ROCKTON — It’s natural for Denny McKinney to be excited about the upcoming softball season.
He’s been at this a long time and getting back on a diamond is always his favorite time of year.
Despite some key graduation losses from last season’s 28-8-1 squad and the fact they won’t be overwhelming favorites again, the Hononegah head coach also builds a pretty good case for his team repeating as NIC-10 champions.
“Our players are really versatile this year,” McKinney said. “We have a lot of kids who can play multiple positions, swing the bats well and play defense. I just have to try not to screw it up.”
McKinney does have some holes to fill. Hononegah graduated four players who earned All-NIC-10 after going 18-0 in league last season: shortstop Joscelyn Bennett, third baseman Amanda Williams, pitcher/first baseman Lexi Bach and outfielder Briella Sendele. Bennett was named to the Illinois Coaches Association Class 4A All-State Second Team and Sendele and Williams were Third Team.
The Indians do return an All-NIC-10 battery of catcher Danielle Franz and pitcher Aislynn Palmer. Lindenwood University recruit Franz earned First Team honors for the third straight season, batting .429 with 10 home runs and 34 RBIs. She did not committ an error on her way to All-State Second Team honors.
Palmer, just a freshman, complemented Bach perfectly by pitching 28 innings in NIC-10 play and posting a 1.25 ERA. She walked nine and struck out 147. She also had a strong season at the plate, hitting .415 with four home runs and 20 RBIs.
“You know what you’re going to get offensively pairing up Dani and Aislynn,” McKinney said. “That’s two formidable bats you have to contend with.”
At the top of the order, McKinney says he has two strong candidates in center fielder Payton Klikno and freshman infielder Kaelyn Kelly. Versatile Zoey Calhoun, who pitches and plays the outfield and first base, is likely No. 2 in the lineup.
“Then you have the boppers, Dani and Aislynn in there,” McKinney said.
The coach said freshman Irelyn O’Brien, a pitcher/first baseman, will be in the lineup somewhere.
“She really squares the ball up nice,” he said. “All three freshmen who made the varsity — O’Brien, Kelly and Mackenzie Haas — made it for the way they swing the bats as much as what they can contribute defensively to the team.”
Junior Mali McMaster will take over at shortstop and back up Franz at catcher.
“Mali could play any position on the field except pitcher,” McKinney said.
Senior Natalie Kinney returns after playing mostly outfield last season, but has also been working at first base. She teams with Franz and fellow senior Kaitlyn Nicholson as tri-captains.
“Natalie has really turned into a vocal leader so far this season,” McKinney said. “She has a great bat, loves the game and plays it well.”
In the outfield, Klikno will be in center and the corner spots have all sorts of candidates: Calhoun, Haas, Addison Hulburt, Kinney, Nicholson and O’Brien.
Despite losing Bach, McKinney says the Indians are well-armed.
“We can’t complain about our pitching as deep as we are,” he said. “We can handle those days when if somebody isn’t on somebody else will step up. Some teams in the conference have only one or two options. We have five capable pitchers this year.”
McKinney said the pitchers accept a staff concept.
“We have two freshmen who made the varsity who are really good pitchers and they join two experienced varsity pitchers in Aislynn and Zoey (Calhoun) and you can’t forget about (junior) Sam (Nosbisch), who throws the ball well. Every pitcher is different and that’s the luxury we have at Hononegah. Hitting is so much better these days you really can’t let a pitcher face the good hitters more than a few times. You have to switch things up unless a pitcher is really having a great day. We’ll focus this season on location and changing speeds.”
In conference, Harlem will pose a strong threat with returning MVP pitcher Alaina Schwanke. McKinney said Belvidere North, Belvidere and Auburn, in particular, could be dangerous.
• UP NEXT: The Indians open play in Barrington, Ill., Monday through Wednesday. They play Hersey on Monday.
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