The level of competition has been high in Carroll County softball for the last few years, and the 1992 season is no exception.
Most ofthe Carroll teams look to be as good as last year's teams or better.
Four of the area high school teams saw postseason play last year with North Carroll the standout, winning all the marbles in Class 3A.
The Panthers last year won their second consecutive state title and the sixth in the school's history they took home the top trophy. It is no small wonder that the rest of the county and much of the state talk about the Panthers with a sense of awe.
North Carroll (19-4overall, 9-3 in the Central Maryland Conference) is the Goliath in county softball this season, but there are plenty of Davids looking tounseat the Panthers.
Liberty tied with North Carroll and Frederick for the Central Maryland Conference last year, and Westminster defeated the Panthers 1-0 in the last game of the season.
Francis Scott Key Eagles
Francis Scott Key is one of three county teams to advance to the playoffs last year. Key (14-7, 12-6) is defending Class 1A Region II champ and has the stuff to return.
The Eagles went to the state semifinals last year before being defeated by North Caroline.
Coach Joe Linthicum hopes to repeat last year's success and then some.
"I'm pretty optimistic," said Linthicum. "We have six girls that went to the playoffs last year, and hopefully we can use that leadership to guide us back."
The Eagles have pitcher Cathi Bower (13-7) returning with outfielders Lori Woodson and Suzi Small, shortstop Erin Murphy, first baseman Wendy Galandak and catcher Shelley Smith.
Key had one of the stingiest defenses in the county, holding opponents to less than five runs per game for the last 15 games. This season the defense might be tighter.
In addition to top ace Bower,Amber Smith now joins the varsity pitching ranks with some experience from last year.
But hitting might be a weak spot for the Eagles in 1992.
"We need to improve on what we did last year in hitting,"said Linthicum.
If the bats improve as Linthicum hopes, Key will be a force to reckoned with.
Liberty Lions
Liberty (14-5) tied the Panthers for second in the CMC and lost in the first round of theplayoffs last year, but return eight players.
Pitching is the strong point for Liberty, with senior Brenda Timko (13-5) back on the mound.
The Lions have come a long way under coach Dale Green's leadership, from a winless team in 1989 to CMC contenders. It could be a long, fierce battle between the Lions and Panthers.
"We have skilled and experienced players coming back, and we should do well as long as we play together as a team," said Green.
Joining Timko as returners are center fielder Amy Wolff, second baseman Kari Myers, outfielders Michelle Smith and Laura Rivera, first baseman Darlene Marsiglia, shortstop Kelly Cathy and pitcher/infielder Andrea Dixon.
If experience is the strong point for the Lions, then hitting is the weakness.
Cindy Leeds, one of the best hitters for Liberty last year, graduated. The Lions hope to have an effective lineup with Wolff, Cathyand Smith, but Coach Green wants to improve on last year's mark.
"We are working on improving our skills in hitting," said Green.
Liberty is not as devastated with the graduation of a large number of seniors as North Carroll, so the battle for Class 2A Region I crown should make for an interesting spring.
North Carroll Panthers
North Carroll is not invincible, but is still the powerhouse of county softball.
While the Panthers are a contender in county, region andstate play, they are untried in Class 2A, where Northeast of Anne Arundel County has reigned recently.
As far as being a "three-peat" team, North Carroll coach Phil Bonell said, "We need a little bit of luck to go along with our talent."
The talent for the Panthers areinfielders: Vickie Jackson, Tina Martin, Sherri Martin, Shelly Woodburn and Mendy Tawes.
The "luck" remains to be seen, but with several key players graduating, including pitcher Michelle Ament, it wouldn't hurt for Coach Bonell to have a rabbit's foot somewhere in his game plan.
The Panthers still have a well-balanced attack and an experienced defense. The uncertainty is lack of pitching experience for Jenni Heindel and Michelle Jeffery.
"I think our team faces what most teams face," said Bonell. "Heindel and Jeffery lack experience. They both are consistently in the strike zone and will get the ball inplay."
South Carroll Cavaliers
Speed will be in fashion for the Cavaliers.
"We have more speed than the last couple of years," said South Carroll coach Debbie Barnes. "We are going to be aggressiveon base-running."
The Cavaliers will have to be aggressive on thebases after losing last season's entire infield to graduation.
South Carroll returns only five from last year's team, including outfielder Liz Masterson. Outfielder won't be the only role for Masterson this season, as she will be on the mound as well.
Returning to the outfield are Jenny Hickey and Carey Zylka. Melissa Moore will be behind the plate and Michelle Zepp at first.
Despite the small number of returning players, South Carroll fans have hope for the future with the highest turnout in recent memory -- 28.
"Right now it's hardto say," said Barnes. "It boils down to the pitching. We have some strong players, and hopefully we will come together."
Although South Carroll didn't make it to the playoffs last year, the booster shot of extra players gives hope for this year and next.
Westminster Owls
While finishing below .500, Westminster did find a high point at the end of the season by upsetting North Carroll.
The Owls were one of the two county high school teams that did not see post-season play. But the Owls hope to use that season-ending win against North Carroll as a springboard for the coming year.
"We are definitely going to improve this season," said Westminster coach Kathleen Hodgkins, "as long as the pitching stays consistent."
Like most of the teams in the county, pitching is Westminster's Achilles' heel. StephanieHarrell will be the top hurler for the Owls, but saw only limited action on the mound last year.
Westminster returns eight from last year, including Harrell.
Karen Walker, Holly Chatfield, Kasin McLain, Steffanie Owings, Julie Backof, Jacqui Harmon and Maria Scelliniutall return.
Pitching might be questionable, but hitting is a strength for Westminster this season.
Shortstop Walker steps up to theplate with a .311 average and six home runs from last season. Centerfielder Chatfield returns with the team's best batting average, .415, which was in the top five in the county.
In addition to Walker and Chatfield, the Owls also sport Jeana Hughes, a sophomore and another power hitter.
"It's too early to tell from the scrimmages that we've had inside the gym," said Hodgkins. "But I am hoping for a goodseason."
WMC Green Terrors
The outlook couldn't be much brighter at Western Maryland.
The Terrors return seven players from lastyear's 14-8 team (7-3 in the Middle Atlantic Conference) including two-time All-Conference center fielder Amye Walker, All-Conference pitcher Marilyn Naas and the GTE company's first-team national All-Academic infielder, Claudia Henemyre.
"If we jell, this should be a good year," said WMC coach George Dix. "This year I feel we should center on the MAC title with our talent."
WMC finished second in its Middle Atlantic Conference section in 1991, right behind six-time title-holder Franklin & Marshall. This could be the year WMC takes that title with strong defense and pitching.
Second baseman Sarah Keptheart, left fielder Betty Ann List, first baseman Wendy Bollinger and catcher Danielle Harkins also return from last season.
Jenny Stewartwill also strengthen the pitching staff.
The defense is unquestionably the main strength for the Terrors this season, but hitting is somewhat suspect.
"Going into (last) season, we weren't a good hitting team," said Dix. "I want to improve on that, and that will take us where we want to go."
Dix has recruited North Carroll graduate Sandra Johnson and Stewart for added punch from the plate.
Last season Henemyre had the only WMC home run and List, another North Carroll grad, the most consistent bat with a .372 average. It is a Terror problem that Dix has to improve on if he wants to challenge F & M.
Carroll Christian Patriots
Carroll Christian (11-0 over, 6-0 in the conference') was another powerhouse in the county that went undefeated and won the Mason Dixon Christian Conference.
Even with the loss of Amy Dillion, Carroll Christian has to be a favorite to repeat in the Mason Dixon.
Dillion, who hit 17 home runs last year, has decided not to play this season, but the squad has plenty of talent to step in for her.
"I expect to do real well this year even without Amy," said Patriots coach Judy Mead. "Without her, we can still put together the same type of team."
What was the type of team Carroll had last year? A team that can hit with power. An infield that doesn't let anything get through and an outfield with plenty of experience.Essentially, it was the same kind of team it is this year.
Eight players return for the Patriots, with pitcher Ellen Bevard heading the staff.
Infielders Cheryl Beard, Renee Hall, Cinda Grove and Angie Anderson return, as do outfielders Diana Good, Courtney Tracey and Michelle Stainer.
Depth and a solid infield are the keys to the Patriots season. The only possible shortcoming is in pitching experience.
Bevard and junior Kellie Sullivan are both first-year pitchers on the varsity level. Neither has had a great deal of time on the mound.
The season depends much on how well they learn and how fast they learn it.