Hangen answers the call for 10-0 Eagles
He wasn’t really expecting a phone call, but after former Exeter head coach Dan Wegman had to step away due to a change in his job schedule, Dave Hangen was ready for the challenge of leading a team again.
So four days before tryouts, Hangen took the helm, transitioning from the role of assistant at Muhlenberg to the head coach of the reigning Berks County softball champions and the head coach of his daughter’s team.
The change in coaches has been seamless for Dave, daughter Emily and the undefeated Eagles.
“It’s been years, probably been about five years, since I’ve been her coach,” Dave Hangen said. “We have a nice little relationship out on the field so it’s been good.”
“I treat him as any other coach,” Emily Hangen, the team’s center fielder, said. “It’s not as difficult as I thought it was going to be. He’s a good coach and I’ve had him as my coach when I was younger so I knew what to expect. We have a lot of talent on this team and good coaching really helps us.”
Returning eight starters from last season’s run that reached heights with a
county title but ended in disappointment with a first round District 3 Class 4A loss, the Eagles are roaring through the season, boasting a 10-0 overall record, 5-0 in Section 1. They’ve ripped off five straight games with 10 or more runs, including a 15-run outburst against Pioneer Athletic Conference’s Owen J. Roberts last Tuesday and an impressive 10-1 victory over Twin Valley, the team slotted behind them in the Berks 1 standings.
“The one thing about this team is that they never give up,” Hangen said. “They feel like they can win every game and that’s a major attribute of theirs. They are a very talented group. They just have fun with each other. They enjoy being around each other and that chemistry is hard to come by sometimes.”
That was never more apparent than in their win against OJR. Down 3-0 early, the Eagles’ offense started to churn, exploding for 14 runs in the final three frames, highlighted by a 3-run blast from Karysa Karas. Three-hit nights from Zoe and Paola Texidor combined with the effectiveness of All-Berks catcher Halle Kissamore and pitcher Sarah Musselman showed the depth and danger both the offense and defense brings to the table.
“They like to give me gray hairs sometimes,” Hangen said, “but these girls work hard and they know what they’re capable of. Sometimes it just takes a few innings to get it to click.”
But even with all the talent, Hangen knows a repeat as county champs won’t stem from talent alone.
“It’s going to be very difficult,” Hangen said. “Twin Valley is very good. Brandywine is very good. You have to play well every single night. You can’t take a night off. We’ll have to do the little things right.”
“If we improve at practice every single day and do things that take no talent to do, such as hustle or cheer each other on, that’ll go a long way for us,” Emily Hangen added.
SAM STEWART - DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA