Webster leads hopeful Vikings

With last season’s top two teams gone from Class C (George Stevens of Blue Hill moved up to Class B, while Fort Fairfield left for Class D), the path is clear for the Searsport softball team. The Vikings finished the regular season in third place behind GSA and Fort Fairfield but beat the Eagles of Blue Hill for the Eastern Maine title.

The key for Searsport will be senior pitcher Sarah Webster, who last season tossed her way to a 16-2 record and Eastern Maine title. Searsport lost to Madison in the Class C state game.

“We’re hoping to be back at the state game,” coach Amy Littlefield said. “I think we can as long as our bats look good and we stay focused and take everything in stride.”

Webster also led the Vikings at the plate with a .526 average last season.

Most of the rest of the Searsport starters are underclassmen who either started or saw significant playing time last year. Billie-Jo Doody returns to anchor the infield at shortstop and Jessica Barton will handle the catching duties. Rosie Roberts will start at center field.

Seniors Jodie Larrabee and Allison Pike start at first and second base, respectively. Sophomores Megan Lavway and Rhonda Wilbur also return to the lineup.

Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln finished last regular season right behind the Vikings and were in the postseason mix with a 15-2 record. The Lynx have their starting pitcher and shortstop back but will have to contend with youth just about everywhere else.

Senior Stephanie Lowell returns to the mound and sophomore Allison McLaughlin will anchor the infield. Lowell and McLaughlin were among the hitting leaders last year and coach Dean Libbey said they have picked up where they left off.

“So far, it looks like the girls who led us last year will do the same this year,” he said. “It’s going pretty well. If we can be tough enough on defense, we can win games.”

One important addition to the Mattanawcook squad is freshman Brandi Rideout, who will likely start in the infield. Senior Shelly Reed may get the nod at second base and junior Taryn Turcotte will start at third.

While the departure of GSA and Fort Fairfield may help Mattanawcook, Libbey is still wary of the teams left in Class C.

“There’s still Searsport, and then up here there’s Penquis, [Penobscot Valley], Calais, Central. I think Class C has a lot of competitive teams,” he said.

Sumner of East Sullivan returns senior pitcher Amy Stevens, who batted .520 last year and has led the Tigers in hitting for the past three years. Junior Tovan Willey (.397) is back to catch, junior Amber Pinkham (.509) will do a little pitching and work at third base and senior Amanda “Shoo” Erwin returns to second base.

That’s the extent of the returnees to coach Debra Osgood’s squad, althought Osgood is pleased with the prospects of several young players.

Sophomore Sarah Drinkwater and junior Katie Dudley will likely share time at first base and center field. Freshman Jill Oiser will start in left field and senior Danielle Martin gets the nod in right.

Shortstop Elizabeth Young, a freshman, will start at shortstop.

“She’s going to be good,” Osgood said. “She listens well, works hard. She’s quiet and doesn’t say that much, but she’s really coming around.”

The best thing about this Tiger team, Osgood said, is its toughness.

“They have an outstanding attitude,” she said. “If the pitching comes around, if we stay healthy, it will definitely make the defense look better. This is just a great bunch of kids.”

Terry Duffy’s Katahin squad will also have to deal with inexperience, although the Cougars of Sherman Station return shortstop Jenny McNally. The junior hit .367 last year and will lead off this year. Sophomore Kimm Mann will handle the pitching duties.

Portia Anderson, who transferred back to Katahdin after attending Bangor last year, starts at first base.

“She’s a good thumper, a good hitter,” Duffy said.

The rest of the starters are freshmen, including Bethany Perrin and Lindsey Duffy-Stanley at second and third, respectively. Catcher Mikeline Duffy will bat clean-up. Lacey Willette, Adele Cummings, Erika Coyle and Anderson’s sister Olivia will rotate in the outfield.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us,” Terry Duffy said. “We’ll improve as the year goes by. It’s just going to take a while.”