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Softball team stacks up to best in program history
BY ANDREW MAY, Staff Writer
Celina softball coach Billy Coleman is not one for comparisons. He would rather paint his toenails Prosper green.
But after the Lady Cats’ dominating 7-0 start to the season, which has seen the team outscore opponents 80-3, the comparison to the 2006 state semifinal squad will inevitably arise. Even if the season is all of a week old, the question must be posed: How does this bunch stack up against the best teams in Celina history?
“They’re right there with them definitely,” Coleman said.
In pool play, Celina outscored Prestonwood Christian, Anna, Paradise and Denton, 58-0. In the gold bracket semifinals against Pilot Point, senior Kylie Roos struck out 10 and hit a grand slam to pace the 18-1 victory in four innings.
Having still yet to be tested, the Lady Cats were presented their stiffest challenge in the championship against Little Elm. Roos, who was subsequently named tournament MVP, outdueled Lady Lobo junior Brittany Talley, an Arkansas commitment, to steer Celina to the crown. She allowed just one hit and struck out 12 as the Lady Cats used a two-run fourth inning to prevail, 3-2.
“We hit the ball extremely well, played excellent defense and the pitching was outstanding,” Coleman said. “It was definitely the way I wanted to start the season, that’s for sure.”
The softball program is in such good standing under Coleman’s direction that the JV and varsity teams could have ultimately met in the championship game. Celina’s junior varsity team, the only one of its kind in the tournament, went 3-1 in pool play to qualify for the gold championship bracket. Because the possibility existed that both Lady Cat squads could wind up playing each other, Coleman elected to drop the JV team down to the silver bracket.
The team made it to the finals against Van Alstyne’s varsity before succumbing, 4-0.
“For a JV to go into a varsity tournament and get second, and possibly could have played in the gold division, just speaks volumes,” Coleman said. “I’m extremely proud.”
The JV is 5-2 on the year after crushing Centennial, 13-0, Monday. Behind yet another one-hitter from Roos, who had more than a dozen strikeouts, the varsity blanked the Titans, 1-0.
Celina’s seventh straight win to start the season allowed the team to move from eighth to No. 3 in the Texas Girls Coaches Association’s Class 3A state poll.
“The rankings don’t really mean anything to me,” Coleman said, “but it’s nice for the girls and the community.”
Coleman insists that his team should be judged based on how it performs over the next couple weeks. During that time, the Lady Cats will face superior pitching on a consistent basis. Celina will face Justin Northwest, McKinney and Sam Houston today in the Denton Ryan tournament before taking on Keller Friday and Denton Ryan and Frisco Saturday.
“We’re fixing to get into some good competition in terms of pitching. That’s what we need to see,” Coleman said. “There is some stuff we still have to work on.”
With the depth that Celina possesses, several starting jobs are still up for grabs. Coleman said he will use most all of non-district to hash out a set starting lineup.
The decision is no doubt a tough one given there are so many capable players that can contribute immediately in the field and at the plate.
As seen by how the Lady Cats have dismembered every opponent thus far, it’s a good problem to have.
“Your offense is normally slow and it kind of comes around in the season. They’ve done an extremely good job up and down the lineup,” Coleman said. “It hasn’t just been one girl each game doing it. They’ve all been stepping up and hitting the ball. That’s been really impressive to watch.”
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