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April 16, 2009

Softball preview: Assumption eyes ninth straight Marawood title

By Scott Williams
Daily Tribune Staff

For any high school softball program with 10 juniors expected to potentially make significant contributions this season, talk might center around being one year away from something special.

That is not the case at Wisconsin Rapids Assumption.

Every year is another year to win a Marawood Conference championship and be in the conversation for a WIAA Division 4 state championship.

"We want our players to buy into the model of success we've had for a decade. I think our kids want to keep the legacy up that was handed over to them," said veteran Assumption coach Jim Getzloff.

That model has resulted in eight straight Marawood Conference championships, and WIAA state titles in 2001 (Division 3) and 2005 (Division 4).

After rolling through the regular season unbeaten in 2008, the Royals got sidetracked by Green Lake on the road to another potential trip to state in the regional opener.

Getzloff hopes his team learned its lesson from the sudden exit from the postseason.

"This is pretty much the same team as last year," he said. "I don't think our kids feel any pressure (to continue the success). We try to keep things pretty loose."

There are few teams in the area that can boast a better situation on the mound.

Seniors Brittney Brock and Jada Straub give the Royals a 1-2 pitching punch that is second to none.

Throw in junior Jenna Moran, and Assumption has three pitchers who can shut an opposing team down at any given time.

While Moran may be the future, the present will center around Brock and Straub, who are interchangeable in terms of stuff and effectiveness.

"I would hope so," offered Getzloff in regards to having confidence in his experienced pitching tandem. "I wouldn't be afraid to throw any of them."

Considering the firepower Assumption should demonstrate at the plate, the pitchers should have a fair share of wiggle room.

Runs should be easy to come by with a batting order that features a lethal combination of slap-hitters with a meat of the order that contains significant power.

If the Royals are going to attain the heights achieved over the past decade, however, several areas will need to be cleaned up.

"Defensively, I think we have to step it up a little bit," said Getzloff, who suffered an early setback when starting catcher Favy Segovia suffered a broken wrist. "And maybe we're going to have to get a little more mentally tough."

Assumption's Jada Straub is half of the Royals’ pitching tandem that helped them win their eighth straight Marawood Conference title a year ago. (DAILY TRIBUNE file photo)