ICL SOFTBALL Frustration to elation: Blue Devils win 1st title

The senior-laden team had high expectations entering this season.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
BERLIN CENTER -- The Western Reserve High softball team had been so close to clinching an Inter-County League title.
In coach Joe Serensky's first two years, the Blue Devils finished in second place. Then came the 2003 season, when they returned seven seniors with high expectations.
"Both years we were one game away, so that was frustrating," Serensky said. "That hardened our commitment to say, 'OK, this is enough of second place.' "
For the first time in school history, Western Reserve stands alone atop the ICL softball standings. The Blue Devils secured their first crown on Thursday night after South Range defeated Mineral Ridge.
Becoming a reality
"We found out later that night on the 11 o'clock news that South Range had beaten Mineral Ridge," Serensky said.
The timing could have been better; the Blue Devils (17-5, 11-3) would have preferred celebrating on the field after a game. Still, the ICL title is theirs, and for that they can be satisfied.
"We lost our last two games in extra innings, so it was kind of frustrating that we came that close to clinching it ourselves," Serensky said.
"Because the other teams in the league are so good, we can say we earned it," Serensky added. "It wasn't handed to us."
With seven returning seniors -- Teri Bader, Mikah Berger, Ashley Deas, Kristen Kurth, Tiffany Palumbo, Tiffany Shugart and Deanna Zamudio -- Serensky liked his team's chances of winning the ICL.
"The seniors were fired up this year about winning it, and we knew we had some young players there to help us, too," Serensky said.
Key contributors
Sophomore Katie Harmon leads the Western Reserve attack with a .470 batting average, while Berger has gone 10-3 as a starting pitcher.
Also contributing for the Blue Devils are juniors Leslie Razo and Andrea Hernan and sophomores Quinn McCammon, Andrea Martin and Lindsay Kuebler.
"The way our schedule was, with a lot of our games in April, you don't have time to relish your victories very long," said Serensky, who is assisted by Tom Shugart.
"If you win one night, you have to come home and figure out what to do tomorrow," he added. "There's always that tough team waiting in the ICL."
richesson@vindy.com