Freshman Has Big Cleats to Fill
Freshman Allision Campbell is ready to take over when Senior Mariah Watts leaves.
Freshman Allison Campbell gets ready to pitch the ball on March 18 against Bayshore. Campbell will be taking senior Mariah Watts' place as pitcher next year when Watts leaves for the University of Wisconsin. (ANGELICA SHEPPARD | SNN)
With a pitch at
64 mph being thrown by Lakewood senior Mariah Watts, it might take freshman
Allison Campbell a while to match-up. This season Campbell, who has been playing
softball since childhood, throws 56 mph.
Still,
Campbell, the main prospective pitcher for next year’s softball team, said she
is ready to take over when Watts, who signed with the University of Wisconsin,
leaves.
“It’ll be
hard because (Mariah’s) great, but if I work hard I think I could do it,” she
said. After high school, Campbell also wants to earn a softball scholarship and
go to college.
“This
year’s softball team will go very far and is in great hands,” said Watts, who
has been playing for seven years. She’s been working with the rookie players and
has high hopes for Campbell.
“I feel
she has to work on ball placement and her confidence, and she’ll be on her way,”
Watts said. When Watts goes to Wisconsin she will be majoring in journalism and
mass communications and playing softball.
Coach Edie
Shankle said the team this year is doing great so far. As of last Friday, they
had 13 wins and 5 losses. Up next for the team is their first district game
today at Lakewood. This year they are shooting for state championships, and
“with hard work it could happen,” she said.
As for
next year, Shankle said she envisions Campbell as being a key
player.
“She has
stayed positive about her experience on the field and has battled well against
some good teams,” said Shankle, who has been coaching softball for about seven
years and has been at a high school level for four. “If she continues to work
hard and stay on the path she has started, she will have a good season and a
good future at Lakewood.”
Shankle
said she is sad that this is Watts’ last year at Lakewood, but she knows she’ll
do good things in the future.
“She is a
fantastic ball player who has great leadership and an all-around great
attitude,” she said. “Watching her on the field and with the girls on the team
has been so much fun the last couple years. I am truly going to miss
her.”