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Loaded Hornets still focused on banner
At last check, the banner is still empty. But after last season's finish, the Herndon softball team is well on its way to finally adding some numbers to the piece of cloth hanging in the school's gym.During the 2007 campaign, The Times profiled the Hornets and there was one common theme among all the players and coaches: the banner. The softball team is the only long-term girls sport without a district title at Herndon, but the daughters of coach Bonnie O'Hearn are a Concorde – and perhaps region – favorite this season.
The Hornets ended their 2007 campaign with a 15-8 mark – "the best record in at least 15 years," according to O'Hearn – but were ousted by Stone Bridge in the second round of the Northern Region tournament. O'Hearn scheduled a rematch with the Bulldogs for last Friday, a game Herndon won in the bottom of the eighth inning when senior Stacy Fox drove in the winning run. With a masterful pitching performance from senior Katie Rynex, the Hornets proved they are a serious force in 2008.
"I think if the team plays like they did tonight with the high intensity, I think we'll be good against [other district powers Centreville, Robinson and Westfield]," said Rynex, whose teammates and coaches call her "Rex" for short. "We're tired of looking up and seeing [the banner] empty, so we want to look up and see that '2008' up there. We actually took a picture of it and we look at it every time we're inside."
Rynex, who will pitch for Ball State next year, blends an effective mix of fastballs and off-speed stuff, all of which have movement. When Rynex is hitting her spots, she can be a hitter's worst nightmare.
"She's pitching well. She controls the game," O'Hearn noted. "If she's on, there's not much defense needed. Today, [Stone Bridge] had a hard time getting around on her. She's got great speed, and I think a lot of teams have problems with her speed. And then she does a great job of moving it around."
Setting the Hornets' table in the lead-off spot is senior Marra Hvozdovic, followed by Katie Briggs – who also pitches here and there. Rynex hits third, while senior Jasmine Craun and sophomore Tori Thompson bat fourth and fifth, respectively. With a roster rife with experienced upperclassmen, Herndon may find that 2008 could very well be the year of the Hornet.
"With eight seniors, this is our year," O'Hearn said, "and most of them have been on varsity all four years."
Elsewhere in the area, Tino Impellizzeri takes over as the new coach of the South Lakes program. The Seahawks have won just two games in the last four seasons, so Impellizzeri is focused on building from the ground up.
"At this point, we want to start getting a tradition, a winning tradition, and we're going after every game," said the coach, whose daughter, Katy, is the starting catcher and anchor of the team. "There's just been a lack of fundamentals. ... You gotta go back to the very basic fundamentals and go from there."
Completing the battery is senior Jordan Foster, who will handle most of the pitching duties. A pair of talented freshman, Nina Rodriguez and Alyssa Siqueiros, are competing for the starting shortstop job. Junior Chelsea Huber, who Impellizzeri said is "a good hitter and a solid first baseman," will play another important role.
The Seahawks have already played three scrimmages and will open their season next Tuesday at Mount Vernon.
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