Softball team hands out awards, looks to next year

Hungry Horse News

The Columbia Falls softball team's post-season awards were handed out May 23, and senior pitcher Kym Island took home the Most Valuable Player honors.

Island, who pitched in most of the contests, also contributed with her bat as well, hitting in the middle of the lineup during the season.

Coach Dave Kehr said that Island won the award due to her pitching performances, especially those later in the season when she was battling injury.

"She came on really good at the end of the year," he said. "She had some knee problems there about two weeks ago…She pitched real well against Browning, she did a nice job with that."

For the varsity girls, sophomore Jenny Johnson was tabbed as the Most Improved Player and freshmen Sam Connor and Ashley Nickerson were both voted as the junior varsity Most Improved Players.

"Jenny Johnson did a nice job at the end of the season," Kehr said.

The five seniors on the team were also honored for their dedication, including Stephanie Davis, Amanda Puryer, Kalee Wolf, Island and Lea Bukowski.

"A lot of seniors, Amanda Puryer ended up really good," Kehr said. "Kalee Wolf really swung the bat well at the end of the season. Lea played well for us in left field."

Kehr said that although Davis was a senior, this was her first year playing and that being able to contribute the way she did speaks volumes about her talent.

"There was lots of the game she had to learn," Kehr said. "You can't make it up in a year. She's athletic, there's no doubt about it. She would have been a force, she's very strong."

The prospects for next year, Kehr said, are looking good. With a young team this year, the experience can only help make next season better than this one.

"From there, we get really, really young," he said. "There are lots of games we played with three freshman…I think we'll be OK as far as that goes."

Several experienced players will be joining the team from junior high and Kehr said that the base running next year should be exciting and the pitching should be solid.

"We're going to be a fast team," he said. "We have some pitching coming…I think it's really looking up. There are a lot of girls playing and there's definitely a good group coming."

Letter winners on the team were seniors Bukowski, Davis, Puryer, Wolf and Island; junior Crystal Schwarzrock; sophomores Jessica Lyman, Vanesha Riley and Johnson; and freshmen Sami Venezio, Connor and Nickerson.

Also honored with letters were the team managers, juniors Katie Toavs and Samantha Webb; and freshman Emily Toavs.

Certificate winners were sophomores Caitlin Woods, Winnie Opp and Rebecca Paulson; and freshmen Brandy Rowe, Kyrie Sweeney, Maya Negron, Nichole Riley, Rosie Wrightson and Staci Pence.

The team finished the season 3-9 in the conference and 4-17 overall.