High school softball: Game on for Kane County Chronicle teams

The ultimate destination for high school softball teams is Peoria for the state finals in June, but there is a lot of softball to play before teams can book charter buses and hotel rooms. Here is the outlook for Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles East, St. Charles North, and other area teams.

Batavia Bulldogs

Coach: Lupe Castellanos

2016 record: 21-13

Top players

Name Year Pos.

Jena Bendoraitis sr. C

Toni Galas sr. CF/SS

Jaelen Lisberg jr. RF/P

Rachael Lovestrand sr. SS

Kaylan Waldron jr. P/RF/1B

Outlook: If pitching and defense are the keys to softball success, Batavia has to like its chances this season. Waldron (10-2 last season) and Lisberg (7-6) already have extensive varsity pitching experience, and they should be even more confident with what should be a potent offense on their side.

Galas, headed to Evansville to play in college, batted .464 last year while stealing 37 bases. Lovestrand hit for average (.427) and power (six home runs) last season, and Waldron (.338) and Lisberg (.392) were also big contributors offensively.

Geneva Vikings

Coach: Greg Dierks

2016 record: 24-11

Top players

Name Year Pos.

Kyra Chenier sr. OF

Ali Dierks jr. P/2B

Kate Geary jr. OF/IF

Katie Keller jr. C

Kaitlyn Plocinski sr. C/1B

Annika Radabaugh sr. OF/1B

Molly Wrenn sr. 3B

Outlook: The Vikings boast a veteran-laden team with a fearsome offense and a slew of college-bound players as they look to take a crack at the top spot in the Upstate Eight River.

Radabaugh, committed to the University of Indianapolis, hit .477 with 35 RBIs and 55 runs scored last season, and she was just one of Geneva's many big sticks. Keller, committed to NIU, batted .513 with 47 runs. Plocinski (Grand Valley State) hit .400, Geary hit .410 and scored 46 runs, and Wrenn (Augustana) batted .307 with 38 RBIs.

Scoring runs should be no problem with the offensive producers returning. Meanwhile, Ali Dierks won 10 games as a pitcher. Senior Camryn Weitzel and freshman Emily Viebrock add pitching depth.

Rosary Royals

Coach: Megan Tracy

2016 record: 15-17

Top players

Name Year Pos.

Aubrey Fisher sr. IF/OF

Xandria Olsen jr. OF

Sarah Willman sr. P/1B

Outlook: The Royals endured some struggles last season but have already notched big wins against Lisle (12-9) and Rockford East (14-4) so far this season.

Willman was a two-way threat for Rosary last spring, batting .375 and posting a 1.80 ERA as a pitcher. Olsen powered the offense with a .450 average and 23 runs scored; she and Fisher (.457 average) will figure prominently into the attack this season.

Senior Natalya Flowers, juniors Riley McCue, Maura Vanbogaert, Anna Jolee VanGundy, and sophomore Kaleigh Lentz also return to the varsity, and freshmen Kallista Capparelli, Mikayla Cassidy, Katelyn Navarro, Chloe Saltijeral, Dakota Valenzuela and Abby Young will provide additional depth.

St. Charles East Saints

Coach: Jared Gutesha

2016 record: 32-5

Top players

Name Year Pos.

Sara Campagna jr. C/U

Maddie Candre jr. OF

Megan Daly sr. 3B

Delaney Devor sr. OF/P

Jordan Hieber sr. IF/P

Sarah Kreiner sr. U

Rylee Stout sr. C

Outlook: The Saints bring back a large part of the group that helped them reach the sectional final a year ago, though the loss of ace pitcher Jordan Hall will take some getting used to. That said, Devor should be able to pick up the slack in the circle after going 14-0 with a 0.65 ERA last spring.

Devor should be backed by a dynamic offense and solid defense led by Stout, who is headed to play at Winona State. Stout batted .469 with nine home runs and 51 RBIs last spring and Candre was also a big bopper who hit .379.

The Saints are senior-heavy with seven on the roster, but junior Hannah Cozzi and sophomores like Paige Ligocki, Allison Masulis, Krista Sbarra and Madelyn Stout will provide some depth.

St. Charles North Stars

Coach: Tom Poulin

2016 record: 23-6

Top players

Name Year Pos.

Alyssa Eby jr. OF/2B

Ashlyn Jozefowicz jr. OF

Allison Moberg sr. 1B/C

Natalie Walters sr. P/OF

Jillian Wasalawski jr. P

Maddie Webb sr. P/OF/1B

Jordyn Wolfe sr. CF

Outlook: After winning the Upstate Eight River with a 16-2 record and claiming a third straight regional title, the North Stars looked poised to continue their success.

Wolfe is a four-year varsity player headed to Louisville to play in college, and she is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to weapons on offense. Moberg hit .396 with five home runs and 26 RBIs a year ago. Walters (Hillsdale College) and Webb (Lake Forest) will have college careers, and Eby and Wasalawski are returning all-conference players.

Seniors and returning juniors figure to carry the North Stars, but junior Grace Quinn (catcher, third base) and sophomore Mary Webb (third base, shortstop) figure to get their fair share of chances to contribute.

St. Francis Spartans

Coach: Ralph Remus

2016 record: 27-2

Top players

Name Year Pos.

Caroline Caesar so. C/1B

Carlee Clark so. P/1B

Becca Imbrogno jr. OF

Josie Smith jr. SS

Shelby Winkelman jr. P/3B

Outlook: There is not one senior on the roster, but that doesn't mean the Spartans are short on experience. Half of the 12 players on the varsity roster this spring were with the varsity last year, including standout Winkelman, who went 14-1 in the circle and hit .540 with 45 RBIs as she was named the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference White Player of the Year.

Clark and Winkelman will form a potent 1-2 punch in the circle. Caeser, Imbrogno, Smith and sophomore Kellyn Langton are expected to power the offense.