Kingston optimistic for season opener
Tigers hope new approach to offseason conditioning will pay dividends for young, but experienced, squad
A different approach to offseason conditioning has a young, but experienced Kingston High softball team all pumped for the new season.
The Tigers open the 2017 campaign today, quickly diving into Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association Division I play with a 4:30 p.m. home game against Newburgh Free Academy.
Kingston’s players have spent the last six months gearing up for this moment in Kate Walton Field House’s new fitness center.
“To have that fitness center on the campus is a big addition for the school and for the sports,” Tigers coach Trishann Hayes said. “It was definitely an advantage for us.”
The Tigers have been lifting three days a week from October to February and supplementing that with running. Preseason practice started on March 6 and, three days later, the team commenced with 6 a.m. sessions in the center.
The past three weeks gave the players a shortened version of life as a collegiate athlete: morning workouts, followed by class, a mandated study hall at the end of the school day, then regular practice.
“I was going to treat them as college student-athletes,” said Hayes, remembering her own collegiate days. “And that was only a glimpse of what it’s like.
“At first, I’m sure they thought coach was crazy, but they quickly bought into it. They loved it.”
The turnout was consistent for the Monday-Tuesday-Thursday offseason routine. Between varsity and junior varsity teams, 25 to 30 players were always participating.
“They’ve gotten stronger and faster. They really worked their butts off,” Hayes said. “It’s paid off. Their conditioning level is a lot better. You can
see it in their speed and base running. their fielding, their swings and hitting.
“They’re hitting harder and a lot faster.”
Kingston was 10-8 last year after losing the bulk of the key players who won a Section 9, Class AA title in 2015.
“Last year we were pretty much getting use to each other,” said Hayes, who’s entering her second season. “We definitely had a good season.”
Nine players return, including seniors Angela Van Pelt and Shawna Smith, juniors Jessica Chilcott, Alyssa Finno, Kaitlynn Schrowang, plus sophomores Lauren Shambo
and Shannon and Sydney Bonewit.
Also back is junior Megan Peace, who missed all of last season to ACL surgery.
Newcomers are junior Alyssa Villielm and sophomores Victoria Ost and Kailyn Lukaszewski.
Peace, Shambo, Shannon Bonewit and Van Pelt all pitch. Shambo is likely to be the number one hurler.
“I have such a good group of girls who are versatile,” Hayes noted. “I can put anybody anywhere. It feel it’s a big advantage.”
That is certainly the case with this year. Despite having all these returners, Hayes is rearranging the infield. That move was necessitated by the graduation of veterans Amanda King (first base) and Jillian McManus (second).
Peace, with her good glove and reaction time, will play third. Finno moves from third to second. Shannon Bonewit, who was the designated player in ‘16, takes over at short.
Finno’s versatility will really be utilized.
“She could play shortstop when Shannon is pitching and third when Megan is,” Hayes explained.
Schrowang comes in from the outfield to play first base.
The three back at the same defensive position are Chilcott and her .392 bat at catcher, Sydney Bonewit in center field and Van Pelt in left.
Smith, Villielm, Lukaszewski and Ost are all vying for time in right field.
The Tigers start right where they left off. Newburgh eliminated Kingston
9-1 in the sectional quarterfinals last year, leaving the team hungry for more.
“We’re definitely going to be competitive. My expectations for them are through the roof,” Hayes said. “All of them have gotten better. They’re stronger mentally and better physically. They’re ready.” SCHEDULE April: 5, NEWBURGH, 4:30 p.m.; 7, WASHINGTONVILLE, 4:30 p.m.; 17, at Pine Bush, 4:30 p.m.; 18, MONROE-WOODBURY, 4:30 p.m.; 21, at Monroe-Woodbury, 4:30 p.m.; 24, WARWICK, 4:30 p.m.; 26, MINISINK VALLEY, 4:30 p.m.; 27, at Roosevelt, 4:15 p.m.; 28, at Middletown, 7:15 p.m. May: 2, VALLEY CENTRAL, 4:30 p.m.; 3, at Newburgh, 4:30 p.m.; 5, at Washingtonville, 4:30 p.m.; 6-7, at Morabito Tournament in Herkimer; 8, PINE BUSH, 4:30 p.m.; 10. at Valley Central, 7 p.m.; 15, at Warwick, 4:30 p.m.; 17, at Minisink Valley, 4:30 p.m.; 18, MIDDLETOWN, 4:30 p.m.