitcher in the state,” Boylen said. “She’s ridiculously good and a D1 talent by all accounts.”
Moore also hit .400 with two home runs and 16 RBIs.
Look for the 1-2 pitching punch of Moore and Allie Trudeau to have the Broncos contending for a state berth in 2016.
Allie Trudeau, junior, Union Grove
Last year’s All-Area player of the year had another big campaign in 2015.
A dominant hurler, Trudeau recently committed to Division 1 University of Illinois-Chicago. The future Flame literally threw plenty of flames this past spring, with a 2.07 ERA and 115 strikeouts in only 74-1/3 innings.
While Moore accounted for 10 wins, it was Trudeau who was responsible for the other nine.
A first team all-county, all-district and all-conference performer, Boylen said he is lucky to have one of the state’s best.
“She didn’t have the statistical year we are used to as she dealt with a bit of dead arm early in the season, but she busted her butt to get back and fight through it and finished the year lights out,” Boylen said. “She also was a hard-luck candidate offensively as she hit more smoked-at-em balls than anyone I’ve seen. She hit the ball hard and well all year but had little to show for it.”
Tay Lewis, junior, Burlington
It’s the second straight season on the All-Area first team for Lewis, whose power rivals anyone in the state.
The shortstop, who will play college softball at Division 1 Iowa State University, was the big bopper in the middle of the lineup for the upstart Demons, who are on the brink of becoming an elite Southern Lakes club.
Though she was often intentionally walked, Lewis still managed a .536 batting average, seven home runs, eight doubles, three triples, 32 runs and 22 RBIs.
For her stellar season, Lewis was recently named the all-Racine County player of the year by the Racine Journal Times.
“Tay hits for average and power and is a very good base-runner,” said Burlington coach Gary Caliva. “She is a leader on and off the field.”
Lewis and the Demons are sure to contend for the SLC title next season.
Katie Kubiak, junior, Catholic Central
Catholic Central has had its fair share of great hitters over the years, with plenty of state-champion
players to boot.
But not too many have put up the kind of year Kubiak did in 2015.
The catcher led the area with a .598 batting average, slammed two home runs and eight triples, and drove in an astounding 41 runs.
Behind the plate, Kubiak’s rifle arm nabbed five would-be base stealers.
The postseason accolades were immense, with first team nods for all-county, all-conference and Metro Classic Conference player of the year.
Kubiak was the team MVP along with Mackenzie Kyle.
“Katie is a complete player,” said Catholic Central coach Bill Greskiw. “She’s one of the best all-around hitters I’ve had at CC. She hits for power and average. She’s a strong defensive catcher with a great arm and a smart base runner. She works on her game the entire year and plays at a very high level of summer ball.”
“Her desire to be successful and to win is a constant driving force for her. She’s the kind of person you build a team around.”
Bailey Thur, senior, Union Grove
One of the only seniors on the Lady Broncos, Thur was a major factor in the team’s stacked lineup.
The cagey veteran hit .354 with six home runs and 17 RBIs.
Thur was a first team all-Racine County selection and landed on the all-SLC second team.
Boylen said she was a huge piece to the Grove’s puzzle of success.
“Bailey is another worker who has made herself into a heck of a ballplayer,” he said. “She had a great year offensively and defensively for us and was a big reason we had the year we did.”
Mackenzie Kyle, senior, Catholic Central
One of the best pitchers in the area, Kyle has been the Toppers’ ace for a long time.
The team co-MVP was a second team all-county and first team all-conference pick.
“Mackenzie is a three-year team MVP and three-year starting pitcher,” Greskiw said. “She went undefeated in conference play. She has been the team leader on the field and off with a strong all-around game. I could always count on her as a captain to run all team activities with her co-captain. She’s a very coachable player.”
Kyle went 17-6, and the Toppers were 21-6 and won the MCC.
She struck out 150 batters in 133 innings with a microscopic 1.42 ERA.
Kyle’s control was impeccable, as she only allowed 18 walks.
At the plate, she hit a blistering .444 with six triples, two home runs and 36 RBIs.
Kyle also showed some speed with seven stolen bases on seven attempts.
Sydney Robson, freshman, Catholic Central
The lone freshman on this year’s All-Area squad, Robson displayed the power, speed and athleticism of a senior.
The first baseman is a complete softball player and is most likely a future POY.
Robson can do it all on the field, as she hit .488 with 14 doubles, five triples and a home run. Furthermore, she led the Toppers and was second in the area in RBIs with 38.
On the mound, Robson showed promise with a 4-0 record, 2.62 ERA and 40 strikeouts in only 32 innings.
Defensively, she totaled nine assists with only four errors and a .971 fielding percentage.
On the bases, Robson stole 12 of 12.
Robson was named first team all-conference, second team all-county and won the team’s coach’s award.
“Sydney is one of a handful of the most dynamic and impactful players I’ve had,” Greskiw said. “She is the real deal. She is an excellent base runner and was an excellent teammate, though she was the only freshman on varsity. She’s also one of the most coachable girls I’ve had the pleasure of coaching at any level.”
Alyssa Schimelfenyg,
senior, Waterford
An all-area and all-county selection as a junior, Waterford’s lone first teamer hit over .500 in Southern Lakes action in 2015.
Schimelfenyg was second team all-conference this season and was a team leader for the Lady Wolverines.
“She had a good year at the plate and came up clutch during key situations,” said former coach Megan Smith. “Alyssa stepped up on the field and made the adjustments we asked of her, which made her defense much stronger.”
Honorable mention
Jaclyn Syrett, senior, Waterford
Another senior on the team, Syrett was a solid pitcher for the Wolverines.
She earned honorable mention all-SLC.
“She had a very strong year on the mound,” said Smith. “She worked hard to get better, and it truly paid off this season.”
Danielle Koenen, junior, Burlington
The main pitcher for the Demons, Koenen went 9-8 with 85 strikeouts and 35 walks.
Koenen was the team captain and was a big-time leader for the Burlington girls.
“Dani is a competitor that always gives her team a chance to win,” Caliva said.
Koenen has committed to play softball at Davenport University in Michigan.
Brooklyn Ottelien, sophomore, Union Grove
One of the area’s best power bats, Ottelien hit .366 with nine home runs and 22 RBIs.
She was an honorable mention all-county selection and second team all-conference pick.
“Brooklyn is pure power,” Boylen said. “She is just straight country strong and when she puts the center of the bat on the ball, you want to get out of the way because it’s going to be smoked.”
Kalista Hribar, sophomore, Union Grove
Yet another studette if you will in the Broncos lineup, Hribar was the team’s ignitor in the leadoff spot.
The speed demon hit .474, stole eight bases, smashed two triples and a home run and added 14 RBIs.
Her blazing speed and ability to hit and play defense make Hribar a prime candidate to reach an absolute elite level in high school softball.
“Kalista is a true five-tool talent,” Boylen said. “She was our spark plug in the leadoff spot and has big-time potential as a high-level player. She has pop, unparalleled hand-eye coordination, blazing speed, a strong arm and the clutch gene.”
Kacie Snyder, junior, Catholic Central
Snyder put up big numbers in 2015, hitting .381 with four triples, two home runs and an impressive 28 RBIs.
The speedster stole 20 bases and scored 37 runs.
Expect the core of Snyder, Kubiak and Robson to lead the Toppers to another successful campaign in 2016.
Randee Jackson, senior, Burlington
Last but not least, Jackson was one of the most consistent hitters for the Demons this spring.
The University of Dubuque (Iowa) recruit finished her high school career in style, hitting .400 with a booming OPS of .967 and 23 RBIs.
Randee did just about everything for Lady Demons, whether it was on the mound, at first base or in the outfield. Her primary position was the hot corner, where she gobbled up most softballs and nicely filled the big shoes of last year’s third baseman Chy Onstad.
Jackson was also a team captain.
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