Indians aim to make a mark in 2016

Published by Tecumseh Herald on Thu, 03/31/2016 - 11:12am
By: 
Mickey Alvarado

Tecumseh varsity softball — Row one (l-r), Danielle Nowak, Kylie Perkins, Tyffani Bryan, Kayla Wild, Maggie Foss and Paige Otto. Row two, coach Jeff Nowak, Monica Meger, Savannah Ware, Alicia Dusseau, Grace Maves, Jessica Kane, Morgan Cadmus and assistant coach Paul Kane. Photo by Mickey Alvarado.

Ending last season early in post-season action with a district loss to Chelsea has Tecumseh’s varsity softball team aiming to make a mark in 2016.
 
Coach Jeff Nowak said the team looks pretty good this year with seven starters returning. 
 
“We have a few underclassmen who will also help us out, so we’re looking pretty strong,” said Nowak.
 
Solid pitching from senior Kayla Wild should help the Indians find success. Wild has been with the team for the last four seasons and is again the number one pitcher. 
 
Despite not having a chance to pitch outside yet, coach Nowak thinks she is going to have a very good year.
 
“She looks stronger now than she did last spring, for sure,” said Nowak.
 
In addition, the Indians will rely on their number-two pitcher, junior Grace Maves and also have junior Danielle Nowak ready to step in the circle when needed.
 
When not pitching, coach Nowak is unsure exactly where Wild will play, possible first or second base or as a designated hitter.
 
Maves is also capable of covering first base while Danielle Nowak will also play shortstop. Last year, Danielle Nowak was in the outfield.
 
Tyffani Bryan will again be the team’s third baseman. “She’s a third year starter at third base, she’s a rock, which is awesome. That’s a real nice thing to have,” said coach Nowak.
 
He noted the left side of the infield is going to be solid but the right side is going to be new.
 
“Not sure exactly how the starting lineup is going to look for the right side, but we will be good there too, for sure,” coach Nowak said.
 
He has a couple options for covering second base with Morgan Cadmus, Maggie Foss and Jessica Kane battling it out for the starting spot.
 
“We’re just trying to figure out which one is the best fit and where else they can play in the outfield,” said coach Nowak. “There is not anything set for sure, but we’re getting closer to what I want.”
 
Paige Otto will be behind the plate again. She started at the position last year. Coach Nowak will still send in the pitching calls. “We talk a lot in terms of what works and what doesn’t work, what they want,” coach Nowak said. “I’ve known Kayla [Wild] for four years now, so it will be pretty easy to call games for her.”
 
It’s too early for coach Nowak to say if his Indians will be in the mix when it comes to the state finals. Nowak’s 2013 team won a state championship.
 
“The first two years [coaching] obviously we had a lot of success and made a deep run for a state title,” said coach Nowak. “Last year was not what we wanted. We lost in districts to a good Chelsea team. They were better than us last year. So we have a lot to prove, a lot we want to accomplish this year. Whether it’s a league title, district title, regional title, whatever, we’ve got goals. Last year ended way too early for us.”
 
The speed available on the team should help when it comes time for picking up titles. “We are very, very fast,” said coach Nowak. “We’ll be able to cover a lot of ground defensively and then put pressure on the bases offensively.”  
 
However, he stressed that the Indians have got to be prepared by May. “Hopefully, we approach things the way that we’re peaking in the middle of May, not now,” he said. 

Tags:

Category:

Tecumseh Herald

 

110 E. Logan St.
P.O. Box 218
Tecumseh, MI 49286
517-423-2174
800-832-6443

Email Us

FacebookTwitter

Latest articles

Please Login for Premium Content