It’s Valentine’s Week and, fair warning to all, there are only four days left to get something for that special someone!  Even less if you have to send it! Back to softball, we go public with our plan to build a Master Event Calendar (just like our Master Verbal List).  We look at FAB 50 team candidates across the country and then spotlight a talented player from Georgia who bucks her club teams trend and goes ACC rather than SEC.  In our Recruiting section, we learn more about an Arizona standout on a top high school team who will be playing at a school out of state…

 

*****

2014 EVENTS CALENDAR COMING SOON

As if the FAB 50 high school rankings and the Class of 2016 Hot 100 isn’t enough to chew on, we’re working on assembling a 2014 Events Calendar.

This will cover the big events like ASA, PGF and TCS Nationals down to one-day local tournaments, showcases and camps.

If you’d like to submit info to be included, please email me (brentt@studentsports) the following:

• Official Event Name
• Date(s)
• Location
• Who’s it for/age group
• Website link
• Brief Description

*****

FAB 50 HIGH SCHOOL PREVIEW: TOP TEAMS NATIONWIDE

As mentioned previously, Friday we kick-off our high school rankings with our national FAB 50 preseason list… before then, we’ll look at top teams in big states like Texas and California, but first we go around the nation to look at teams that were strong last year and figure to be in the discussion again in 2014.

Note: the number in front of the high school is last year’s final FAB 50 ranking…

 

***

4. Northern (Owings, Md.) 23-0
Senior pitcher and Penn State commit Jess Cummings returns after going 22-0 and not allowing a run last season. She struck out 298 batters and only allowed 18 hits in 135 innings pitched. They lose six seniors from last year’s team, five of which appeared in all 23 games. Key returners include sophomore outfielder Kassidy Cross who batted .519 last season as a freshman with 34 runs scored and 14 RBI’s and junior catcher Sarah Bennett who batted.381. They also will enter this season on a 76-game winning streak and have won the last five Maryland state titles.

 

6. Hoover (Canton, Ohio) 31-0
Led by head coach Jerry Goodpasture, the Vikings finished off their undefeated season with a 7-0 win over Elyria in the Division I championship game. Tara Thacker went 22-0 in the circle and infielder Jenna Lilley powers the offense. The Vikings also captured their third straight state championship.

 

18. St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.) 29-2

With a starting lineup consisting of just one senior last season, the Lancers won the NJSIAA Non-Public A state championship for the third time in the last four seasons. Notre Dame-bound junior pitcher Katie Beriont led the way in the circle and returns for her senior year.

 

21. Olathe East (Olathe, Kan.) 24-1

The team returns senior Allison Stewart, who was on our All-American list as a sophomore two years ago.

 

39. Immaculate Heart (Washington Township, N.J.) 31-2
Lafayette-bound senior Steph Thomas went 29-2 last season and will chase the state’s all-time career win record this season.

 

47. Mattawan (Mattawan, Mich.) 35-8
Six-foot-five senior pitcher Allie Havers, who has All-American abilities in volleyball and basketball in addition to softball, tossed a two-hitter, struck out 11 and had an RBI to lead the Wildcats past Bay City Western 2-1 in the Michigan largest class state final last season

 

 

*****

 

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: HANNAH TODD

Two weeks ago we did a profile on the Georgia Impact – Jeffreys 14U team which has young players already committed to schools like Florida, Tennessee and Arkansas… today we spotlight a tall pitcher who breaks the SEC commitment streak!

 

Grad Year: 2017
Pos: pitcher
High School: North Paulding (Dallas, Ga.)
Club: Georgia Impact-Jeffreys
College: North Carolina

***

StudentSportsSoftball.com: you’re tall at 6-foot and athletic… where do you get your athleticism and tell us what sports you’ve played growing up…
Hannah Todd: I got my height and athleticism from my dad and he has played sports all his life.  I really have only played softball and have been doing that since my mom signed me up when I was four.

 

SSS.com: Your team, Georgia Impact-Jeffries, has four other commits and they’re all SEC bound.  Do you feel bad breaking the streak?
HT: Someone always has to be different!  We have a lot of good players on my team and I am sure some more will end up in the ACC.

 

SSS.com: Seriously, what’s it feel like to be a freshman and know you’re going to a great school like North Carolina?
HT: I’m excited and a little nervous.  I am looking forward it and getting to start to work with the coaches.

SSS.com:  Have the UNC coaches said what position they want you to play (meaning, will you pitch only or pitch and play another position so you can hit too)?
HT: They want me mainly for pitching, but they know I play outfield too.

 

SSS.com: Tell us how you were first seen by the Tarheel coaches, then how long until they offered?
HT: Coach Tony saw me play in Orlando the first weekend in November.  Coach Papa saw me play at the Champions Showcase in Atlanta mid-November.  I got the offer last weekend on Sunday.

 

SSS.com: When did you decide to commit and what were the main factors in your decision?
HT: I decided to commit on my way home from UNC.  My dad and myself had discussed it along with my coaches and pitching coach Stacy and all agreed it was a great opportunity.  I was always told that it would feel right when it was the right place and that was the feeling I had all weekend.

 

SSS.com: Did the coaches tell you what they liked about your game enough to offer?
HT: They commented on how much they liked my mound presence and how much potential I had for the future.

SSS.com: What pitches do you have in your arsenal to throw and what would you say is your “out pitch” when the count is 3-and-2?
HT: I have them all but my go to pitch would be my curve or screwball.

SSS.com: How far away from home will be?  Was distance a factor in your decision at all?
HT: It’s five to six hours and depends if my dad is driving! Distance was a factor as I wanted my family to be able to see me play.

 

SSS.com:  Walk us through a typical workout day, be it pitching, training, hitting, etc…
HT: Most of the year I go to my pitching coach Stacy Tamborra who I workout with twice a week along with doing strength training. The rest of the time I do drills or throw at home with my dad.  We normally practice on the weekend with my travel team when we are not playing.

SSS.com: What’s been a top memory or two for you in your softball career?
HT: Honestly, spending the time with my dad and how our relationship has involved has been a highlight.  I would also say the people and friends I have gotten to know through playing.

 

Quick Hitters

 

What do you want to do for a career post-softball?
I really would like to get into the medical field.

Fill in the blank… The thing I’m most confident about myself is_________________
My personality.

Do you have any superstitions or rituals you go through on the field?
I like to rub my hand in the chalk.

Favorite food:
Pasta.

Least favorite food:
Hot dogs.

What do you like to do to unwind after a game or practice?
I just listen to music or hang with my friends and teammates.

What type of bat do you use (and do you like it)?
Louisville Slugger… I don’t get to use it much being pitcher. (laughs)

If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
Channing Tatum.

What’s something unusual or different about you that few know?
I have been deaf in my left ear since birth.

If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
Cell phone.

What’s your No. 1 goal for this year?
Athletically I want to win Premier with my Impact Team.

What is the coolest thing, in your opinion, about being from Georgia? 
I’d say just coming from a big city and all the opportunities it has brought me.  I also love the downtown area at night and seeing the lights.

 

*****

RECRUIT SPOTLIGHT OF THE DAY: JACQUELINE RILEY

High school: Cardinal McCarrick
City: South Amboy
State: 
N.J.
Grad year: 2015
GPA: 3.93 unweighted/5.1 weighted (out of 5.3)
SAT/ACT: 1580/24
Club: Central Jersey Lightning 18U
Position(s): pitcher/third base
Height: 5-7
Other sports: varsity soccer goalkeeper, ranked top 25 in state with 193 saves last season
Measurables: high speed of 63 mph, average speed of 59-61 mph with movement

Stats:

High School (2013): 188K’s in 101.5 innings pitched, 20 walks, ERA – 1.49 and 23rd in N.J. for strikeouts; hit .456 with .721 slugging percentage and 25 RBI.

Club (2013): 20 games played, 58.2 innings pitched with 42 strikeouts and a 1.72 ERA; fall batting average of .387

Honors: Star-Ledge All-County, All-Sophomore 1^st Team, highest strikeout rate in Middlesex Co. (13K’s/7 innings pitched); broke three records including most strikeouts in a game (21) and career strikeout record; awarded Top Pitcher and Top Gun (overhand throw of 60 mph) at Top Prospects Combine (2013, ’14)

College Interest Includes: Dowling College, University of Sciences-Philadelphia, SUNY-Binghamton, Fordham, Cabrini and Stockton College

 

 

 *****

RECRUITING NEWS:

*** Lyndsay “Lu” Steverson, a 2016 middle infielder for the AZ Killerbees Gold team, has verbally committed to play at Utah Valley University.

Utah Valley Head Coach Nikki Palmer first saw Lyndsay during the Louisville Independence Day tournament in Boulder last year.  She played in the 2016 All-Star game before the tournament where she played shortstop and went 1-for-2 at the plate.

Lyndsay finished the 2013 club season batting 350 and began contacting Utah Valley after the 2013 season to express a srong interest through weekly e-mails and frequent phone calls.

Utah Valley coaches came to see Lyndsay during the OnDeck Jamboree in Phoenix in October last year and she began to receive a lot of interest from other programs after the camp.

She also received a lot of interest after the Diamond9 National Skills Clinic in Florida but she kept going back to Utah Valley as her No. 1 choice.

According to her mother, Nicole, “We visited a few different colleges but after visiting Utah Valley, Lyndsay loved the environment and the school and decided to commit. It is absolutely beautiful in that part of Utah and Lyndsay fell in love with the school immediately.”

Also, Lyndsay plays for Red Mountain High out of Mesa, Ariz. which was the No. 1 team in last year’s FAB 50 and with pretty much everyone back will be a highly ranked team to start off this year too.

She’s the starting shortstop for the high school team (as well as for the Killer Bees) and will try to help the program win its fifth straight D1 state championship.

 

*** Along with Lydsay, there are two other AZ Killer Bees players who don’t have on our list (but will add for Thursdays new report):

— C/3B Jordan Beck (2014, Southern Mississippi)
— C/3B Heather Knight (2015, Purdue)

 

*** More verbals:

— OF/UT Logan Snyder (2015, Robert Morris)… plays for Ohio Outlaws
— P Sidney Homan (2016, Abilene Christian)… plays for Texas Bombers Gold
— IF Taylor Marles (2014, Bradley)… plays for Spokane Mudhens
— P Keara Napoli (2017, Georgia)… plays for Atlanta Vipers-Vallery
— OF Emily Sweat (2016, Liberty)… plays for Georgia Impact-Gibson
— P/1B Carli Riordan (2014, Montana)… plays for Spokane Mudhens
— P Kendall Brundrett (2015, Quinnipiac)… plays for The Next Level
— OF Arielle Couso (2015, Rutgers)… plays for New Jersey Cheetahs
— OF/UT Jacey Phipps (2016, San Jose State)… plays for Cal Nuggets
— P/1B Jordyn McCracken (2014, Utah State)… plays for Spokane Mudhens
— 1B/3B Allison Skinner (2014, Yale)… plays for Houston Power

*****

Players, parents and coaches:  want to know the best way to get us info on your favorite player?  Fill out our Recruit Form link and complete.  It comes directly to me (Brentt) and you very likely could see the info used somewhere on our site!

 

*****

If you’d like to submit information, forward to brentt@studentsports.com.  Also, follow us on twitter at @SS_Softball.