Hamilton expects to win state
At Chandler Hamilton, a run to the 6A state softball title is expected every season after celebrating championships in 2016 and ‘17.
“Anything less is coach Rocky Parra said.
Hamilton’s dynasty, built by Parra, hit a snag last year when Phoenix Pinnacle shut out the Huskies 4-0 in the final.
That’s motivation to get back, score runs and leave no doubt.
Again, they’re loaded, led by three future college catchers: Macy Simmons (Arizona State signee, who made the USA junior national team), Dani Cole (Concordia signee), and junior Teagan Dobson (who plays on the Australian U19 national team). Simmons will get most of the starts at catcher, while Cole will play in the outfield and Dobson at third base, Parra said.
Simmons hit .547 with 16 home runs, making MaxPreps’ Junior All-American team last year. “Macy is our go-to girl,” Parra said. “We don’t have the dominant team like we’ve had. We lost four girls to Division I (college). But we don’t feel like we have a weakness.”
Pitching is never a concern at Hamilton. It is led by one of the best sophomores in the country, Loganne Step, who was a MaxPreps Freshman All- American last season when she went 11-0 with a 0.52 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 67 innings.
“We have four more pitchers that would start at most high schools in Arizona,” unacceptable,” he said.
Hamilton’s softball team is sponsored by Nike. When Parra passed out the Nike products to the girls recently, he reminded the players: “They’re getting it as a result of the past girls.”
Southern dominance
Southern softball.
Over the last two years, a Southern Arizona school won state at the 5A (Vail Cienega in 2018 and ‘17), 4A (Tucson Salpointe in 2018, Oro Valley Canyon del Oro in ‘17), 3A (Sahuarita in 2018, Tucson Empire in ‘17), 2A (Benson in 2018 and ‘17), and 1A (Superior in 2018, Kearny Ray in ‘17) levels.
Again, the southern part of Arizona is strong.
Oro Valley Ironwood Ridge, which lost to Cienega in last year’s 5A final, returns seven of eight position players from a 27-win team, along with its top two pitchers who have big-game experience.
Diana Nisbett, a senior infielder who hit .422 with 36 RBIs, played for Team Great Britain on its U19 and U22 teams over the summer, coach David Martinez said.
Sahuarita coach Chris Fanning, who has won 509 games in two coaching stints at the 3A school, returns “a great deal of experience and talent” from last year’s 30-win title team.
Solymar Navarro is the big bat returning from a potent offense. She hit .441 with seven home runs, 20 doubles and 60 RBIs. Arizona has dominated