Perry and Kirtland have dominated their respective divisions in the Chagrin Valley Conference.
Independence finally unseated Kirtland last spring to win the Valley Division. Can the Blue Devils defend their title in 2018? Kirtland might have something to say about that and don’t forget about the Berkshire Badgers, who also are capable of winning the title.
Perry returns a star-studded lineup but Wickliffe lost just three games last season, all by one run, and the Blue Devils are hungry for their shot at the Chagrin Division championship.
Here’s a look at how the CVC coaches see things shaking out this spring (click on a team name for a more in-depth preview):
CHAGRIN DIVISION
It’s hard to imagine Perry improving upon its 22-3 record from a season ago, but a quick review of head coach Joe Medlen’s projected lineup and it becomes much easier to believe the Pirates could become even more dominant. Perry returns eight starters including the Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division’s reigning MVP and two other first team all-league selections. The Pirates also are much faster than in the past, creating another dynamic opposing teams have to counter.
Wickliffe returns seven starters from last year’s team that finished 20-3 overall and 12-2 in the Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division. Three returning starters will become four-year varsity letter winners and Wickliffe added several talented newcomers leaving the Blue Devils cautiously optimistic heading into the 2018 season.
Geneva’s softball team has the talent to compete for a league title and make a postseason run this spring. Unfortunately for the Eagles, injuries have plagued the team in the preseason. That could slow them down out of the gate, but the Eagles have their eyes on making a run down the stretch. Geneva returns five starters and seven lettermen from last year’s team that finished 11-11 overall.
4. WEST GEAUGA WOLVERINES
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5. ORANGE LIONS
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Harvey lost a large senior class and returns just two starters this spring, leaving head coach Tiger Alexander rebuilding for the future. Behind its seniors, Harvey finished 11-11 last season but this year the Red Raiders will rely on younger players to step up and compete on a daily basis. Alexander and his staff have worked hard to prepare the Red Raiders to do things the right way.
7. CHAGRIN FALLS TIGERS
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8. BEACHWOOD BISON
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VALLEY DIVISION
Defending champion Independence returns eight starters from last season, including a dynamic 1-2 punch in the circle. The Blue Devils are packed with talent and experience. Head coach Garry Moore has six seniors and four juniors vying for starting roles in the lineup.
With eight returning starters, Kirtland’s softball team has the pieces in place to make a run at defending Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division champion Independence. Kirtland’s lineup features several multi-year starters and Katie McCollister returns to the starting lineup after missing last season with an injury.
Berkshire returns six starters from the team that finished 12-7 overall and 7-3 in the Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division. The Badgers also added a talented player in Meghan McKeogh, who moved into the district, and return Cheyanne Bosse, one of the top pitchers in the area. With that group of returning starters and the collection of talent in the dugout, head coach Brittany Bakalar has high expectations for her team.
4. CUYAHOGA HEIGHTS REDSKINS
Cuyahoga Heights has more experience than it has had the past couple of seasons giving the Redskins some hope of moving up the standings in the CVC and of making a long postseason run.
Cardinal returns five starters from last year’s team that finished 8-11 but the Huskies are rebuilding their pitching staff. Senior Hanna Traggiai is the only Cardinal pitcher with any high school experience in the circle and she hasn’t thrown a pitch at the varsity level and is returning from a one-year hiatus from the game. While head coach Dennis Ikeler develops his pitching staff, he’ll lean on a capable offense to keep the Huskies in games.
6. HAWKEN HAWKS
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7. FAIRPORT SKIPPERS
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