Portage County softball postseason preview
Here are a few things to know as the softball postseason begins this week:
1. For Field, Mogadore, aces graduated, tradition remained
"Tradition doesn't graduate."
It's one of the ultimate cliches (and truths) of high school sports and it points to a harsher truth — players, no matter how great, can only play for so long. (If Aurora could sign senior ace Mackenzie Krafcik to a 10-year extension, it surely would.)
Yet, a number of local programs have proven the lasting power of tradition thus far.
At Field, Alexsa Hurd, the Falcons' ace for four years, graduated alongside a talented Class of 2021, but the team remains at the top of the Metro Athletic Conference standings thanks to yeoman's work by a handful of young pitchers and superb hitting, especially from Megan Schmidt. (Field earned a six seed in the upcoming tournament.)
Mogadore's spine, including ace Madison King, shortstop Paige Gerring and centerfielder Carley Hickle, graduated, but sophomore Katie Gardner has taken over for King and freshman Lily Hotchkiss has been excellent in Gerring's old spot as the Wildcats secured a third straight conference title and look to make a third straight district run. (They've also secured a two seed in Division IV.)
2. Aurora, Crestwood, Field, Rootstown continue to chase league titles
Another essential truth of high school softball is that the postseason is a misnomer because for most teams, thanks to a vast number of rainouts, the regular season will continue well into the state tournament.
Nor are these meaningless games to simply finish out a schedule. Indeed, a wide number of local teams are still chasing league titles as the postseason begins.
While Mogadore has clinched its share of the Portage Trail Conference title, finishing with a league record of 9-1, Rootstown, at 6-1, still has to win a few more games to secure its share.
Crestwood also has just one league loss, at Wickliffe, while everyone else in the Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division has at least two. The Red Devils' title run will come down to games at Kirtland, which sits one loss back of Crestwood, and West Geauga.
Field, having won its first eight MAC contests, still has up to six league games remaining, including a pivotal rematch with Norton and two contests against another league leader in Coventry.
Aurora, with three league losses just like Suburban American-leading Tallmadge, also has a shot in a conference with remarkable parity, but the Greenmen have work to do catching up to the Blue Devils, who finished with a 11-3 mark. Aurora has to win its final four Suburban American games to earn a split with Tallmadge.
3. Garfield, Rootstown, Southeast have intriguing games this week
While it's a little early to begin discussing district play (which will take place next week), it's the perfect time to dig into intriguing sectional matchups.
In an all-Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference first-round contest, Garfield (in its first year in the Grey Tier) travels to Springfield (Scarlet Tier). The ninth-seeded Tigers are in the thick of the Scarlet race and Emily Gerthung (.528, 10 R, 8 2B, 6 RBI) and Haleigh McCalla (.429, 11 R) have been among a number of hitters pulverizing the ball (with McCalla also racking up more than two strikeouts per inning on the mound). Meanwhile, Lizzy Moore has had a superb year on the mound for the G-Men, including a recent 3-2 pitcher's duel victory over Brookfield, while the McGranahan sisters (Caydence and Montana) have been a handful at the plate as part of a lineup full of dangerous hitters.
No. 22 Southeast is another interesting road team to watch in the first round as it travels to No. 12 Salem, which is under .500, though it has to contend with an extremely challenging Eastern Buckeye Conference. With an ace like Cecilia Stephens, the Pirates have proven a tricky foe, nearly upsetting Rootstown this past week, and could be dangerous in the postseason. More intriguing yet, if Southeast pulls the upset, it would set up an all-Portage County sectional final with Field.
Meanwhile, if it can get by Liberty, Rootstown's quest for a second straight sectional title will run through a dynasty in Champion, which has absorbed a pair of league losses (to Brookfield and Newton Falls) this season. Expect a fascinating battle between Rovers ace Shelbie Krieger and a Golden Flashes lineup that was batting .384 through 14 games.
Similarly, Aurora will likely face a longtime juggernaut in Perry in the sectional finals with the Pirates winning six straight league titles though the Greenmen will be at home. Madeline Infalvi has proven to be a speedy and deadly leadoff hitter for Perry while McKennah Metzger and Krafcik form a sterling duo for Aurora with Ava Ryncarz also swinging a hot bat all season.
Full schedule for this week
Here's a look at what's ahead (weather permitting, of course):
Monday, May 9
Division I Austintown First Round
No. 27 Canton McKinley @ No. 22 Roosevelt
Tuesday, May 10
Division II Hubbard First Round
No. 20 Streetsboro @ No. 18 Kenston
No. 24 Ravenna @ No. 17 Edgewood
No. 22 Southeast @ No. 12 Salem
Division III LaBrae First Round
No. 20 Liberty @ No. 8 Rootstown
No. 16 Garfield @ No. 9 Springfield
Division III South Range First Round
No. 18 Gilmour Academy @ No. 10 Crestwood
Division IV Jackson-Milton First Round
No. 22 Windham @ No. 19 Cardinal
Wednesday, May 11
Division IV Akron Sectional Final
No. 13 Aquinas/No. 7 Columbia @ No. 2 Mogadore
(This would also be the day of Roosevelt's sectional final if it advances.)
Thursday, May 12
Division II Hubbard Sectional Final
No. 22 Southeast/No. 12 Salem @ No. 6 Field
Division II Jefferson Sectional Final
No. 21 West Geauga/No. 8 Perry @ No. 7 Aurora
Division III South Range Sectional Final
No. 15 Waterloo @ No. 12 Cardinal Mooney
(Thursday would also be sectional final day for Crestwood, Garfield, Ravenna, Rootstown, Streetsboro and Windham if they advance.)
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Portage County softball postseason preview
