Softball season gets underway

The 2002-03 prep softball season begins on the local scene Friday

with Edison and Marina each hosting nonleague games.

Huntington Beach, meanwhile, opens its season on Saturday at the

Michelle Carew Memorial Classic tournament and Ocean View launches

its campaign a week later, on March 15, at the Garden Grove

Tournament.

Below is a capsule look at the four local schools.

EDISON

LEAGUE: Sunset

COACH: Suzy Mathieson

2002 RECORD: 17-10 overall; 6-4 league (3rd)

RETURNERS: Stacy Birk, P/OF, Sunset League pitcher of the year;

Sr.; Alex Bottorff, C, Jr; Monika Chavez, 3B, Jr.; Lisa Dell, 2B,

Jr.; Heather Hamilton, C/OF, Soph.; Vanessa Hardway, SS/OF, Soph.;

Vanessa Luis, 3B, Sr.; Jackie Obie, SS/2B, Soph.; Ashley Westphal,

1B/OF, Jr.; Alex Wilson, SS/1B/OF, Jr.

KEY NEWCOMERS: Jessica Marlow, SS, Fr.; Taryn Campanale , P, Soph.

SEASON OPENER: Friday, vs. Mater Dei

TEAM OUTLOOK: With several returners from last year’s playoff

team, including Stacy Birk, the Sunset League pitcher of the year,

Edison figures to challenge for the league title. “We have

experience, speed and determination to get back to the playoffs for a

second year in a row. We have strong pitching and defense,” Mathieson

said.

HUNTINGTON BEACH

LEAGUE: Sunset

COACH: Jack Lipscomb (4th year)

2002 RECORD: 10-20 overall; 3-7 league (5th)

RETURNERS: Julia Heida, SS/C, second-team all-league, Sr.; Holly

Jackson, P/1B, second-team all-league, Jr.; Vicki Batistelli,

C/SS/OF, Jr.; Brittnay Hay, 3B, Soph.; Ally Johnson, 1B/OF, Sr.;

Ashlee Klevens, 2B/OF, Soph.

KEY NEWCOMERS: Ashley Davis, OF, Sr.; Rachel Duquette, OF, Jr.;

Sara Harris, P, Jr.; Nicole Klawitter, OF/1B, Jr.; Fiona Fiaseu,

OF/1B, C, Fr.; Alison Reider, 2B/OF, Fr.

SEASON OPENER: Saturday, vs. Canyon, vs. Kennedy at Carew

Tournament

TEAM OUTLOOK: “We are a pretty young team with potential,”

Lipscomb said. “This group works well together and its cohesiveness

will help this team succeed. Pitching will be the key -- [Holly]

Jackson’s pitching experience from last year will be a big help as

will the addition of transfer Sara Harris who will help with the

pitching duties.”

MARINA

LEAGUE: Sunset

COACH/YEAR: Shelly Luth (14th)

2002 RECORD: 13-15 overall

RETURNERS: Tonya Maosi, SS, first-team all-league, Sr.; Ramona

Garcia, P/OF, first-team all-league; Alison Zimmer, RF, second-team

all-league, Sr.; Britt Boyer, 3B/C, Soph.

KEY NEWCOMERS: Kyrstal Heinle, P/IF, Fr.

SEASON OPENER: Friday, vs. Cypress

TEAM OUTLOOK: “Our strengths are speed and defense,” Luth said.

“The Sunset League is a very difficult, competitive league this year.

I anticipate some very close games.”

OCEAN VIEW

LEAGUE: Golden West

COACH: Kathy Ponce (4th year)

2002 RECORD: 11-15 overall; 4-8 league (tie, 3rd)

RETURNERS: Jesica Cruz, 2B/SS, all-league, Jr.; Jennifer Walker,

CF, all-league, Jr.; Jennifer Shafizadeh, SS/3B, all-league, Jr.;

Jerian Isfeld, P, all-league, Jr.

KEY NEWCOMERS: Jewelia Cruz, P, Fr.; Sara Theophilus, P/3B, Fr.;

Nicole Schultz, C, Soph.; Leah Needham, CF, Soph.

SEASON OPENER: March 15 vs. San Clemente, Santiago at Garden Grove

Tournament.

TEAM OUTLOOK: The Seahawks begin the season with four all-league

players but gone is the graduated Courtney Tuggle, a four-year

all-league selection and the 2001 GWL player of the year. “We have

big shoes to fill with the absence of Courtney; however, the addition

of four underclassmen should help ease the transition,” Ponce said.