It isn’t always easy coming back from a tough season.
The 2016 campaign for Bradford softball certainly fit that description, as the Lady Owls struggled to a 4-17 record. But sometimes the best way to bounce back from a disappointing season is to bring in new blood.
That’s what Bradford is hoping new head coach Misty Antonioli can bring to the table. While there are sure to be some growing pains, Antonioli has confidence that she and the rest of her staff — including Jennifer Snow, Amy Stoltz, and Ashley Stoltz — can get the most out of their squad.
“We’ve been focusing on becoming one unit and playing in the present,” Antonioli said. “We realize mistakes happen, but we are trying to teach the girls not to dwell on our mistakes and on the opposite end, we are also not going to project the future.”
Fortunately for Antonioli, she will have some experienced players to work with. The Lady Owls return five letterwinners from 2016, all of whom are seniors.
Kaylee Brown figures to lead the Bradford pitching staff, while also splitting time between third base and the outfield. Samantha Gross projects to be the number one option at catcher as well as spending time in the outfield. Meanwhile, Bryn Manion (first base), Makenzie Smith (second base), and Hannah Woodel (shortstop), are all expected key roles in the lineup and the field.
Outfielders Kristin Siffrin and Zena Smith round out the seven seniors Bradford expects to trot out. The experience and talent in the starting infield in particular should be a strength for the Owls from the very first game.
“We have some very experienced returning senior players to help lead the team, and we also have some underclassmen working hard to earn a starting position on varsity,” Antonioli said.
Johna Hart and Kelsey Jordan are the only two juniors on the roster; Hart will look to spell Makenzie Smith at second base while Jordan will split time between catcher and left field.
Makenzee Maley (third base and outfield), Nicole Sayers (first base), and Katie Skok (second base and right field) are all sophomores who will challenge for playing time on the varsity squad.
Freshmen Molly Boser, Elyse Godding, Alyssa Persichini, and Emily Warner all figure to start on the JV team but will have every opportunity to break into the varsity lineup.
Antonioli will be looking to her upperclassmen to help build and sustain the kind of camaraderie that is so important to all successful teams.
“We have been working really hard the past few weeks on coming together as a team,” she said. “We want the girls to be tight-knit like a family, a family that helps build each other up.”
Regardless of what the team’s record ends up looking like at the end of the season, it is this idea of family that Antonioli hopes will define her first season at the helm.
“We are expecting the girls to give everything they’ve got through self-sacrifice, willingness to put the team first before themselves, and loyalty to one another,” she said.
The revised team schedule is below:
April
3 – ST. MARYS
7 – At Elk Catholic
10 – JOHNSONBURG
11 – At Brookville
13 – KANE
18 – OSWAYO VALLEY
20 – DUBOIS
21 – At Otto-Eldred
24 – At Punxsutawney
26 – BROOKVILLE
28 – At Johnsonburg
May
1 – OTTO-ELDRED
5 – At Smethport
8 – At DuBois
10 – PORT ALLEGANY
11 – At St. Marys
15 – ELK CATHOLIC
17 – PUNXSUTAWNEY
18 – At Clearfield
