Champions Of Valley Girls Softball Gave Season Of Thrills

Another Spokane Valley Girls Softball season has ended.

But it wouldn’t be complete without one last look at the divisional champions and the girls who did the job.

F&F Foundation won the 16U League. Walt’s Mailing and Spokane Golf Cart were 14U winners. New Image Video and IHOP won in the 12U divisions. E.S.S. and All Lines Insurance were 10U champions.

Valley girls 14U champions

Champions of the Spokane Valley Girls Softball 14U tournaments gave fans their money’s worth this year.

Walt’s Mailing in the West Division won three straight times after losing in the semifinals.

Included was one by international tiebreaker in which each team puts a runner at second base and gets two outs to score the winning runs.

In the second win, pitchers Katie Hirst and Jennifer Jenkins pitched no-hit ball until the fifth inning.

Jenkins and Nicole Gunning went 6-for-11, Megan Peters was 6-for-12 and hit a grand slam home run in the team’s first win.

Coached by Jan Jenkins team members were Nicolle Aafedt, Megan Bourgeous, Sarah Drye, Gunning, Samantha Hall, Mariah Harrison, Hirst, Jenkins, Heather Mullikan, Danielle Neubauer, Peters, Emily Sonsalla, Kelly Wasson and Jennifer Wilson.

Spokane Golf Cart broke even during the regular season but won four straight times for its championship.

Included was a 30-28 title win in which the lead went back and forth.

“In the bottom of the sixth we took the field with a 10-run lead and came off it down two or three,” said coach Steve Ray of the wild victory.

Team members include Brynn Boltjes, Sharee Demars, Jewell Shivers, Kali Smithson, Rachel Keen, Jerin Falkner, Julia Agnew, K.C. Hurst, Maria Crossman, Amy Harrell, Kristi Van Matre, Sarah Durkin, Audrey Thayer and Theresa Ray. Assistant coach is Jim Falkner.

“They battled the heat quite well,” said Ray. “They’re the ones who baked themselves to win that thing.”

A look at the 12U champions

New Image Video’s record was slightly deceiving in the 12U West Division.

The tournament champions had a loss to be seeded second in the tournament, but the loss came, said coach Mark Whitley, by forfeit when four players were away at basketball tournaments.

“We were undefeated in regular season last year and lost in the tournament,” Whitley said.

Third last season, they didn’t falter this season.

In tournament the team won every game but the semifinals by 15 or more runs, handing Adept Escrow its first loss by an 8-6 score and second, 21-6.

“They’re a good competitive ball club,” said Whitley of his team. “This is the same basic corps. It’s been pretty fun the whole time.”

Team members are Beth Edwards, Janell Fausett, Sharnay Fredrickson, Jayme Heinen, Alexis Kirk, Andrea McCarrol, Sara Mower, Brandi Nunnally, Katie Rodgers, Lara and Lindsay Whitley, Racheal Steffen and Heather Frank. Dave Heinen and Paula Nunnally were assistant coaches.

East Division champion IHOP is likewise no stranger to success. Several of the players have been on championship teams before.

Team members are Meghann Duley, Amanda Norwood, Brianna Hughes, Andrea Finney, Kristina Kizer, Gina Bourgeous, Kim Grover, Michelle Anderson, Katie Knodel, Blayne Orton, Alicia Main, Amber Burgerson and Shara Dougdale.

Different routes for 12U champs

One tournament champion, E.S.S. parlayed stunning windmill pitching and the other, All Lines Insurance, took a basic approach to its title. E.S.S. pitcher Spring Montgomery would throw 100 pitches a night over the winter, has four different deliveries and can throw 39 miles per hour. Her counterpart, Kayla McComas was just as effective.

Coupled with improved hitting, the team went unbeaten.

E.S.S. players were Montgomery, McComas, Kali Duley, Amanda Norton, Tera Maki, Christi Clark, Amber Foster, Erin Bourgeous, Jennifer Norwood, Rachel Swenson, Stephanie Kinne, Jenna Savalli, Janelle Kann, Abbie Huck and Vanessa Richards.

Team members are Alisha Carlson, Emily Brodeur, Crissy Higgins, Kendall Koehler, Carissa Olson, Amanda and Haley Parsons, Brittany and Katelyn Tebeau, Samantha Ellig, Trisha Plant and Micheal Sayler.

, DataTimes