Who will be Miss Softball this year?

[Milfordflash]

Here are the stats from the KHSAA.

Allen .462BA 104AB 25R 48H 33RBI 11db 8 3b 3hr 9so 7bb and 3sb

 

Sears .419BA 129AB 18R 54H 30RBI 14db 3 3b 3hr 4so 10bb and 0sb

This is forgetting the pitching stats.

[colby]

Looks on paper like Allen can do something other than put zero's on her opponents side of the scorebook!

[MountainThunder]

Here are the stats from the KHSAA.

Allen .462BA 104AB 25R 48H 33RBI 11db 8 3b 3hr 9so 7bb and 3sb

 

Sears .419BA 129AB 18R 54H 30RBI 14db 3 3b 3hr 4so 10bb and 0sb

This is forgetting the pitching stats.

 

The schedule comparison has a great deal of merit here. Sears' numbers came against much stronger competition. North played against numerous ranked teams from KY, TN and Calif. As well as being one of the best shortstops I have seen this season when she isn't on the mound. Also, anytime Sears gets a single, she is given a courtesy runner as is NL's catcher. This really impacted her runs total as well as her being the leadoff batter impacted her RBI totals. (The player who normally courtesy runs for Sears, 7th grader Sidney Herrell, scored 27 runs this season, most of them while running for Sears).

 

Either way, I wish all the candidates good luck. Whether I agree with the winner or not, I will congratulate them for the honor of being named the best senior softball player in the state!!! If Allen and Sears do face off at the state, I expect a very low scoring game, ... possibly extra innings!

 

Question, .. is the voting done before or after the state tournament? I really cannot remember!

[MountainThunder]

You can sure tell that northern KY. is still looked at differently than the rest of the state when it comes to sports. You can also tell where people are from based on whom they are picking to win this award.

 

I will admit that I am biased, as most are, based on who they see the most often and who is from their area. But I can also say that I have seen both players numerous times. It is obvious that many have not seen either play, or only one of them.

 

The only player talked about a lot for this award I have not seen play this season that I cannot wait to see is Riley. I am happy for her that she is back on the field and look forward to seeing her play. I haven't talked about her as I have not seen her this season and so my analysis would be uninformed and not accurate. But I do remember her as being a GREAT player who has to be in the mix.

[MountainThunder]

Good article on Abby in the The Times Tribune (Corbin) from Jimbo Collins.

 

http://www.thetimestribune.com/sports/local_story_156093555.html?keyword=secondarystory

Edited June 4, 2008 by MountainThunder

[katbird]

Allen hands down...Not even close...:ylsuper:

[MountainThunder]

Allen hands down...Not even close...:ylsuper:

 

How many times have you seen Allen, Sears, Clark or Riley actually play?

[memyselfandi]

I am not trying to take anything away from Allen because she is very impressive but my question is, would she still be this dominate IF she lived in the Lexington/Louisville area?

 

I think one main reason her stats are what they are is due to the fact that she pitched in NKY where fastpitch is still in the beginning phases. Fastpitch for the most part in NKY is AT LEAST 3 years behind the majority of the state. I find it really interesting that slow pitch is still played in NKY and no longer in the southern part of the state and I think that shows on where the better softball is.

 

I have not seen any of the other girls mentioned on this thread play besides Allen but I have also seen the competition she pitched too in NKY and for the most part it is not very good and I think that is evident with all the records she has.

 

I will probably get some negative posts on my views of NKY softball but this is only my opinion. I have also seen, played and coached in national tournaments in states like Texas, California & Colorado and what type of softball I see (especially the coaching) is very poor compared to other parts of the state which I have seen in the pasts years.

Edited June 5, 2008 by memyselfandi

[MountainThunder]

MEMYSELFANDI, ... you have a very valid point. While you are correct and the state of NKY softball, let's be honest, the best overall softball in the state (and this hurts to say it) is played in the Western part of the state, followed by L'ville, Central KY, then everyone else. Southern Ky only has a few consistently good teams (depending on what you consider truly Southern Ky). I would love to tell you that S.KY softball is the best in the state, .... but it is not. We lag behind the 3 areas I mentioned as a whole. Many of the teams from W.KY and L'ville who didn't make it past the semis in the region would have won several of the regional tourney around the state if they were in them. The way you work around being in a weaker area is to play more high quality teams and tournaments outside of your area. Is it hard? Yes. Is it expensive? You bet it can be. However, if you want something bad enough, you find a way to make it happen. It makes you better by playing teams good enough to expose your weaknesses and show you in vivid details what you have to work on. You will take some lumps, but more often than not, you learn more from losses than victories.

 

"What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger".

 

Look at the top 10 in the last poll of the season and it is easy to see what areas, given their populations, are represented the most (40% are considered WKY teams):

 

05/22/08 poll

1. Owensboro Cath (8) 432

2. North Laurel (9) 431

3. Greenwood (3) 407

4. Ryle (2) 398

5. Ballard 351

6. Scott County 290

7. Grayson County 288

8. Reidland 283

9. Christian County 258

10. Manual 223

 

I have seen Allen pitch and to answer your question about Allen dominating in L'ville or Lex or especially WKY the way she has in NKY, the answer is no. But who would? However, I still think she would still have phenomenal numbers and be one of the most dominant pitchers in the history of KHSAA softball. I am not convinced that she would have the same number of strikeouts, perfect games, wins, shutouts, etc that she has accomplished. But I would be willing to be that her name would still be all over the record books in numerous categories. And I say this as someone who believes in his heart that Sears should be Miss Softball.

[memyselfandi]

MEMYSELFANDI, ... you have a very valid point. While you are correct and the state of NKY softball, let's be honest, the best overall softball in the state (and this hurts to say it) is played in the Western part of the state, followed by L'ville, Central KY, then everyone else. Southern Ky only has a few consistently good teams (depending on what you consider truly Southern Ky). I would love to tell you that S.KY softball is the best in the state, .... but it is not. We lag behind the 3 areas I mentioned as a whole. Many of the teams from W.KY and L'ville who didn't make it past the semis in the region would have won several of the regional tourney around the state if they were in them. The way you work around being in a weaker area is to play more high quality teams and tournaments outside of your area. Is it hard? Yes. Is it expensive? You bet it can be. However, if you want something bad enough, you find a way to make it happen. It makes you better by playing teams good enough to expose your weaknesses and show you in vivid details what you have to work on. You will take some lumps, but more often than not, you learn more from losses than victories.

 

"What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger".

 

Look at the top 10 in the last poll of the season and it is easy to see what areas, given their populations, are represented the most (40% are considered WKY teams):

 

05/22/08 poll

1. Owensboro Cath (8) 432

2. North Laurel (9) 431

3. Greenwood (3) 407

4. Ryle (2) 398

5. Ballard 351

6. Scott County 290

7. Grayson County 288

8. Reidland 283

9. Christian County 258

10. Manual 223

 

I have seen Allen pitch and to answer your question about Allen dominating in L'ville or Lex or especially WKY the way she has in NKY, the answer is no. But who would? However, I still think she would still have phenomenal numbers and be one of the most dominant pitchers in the history of KHSAA softball. I am not convinced that she would have the same number of strikeouts, perfect games, wins, shutouts, etc that she has accomplished. But I would be willing to be that her name would still be all over the record books in numerous categories. And I say this as someone who believes in his heart that Sears should be Miss Softball.

 

Sorry, I have not lived in the state of Kentucky for a long period of time and what I was considered south I guess is not really the south. You are right that the western part of the state is much better than the majority of the state. I also agree with you that Allen would still have great numbers but IMO nothing like what she has up here with the K's, perfect games, wins (maybe this stays the same), shutouts, etc.

 

Like I said before in my earlier post I have only seen Allen play so I can not make a judgement on who would be Miss Softball. To me I think someone would have to look at the competition that they play against everyday and try to compare with what the other players play against everyday.

[ROME]

Abby Sears should win Miss softball in my opinion.

[MountainThunder]

Sorry, I have not lived in the state of Kentucky for a long period of time and what I was considered south I guess is not really the south. You are right that the western part of the state is much better than the majority of the state. I also agree with you that Allen would still have great numbers but IMO nothing like what she has up here with the K's, perfect games, wins (maybe this stays the same), shutouts, etc.

 

Like I said before in my earlier post I have only seen Allen play so I can not make a judgement on who would be Miss Softball. To me I think someone would have to look at the competition that they play against everyday and try to compare with what the other players play against everyday.

 

:thumb:

 

Also, it depends on who you talk to as to what is really considered southern KY. Just like Miss Softball, ... opinions vary!!!

[Chenoweth]

Who else recruited Sears?

[Milfordflash]

MEMYSELFANDI, ... you have a very valid point. While you are correct and the state of NKY softball, let's be honest, the best overall softball in the state (and this hurts to say it) is played in the Western part of the state, followed by L'ville, Central KY, then everyone else. Southern Ky only has a few consistently good teams (depending on what you consider truly Southern Ky). I would love to tell you that S.KY softball is the best in the state, .... but it is not. We lag behind the 3 areas I mentioned as a whole. Many of the teams from W.KY and L'ville who didn't make it past the semis in the region would have won several of the regional tourney around the state if they were in them. The way you work around being in a weaker area is to play more high quality teams and tournaments outside of your area. Is it hard? Yes. Is it expensive? You bet it can be. However, if you want something bad enough, you find a way to make it happen. It makes you better by playing teams good enough to expose your weaknesses and show you in vivid details what you have to work on. You will take some lumps, but more often than not, you learn more from losses than victories.

 

"What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger".

 

Look at the top 10 in the last poll of the season and it is easy to see what areas, given their populations, are represented the most (40% are considered WKY teams):

 

05/22/08 poll

1. Owensboro Cath (8) 432

2. North Laurel (9) 431

3. Greenwood (3) 407

4. Ryle (2) 398

5. Ballard 351

6. Scott County 290

7. Grayson County 288

8. Reidland 283

9. Christian County 258

10. Manual 223

 

I have seen Allen pitch and to answer your question about Allen dominating in L'ville or Lex or especially WKY the way she has in NKY, the answer is no. But who would? However, I still think she would still have phenomenal numbers and be one of the most dominant pitchers in the history of KHSAA softball. I am not convinced that she would have the same number of strikeouts, perfect games, wins, shutouts, etc that she has accomplished. But I would be willing to be that her name would still be all over the record books in numerous categories. And I say this as someone who believes in his heart that Sears should be Miss Softball.

I could care less who wins the award but to say Ryle plays lesser competition might not be completely true.They have played 18 of their 30 regular season games against out of state teams,central Ky teams,western Ky teams and Louisville area teams.They have not stayed in Northern Ky as some of you claim.

[MountainThunder]

I could care less who wins the award but to say Ryle plays lesser competition might not be completely true.They have played 18 of their 30 regular season games against out of state teams,central Ky teams,western Ky teams and Louisville area teams.They have not stayed in Northern Ky as some of you claim.

 

I know the teams in WV & VA they played are fairly weak. The team from Indiana is not too bad. They have played a few very good KY teams. However in the month of May, their schedule really got weak. The last really good team that can compete for a state title was when they played was Grayson County (lost 1-0 in a very exciting extra inning game in the 5 Star Prep Classic tournament semifinals) on April 26th. They have played and lost to 3 of the top 10 teams (Scott Co, Grayson Co, and Manual). How many top 25 wins does Ryle have? What hurts Allen the most is that against the good teams, she doesn't have much offensive support like she had 2 years ago when Ryle won state and even last year when they were runner up. As great as she is (and she is GREAT), she cannot do it all.

 

No it is not the easiest schedule in the state. There are a TON of teams that played MUCH easier schedules (and they aren't playing anymore right now either). However, Ryle's schedule, when compared to O-Cath, North Laurel, Greenwood, etc doesn't match up, especially down the stretch.

Edited June 5, 2008 by MountainThunder