Lakeland Boasts Seniority Upperclassmen Help Send Hawks To State

Robin Zychek knocks down as many ground balls with her body as she does with a mitt for the Lakeland High School softball team.

“She dives in practice, not just in games,” observes Zychek’s teammate Amber Bradbury. “She sells out all the time.”

Selling out means going for it no matter what, explained Hawks center fielder Melissa Holt.

“Before, I used to be (diving) once or twice in a game,” added Zychek. “Now, we’re all working together and talking.”

Fall volleyball taught Zychek the importance of senior leadership. “It makes a big difference,” the 18-year-old said. “The underclassmen really look up to you.”

And Zychek has had to huddle the Lakeland infield more than once this season, including during last weekend’s A-2 District I-II championship game against Moscow.

The Hawks outhit the Bears 16-3 but couldn’t score.

“I got all the infielders together and said, ‘Hey, we’re OK. We’re doing all right,”’ Zychek said.

Lakeland rallied to tie the game 3-3 in the seventh inning before winning 7-3 in the eighth.

It was the first district softball title for Lakeland, which also makes its first state trip in school history.

The Hawks (20-5 overall) draw an opening-round bye in the first A-2 state fastpitch tournament at Fruitland. They open Saturday against the winner of Friday’s game between Vallivue (7-15) and Middleton (19-5).

“It’s nice to know the kids can be down in the seventh inning and still come back,” Lakeland coach Danielle Bean said.

“I’m real proud of them,” Bean added. “They’ve worked real hard. We started talking at the beginning of the season about team chemistry, and getting along, and leadership from the seniors.”

Bean recognized the talent of her four seniors during their freshman year in 1991. Bradbury, Holt and Allison Dunn cover the outfield.

Holt played first base last year, but “rabbit-like” speed and a “rocket” of an arm make her more valuable in center field, Bean observes.

Dunn has pitching experience, but is content in left field, as sophomore Monica Hall (12-2) and junior Jenni Borg (8-3) have adapted to the fastpitch game.

Bradbury saw more action in right field when the teams played slowpitch. She finds more balls coming her direction when Hall is on the mound, while Holt and Dunn field more balls behind Borg.

”(Zychek) is one of those people I could put anywhere and she’d do fine,” Bean said. “With (prior) fastpitch experience, she’s probably the quarterback or leader of the team. I needed someone in the infield with experience.”

Zychek and Holt are hitting .450 on a team that averages .400, and both possess extra-base power.

Bean cut the varsity roster from 15 to 12 this year. Several of those players participated in a summer fastpitch league and camps last year. Parents have also helped. A pitching machine, batting cage, dugouts and new bats are some of the changes the seniors note in the Lakeland program.

“Our parents have supported us 100 percent,” Holt said. “My mom was jumping up and down (after the district final). She was almost more excited than I was about state.”

“We always said, ‘Wait until next year,”’ Bean added. “We’ve always got St. Maries, and we could never get past St. Maries. We said, ‘We’ll get there next year.’ And it never happened. Well, this is the year.”

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: STATE FASTPITCH Times PDT A-1 tournament At Caldwell Today Game 1: Capital (21-2) vs. Centennial (20-6), 3 p.m., Field 1. Game 2: Lewiston (13-16) vs. Boise (13-12), 3, Field 2. Game 3: Lake City (23-3) vs. Caldwell (10-10), 5, Field 1. Game 4: Coeur d’Alene (13-14) vs. Nampa (18-5), 5, Field 2. A-2 tournament At Fruitland Friday Game 1: Emmett (17-6) vs. St. Maries (17-4), 5 p.m. Game 2: Vallivue (7-15) vs. Middleton (19-5), 5. Saturday Game 3: Bishop Kelly (15-5) vs. Emmett-St. Maries winner, 8 a.m. Game 4: Lakeland (20-5) vs. VallivueMiddleton winner, 8.