NCHS Spring Sports Preview

North County Softball

Head Coach: Tommy Thompson

2010 Record: 7-10

Key Returning Players: Brittany Jones, 10th grade; Krystin Elliott, 11th grade; Kate Helmick, 11th grade; Ashley Deltuva, 12th grade.

Biggest Contributor(s): “Our biggest contributor this season will be Brittany Jones,” Thompson said. “If she stays healthy and injury free, we should have a very good season.”

Breakout player(s): Thompson said pitcher Brittany Jones, outfielder Kate Helmick and catcher Krystin Elliott all have the ability to have a breakout season. “If these three have a good season and others follow with their talents and capabilities, we shall do well,” he said.

Expectations: “We should compete with any team we play,” Thompson said. “If our defense holds and our offense does well, this season may surprise some that are not looking for us to do well.”

Keys to Success: Team play will be a key to success for the softball team, Thompson said. “Great defense and offense from the No. 1 to No. 13 players … nothing less for us to be successful this season.”

Strengths: Thompson said he thinks one of the team's strengths will be pitching. “And, hopefully, our defense and offense perform beyond expectations,” he said.

X Factor: “Working harder on being aggressive both [on] defense and offense, learning the game mentally,” Thompson said.

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North County Baseball

Head Coach: Wayne Feuerherd Jr.

2010 Record: 11-10

Key Returning Players:  Greg Hauck, 10th grade; Koby Overstreet, 10th grade; Matt Prince, 10th grade; Billy Antlitz, 11th grade;  Carlton Galligan, 11th grade; Matt Baker, 12th grade; Pat Carey, 12th grade; and Alex Lombardi, 12th grade.

Biggest Contributor(s): “We will look a lot to our very talented sophomores to fill most of the top half of the lineup,” Feuerherd said. “Hauck, Overstreet, Antlitz, Galligan, Vodak and Swickard will compete for pitching time.” 

Breakout player(s): “Breakout players will include Prince and Overstreet with Hauck returning to be the ace of the staff and will hit in the middle of the lineup,” Feuerherd said. “Transfers Tyler Simpson and Kevin Jackson will also be key contributors this season.”

Expectations: “We will expect to have a good year and will depend heavily on the runs that our lineup will be able to produce, as we will have plenty of arms to throw,” Feuerherd said. 

Keys to Success: “Our keys to success will be throwing strikes and having positive and productive at bats,” Feuerherd said.

Strengths: “Pitching will be a strength,” Feuerherd said.

 X Factor: “Offense and experience will be areas that we will need to see improvement,” Feuerherd said.

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North County Boys’ Lacrosse

Head Coach: Walt Blahut

2010 record: 3-13.

Key Returning Players: Chad Kooser, 12th grade; Alex Evans, 12th grade; Eddie Jones, 12th grade; Ryan Ward, 12th grade; Carson Bekken, 11th grade; Nick McMullen, 11th grade; Paul O'Neil, 11th grade; Dylan Siebenhaar, 11th grade; Andre Brummitt, 10th grade; and Alec Bledsoe, 10th grade.

Biggest Contributor(s): “A good nucleus is returning led by second year captain Kooser, one of the county's top scorers in 2010, at attack," Blahut said. “He is surrounded by more offensive threats this year in Jones, Evans, Tyzack and Bekken.”

Breakout player(s): Evan Tyzack, attack, 12th grade; Quinn Ashworth, defense, 12th grade; Josh Zaragoza, defense, 12th grade; Jacob Kovacs, defense, 11th grade; Josh March, goalie, 11th grade.

Expectations: “With an emphasis on year-round work, the North County lacrosse program is looking to rebound from the consecutive years of two- and three-win seasons,” Blahut said.

Keys to Success: “Versatile midfielder McMullen, a ground-ball machine, will add strength to the faceoffs, clearing and short stick defense,” Blahut said. “The close defense will be lead by second-year starters [and defensive players] O'Neil and Siebenhaar who gained valuable experience as sophomores last year.”

The Knights also have a deep bench, which Blahut believes will be key to the team’s success as the players push one another to be better.

“[Defensive player] Ward and [Mount Saint Joseph's] transfer Kovacs, as well as newcomers Ashworth and Zaragoza will add depth to a much stronger defensive core in 2011,” Blahut said. “March looks like the starter in cage, but is being pushed by sophomore Andy Morales.”

Strengths: Coach Blahut said that North County lacrosse has more offensive threats in 2011 than they have had in recent memory, “making the offense the team's strong suit.”

X Factor: “We had 65 players come out for tryouts this year—the largest in school history—so there is more depth and greater competition in practice, which is causing much optimism for a return to the school's region-championship years in the early '90s,” Blahut said.