A year ago, the Cooper Jaguars made it further than any team in 13 seasons as a program.
They won that elusive 33rd District semifinal game with a convincing 12-0 win over host Conner after winning just four post-season games previously to make it to the 9th Region Tournament for the first time in school history. But once there, Cooper was not done.
The Jaguars took down Highlands, 7-3 on the road in the region quarterfinals before beating Dixie Heights, 5-3 to make it to the region championship game. But county rival Boone County downed Cooper, 3-2 in the region championship game like the Rebels did in they 33rd District championship game.
But Cooper returns all 10 starters from that team earning the nod from a 9th Region Coaches Poll to return to the title game and win it. Cooper only graduated Jessica Arlinghaus from the team.
Senior Amber Chaney leads the way after hitting .590 (69-for-117) last year with three home runs, four triples, 15 doubles, 18 runs batted in, 70 runs scored, 14 walks and 43 stolen bases. Chaney also pitched last year going 8-7 with a 3.7 Earned-run Average to go with 40 strikeouts, 37 walks, 96 hits, three saves and 46 earned runs in 87 innings pitched.
“Obviously, when you get older, stronger, more experienced, you can build on some skills you worked on in the past and take them to the next level,” said Rusty Scott, Cooper Head Coach. “We’ve had the same group of girls for years.”
Cooper gave teams fits on the bases last year recording 145 stolen bases in 151 attempts for just more than 96 percent. The Jaguars had nine players bat .308 or better last year.
“We play good defense. We’re a fast team,” Coach Scott said. “We have quite a few hitters throughout the line-up. We can do a lot of the small things. We hope to execute them in a timely manner. We do well enough to compete with teams throughout the state.”
Cooper (23-14 last year) has three other seniors in Dylan Scott, Gweny Wessling and Hanna Hollis. Dylan Scott batted .492 (61 for 124) with 20 doubles, five home runs, one triple, seven walks, 22 stolen bases, 65 RBI and 40 runs scored. Wessling batted .459 (50 for 109) with 34 runs scored, 46 RBI, 10 doubles, three triples and five home runs. Dylan Scott is committed to Miami (Ohio) University and Hollis is committed to NCAA Division III Sewanee: University of the South in Tennessee. Blau is committed to a community college John A. Logan College in Carterville, Illinois.
Hollis pitched in 14 games behind Chaney and junior Kendall Blau. Blau finished with a 3.12 ERA going 14-7 with 121 strikeouts, 38 walks, 54 earned runs and 106 hits in 121 innings pitched. Blau batted .486 at the plate
Two other key returning players for Cooper are junior Emily Schmeltz and sophomore Ava Scott. Schmeltz batted .359 last year leading Cooper with six home runs and Ava Scott batted .412 leading the Jaguars with five triples.
“We still have competition at most positions, which really isn’t a concern,” Coach Scott said. “But it makes for a challenge. Girls keep coming up and improving.”
Cooper opens its season March 23 at home against Conner. Game time is 5 p.m.
Dixie Heights (22-11) won the region in 2019 and graduated three players from the 34th District championship team. That includes their leading hitter in Brooke Albert. Albert took her talents to Lourdes College of the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics in Sylvania, Ohio. Albert batted .593 (32 of 54) with 31 runs, 20 RBI and one triple in 18 games.
The other two are Addie Joyce and Isabelle Gross. Joyce started eight games on the mound.
“What we’re going to have to do is try to find a new three hitter,” said Sarah Osborne, Dixie Heights Head Coach. “We do have strong hitting. It’s a matter of keeping it consistent.”
Dixie Heights has two seniors leading the way in third baseman Ava Meyer and Brianna Patsel. Patsel batted. 491 (52 of 106) with 51 runs scored, 32 RBI, 12 doubles, three triples, 20 walks and 26 stolen bases. Meyer batted .387 (43 of 111) with 46 runs scored, 31 RBI, 10 doubles, four triples, five home runs, 14 walks and 11 stolen bases.
Juniors Ella Steczynski and Rebecca Cundiff also return. Steczynski batted .531 (51 of 96) with 41 runs scored, 40 RBI, 11 doubles and six triples. Cundiff batted .485 (50 of 103) with 42 RBI, 15 doubles and nine walks.
Sophomore Riley Hopkins returns at pitcher for Dixie Heights. She finished 15-7 last year with a 3.82 ERA, 66 strikeouts, 46 walks, 170 hits and 73 earned runs in just more than 133 innings.
“I think we’re sitting pretty good,” Osborne said. “The biggest concern is just making sure our offense can back up Riley on the mound. As long as we can keep everybody healthy, defense is going to be our strength this year.”
Dixie Heights opens the season against Bishop Brossart on Wednesday. Game time is 5 p.m.
Highlands (28-10) returns six starters from last year’s team that won its third consecutive 36th District Tournament crown. Since winning their last region title in 2016, the Bluebirds have finished region runner-up in 2018 and lost 4-3 to Dixie Heights in the region semifinals in 2019.
The Bluebirds return six starters from last year. They graduated center fielder Caroline Class, third baseman Bri Tharps and Julianna Shonkwiler. Highlands Head Coach Milt Horner also confirmed first baseman Gracie Schlosser is not coming back for her senior year.
The top returning player is a five-year starter in shortstop Anna Greenwell. Greenwell batted .536 (59 of 110) with 62 runs scored, 67 RBI, 10 doubles, three triples, 10 home runs, 14 walks and 29 stolen bases. Sophomore Bailey Markus batted .578 (48 for 83) with 45 runs scored, 20 RBI, eight doubles, four triples, 20 walks and 11 stolen bases.
The other four returning starters are juniors Kennedy Baioni, Carly Cramer, sophomore Michelle Barth and eighth grader Payton Brown. The Bluebirds have two other seniors in Hailey Parks and Eleanor Todd. All the returning starters batted at least .333 last year. Barth homered six times and Cramer three. Barth also had 52 RBI.
“All six of them played very well last year,” Horner said. “I think that each one of them has worked really hard over the off-season. I see a lot of good things.”
Baioni, Cramer and eighth grader Kaitlyn Dixon return after doing the majority of the pitching for Highlands last year. Horner said Baioni could potentially be the top pitcher in the region. Baioni pitched 111 innings last year and had a 2.96 ERA going 14-5 with 122 strikeouts, 37 walks, 47 earned runs and 121 hits allowed. Cramer finished 8-4 with 41 strikeouts, 34 walks and 24 earned runs.
“(Baioni) has really worked on conditioning, developing some new pitches and fine-tuning,” Horner said. “I think that will really show this year. We’ve had a couple (intersquad) scrimmages and our batters have had a hard time hitting her.”
Ryle (16-10) has a new head coach in Jarrett Goddard. They Raiders appear primed to return to the region tournament led by senior Grace Morgan along with juniors Avery Parsons and Payton Godfrey. Morgan batted .377 (29 of 77) last year with four home runs and Parsons batted .388 (33 of 85). Sophomore Madison Goddard is the top returning pitcher for the Raiders.
Notre Dame (15-13) won the 35th District last year and returns senior Addison Mack and junior Tori Danneman. Mack batted. 459 (28 of 61) and Danneman batted .444 (40 for 90). Junior Cam Steinbrunner returns on the mound after going 8-9 with a 2.86 ERA with 125 strikeouts, 39 earned runs and 36 walks.
Boone County (24-11) won the region before losing 8-2 to Pendleton County in the first round of the state tournament. Karys Black may have taken her talents to Shelton State (Alabama) Community College. But Boone County does return senior Kaitlyn Irwin and junior Harper Kinman. Kinman batted .487 (56 for 115) last year and Irwin hit .457 (53 of 116). Irwin is also Boone County’s leading returning pitcher.
Campbell County (15-9) is favored to win the 37th District in the 10th Region. The Camels are led by senior Bella Bastin. Bastin hit .512 (42 of 82) last year with nine home runs and seven doubles.
Monday, March 14 NKY Baseball Scores:
Calvary Christian 2, Bourbon County 1
Owen County 8, Bellevue 5
Monday, March 14 NKY Softball Scores:
Holy Cross 19, Gallatin County 10 (5 innings)