Event Preview: Nebraska Thunder Fundraiser

By: Madison Feldhahn

The Nebraska Thunder Fundraiser powered by Top Gun Events runs from April 5 to April 7 in Papillion, NE. Top Gun Events is excited to host the event in conjunction with the Nebraska Thunder/Gold Organization. This event will feature thirty-nine teams from Nebraska, Iowa and Canada.

Each team will play three pool play games before starting bracket play. This is a single elimination bracket and the champion of each division will receive a berth to the 2024 Top Gun Invitational. Pool play for both the 16U and 18U division will kick off at 6:00 PM on Friday. 14U will begin at 7:35 PM Friday. Games will run from 9:00 AM to 8:05 PM on Saturday and from 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM Sunday.

Gate Fees:

Children (1-12): $5.00

Teens & Adults (13-64): $10.00

Senior (65+): $5.00

Military: Free

Take a closer look at some of the teams joining us below.

14U

Iowa Aries Elite Ohorilko

Coaching Staff: Brian Ohorilko & Kari Price

Team Social Media Handles: @Iowa_Aries (X), Iowa Aries Fastpitch (Facebook)

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: Fall Champions of: Team 1/Alliance FP STL Xposure Fall Invite in St. Louis, MO, PGF Diamond Legacy Shootout & Showcase in Broken Arrow, OK, PG Iowa City Scouting Showcase #1 in Iowa City, IA, PG Elite 16 Illinois Scouting Showcase in Peoria, IL, PG Elite 16 Minnesota Scouting Showcase in Minneapolis, MN, USSSA CIS Spooktacular in Des Moines, IA

Key Players: Berkley Weiland (SS/OF) – RH/Throw, LH/Hit. Slapper. Amazing speed. Great defensive player. Kaylan Pray (SS/UTL) – RH/Throw & Hit. Excellent hitter & defensive player. Ivy Ohorilko (C/UTL) – RH/Throw & Hit. Power hitter, excellent defensive player. Karter Price (P/UTL) – RH/Throw & Hit. Excellent pitcher. Leela Appeldorn (MIF/UTL) – RH/Throw, LH/Hit. Excellent hitter and defensive player.

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: Iowa Aries encourages our high school players to participate in high school softball this time of year. The program will have a very light tournament and travel schedule this spring and summer supplement our player’s high school workouts. We cannot wait to get back in full swing fall of 2024.

Millard Fury Gold Vance

Coaching Staff: Mark Vance, Ryan Boozikee & Charles Starkovich

Team Social Media Handles: @FuryGoldVance (X)

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: Finished the year 56-25, NE Class B USSSA State Champions, USSSA Midwest Nationals Open Silver Bracket National Champions, Finished the year off winning the 14U Boo Bash in Lincoln, NE

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: For 2023-24, we have changed organizations to provide better exposure for our players and enable us as coaches to assist those that want to play college softball. We are playing a very tough schedule at A and Open level and, with the move to the new organization, we are getting opportunities to play against better competition to help our team grow. We have very big goals for the year and it might not show at the end of the year in our record. But we, as coaches, wanted to challenge our girls and we have seen them step up already through winter workouts. We have never had a more cohesive team and such a great group of girls from attitude to effort across the board.

Nebraska Quakes Carson ‘09

Coaching Staff: Jen Carson (Head Coach) & Assistants Lynn Griffis, Susan Stagid & Sarah Gutschow

Team Social Media Handles: @NEQuakesCarson

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: Tied for 9th in the USSSA Midwest Championship, 1st Place at Under Armour Championship in KC, 1st Place in York in 16U Division, 3rd Place in USSSA Super 48 Invitational in KC, 1st Place in Blair Invite, 2nd Place at Heroes Classic in Hastings, 7th Place at USSSA 16U State

Key Players: Paityn Spencer, Alex Finley, Lexi Skradski, Hope Stadig, Liv Wenz

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: We are looking to challenge ourselves each time we step foot on the field. We want to compete with the best teams locally and out of state. Win or lose, we seek to get better each game and practice to develop as a team, as individual players, and as humans.

Nebraska Quakes Chonis

Coaching Staff: Don Chonis (Head Coach) & Assistants Karlie Chonis, Casie Volkmar & Bryan Nielsen

Team Social Media Handles: @NEQuakesGold13U (X), nequakesgold_13u (Instagram) & Nebraska Quakes Gold Chonis (Facebook)

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: New Team

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: To compete at the Class A/Gold level & get ready for the jump to high school

Nebraska Thunder Bennett

Coaching Staff: Jenny Bennett, Kurt Pohlmann & Jake Bergren

Team Social Media Handles: @NThunderBennett (X)

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: 1st Place in the Jayhawk Slugfest, 2nd Place in the Kansas City Memorial Tournament, 2nd in the Nebraska State Tournament

Key Players: Kaylee Huffman, Addalynne Bergren, Allie Bergman, Aurelia Gramd

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: We are looking for our girls to compete with confidence, have fun and continue to love the game.

16U

Nebraska National Taylor 16u

Coaching Staff: Brett Taylor & Kirsten Dargy

Team Social Media: @NENational08 (Twitter)

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: 42-29-3 playing an elite level schedule last season, 1st Place at Top Gun NE National Tourney, 2nd Place at Top Gun Thunder/NE Gold Tourney, 2nd Place at USSSA 16) Swing into Spring, 3rd Place at Top Gun Swing into Spring Tourney, 4th Place at USSSA SEC National Championship, 7 Top 4 finishes out of 10 tournaments (not including rain shortened/cancelled tournaments), 14U PGF Nationals at large bid (Platinum Division)

Key Players:Maizey Carpenter, Toria Rother, Lauren Schneider, Elli Ridgley, Alexa Taylor

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: We are an improved team over last year. We have a great group of girls and parents. Our goal as coaches is to continue to develop our players to help them reach their potential.

Nebraska Quakes Gilpin

Coaching Staff: Don Gilpin (Head Coach), Steve Asher (Assistant Coach) & Rob Novak (Assistant Coach)
Team Social Media:
@NEQuakesGilpin (X) & NE Quakes Gold 15U Gilpin (SportsRecruits)

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: 51-23-5 record in 2023, in 14A/HS class, 1st place USSSA Battle for the Bling 14A NIT, 2nd place Bennington Spring Bash HS, 2nd place Quakes Classic, 1st place KS/MO 14A State Tournament, 3rd place Ringneck 14A

Key Players: A strong core group of players that has grown together for several years. Each player on this roster has a high set of expectations and will contribute greatly to our successes in 2024.

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: As a young 15U team returning our entire roster from 2023, we will be looking to continue challenging our players and building upon previous successes, as we prepare them to compete at the next level. A serious pitching staff, backed up by solid defense, and a dangerous batting lineup sets the bar high for this young group of outstanding athletes!

Nebraska WAVE Bergantzel

Coaching Staff: Head Coach Blaine Bergantzel, Assistant Angela Hagaman, Assistant Rich Chubbuck and Student Assistant Madison Tilson
Team Social Media:
@NEWavesFastpitch (X) & Nebraska Wave – Bergantzel (Facebook)

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: NE WAVE 15U is a newer team for 2024.

Key Players: Team consists of players from Hiawatha, KS., Gretna, Lincoln and surrounding communities

Shaylee Heidtbrink (2026 P/UTL), Allarie Wilson (2027 P), Molly Bergantzel (2027 P/UTL), Taylor Price (2027 2B/P), Samantha Hagaman (2027 SS/3B), Madison Chubbuck (2026 C/SS), Chloe Torticill (2026 SS/IF), Bella Determan (2027 MI/OF), Morgan Tilson (2026 1B), Kylee Thompsom (2026 OF), Sahara Meyers (2026 OF/C), Emmy Sheldon (2026 OF)

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: Off the field, player expectations are focused around mentally preparing for game management, game knowledge, and understanding at a fast pace has been a focus this off season.

Primetime Chavez

Coaching Staff: Juan Chavez, Brooke Campbell & Lisa Timmins
Team Social Media:
@Primetime07_ (X)

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: Primetime 07 was able to overcome several challenges last summer, making them a better team. One of our catchers had a torn labrum, and we had a pitcher that had an arm injury. Despite having significant injuries to a couple players we had a successful season. In the fall, we had 3 of our players lead Ashland HS to its first state softball title in school history in Class C. The 3 players were Reese Fisher, Ellie Milburn, and Sofia Dill. A group of sophomore that led the way and became the team leaders while motivating and supporting the rest of their team to a championship. We had another player, Jordyn Campbell, win a state championship in girls wrestling at 125 as a sophomore. Plus, we have several other players that contributed to their high school softball season this past fall as sophomores and juniors.

Key Players: Chloe Rauner, Reese Fisher, Jordyn Campbell, Ellie Milburn, Sloane Gregory, Tessa Carrell, Morgan Timmins, Teagan Noelle

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: Expectations for the team are to be a better player and person after the season. To make more memories with each other and to always battle to the very end. This is a resilient group of girls who love to compete at everything they do.

Primetime Eadus

Coaching Staff: Mike Leapley
Team Social Media:
@primetimenesb

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: Winter Warmup Champions, Eggstravaganza Champions, 2nd Place USA Memorial Day Weekend KC, Pink Out Champions

Key Players: Hannah Miller, Hadley Hansen, Jaycee Woodard, Mace Cruse, Kennedy Drummond

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: Play at a high level and compete

Primetime Weis

Coaching Staff: Kaitlyn Weis, Ron Weis, Chris Barton & Dan Gudenrath
Team Social Media:
@primetimeweis (X)

Key Players: Audrey Kohl – Pitcher from Missouri Valley, Emerson Anderson – Catcher/3B/Utility from Missouri Valley, Amanda Weis – SS/Catcher/Utility from Gretna East HS, Rylan Anderson – OF from Gretna East HS, Kenadie Barton – OF from Gretna HS, Cindy Xiong – Pitcher/Utility from Millard South HS

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: Compete with the best and grow individually and as a team

18U

Nebraska Echoes Madsen

Coaching Staff: Brad Madsen, Brandon Brink, Abigail Brink & Jeff Rasmussen

Team Social Media: @bradm198 (Twitter) & NE Echoes 18U National Madsen (Facebook)

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: 52-19-4 in summer, Runner-up at Memorial Day USA 16U, 6-0 in fall, CIS Winner

Key Players: Teya Speltz, Charlie Pryor, Teygan Rasmussen (new addition), Brianna Kutschkau (new addition)

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: As a 1st year 18U team, the plan is to keep competing at a high level. Be that team others don’t want to see on their schedule.

Nebraska National 18u Bahl

Coaching Staff: Head Coach Hayden Bahl & Assistant Coaches Emma Walbert & Jordy Bahl
Team Social Media:
@NENational18u (X)

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: Champions of the 18u Quakes Classic, Runner-up in the 16u Nebraska Thunder Fundraiser tournament, 16u Perfect Game OKC Challenge, Team record of 33-16-5

Key Players: We are very excited about what each player on our team is capable of, as we have seen amazing growth from so many of them!

Addison Burdorf (P/2B), Macie Wyman (3B/1B), Maycie Grant (SS/2B), Alivia Courter (C/2B), Lauren Frihauf (CF/LF)

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: We are very excited about what we have seen from the team this offseason, and we love how this team has grown on the physical and mental sides of the game. The expectation for our team is that each time we step on the field, we play hard, smart, and together. While we will be one of the youngest teams in each tournament we play, we know that this team will be ready to show up and compete at a high level.

Nebraska Thunder Fox

Coaching Staff: William Fox (returning to the head coach position after 3 years as an assistant) & Brent Wonder (10 years of head coaching experience in both baseball and softball)

Team Social Media: NeThunder Fastpitch (Facebook), @nebraskathunder18u2024 (IG), @Nethunderf (Twitter) & 18U Thunder Gold (Fox) (SportsRecruits)

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: Our 4 graduating seniors committed and continued their athletic careers at the collegiate level (Barton College, Chadron State, Northwestern College and Highland CC), Fall resulted in 2 additional commitments (Concordia & Central CC)

Key Players: Ayla Mathney – committed to Calumet College of St. Joseph, a leader in the circle, Joslyn Sargent – junior at Ashland High School, new to our roster, she looks to make a statement at SS and in our lineup, Kaylee Tanuis – senior from Papillion-LaVista Class A State Champions, she is a vital and diverse player on our roster, Macey West – multi-sport athlete expanding her abilities and strengths as a UTL

Expectations for the 2024 Spring Season: With 3 returning players, we are looking for a season of growth and development. Develop a new team culture, drive athletes to become competitors, teammates, and family, achieve player goals on and off field, and continue the tradition of collegiate commitments

Nebraska Thunder Gold Johnson

Coaching Staff: Head Coach Bruce Johnson & Assistant Coaches Alana Crollard & Antonio Torrez
Team Social Media:
@nethunder22 (X) & @nebraskathundergoldjohnson (IG)

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: Top Gun NE Memorial Day Classic Champions in Omaha, USSSA Big Opener Runner-ups in Minnesota, USSSA Angels for Autism for Runner-up (HS Division) in Omaha, USSSA Easter Egg Strikeout Champions (HS Division) in Omaha, USSSA Season Opener GG 3rd place overall finish in Overland Park, USSSA Stand UP to Cancer 3rd place overall in Kansas City

Key Players: Ada Jantzen, Kendall Johnson, Kinnley Wehrle, Peyton Johnson, Ava Crollard

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: We expect to compete for championships at all of our tournaments and start to make a name for ourselves nationally

Nebraska Venom 18u National

Coaching Staff: John Parsons, Samantha Hislop & Suzy Shanks
Team Social Media:
@18uVenom (X) & Nebraska Venom National 18u (Facebook)

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: We were 74-20 last year and 10-1 through the fall

Key Players: Ava Kuntz (1B), Kylie Baumgard (C), Chloe Jewitt (P), Kynzee McFadden (SS), Lillian Harris (CF)

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: Last season, we were able to show top 2 in 13 tournaments. We are looking to duplicate those results in ’24! We were also fortunate enough to get this season’s seniors all signed and committed to continue playing. We look to get the current juniors on the team offers to continue playing the game they love at the highest level, while furthering their education.

Nebraska WAVE Shepherd

Coaching Staff: Head Coach Luke Shepherd & Assistant Coaches Cory Claussen & Peyton Glatter
Team Social Media:
@NEWaveFastpitch (X) & thewaveathletics.com

2023 Summer & Fall Successes: USSSA State Runner Up Class A 18u, Went 3-0-1 in KCKCC Tournament

Key Players: Hannah Allen (Midland University commit), Alexis Shepherd (Midland University commit), Alexis Adams (Doane College commit), Kloey Johnson (Southeast CC commit), Jill Johnson (1B/OF, Uncommitted), Brooklyn Stutzman (P/1B, Uncommitted), Jerzey Wiechman (P, Uncommitted)

Expectations for 2024 Spring Season: Will be traveling throughout the Mid-West playing in several Top Gun Showcases/Invites

Leaving a Legacy: Earl Turnure and KC Softball

By: Madison Feldhahn

Forty-one years ago, after making his way to Kansas City, Earl Turnure began teaching his daughter Stacey how to play softball. It started as a fun thing between father and daughter, but Earl quickly realized Stacey and her friends were good at softball. So, he created a team for them. Today, it is one of the most prominent clubs in the Kansas City metro area.

“He said, ‘Well, let’s see how good they can be,’. He took us and created a little competitive team,” said Stacey Moore. “There weren’t many of those around, so we had to play teams that were much older than we were.”

This competitive team of Stacey and her friends became the Originals, the first competitive fastpitch team on the Missouri side of Kansas City. At just 12, the Originals team had to play older girls and travel to Kansas to play in a competitive league.

Earl quickly realized his new team needed a pitcher and began teaching Stacey. The popular pitching style at the time was the slingshot. But Earl, who played fastpitch softball, only knew the windmill pitch. So that’s what he taught Stacey.

“People on, at least, the Missouri side had never seen that [pitching style] before, and so they thought it was illegal,” Moore recalled. “They were yelling at us because we were cheating, and we were awful people because we had this cheating mechanism that we were using in the game.”

Quickly, Earl realized there was one way he could improve the game – teaching people how to pitch.

Every Saturday, Earl set up shop at Fort Osage High School. From 8 am to 6 pm, he gave lessons. Anyone who wanted to learn how to pitch just had to show up. Over the years, there were some girls who excelled at pitching, and also some who learned pitching wasn’t quite for them. The player’s skill level didn’t matter to Earl, as long as they put in their best effort.

Soon, the pitching lessons weren’t enough. About twenty years ago, several people approached Earl wanting to become a part of the Originals organization. Without much fuss, he let them.

“It really was not a big deal to him. We had two teams, and then two teams before four, and four teams became one at every age division,” Moore said. “People were like, ‘Well, I want to be a part of this. We want to be a part of them.’ So, it continued to grow.”

As the Originals expanded, Earl kept his sights focused. He wanted every girl who came through the Originals organization to learn and to be given the coach’s best.

“As long as the girls are learning, as long as the girls are having fun, and as long as you are being good sports about it, and you’re teaching good sportsmanship, that’s what I want,” Moore said of her father. “He said, ‘I don’t care if they go on to play in college. I just want them to get the best from us that we have to offer them.’”

In all his years, Earl never took a cent for the coaching he did. This is something that has carried on to this day. Every coach in the Originals organization has always been – and will always be – a volunteer. Earl did it for the love of the game, and that passion has been passed on through the Originals.

“He liked to see girls be challenged. He thrived on them doing better than they ever thought they could,” said Moore.

Earl was a big believer that there is a place for everyone who loves the game. Whether it was Division 1 or NAIA, there was a right fit for his players. He gave the girls everything he could offer to help them find their perfect fit and didn’t ask for anything in return.

Above all, Earl wanted his players to enjoy themselves.

“His motto was as long as you’re having fun, the game will take care of itself,” Moore said. “In his mind, girls did not perform well when there was a tremendous amount of pressure on them. He just wanted it to be fun and to have a good time and that’s what it was. It was very fun and carefree and, at the same time, very competitive.”

When asked about her father’s proudest accomplishments, Stacey cited the growth of fastpitch softball in Kansas City. The Originals are now one of many clubs – something she says is proof to her father that he did something right. The publicity around Kansas City softball is something he would also take immense pride in.

“But at the same time, this was never about him,” Moore said. “This was always about the girls. So long as the girls are the ones who continue to reap those benefits, I think he would be more than proud to be a part of anything that puts the girls first.”

Stacey fondly reflected on the love her father had for the game and for his athletes. He would remind his girls it was just a game at the end of a tough day. And he was always there excited to celebrate the end of a good one.

“I cannot forget the smile on his face when he saw his girls excelling and just doing well or mastering a pitch that they struggled with. He would just giggle, and that smile is forever imprinted on my heart. It is his legacy. His smile. His little spot at Adair Park where everybody would come and talk to him. That’s his legacy,” Moore said. “Just being there, supporting anybody who wanted to improve their game. That’s his legacy.”

Williamsburg HS: Experienced Raiders Plan to Defend Their Title

By: Madison Feldhahn

After a heartbreaking end to the previous season, the Williamsburg Raiders mounted a dominating performance in the playoffs on their way to a state title.

The 2023 season meant more to the Williamsburg community than previous seasons have because of Tate Schaefer. Tate was diagnosed in 2018 with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, an aggressive form of childhood cancer. He lost his 27-month battle with cancer in March 2021. He was a huge fan of the Raiders and their softball team. The last softball game Tate watched was the Raiders’ heartbreaking 0-1 loss in the 2020 state championship. The 2023 Raiders dedicated their win to Tate.

The Raiders allowed just one run during the playoffs, outscoring their opponent 23-1. The performance was not a surprise to Adam Berte and his team.

“We were preseason number one, so we kind of expected to be one of the best teams. We really got off to a better start than we have in previous years,” said Berte. “Once postseason started, they turned it on. We won every game fairly easily.”

Star pitcher Peyton Driscoll was one of four seniors for the Raiders. The four-time All-State pitcher allowed just 42 runs all season and helped the team to 18 shutouts. Driscoll now plays at Kirkwood Community College. Jenna Thurm, a second-team All-State selection, played catcher for the Raiders and was named Most Valuable Player in the state tournament. She currently plays at Indian Hills Community College. Elle Ridgeway now plays at Simpson College. The Raiders also lost Rylie Metz to graduation.

Berte is not too worried about replacing his star seniors.

“I would say, maybe outside of catcher, we’re still in really good shape. We’re just kind of inexperienced at catcher. Jenna Thurm, the catcher, had a lot of experience and was MVP of the state tournament. That’s maybe the one spot where we’re maybe not quite ready to replace what she was able to do,” Berte said when asking about the seniors he lost. “We have the next player ready to go pretty much everywhere else.”

By the time the postseason rolled around, Berte had 13 players get 15 or so at-bats. Because of their experience, Berte feels the team will be ready to go and do what is needed. It will likely be pivotal in the Raiders’ title defense.

Sophomore pitcher Jersey Metz will likely be the starting pitcher for Williamsburg. Berte looks forward to seeing Metz take another step forward in her production. Outfield Shannon Finn is another key returner. Finn is committed to Kirkwood Community College.

“I’m just really expecting the girls that have been here before to really continue to progress and go out and do what we’ve typically done – play good softball and be in good shape,” Berte told Top Gun Events.

The Raiders play in the WaMaC conference, a very tough conference. 5 of the 12 teams finished in the top 15 rankings at the end of the season. The tough conference is a blessing in disguise for the Raiders.

“If you can do well in our league, you’re probably a top ten team in your class,” said Berte.

In addition to their tough conference, Berte schedules a few games with schools in higher classes. He enjoys the challenges these teams offer.

“Usually, those teams are a little more well-rounded, and they don’t just give you anything, so they’re good teams to play over the course of the year,” Berte said. “We accept the fact that we’re going to get beat a few times and it’s okay.”

The Raiders are looking to return to the state tournament and come away with another title. But Berte wants his players to enjoy the season, too. He recognizes the sacrifices his players make with Iowa’s unique summer season.

“Hopefully, even if their year isn’t exactly what they hoped it would be, they can still say, ‘This is a good thing that I was able to be a part of.’ I would say that’s definitely a goal of mine – to try and help the kids have that,” Berte said.

The Williamsburg Raiders will take on Cedar Rapids Kennedy on May 27 to start their title-defending season.

Team Preview: Winterset High School

By: Madison Feldhahn

Winterset High School in Winterset, Iowa, has set a winning tradition. The Huskies have made the state tournament four years in a row and haven’t had a losing season since 2000. Head coach Steve Corkrean and his program are the reigning back-to-back state champions and are looking to defend their title come May.

The Huskies’ state title capped off an impressive 28-12 year. Winterset defeated Carlisle 11-6 and Fort Dodge 6-4 before taking on North Scott in the state final. The Huskies topped North Scott 5-3.

“It was definitely a surprise,” Corkrean said of their state title. “But when I reflect back, we had good players. They were led by Jena Young, who didn’t play all year. She was a great leader. Even though she didn’t play, she was right there with those kids.”

Young, the 2022-23 Iowa Softball Gatorade Player of the Year, was out with an ACL injury. She led the state in home runs with 22 in 2022 and was a key part of their 2022 title win. She now plays at the University of Iowa.

Corkrean took over the Winterset program in 2001. The 2001 team went 18-18. Since then, the program has made it to the state tournament thirteen times. He has coached the team to five state titles, with three of the titles coming in the last four years. Corkrean was inducted into the Iowa Girls Coaches’ Association Softball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2021. He credits the girls for his success.

“We have just some really good kids,” Corkrean said. “They just want to do what those other teams have done. They feed off each other.”

The Iowa high school softball season takes place over the summer. It’s the only state in the country to have a summer softball season. Corkrean says it gives the Huskies an advantage. The girls spend all school year being coached and are ready to go when the season comes around.

When asked about key returners, Corkrean said, “The two that pitched in the state tournament – Molly Breeding and Brynn Acton. Molly’s a senior and Brynn’s a junior. Kylie Nelson is a freshman and she’s coming on pretty fast. We have some pretty high expectations for her.”

The Huskies have quite a few talented pitchers lined up over the next few years. In addition to Nelson, the Huskies have three other underclassmen pitchers and a handful of junior high pitchers coming in. Corkrean’s Huskies continue pitching throughout the offseason in sessions led by the upperclassmen.

Winterset plays in the Racoon River Conference. The nine-school conference had three schools ranked in the top 10 of the final Iowa High School Softball Rankings last year. Corkrean thinks the conference is one of the toughest in Iowa. He knows preparation early in the season will lead to better performance later. To ensure his team is prepared, Corkrean schedules tough games.

“Every year, we’ll be on the bus headed to Valley to play them. That’s usually our first game of the year. The whole trip, I’m thinking, ‘Why did I schedule these guys? They’re the best.’ But that’s the way our conference is,” Corkrean said. “We don’t really have any nights where we’re playing somebody we might be better than. I think every game is kind of a toss-up. We look forward to it. It’s just made Winterset who we are. That schedule. It’s made us pretty tough.”

Tough is a great way to describe the Huskies. The program is no stranger to high expectations. Corkrean doesn’t want his players to get caught up in the pressure. Instead, he wants them to take it day by day and give their best. Everything else will figure itself out.

“The goal is to get to the state tournament. They know what they’ve got to do to get to the state tournament. If we can get to the state tournament, the rest will kind of take care of itself,” said Corkrean.

The Winterset Huskies’ season will start on May 20 when they travel to face North Polk.

2024 Travel Team Preview: Select Fastpitch 13u – Reliford

By: Jeff Strange

Upon completion of a challenging and successful 2023 spring/summer campaign, Coach Rhett Reliford was positively optimistic as his Select Fastpitch 13u squad entered the fall season. Although technically a “first year” 14u team, the athletes had been exposed to 14u competition throughout the course of 2023, playing up in multiple 14u tournaments as a 12u team. One key highlight for the 2023 spring/summer season was bringing home the Championship at the PG 14A Elite 40 KC Showcase last May, going 7-0 overall in the event enroute to the title.

Coach Reliford’s optimism was rewarded with a 26-6 fall record as Select FP added some additional talent, expanding to a larger roster. It was in late October that Reliford believes that his squad really came together.

“I feel that the key to our fall was finishing up the season out in Chesterfield, MO going undefended 5-0 at the Fall 14U St. Louis Softball Showcase,” said Reliford. “The offensive potential of our lineup really came together, putting 45 runs across the plate. Seven girls hit over .400 for the event, with multiple girls putting the ball over the fence. We were able to produce overall consistent production and power throughout the lineup. The offensive production was paired with excellent pitching and a stingy defense that only allowed eight runs. There were a lot of great individual performances and highlights from the fall – from walk-off homeruns to run saving throwdowns from the outfield – but this tournament was a great example of the team’s potential. We have had an aggressive offseason development schedule and are excited to get back on the field and build on how we ended the Fall this Spring.”

Now looking ahead to 2024, we caught up with Coach Reliford on his thoughts for the upcoming season:

Can you give some background information on your coaching staff and coaching styles?

“We have a group of coaches with various degrees of knowledge and experience. Some came from a baseball coaching background and have been with the team since the beginning. We have coaches that have gone through the recruiting & college exposure process with older players that can provide some guidance as to what coaches are looking for at the next level.

Our coaching style has always been about player development. We believe in developing on the field skills, mental toughness, and a personal drive in our athletes that will translate outside the game of softball. We strive to install a “Do Damage” mentality at the plate and always a strong emphasis on basic fundamentals for each position. Our staff continues to drill the basic glove work/footwork drills and the attention to detail is evident on the field.”

Does your team face any challenges with schedules? If yes, how do you manage that?

“We recently acquired a pair of talented players from the Omaha area, and we also have a girl from mid Missouri that makes the 2.5-3 hour drive to practice. With team practices at a premium, we are very focused on our practice plans and maximizing our time together as a team. Overall, we have a great group of athletes that have a strong work ethic. They’ve fully bought into the mindset of embracing the grind and that the work doesn’t stop once our team practice is over. So before we even have the chance to remind them to put in the work, these girls have already laced up their shoes, got some dirt on their gloves and our Do Damage mentality at the plate has focused individual hitting work built in.”

What are your primary goals and objectives for your team?

“Our primary goal has multiple layers, and each one is built in a way where the ultimate objective is for them to be able to move on to play at the collegiate level. But first and foremost is to establish a strong foundation of skills that will allow them to be ahead of their peers when they hit the high school level. Then we keep building on that skill set by increasing their softball IQ and introducing more advanced techniques.”

In your opinion, what traits make your organization unique?

“Select Fastpitch has grown a lot the past few years but hasn’t lost its primary focus of player development. Eric Jones has built a culture based around the player and providing each player opportunities to grow, develop and leverage years of experience throughout the organization. The opportunity that our girls have with being able to learn from older athletes that play at the highest levels has been very impactful on their passion for the game and development.”

Can you give some analysis/perspective on your team for 2024?

“We have a strong core of talented athletes that have played together for years, and we have been fortunate to continue to add additional talent every year, creating an environment that provides healthy competition at all levels of the team. Offensively, we focus on our Do Damage mentality and have multiple girls with out of the park power. With speed throughout the lineup, we focus on aggressive baserunning and putting pressure on defenses. We are excited to have a deep pitching staff with four pitchers that bring a lot of talent and experience to the circle. Our pitching staff will allow us to attack lineups and matchups in different ways and paired with a talented group of catchers we expect a lot of great things from this group. Defensively we are blessed with a very talented infield that has great range and multiple big arms that are able to make the hard plays. Our outfield has really developed over the past year and their speed and talent has been a major factor in our success.”

What are your short-term goals for your team?

“To stay focused on player development and foster a love for the process, hard work and mental toughness it takes to play at a high level. From a schedule standpoint, we want to continue to push the team to play the best competition.”

What are your long-term goals for your team?

“To prepare our athletes so that they can have an immediate impact at every level as they progress throughout their softball journey. Eight of our 13 athletes will start High School ball in the Fall, so that is a major focus.”

2024 Travel Team Preview: Top Gun 2010 STL

By: Jeff Strange

As we approach the kickoff of our 2024 season, I’ve taken some time to reflect upon some memories on what has stood out and helped define us…

I’ve been fortunate enough to watch many of these young ladies develop over the years; some have been with me only a short time, while others have been playing with me since they were six and seven years old. It has been a great honor and delight to be a part of their development.

We’ve enjoyed many high points over the years, along with enduring some lessons learned. Last summer, we hit a tough stretch that tested us mentally. However, we rebounded well to cap off our season with a very strong showing at Nationals that showed the grit and demeanor of our core nucleus.

Looking ahead to 2024, I have many reasons to be excited about our squad and what lies ahead. So here it goes…my thoughts on our 2024 Top Gun 2010 STL team….

Can you give some background information on your coaching staff and coaching styles?

“Dennis Swinford and I have been coaching this team together for the past four years. Prior to that, I ran a team with some of the athletes from this team. Scott Dixon has joined this season to help out as well; he previously coached with another organization and has stepped in seamlessly with our squad.

Our coaching approach is to maximize each athlete’s development and prepare them for the impending high school levels and beyond – while making their experience as enjoyable as possible. We put a strong emphasis on fundamentals for each position on the field, working in proper footwork and glovework elements that translate to the diamond. We also highlight understanding situational awareness on the field so that our athletes comprehend what’s at stake at any given moment during competition. Allowing the girls to challenge themselves with high risk, high reward plays is additionally an aspect that punctuates our approach to defense.

From an offensive standpoint, we stress “hunting our pitch” and looking to do damage. We are blessed with lots of firepower on our roster – both power and speed – and we seek to overwhelm the opposition with our approach at the plate and on the bases.

In the circle, understanding that we control the tempo and the pace is a big focus for us. We are blessed with four exceptional arms in the circle and we try to instill in our pitchers that while their stuff is unique, understanding how to attack each hitter while also understanding the situation in play is a big key. We aim for our hurlers to have a strong mental approach while also instilling in them that it’s perfectly acceptable for them to carry a confident swagger while they are working their craft.”

Does your team face any challenges with schedules? If yes, how do you manage that?

“We have many multi-sport athletes and a few out of area athletes that we coordinate schedules with. Team practices are paramount and utilizing the time that we have together to make for a fun and constructive experience is key.

Ultimately, all of our athletes understand that while they may miss practices from time to time, in order to achieve their goals, they are willing to put in the necessary time to help develop themselves on their own time. Our parent group does a fantastic job with their daughters in helping them along the way. It takes a village to build this dream and we are blessed with a group that has bought into this mentality.”

What are your primary goals and objectives for your team?

“Ideally, we are aiming to prepare these girls to be ready for the highest levels that we come across – whether that is the competition level that we see now, high school-aged level of play and/or ultimately preparing them and helping them get recruited into college. Along the way, we want the girls to enjoy this unique experience that they have as scholar athletes and help develop leadership attributes that can translate into their respective futures.”

In your opinion, what traits make your organization unique?

“Top Gun Fastpitch has a great college recruitment platform in place that I believe will be beneficial as move closer to navigating that element for our athletes. In the meantime, we have received strong support from our sister squads in the organization that helps set the bar high for our girls. And quite frankly, our organization is blessed with one of the top pitching coordinators in the country (Randi Shanks) that helps set us apart from other organizations.”

Can you give some analysis/perspective on your team for 2024?

“I’m very excited about our roster as we move into 2024. We return nine players while picking up three. As mentioned before, our roster features lots of firepower. Comprising our roster for 2024:

  • Lorelai Kellner: RHP/2B – High powered arm in the circle with nasty stuff. Big bat in the lineup and a key defensive player in the field. The definition of explosive athlete.
  • Caroline Moore: RHP/1B – Another power arm in the circle with a big, strong frame. Sizable power at the plate.
  • Ava Dixon: RHP/3B – A newcomer to our squad this year. Exceptional spin in the circle with a power repertoire that cooks. Excellent glove in the field and a line drive bat that shows good pop.
  • Lola Seawel: RHP/UTL – Another newcomer to our team. Huge upside. Long and whippy with premium velocity and spin in the circle. Very athletic and quick; versatile in the field with a bat that has come a long way since the fall.
  • Sydney Bonzo: C/3B – Exceptional defensive catcher. Receives well and blocks everything. An authentic field general. Massive power at the plate with premium exit velocity.
  • Maggie Neally: C/1B – A true titan on the field. Big, strong frame. Receives well behind the plate and features a bazooka arm. Scary power at the plate. High-upside athlete.
  • Ella Heath: 1B/OF – Tall and very athletic. Moves exceptionally well for an athlete her size. Natural born hitter with big power. Clutch performer that comes up big. Great glove at 1B.
  • Maycie Lesinski: MI/OF – Exciting athlete with exceptional speed. Very versatile defensively. Gives a tough AB and can cause chaos with her bunting ability.
  • Anna Strange: MI/OF – Electric athlete. Quick bat with pop. Strong bunter, good speed. Powerful arm and extremely quick feet and hands, capable of making the acrobatic play. Versatile defensively.
  • Avery Watson: MI/OF – Another electric athlete. Outstanding softball IQ; can play just about anywhere on the field. Ballhawk in the OF with a strong arm. Good pop at the plate and a burner on the bases.
  • Olivia Borgmann: OF – Lefty slapper with outstanding speed. Wreaks havoc on defenses with her ability to read the field and play the short or power game. Strong defensive OF with a very good arm.
  • Kayla Swinford: OF – Sparkplug athlete. Strong defensive OF capable of playing all three OF spots. Good speed on the bases and a line drive bat that can also put down a bunt.

What are your short-term goals for your team?

“To continue to develop this group and challenge them with strong competition along with instilling a work ethic that can help maximize results – all the while making this a fun and positive experience.”

What are your long-term goals for your team?

“Educating the girls on what it will take to succeed not only in this game, but in their futures as well. Additionally, we aim to help them take the necessary steps to showcase their skills in tournaments, camps and communications with schools that are of interest to each respective athlete.”

Olathe West Gears Up for a Title-Defending Season

By: Madison Feldhahn

Olathe West is the reigning 6A State Champion, and the team is poised to defend that title. Top Gun Events caught up with head coach Cynthia Adams to get some insight on her Owls program.

The Owls had a dominant season from start to finish, going 24-1. They defeated Olathe North and Derby on their way to the title. The title game against Washburn Rural lasted just five innings, and the Owls scored 10 runs, including two home runs from senior third baseman Madison Walker.

Turning to this season, Adams knows the Owls are following in big footsteps. The program is looking to defend its title while having lost six seniors who played key roles on the team.

“Those six seniors did a great job preparing this team to be able to compete and know what it’s like to grind day in and day out for the high school season,” said Adams. “I think that we have big shoes to fill, but I think that they’re going to be ready to compete and be able to fill those shoes.”

Adams is excited for returning players to step into the upperclassmen roles and embrace the team’s mentality. Junior pitcher Brevyn Kellepouris is one of those players. The University of Central Arkansas commit allowed just two hits in the final 12 innings of the Owls’ title run. Adams also highlighted junior Maliyah Warren as a key piece. Warren, committed to the University of Central Florida, plays shortstop for the Owls. Adams has just one senior on her team this year and is excited for her to lead the younger girls in buying into the program.

The young Owls program is focused on the day-to-day grind and finding their stride as a team. With the high school season running from the end of March to the end of May, Adams wants her team to focus their efforts on building team chemistry and learning to mesh together.

“Since I started here four years ago, that’s been my number one goal – to drive that we play pitch by pitch, inning by inning. We don’t focus too much on individual stats. We are working as a team. We win as a team. We lose as a team,” Adams said. “We really focus on everybody giving their all every single day. If you do that, good things happen.”

Preparation is going to be key for Olathe West. The program has spent a lot of time scrimmaging and going through live reps during the preseason practices. In addition to these live reps, Adams is hoping to purchase a Hack Attack pitching machine for the program. The Owls raised $9,000 in a fundraiser this off-season.

The Owls are headed to Wichita to face the 5A State Champions Valley Center and the 5A State runners-up Eisenhower High School. The trip is going to provide the team with plenty of team bonding experience and put them to the test on the field.

“I’m excited because [Valley Center] is our first game, and it will just be a really high expectation from the start. I think the girls will have fun regardless, win or lose,” Adams said of the trip. “They get to travel, stay overnight, and have a little team bonding. The stuff they definitely need. It’s before conference starts so it’ll be a nice win-win.”

Olathe West opened in 2017, and this is just the sixth year of existence for the Owls’ softball program. The team has been able to accomplish a lot in such a short period The Owls have a great community, and Adams credits the support from parents and coaches for their rapid rise to glory.

“It just proves more to the point of how hard the girls work and how much they want it,” said Adams. “The girls are great. We’re surrounded by a great support system. They all buy into this program. I think they have so much potential, and they can definitely make a run at it again this year.”

Olathe West travels to Wichita to face Valley Center on Friday, March 22. The Owls will start conference play against Olathe East on March 26.

2024 Travel Team Preview: Beverly Bandits 16u – Moran

By: Jeff Strange

It’s not often that you run across a highly successful team that has maintained a core group of athletes that have been together since a very young age, but that recipe has proven prevalent and productive for Coach Chad Moran’s Beverly Bandits 16u squad.

With a portion of the Bandits athletes coming into the program at the 8 or 9u level, this group has found their way to the PGF finals at both the 10u and 14u levels (covid kept them out of California at the 12u event). Throughout this Beverly Bandits squad’s time together, they have churned out many big victories, while getting the opportunity to play at some great venues.

For Coach Moran, one recent memory that stands out is last summer’s Show Me the Money event in Gainesville, FL.

“This team was very short-handed due to high school ball and injuries,” said Coach Moran. “All toll, these ladies ended up playing four games on the final day, with the championship game being played at the University of Florida softball complex. This was a great event to kick off our season as it was also the first weekend that college coaches could be out. And quite honestly, it’s always fun for the Midwest teams to play in Florida.”

With the 2024 season approaching, we caught up with Coach Moran to get insight and perspective on his 16u Beverly Bandits squad:

Can you give some background information on your coaching staff and coaching styles?

“Our Coaching Staff consists of Chad Moran, Pat Morris, Lauren Sackett (Junior at Indiana State) and Sarah Stone (Junior at Indiana). Coach Chad and Coach Pat have been in Travel ball for over 35 years combined, with the last 11 coaching together without a daughter on their teams (both daughters played at JMU from 2014 through 2017).

As a staff, our main focus is preparing the girls for college. The athletes with the Bandits can be spread out, so we do not have as much time with team practices as others may. Ultimately, we try not to force our hitting styles, pitching styles, etc. on our players. We choose to focus on the things we think they can do to improve their chances at being successful at the next level. For us, we try to coach the little things as much as possible so that they are one step closer to being college ready.

Coach Sackett and Coach Stone are great at helping the girls through all the ups and downs that come with being a high-level student athlete. Both are very good at uplifting our players when needed but also letting them know when something they are not doing will not work at the next level.”

Does your team face any challenges with schedules?

“Having kids from several states is never easy but all of the Bandit families know what they are getting into when they join our program. Most years, our older teams are attending most of the same established tournaments – Show me the Money in FL, the Top Gun Invite in KC, the So Cal invite in California, the IDT in Colorado, the Easton-Rawlings in Chicago and the PGF nationals in California. Along the way, we put together friendlies that we host in the Crown Point, IN area.”

What are your primary goals and objectives for your team?

“Our goals very seldom change; we want to make sure all our players are doing the right things to prepare themselves for college recruiting and to be playing our best ball at the end of the season. At the Bandits, most years you are judged by how high your team finishes at PGF nationals.”

In your opinion, what traits make your organization unique?

“I think the Beverly Bandits are unique because the athletes bring the out the best in one another. The Bandits – like other top clubs across the country – usually have loaded rosters filled with girls going to all different D1 schools. In a lot of cases, some players have a harder time cracking their Bandit team lineup than they do when they get to college. So the competition amongst each other really pushes players to put in the work and get better in their off time.

Years ago, Bill Conroy had to change the name of our friendlies to the Bandits “not so friendly.” The Bandits are all under one umbrella; we don’t franchise, so although we all have each other’s back and help each other as much as we can, we all want to be the best Bandit team.”

Can you give some analysis/perspective on your team for 2024?

“We have a team this year where we have no excuses; we are lucky enough that I do not feel we have any holes on our team that will keep us from competing at a very high rate. We are led by our pitchers:

  • Ava Lorenzatti is one of the top pitchers in the ‘26 class and is drawing interest from top college teams.
  • Thea Staten is new to our squad and is a fast-rising pitcher in the ‘26 class who I think will really help our team.
  • Gianna Hillegonds (‘25 – Bradley commit) is the ultimate change of pace pitcher.
  • Addy Poe (‘25 P/UT coming off a knee injury) is our Swiss Army Knife; she pitches, hits, runs and plays the outfield all at a high level.

The remainder of our roster includes:

  • Ava Ratliff (‘25 South Carolina commit) is definitely in the conversation as the best hitter to ever play for the Bandits.
  • Infielder Kiley Carr (‘25 Michigan commit) is a top left-handed hitter and plays a very solid 3rd base.
  • Addy O’dell (‘25 Louisville commit) plays SS and Catcher and is a top athlete in any sport that she would choose to play.
  • Olivia Fischer (‘26) is a power hitting 3B and 1B who we expect big things out of this summer.
  • Addy Ware (‘26) is a 2B/OF who has great speed from the left side and is really hitting the ball well for us.
  • Sydney Herrmann (‘25 Dartmouth commit) has great size and power and is a great student.
  • Addison Fanter (‘25) is a 1B/OF power hitter who really can swing it for us.
  • Brooke Stang (‘25 Illinois commit) is a hard hitting lefty.
  • Ava Hensley (‘25 Akron commit) is a do it all athlete who can run it and play outfield.
  • Hannah Simko (‘25) has been this team’s leadoff hitter and plays her best when the lights are the brightest.
  • Paige Bodenheimer (‘26) is a fast outfielder who has great bat control.

What are your short-term goals for your team?

“We will be in Top Gun, Crown Point, IDT in Colorado, Easton Rawlings in Chicago and then PGF nationals. Our goals are to finish up recruiting and compete at nationals.”

What are your long-term goals for your team?

“Our 16u teams merge with the 18u teams every year, so this is the last year this group will be fully together. However, the goal is always to produce in college to help younger Bandits down the road.”

Top Gun Indoor Invite Event Recap

By: Madison Feldhahn

The Top Gun Indoor Invite took place this past weekend at the Griffon Indoor Sports Complex in St. Joseph, MO. The 16U and 18U age groups were combined into a high school division with two pools.

Select Fastpitch Reese came out on top of a very competitive Pool A, finishing the weekend 4-1. After losing to Top Gun ’08 2-0 in their first game, Select Fastpitch won the rest of their games. The team tallied 27 runs, including one home run from Lauren Bailey and two from Baylie Roetemeyer. Their most dominate performance came against Nebraska Thunder Fox in an 11-1 rout.

In Pool B, Top Gun National 2027 was dominant, going undefeated through five games. Their victories included a 7-0 win against MN Waves Beech, 16-0 win against Building Champions Peppers Wallace 16u, and a 12-1 win against Nebraska Gold Waller. The team allowed just 5 runs against them, while scoring 41 runs.

Several other teams also showcased impressive performances this weekend:

Louisville Lady Sluggers VanBoxmeer concluded the weekend with a 4-1 record. They battled in close games against Nebraska National Taylor, Nebraska Quakes Macken, and Top Gun National 2027. Their largest margin of victory was 10-3 against Building Champions Peppers Wallace 16u. The Lady Sluggers scored 19 runs and conceded just 8.

Top Gun ’08, NE Echoes Madsen, Originals Moss, and Nebraska National Taylor all finished the weekend with a 3-2 record.

Top Gun ’08 commenced their weekend with a 2-0 win against Select Fastpitch Reese and wrapped up with two more wins against Nebraska Thunder Fox and Originals Moss.

Brad Madsen’s NE Echoes team had three decisive wins. The team started the weekend with a 9-2 win against Primetime Koozer and wrapped up Saturday with a 3-0 win against Nebraska Gold Jarzobski. Their last game was an 8-1 win against Top Gun ’08. The Echoes scored 25 runs, including a home run from Teygan Rasmussen.

Originals Moss secured impressive wins against Nebraska Thunder Fox and Nebraska Gold Jarzobski. The team scored 25 runs across the two days of play and finished with a +14 run differential.

Nebraska National Taylor conceded only 5 runs this past weekend. The team scored 18 runs, one of which was a home run hit by Macy Schneider. Brett Taylor’s team started their weekend with a 2-1 win against MN Waves Beech on Saturday. Their other wins came in a 12-0 rout against Nebraska Quakes Macken and a 3-1 finish against Nebraska Gold Waller.

Thank you and good luck to the teams who participated in the Top Gun Indoor Invite this past weekend!