43
Raiders looking to make history today
South Range one
victory from its
first state crown
By BRIAN DZENIS
AKRON
Being the ace of a state championship-winning softball team is the stuff of dreams. Being the ace that delivers South Range’s first state title in any sport takes the excitement to another level.
Pitcher Caragyn Yanek and her teammates have a chance to do just that today in the Division III state final against Wheelersburg.
“It’s my dream. Me and my dad have talked about this since middle school,” Yanek said after the Raiders’ 7-1 win against Milan Edison on Thursday. “I’ve wanted to get this far and to get this far, I have to be able to thank my dad for that. It feels amazing.”
Earlier in the fall, South Range had its first state finalist in any sport when the boys soccer team made it to the final game. They fell to Cincinnati Country Day, 9-0, but inspired other Raider athletes.
“It made us think that we were capable of anything,” Yanek said. “Nobody really expected us to get this far and it’s great to be the underdogs.”
Raider coach Jeff DeRose disagreed with his pitcher’s underdog assessment.
“I was able to watch that team play a little bit today,” DeRose said. “They’re good and I know they can hit the ball, but so can we.”
Wheelersburg (26-2) is making its second appearance in both the state tournament and state final, with the last trip coming in 2004. The Pirates are ranked No. 1 in their division in the state according to the Ohio High School Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association. Starter Faith Howard entered the state tournament 20-2 on the season with a 0.94 ERA. They have three hitters batting above .500 — Kalle Coleman (.581), Michal Cunningham (.549) and Laiken Salyers (.538).
South Range (30-3) had a few debts to pay before returning to Akron Firestone Stadium. DeRose and assistant coach Don Feren made a bet with their team. Because the Raiders made a state final, DeRose has to shave his head while Feren has to have his ears pierced.
“My wife is not very happy with that,” DeRose said. “She’ll have to deal with it.”
Feren will get the needle from his daughter, freshman outfielder Drew Feren, who pierced her teammates’ ears. Feren used to rock a single earring close to 30 years ago in college. It was a brief phase in his life.
“I wised up about a month after I had it,” Feren said.
The new look goes with the already ongoing tradition of drenching DeRose with the water cooler after playoff games. Yanek puts her own spin on tormenting her coach with cupcakes.
“I like to give him a smack in the face with one once in a while,” Yanek said.
The Raiders, who are No. 7 in the coaches poll, didn’t have any jitters against Edison. They’ve thrived in big games despite having a lone senior on the team.
“They’re not afraid under pressure and they perform under pressure,” DeRose said. “We had some barn-burners for the past couple of games and we came out on top because of the confidence that we play with and the confidence not only in their ability, just the mentality that they can do it.”
That one senior, outfielder Morgan Czopur, is looking to close out a stellar high school sports career — including being a four-year starter on the girls basketball team — with a state title.
“It’s sad just knowing that it’s going to be my last time playing with these girls,” Czopur said. “We’ve all become so close and I’m going to miss them a lot, but I’m so proud of how far we’ve come and how we’re not done yet.”