As the weather has begun to heat up around the state, so has the high school softball competition. In honor of the 2010 season getting underway, here are five arms to keep an eye on.
Ashley Holz, sophomore, Oakfield
In her freshman year, Holz was one of only three pitchers in the state to have an ERA below one (0.47) and was the only non-senior to do so. "She came in and competed really well," remarks Doug Mock, Holz's head coach. "As the season went on, she just continued to get stronger and stronger."
Holz compiled an impressive 15-1 record and completed all 16 games she competed in. She also had 146 strikeouts, which was the sixth most in the state. Mock credited her success to her demeanor and easy-going attitude. He thinks Holz can have an even better season this year if she can remain composed.
"She's a workaholic and throws all winter with her pitching coach," Mock says. "She's just an awesome team player."
Brianna Tennyson, sophomore, Kenosha Christian Life
Interestingly, many experts believe it will be a pair of sophomores dueling to be the best pitcher in the state, and Tennyson is the other half of that duo. At 14-8 last year, her record didn't entirely reflect how much she was able to dominate opponents. She racked up a state-best 259 strikeouts, which averaged to be nearly two strikeouts per inning. Tennyson continued on her torrid strikeout pace this season, sitting down 20 batters in her first game.
Tennyson is a dependable workhorse for her team and had the second-most innings pitched last season at 136. Look for her to be at or near the state-lead in strikeouts for the rest of her career, and don't be surprised if records are left behind in her wake.
Mallary Nissen, junior, Ripon High
In her freshman campaign for Green Lake, Nissen led the
state in strikeouts with 177. Last year, she came back with an even more
impressive 235 strikeouts and was only outdone by Tennyson. Nissen's 2.19 ERA
last year is the third best for returning players who pitched at least 70
innings.
Pitching her way to 17 victories, Nissen was one win away
from the state lead last season. She is a dependable pitcher who can be counted
on for many victories, and her 28 wins over the last two seasons were second to
none. Transferred to Ripon High School for this season.
Ashley Rome, senior, Johnson Creek
The top senior pitcher in the state this year, Rome can count on the experience she's gained to keep her near the top of the pack for all pitchers. Rome threw her way to a 14-7 record and had 20 complete games in the process, meaning her team relies on her to get her through games, regardless of the situation. Her 128 total innings pitched were only outdone by three pitchers.
She compiled a 3.19 ERA last year, sixth best for a returning player. If Rome can utilize her entire skill set this season, don't be surprised if she keeps up with the star sophomore pitchers in the state.
Makayla Froehlich, junior, Cambria-Friesland
Froehlich's 5-10 record last season reflected more how her team struggled in the field and at the plate than her overall performance as a pitcher. She gave up a total of 94 runs, but less than a third (30) were earned runs. She had a top-10 ERA last year at 2.23, and only three returning pitchers this year had a lower mark. In her first season as an upperclassman, look for that number to dip even below the 2.00 mark.
Her overall win-loss record will ultimately be up to how much support she can get from her teammates, but Froehlich will be one of the toughest pitchers in the state to earn runs off of this season, nonetheless.
Prep News and Notes
Brooke Reichert, a freshman at White Lake, started her high school career batting 1.000. She went 4-4 in her team's season opener on Tuesday against Appleton Xavier. Reichert's Lakers cruised to a dominating 36-4 victory.
The boys and girls track and field teams at Clinton High School both came away with first-place finishes in a home meet that featured five teams. The Lady Cougars had a dominating performance with eight first-place finishes. The boys' team was equally as impressive, winning five of six field events.
Ari Peterson of Ashland opened up the season with a five point performance for the Oredockers soccer team. Peterson netted three goals for a hat-trick and added two assists to round out the day. The Oredockers, aided by Peterson's performance, took the game 8-0.
The Chippewa Falls/McDonell girls' hockey team will be adding another team to their co-op, Chippewa Falls Athletic Director John Frizzell says. Starting next season, girls from Menomonie will also be able to play in an effort to allow girls from that area a chance to compete for at least another season, Frizzell says.
Living World Lutheran scored 13 runs in the first inning of their game against Hustisford/Dodgeland. Living Word had several multi-hit players, with Rian Hyland leading the way, going 2-3 with a double. The first-inning performance proved to be enough, as Living Word came away with a 28-3 victory.
Oostburg's Lisa Immel was named the 2010 Associated Press Wisconsin state girls basketball Coach of the Year. Diagnosed with cancer in February, Immel battled through the disease throughout the entire season without walking away. Immel led her team to the D3 state title game, where they fell to Cuba City.
Janesville had three gymnasts named first team all-state. Becky Schneider and Sara Ennocenti of Janesville Craig and Erika Whitson of Janesville Parker were awarded the honor from the Wisconsin High School Gymnastics Coaches Association. Schneider was the first all-around state champion in Craig's history.
Shoreland's Will Meinke finished first in three events at the Boys County Indoor Track and Field Meet at the Kenosha Bradford Fieldhouse last Monday. Meinke was ahead of the pack in the high jump (6'2"), the 60-yard intermediate hurdles (8.04 seconds) and the 60 high hurdles (8.46).
After already being chosen as Wisconsin's Miss Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year, Vincent's Nicole Griffin was unanimously selected as the Associated Press 2010 girls' basketball Player of the Year. Griffin led Vincent to a 95-8 record and three state titles in her four years.
The Brookfield East girls' soccer team won this year's Spring Thaw, a four-team tournament to kickoff the season. The Spartans took down Arrowhead 5-1 in the championship game and outscored their two opponents 9-1. After a 1-1 tie, Muskego beat Hartford in a shootout (4-3) to take the third-place game.
Mallary Nissen section updated 4/9/2010 to reflect her transfer from Green Lake to Ripon. | 
