SPORTS & MORE: LADY CONCHS SOFTBALL PRIMED FOR RUN TO STATE

If the Key West High girls softball team is ever to make a dent at the state championship level, this season may be it. Even coach Jason Garcia acknowledges it. He has the hitters and hopes he has the pitching.

With two all-state performers in centerfielder Yahaira Williams and catcher Isabella Perez, as well as four other experienced seniors, the Lady Conchs look formidable following last season’s 13-win, 6-loss season. After winning a pair of preseason games, coach Garcia’s team has defeated Palmetto and district foe St. Brendan. This weekend, the team plays at Ferguson at 4 p.m. Friday, March 4, and then at home against John Carroll at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Saturday, March 5 at the Backyard behind KWHS. The Lady Conchs junior varsity squad will be at Ferguson at 11 a.m. Saturday for a twinbill.

Williams went for the “sort-of cycle” – a home run, triple, double and walk, not a single – driving in four runs as Key West opened the regular season with an 8-5 victory over Palmetto. Perez collected a pair of singles in the same game.

Marina Goins, in right field, also had a pair of hits against Palmetto. The other seniors are second baseman Chloe Knowles, first baseman Madie Gonzales and designated player Emily Bracher, who will also play right field.

“Marina is very competitive,” said Garcia. “She hates to lose and challenges players on the field – both her teammates and our opponents.” The coach, who works during the day with Mosquito Control, says he is still looking for a college for Goins to attend. Williams, he said, is interested in playing at Florida Atlantic University.

Garcia, 48, coached baseball from 1994 until 2007, while his daughter, Madison, was playing softball. Madison is now a senior at Florida State, where she has been a cheerleader for both football and basketball. The coach played at Key West High, then at Seminole College and Northwood University, which is now Keiser University. Erik Snow is the Key West assistant coach, while Jewls Castillo is the pitching coach.

The other players are juniors Ty Cervantes, a shortstop; DP-1B Dharma Murray and left fielder Miesha Hernandez and sophomore third baseman Scarlet Niles. Montique Vanstaden is a utility player as is junior Madelyn Perusse. Sophomore Chloe Gilday pitched a complete game against Palmetto, despite giving up a two-out, seventh-inning home run.

The Lady Conchs are in District 16-4A with St. Brendan, which will host the season-ending tournament, and Killian.

On Saturday, Feb. 26, Key West had its first district game and first home game, defeating St. Brendan, 10-2, as the visitors made seven errors. Sophomore Nevaeh Arnold allowed but four hits for Key West. Hernandez homered and singled for Key West and Gonzalez had a pair of hits. Niles, Perez, Goins and Knowles had one hit each.

Key West is a perennial Region 4 participant, but has yet to make the state finals. “It’s our goal every year,” said Garcia.

THE KWHS boys baseball team, after splitting a preseason double dip, took a pair last Friday and Saturday from University, 10-3 and 3-2.

Gabe Williams had a home run and a triple for three runs batted in on Friday, while Kai Smith had a pair of hits in the same game. Jack Haggard had one hit in each game, as did Preston Herce and Anden Rady. Wyatt Kuhn and Anthony Lariz singled in the Friday night game, while Jacob Burham did likewise Saturday.

Burham went six innings on the mound Friday night, allowing one run, while University got two earned runs off Marlin Takovich.

In Saturday’s thriller, University got one run over four innings off starter Andris Barroso and one unearned run in the top of the fifth off Felix Ong, who claimed the victory.

This Friday and Saturday, March 4 and 5, Barron Collier will face the Conchs, both nights at 7:30 p.m., at Rex Weech Field. Earlier in the day, the Key West junior varsity will oppose Calvary Christian in a doubleheader that starts at noon at Rex Weech.

Veteran sports columnist Ralph Morrow says the only sport he doesn’t follow is cricket. That leaves plenty of others to fill his time.