Woodbury Central seeks return to tourney
By Jason Cowley. Journal sports writer | Posted: Thursday, May 22, 2008
MOVILLE, Iowa -- For the third straight year, Woodbury Central's softball team enters the season with high expectations.
The last three summers the Wildcats have only lost one player to graduation and yet have not been able to get over the hump and return to the state tournament.
Woodbury Central played in five straight regional finals from 2001-2006 before being upset in the district final by Westwood a year ago.
Regional final losses to Akron-Westfield and Newell-Fonda also stick in the minds of Coach Bryan Alfredson and his Wildcats.
"We had made it to the regional final six straight years," said Alfredson, who earned his 300th career victory last summer. "A lot of teams don't make it there (regional final) ever.
"Last year, basically, we were upset."
Woodbury Central captured a state title in 2002 and was the state runner-up in 2004, but the Wildcats have not made it back to Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge, the longtime state tourney venue, in three seasons.
The core of this year's team has been together for four years now and anything less than a state tournament berth would seem like a disappointment.
"It's a whole new ball game when districts start," said Alfredson, in his 13th year at Woodbury Central. "We know we have a lot more experience (now). We were beat out when they were freshman and sophomores, so now there is a little more experience."
Lofty expectations have become a tradition for Alfredson's clubs and this year is no exception.
The Wildcats begin the season ranked fourth in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union's pre-season Class 1A rankings.
Eight returning starters, including pitcher Randi Ebert, a second-team all-stater last summer, headline this year's team.
Ebert, a junior, is one of four Wildcats that begin their fourth season together as starters.
"We're really confident this year," said Ebert. "We're young, but we're really experienced, we have high expectations, both coach and ourselves.
"We really want to do good things this season."
Four-year starters Brittany Alfredson and Jordan Grell back up Ebert on the left side of the infield. Three-year starters Brooke Tabke and Katie Steffen play on the right side of the diamond.
Alfredson, a Morningside College basketball recruit, is the lone senior on this year's squad, which includes six junior starters.
Suzie Scheelhaase and Haley Davis return in the outfield, where the final starting spot will come down to either Megan Pucelik, Trissa Bates or Katelyn Susie.
"We will be a little quicker in the outfield," said Alfredson. "We will have more team speed, our overall team speed is better."
Woodbury Central went 22-12 a year ago and finished third in the Maple Valley Conference behind Battle Creek-Ida Grove and Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto.
The last three summers the Wildcats have only lost one player to graduation and yet have not been able to get over the hump and return to the state tournament.
Woodbury Central played in five straight regional finals from 2001-2006 before being upset in the district final by Westwood a year ago.
Regional final losses to Akron-Westfield and Newell-Fonda also stick in the minds of Coach Bryan Alfredson and his Wildcats.
"We had made it to the regional final six straight years," said Alfredson, who earned his 300th career victory last summer. "A lot of teams don't make it there (regional final) ever.
"Last year, basically, we were upset."
Woodbury Central captured a state title in 2002 and was the state runner-up in 2004, but the Wildcats have not made it back to Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge, the longtime state tourney venue, in three seasons.
The core of this year's team has been together for four years now and anything less than a state tournament berth would seem like a disappointment.
"It's a whole new ball game when districts start," said Alfredson, in his 13th year at Woodbury Central. "We know we have a lot more experience (now). We were beat out when they were freshman and sophomores, so now there is a little more experience."
Lofty expectations have become a tradition for Alfredson's clubs and this year is no exception.
The Wildcats begin the season ranked fourth in the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union's pre-season Class 1A rankings.
Eight returning starters, including pitcher Randi Ebert, a second-team all-stater last summer, headline this year's team.
Ebert, a junior, is one of four Wildcats that begin their fourth season together as starters.
"We're really confident this year," said Ebert. "We're young, but we're really experienced, we have high expectations, both coach and ourselves.
"We really want to do good things this season."
Four-year starters Brittany Alfredson and Jordan Grell back up Ebert on the left side of the infield. Three-year starters Brooke Tabke and Katie Steffen play on the right side of the diamond.
Alfredson, a Morningside College basketball recruit, is the lone senior on this year's squad, which includes six junior starters.
Suzie Scheelhaase and Haley Davis return in the outfield, where the final starting spot will come down to either Megan Pucelik, Trissa Bates or Katelyn Susie.
"We will be a little quicker in the outfield," said Alfredson. "We will have more team speed, our overall team speed is better."
Woodbury Central went 22-12 a year ago and finished third in the Maple Valley Conference behind Battle Creek-Ida Grove and Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto.
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Stacey E. wrote on May 22, 2008 9:57 AM: