Softball Player of the Year

Expectations can be hard to live up to.

Ask Hammond's Stephanie Speierman.

After leading her team to a state title and setting state pitching records along the way in 2007, everyone expected even more from her this year.

And while she met the goals she set for herself, others seemed to be disappointed in her and her team, which did not win a single title.

"It definitely came up in a lot of conversations," she said. "We raised our expectations (in 2007) and had a phenomenal year. But it's hard to repeat something like that. It was amazing to be part of that and to have as much fun as we had.

"Winning states last year, you see what it is you're trying to achieve in high school softball. That's everybody's goal. Seeing that, and realizing that you are maybe one in 20 kids who gets to experience that, it definitely puts it into a different perspective of what you are going through," she said.

"We had fun this year, but it definitely was a different atmosphere. We had a great season. The outcome wasn't as good as last year, but we played well and improved," she said.

But expectations bring pressure, she admits.

"Our goal was to not let the pressure get to us. It came from the school, the teachers, everybody. It started last year. The expectations became so high, and coming into this year, a lot of people were feeling stressed because of the expectations to win again," she said.

Whether it was the pressure or not, Speierman's numbers in almost every category were not as spectacular as last year.

And there's the rub.

Last year's numbers were truly spectacular. This year's were just simply outstanding.

"Last year she had a once-in-a-lifetime season," Hammond coach Richard Pond said. "It was just unbelievable."

He heard the talk, too: "Oh, she didn't have anywhere near the strikeouts she had last year. She didn't have as good a year."

"There was a lot of pressure, some by her, some by her teammates. Everybody expected her to do better than last year. For that to happen she'd had to strike out everybody," Pond said.

So let's put this into perspective: She had 354 strikeouts, hit .418, had a county-high 26 walks, because no one wanted to give her a chance to hit the long ball, and won 18 games. Nine of those wins were no-hitters -- one more than last year, Pond points out -- and one was a perfect game.

And talk about spectacular: Speierman hit a fence-clearing, walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to win a regional playoff game.

Her numbers were off, "but she's still better than 99 percent of the people in the state," Pond said.

Or, as Glenelg's Dean Sheridan said, "Stephanie's in a league of her own."

"My goal was to have a good season. I felt good about the season and I think I played hard," said the junior pitcher, who is the Columbia Flier/Howard County Times Player of the Year for the third consecutive year.

Admittedly, Speierman's batting average was well off her county-high .649 in 2007. "I don't pay attention to my batting average. (When Pond) pointed it out in mid year, I was surprised it was as low as it was," she said.

Pond said opponents "weren't giving her any good pitches to hit ... and defensively, they played her very deep. When she saw that, she bunted.

"She's an excellent ballplayer and she's unselfish. It's hard to have someone with her ability bunt. We only asked her to bunt a few times, but she has the green light to do whatever she needed to do."

Speierman will sharpen her skills this summer at the Under Armour All-America softball tournament for rising seniors in Florida. "It will be a chance to play against the really good competition," she said.

Speierman has accepted an athletic scholarship to Michigan and she's already talking about her college career. "I'm looking forward to being a part of such a good pitching staff and to join in what they've already accomplished," she said.

Named to the All-County First Team are:

Battery

Haylie Goheen, Atholton freshman. Although Atholton had an amazing post-season run that ended just one game shy of a state title, the Raiders' turn-around season began early with this rookie pitcher. "We did what we did in the county because of Haylie," said coach Maureen Shacreaw, whose team finished 17-6 overall and 12-4 in the county after winning four games last season. "Our season would not have been what it was if she had not taken the ball. I would not have been in a position to get the second seed (in the regional playoffs) if not for Haylie."

Goheen, who played first when not pitching, pulled off a huge upset with an extra-inning win over Hammond.

Michelle Gravdahl, Long Reach junior. Coach Hugo Jackson said it's easy to sum up this catcher: "Good arm, good signal caller, good bat, good power, great player!"

Because of Gravdahl's reputation, only seven base runners even attempted to take an extra base this spring. Her bat improved as well. After hitting .375 last year, she improved to .531, second-best in the county.

"Her offense improved as she began to use the entire field," Jackson said.

Infield

Lauren Ahrens, Chapelgate senior. A four-year starter, this shortstop leaves big shoes to fill. Offensively, she set seven Chapelgate career records. Batting leadoff, she compiled a career triple-triple, reaching 100 in three categories: hits (115), runs (136) and RBIs (105). Add in almost as many season records and Ahrens' steady play at short, and it's obvious what she's meant to the Chapelgate program. "She is the best defender at shortstop in the county," coach John Isaac said.

Marissa Graydon, Marriotts Ridge senior. Graydon did what a good first baseman does -- make the rest of the infielders look good. "She was awesome at digging balls out of the dirt or in the air," coach Jodi Robinson said. "If it was a bad throw, I didn't worry. She'd have it." Graydon had just three defensive errors, hit a solid .321 and never looked at a third strike.

Everyone relied on Graydon, including Robinson, and for much more than her softball skills. "Our team is going to miss her next year, the players and me as a coach. I could always rely on her, in practice and outside of practice."

Jessica Grimshaw, Centennial senior. Four years ago Grimshaw settled into the Eagles' lineup and became a "quiet, constant positive force," coach Dale Huting said. Though she got off to a slow start offensively this spring, she led the Eagles with 25 hits. Defensively, she had 25 putouts and 19 assists, had good range and an arm good enough that she could have played short. "She is just a self-assured type of ballplayer," Huting said.

Grimshaw had 111 hits and batted .444 for her career and was a first-team pick every spring.

A.J. Ponce, Atholton senior. Ponce came from California, moved right into a starting position and helped carry the Raiders to the Class 3A state finals. "She's a natural leader. She made players around her better, and she made us a better team," coach Maureen Shacreaw said. "She may be one of the best (leaders) I've ever seen."

An outstanding second baseman, Ponce made everything look easy. "Her mechanics are so smooth. She always put herself in the right place" to make the play.

Ponce will play at Marist College, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., next year. "I think Marist has found a gem," Shacreaw said.

Outfield

Kelsey Fuller, Marriotts Ridge sophomore. Jodi Robinson said this center fielder is "the real deal."

"She is probably one of the best outfielders I have ever seen." said Robinson, who has coached colleiately at the Division I level. "She has an innate talent. She can read the ball off the bat better than anyone else I've seen."

Fuller, known for her diving catches and for never giving less than her best, had just two errors and improved her offensive stats by learning to slap hit, said Robinson. As a leadoff batter, "she could get on base and spark the team."

Lindsey Glascock, Glenelg junior. This leftfielder made her mark in her first varsity season because she's consistent, both offensively and defensively, coach Dean Sheridan said. Defensively, Glascock did her job well because of her knowledge of the game. Offensively, "she hit well, and she hit well in tight spaces. She made things happen when we needed runs," Sheridan added.

Glenelg, which beat Hammond for the county title, had a young team with five freshmen. Glascock was a role model for those players.

Kristina Jackson, Wilde Lake junior. Coach Diane Caporaletti says this center fielder is the glue that held the Wildecats together. "She always came through in pressure situations. She was the one player who wanted the ball to come to her when we needed an out and she was always the one I was hoping would be up to bat when we needed a clutch hit," Caporaletti said. "Without her, I don't know that we would have won any games and we certainly would not have been as close to winning some that we did."

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