Head Coach Jessie Anderson
With just two seniors and two juniors on the Cook County High School girls’ fast pitch softball team, Head Coach Jessie Anderson said, “We’re young. But if the team works hard we should be able to win some games this season.”
Although the team didn’t win a lot of games last season, they did pull off a major upset when they defeated topseeded Carlton in the first round of the Section 7A playoffs last year.
“I’m reminding the kids of that. Right now we’re really working on fundamentals in the gym. Nothing fancy. Just learning to play the game the right way,” said Anderson.
With 20 kids out, Anderson and her Assistant Coach Sarah McAteer have a nice mix of younger and older kids to work with.
A major part of softball is pitching and Anderson said that Alex Slanga and Maddy Roy look like the team’s top prospects right now, with Zoey Anderson and Megan Lehto ready to pitch when called upon. Roy will also start at catcher when she isn’t pitching, said Anderson.
Carrie Palmer and Jamie Sjogren will play in the infield, “Either at shortstop or third base. I’m not sure where they will end up, but definitely at one of those positions,” Coach Anderson said.
Who will play second base still has not been decided, but Mariah Deschampe will get the nod at first base while Megan Lehto and Sarah Deschampe will play center field and right field.
“We still don’t know who will step up and take that right field spot. It’s open,” Anderson said.
Offensively the Vikings are expected to be led by the hot bats of Maddy Roy, Carrie Palmer and Megan Lehto.
“They should be our big hitters. They have the experience and have done well in the past. But we are always looking for someone else to step up and get some hits for the team,” Coach Anderson said.
Until the snow melts and the fields dry, the team will work out indoors. Their first games are scheduled for April 8 in McGregor and April 10 in Moose Lake, but Anderson said they would likely be cancelled and rescheduled due to the snow cover.
As for her team, Anderson likes what she sees.
“Right now we’re still missing people who are on spring break, so it’s difficult to evaluate the kids when not everyone is here. But I would have to say we have a positive group of kids. As long as they continue to work hard, we will be all right,” she said.
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