One week from today we launch our FAB 50 high school preseason rankings and today we look at another state loaded with top teams and players.  We also profile a top senior who liked her future college coach, she got her autograph years before being recruited by her!  We also look at a Las Vegas player who’s going to a college where the food is awesome and learn more about the road to recovery from a recruit who just committed this week…

 

*****

FAB 50 HIGH SCHOOL PREVIEW: FLORIDA SCHOOLS

Today we look at some of the top teams in the Sunshine State that will be ones to watch for the national rankings in 2014…

 

FLORIDA

8. Coral Reef (Miami, Fla.) 25-2

The Barracudas took the 8A title after scoring 43 runs in five regional and state playoff matches.  Two key offensive players return in junior shortstop Kylan Becker (Florida International) who led the county with a .677 average last season and is a threat on the bases as well and another 2015 standout, third baseman Carsyn Gordon (Florida State) who hit .514 with 26 RBI and was rated as the No. 47 player in the nation in the Hot 2015 list. The big question will be if graduated senior Dayna Wilson can be replaced in the circle.

 

12. Columbia (Lake City, Fla.) 28-4

Return junior pitchers Erin Anderson and Ashley Shoup who pitched a combined no-hitter as the Tigers won their first ever Class 6A state championship with a 6-2 win over the defending state champions from Pembroke Pines Charter.

 

23. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) 22-5

As we profiled in our Daily Update on 02.03, The Raiders are loaded with talent including pitcher Meghan King (Maryland) and catcher Gwen Svekis (Oregon).  There are nine seniors on the team and seven will play at the next level.

 

30. Niceville (Niceville, Fla.) 26-2

The Eagles only lost two games in 2013 but had six seniors sign with colleges so a lot of experience will have to be replaced including three-time all-state infielder Jessie Mullen (Arkansas).  Niceville still has an explosive offense and the 2011 5A state champs scored 24 runs in their first two games this year.

 

34. Gulliver Prep (Miami, Fla.) 24-5
The Raiders won its fourth straight Class 4A state title and legendary coach Mark Schusterman has six total titles and doesn’t rebuild, he just reloads.  He won his 600^th game last year and will continue to roll in 2014.

 

37. Pembroke Pines Charter (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) 22-4

The Jaguars fell short of making it two straight 6A titles as they fell to Columbia, but return talented sophomore pitcher Claire Blount and team captain and shortstop Courtney Dart.

 

NR Harmony (St. Cloud, Fla.) 26-4
Harmony lost 1-0 in nine innings to eventual 7A state champion St. Thomas Aquinas to finish third in the state, but returns senior pitcher Lele Ocasio (Florida) who was a 1^st Team All-State pick, junior outfielder Lily Mann (Florida), rated as the No. 41 player in the Hot 100 2015’s and four other key starters.

 

Others to Watch:

• American Heritage (Delray Beach, Fla.) 22-6

• Freedom (Tampa, Fla.) 22-4

 

 

*****

 

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: HALEY CLEMENTS

Grad Year: 2014
Pos: third base/outfield/infield
High School: J.W. Robinson (Fairfax, Va.)
GPA: 3.5
SAT: 1460
Club: Severna Park Green Hornets
Stats: pop time clocked at 1.7
College: Maryland

***

StudentSportsSoftball.com: You can play literally every position… is there one you like more than the others?  What position will you likely play in college?    
Haley Clements: I love playing catcher and I have been playing that position since I was seven years old – I can see the game strategy as it unfolds and you get a great command of the field and your teammates.   I love the pitches and the energy of the game as the ball hits my glove.

 

SSS.com: Tell us how you were first seen by the Terrapin coaches…
HC: Coach (Laura) Watten came to watch my travel team play in Orlando Florida at the Sun Classic invitational.

 

SSS.com: When did you decide to commit and what led into the decision?
HC: My unofficial visit was in October of 2013 and I told them that day I was excited to play softball as a Terrapin.  Coach Callaway and Coach Amber Jackson took my mom and me on a tour of the campus and I knew it was where I wanted to spend my next four years.

Coach Callaway is so knowledge about the campus trivia and she and Coach Amber are dedicated to the university.   I have been around them enough in the area to know they are very, very knowledgeable about softball.   I told Coach Amber that I even had her autograph, from when she played professional softball for both the Washington Glory and the USSSA Pride.

 

SSS.com: How did you tell the coaches, in person, on the phone, on an unofficial visit? 
HC: The day of the unofficial visit, I committed.

SSS.com: Describe your emotions around telling them, were you more nervous or more excited? 
HC: I was very excited and nervous too but mostly excited!

 

SSS.com: How far away from home will you be?  Was distance a factor in your decision at all? 
HC: I will be about an hour from home and, no, the distance was not the factor in making my decision.  I know Maryland is a great college and will provide me the opportunity to prepare for a great future.

 

SSS.com:  What do you think (or have others said) are your strengths as a softball player? 
HC: My strengths are my game strategy and my pop and throwdown times to any base.

 

SSS.com: What’s been the highlight for you in your softball career (other than committing to Maryland)? 
HC: I have lived the game since I was five years old and more intensely with travel team since I was 10.   My most favorite moments were when my travel team would play, in any one weekend, nine games and pull out a win to take the tournament.   Tournament play is awesome and the team environment has been very rewarding with life-long friendships made.

 

Quick Hitters

 

What do you want to major in? 
Computer science and computer design.

Fill in the blank… The thing that would surprise most people if they knew me better is_________________ 
I am really, really funny and can make most people laugh out loud!

If you could support any cause or charity in the world, what would it be? 
I would support making sure all people young and old had food.  I typically volunteer with my mom at the local Fairfax FOOD FOR OTHERS program, which provide extra meals for local people with need.  It is overwhelming to know that there are many individuals even in this town that do not have enough food.

Favorite subject:
History and art.

Least favorite subject:
Foreign language.

What’s the best topping to put on ice cream?
Chocolate.

How about best topping on pizza?
Pineapple and ham.

What’s your dream vacation?
Any beach.

What type of bat do you use?
Louisville Xeno

When was the last time you laughed so hard you were crying (what caused it)? 
I was with my friends over the holidays and we played a hilarious game of Charades.  Acting out in the game had us all rolling on the floor laughing!

If we asked your family and friends, how would they sum you up in one word? Athletic.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could only take one thing with you, what would it be?
My dog.

Being from Virginia, what makes you most proud to say you’re from there? 
Well, I am so close to Washington D.C. and all of the museum and art exhibits and monuments which make an awesome day trip from Virginia.

If you could have one super power, what would you want it to be?
Fly like the speed of light.

 

*****

RECRUIT SPOTLIGHT: DEJANAE GAGE

High school: Palo Verde
City: Las Vegas
State: 
Nev.
Grad year: 2015
Club: Lil Rebels
Position(s): shortstop/third base
Height: 5-10

College: Southern University
Other Offers: Mississippi Valley
Why Southern: “My visit to Southern was awesome. I felt right at home and I loved the campus. I also like how their academics schedules and classes are set up. Plus, Coach Dobbins is great and we have a great rapport. I also loved the food in Baton Rouge!”

 

 *****

RECRUITING NEWS:

*** On Wednesday, we mentioned that Stephanie Best, a 2016 pitcher with the OC Batbusters-Smith 14U team, has committed to Cal Poly SLO just this past Monday.

She had a big mountain to climb, though, to get back to being a college-level recruit after suffering a torn ACL.

Prior to that she had a lot of success winning two national championships: with Team Mizuno-Campbell (PGF Nationals 14U) and Mark Campbell’s Victory USA (2009 ASA Nationals).

Her father, Tom, told us about Stephanie’s experience with the injury and how she got to the point of committing this week:

***

“Steffi was hurt in October 2012, at a practice, doing outfield drills. She was on track to verbal as a freshman, having several conversations with Coach (Heather) Tarr at Washington and planning a visit for Nov. “

“The injury was devastating as she had been playing softball for so long and it was suddenly taken away. Combine that with her other teammates going on visits and getting offers, it made for a tough situation. But after a few days of tears, she got to work: pre-surgery therapy, surgery, post-surgery therapy… she worked long and hard to come back.”

“Steffani came back in June of 2013, right before PGF. She had flashes of her old form, combined with some frustrating performances too. She pitched very well in one of the pool games, but in her bracket start everything fell apart and, worse, it was with dozens of college coaches watching.”

“It was the low point in her recovery. She was still getting college interest though, and made trips to Cal Poly and UVA in August/September and Cal in October. The Cal Poly visit was especially frustrating—we knew they liked her and she loved the school, but left with no offer, only a promise from Assistant Head Coach Gina “Puppy” Vecchione who said, “We’ll keep an eye on you.” She was pretty disappointed.”

“In the fall 2013, Steffi was placed on Mike Smith’s Orange County Batbusters 16U team by organization lead Mike Stith. It was the first time since 2008 that Steffi  wasn’t being coached by Mark Campbell, but she put her head down and started working harder!”

“The college interest started picking up and in November she received her first offer, from UC Riverside. We wanted her to at least play out the fall before making a decision so she continued to attend all the showcases and camps.”

“In November she attended the Chrissy Haines Showcase, the PGF showcase and the Surf City Early Thanksgiving Showcase—all in one weekend. She came out of the Chrissy Haines event excited, saying Cal Poly was there, and watched her closely.”

“Later in the weekend, she spoke with the coaching staff and they invited her up to Cal Poly for an visit in January. In the meantime, other contacts and phone calls ensued, including Boston University, Georgia Tech, and the College of Charleston. She carried on regular conversations with Cal Poly and Boston, and planned trips to both schools in January.”

“The visit to Cal Poly was very special, she made a quick connection with the coaches and players, and really fell in love with the campus and the town of San Luis Obispo. She seemed to fit right in with the team, and we were both very excited with the direction Head Coach Jenny Condon had for the program.”

“It turns out Puppy had been “keeping an eye on her!” They made a great offer and it was so hard not to accept on the spot, but we had committed to visiting Boston at the end of the month and Steffi really wanted to see BU and the city, so she said she would decide after that visit.”

“I was very happy with both programs—it was my desire for her was to attend a great school that played great softball, not just a great softball school, and both schools fit that. She made up her mind at the airport in Boston and called Puppy to tell her as our flight was being called to board!”

 

*** Always like to report on sleepers and one to watch in Florida is Linette Flores, a 2015 pitcher for the University School of Nova Southeastern University, a prep school located in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Her high school coach, Brian Ortagus, wrote to say that Linette has “several verbal offers, but is still looking.”

Last year as a sophomore she went 16-6, had 154 K’s in 127 innings and had a 0.43 ERA (of the 33 hits allowed only four were extra base hits).  Also, in all of those 22 games she completed every one.

At the plate, she was a force as well, hitting .550 with 33 runs scored in 57 at bats.  She also had 29 steals.

Linette will be one to watch as a junior this spring; when it’s the summer she plays for the South Florida Lady Knights Gold team.

Linette is a 5-foot-6 righthander who is great academically with a 4.5 GPA (weighted) and 4.0 GPA (unweighted).

She was a 4A 2^nd Team All-State honoree last year and was 1^st Team All-County.

 

*** Junior catcher/third baseman Kara Meter from Tinley Park, Ill. has committed to Northern Kentucky.

The 5-foot-8 athlete was also offered by Butler.  She plays for New Lenox Lightning.

*****

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.