With coach returned, Warriors feeling fine
Two-time defending state champion West Orange has turned things around since its softball coach suffered a heart attack early in the season.
Todd LaNeave returned to the dugout just a few weeks ago following surgery in March and has marveled at the way the Warriors have progressed under the leadership of his daughter and assistant coach Kelsey LaNeave.
“They’ve finally figured it out,” Todd said last week following a district semifinal win. “It’s taken them three quarters of the season to kind of figure out who they are and what they’re capable of doing if everybody plays together.”
West Orange, winners of eight in a row and ranked No. 2 in the Sentinel Super Six, hosts Dr. Phillips in the opening round of region play tonight at 7.
LaNeave has been easing his way back into the flow of things, but he’s decided it’s best to leave the heavy lifting and decision making to Kelsey, a 2011 West Orange graduate.
“I’m on the rebound. I’m recovering and feeling good,” Todd said. “It’s exciting to be back with the girls, and hopefully they’ll make a good run because they’ve really been playing well.”
The Warriors had to work new starters into the lineup after graduating key players, including standout pitcher Lauren Mathis.
“The girls who were on [junior varsity] and were watching us last year, they want to be in that position, so there’s still that hunger, and we want to help give them that experience,” said senior standout Lexie Blair.
Losses by three of the top teams in the area last week cleared the way for Deltona to take over the No. 1 spot in the Sentinel Super Six softball rankings.
Deltona improved to 23-2 after shutout wins over Daytona Beach Seabreeze and Palm Coast Matanzas for the Class 7A, District 5 title.
Hagerty, ranked No. 1 last week, lost 8-6 in 10 innings to Winter Springs in the 8A-9 final. Second-seeded Orange City University lost 6-5 to Spruce Creek and No. 3 Lake Brantley saw its season end with a district semifinal setback to West Orange.
Here’s a look at the area updated rankings entering regional tourney play (last ranking in parenthesis):
— Defeated Daytona Beach Seabreeze 9-0 and Palm Coast Matanzas 10-0 for Class 7A-5 championship.
— Claimed the 9A-3 crown by winning 8-4 over then-No. 3 Lake Brantley and 7-4 vs. Olympia.
— Won first district title since 2012 by beating Lake Howell 10-0 and Hagerty 8-6 in 10 innings.
— Saw win streak end at 12 after losing in 10 innings to visiting Winter Springs.
— Defeated DeLand 7-4 before falling short to Port Orange Spruce Creek 6-5 in 9A-2 title game.
— Last year’s state runners-up won 9-3 over Mount Dora and 13-2 over South Sumter for 5A-6 title.
Clermont East Ridge (25-2), Port Orange Spruce Creek (17-10), St. Cloud (19-8), Timber Creek (21-4), Apopka (20-6), Lake Brantley (20-5).