Benilde-St. Margaret's Young Softball Team Still Has Lofty Goals

softball coach Adrian Wagner knows what the onlookers will say.

The Red Knights are a new-look team in 2011—more than half of last year’s starting lineup that went 14-10 overall and tied for third in the North Suburban Conference graduated. From the outside, this is a green group.

“Everyone’s going to say it’s a rebuilding year,” Wagner said. “We graduated five starters, and then three seniors who probably would have started didn’t come out for various reasons ... A lot of new faces this year.”

But that isn’t deterring Wagner from having lofty ambitions for this group—it will just take time to develop. The Red Knights admittedly struggled on the field in their Spring Break trip to Florida, then fell 9-5 to Irondale in the season opener earlier this month, but the potential for this squad is there.

It’s about getting on the same page. No longer are Maddy and Meredith Gallagher, Rachel Hoemke, Caitlin Ritchie or Camille Sampson on the squad to lead drills.

Wagner said he’s found himself needing to take new approaches to his coaching style to make that happen.

“When you have the same group as long as I’ve had before, they all knew the way I liked to do bunt plays and first and third situations—who’s supposed to back up what,” Wagner said. “Basically a couple times they weren’t doing it, but I never told them them that. Those things I’ve had to adapt, take a step back.”

The learning curve is part of the excitement around the BSM squad this season. It’s a chance to see who will step up and fill the vacated roles on the team.

There is eighth-grader Maddie Houlihan, who Wagner said possesses blazing fast speed, sound bunting and great power. She broke onto the scene last year and will continue to improve.

“I can’t believe I’m going to be able to coach her for six years,” Wagner said. “She’s that good.”

Junior Amanda Johnson has two years of pitching experience, which will help as she takes over the main role in the circle. Senior co-captain Sidney Pilarski will lead the outfield as the center fielder, and junior second baseman Grace Gallagher will now get to step into a leadership role after her older sisters graduated last year.

This 2011 Red Knights squad might be inexperienced across the board, but Wagner has a belief that they will still be a team to consider in the North Suburban Conference.

“If we can play good defense, I think we can flirt with somewhere in the top three,” Wagner said. “Traditionally we do well in the conference. When you get that mindset, that helps your players play in those conference games.”