2002 All-County Softball

Rogillio, Young lead Warren County's Softball rise

By Ernest Bowker
Sports writer

St. Al, WC coaches split top honors

When fast-pitch softball was introduced to Warren County's high schools in 2000, the results weren't always pretty.

Pitchers and hitters struggled to make the adjustment from slow-pitch, and finished over .500 in that first season was considered an incredible accomplishment for Warren Central and Vicksburg. Three seasons later, however, Warren County has become a fast-pitch hotbed. WC won 26 games this season - six more that WC, VHS and St. Al won combined in 2000 - and were ranked No. 1 in the state for part of the season.

St. Aloysius finished 18-7 and made the Class 1A-2A South State championship before falling to eventual state champion Clarkdale.

The success has stemmed from a combination of a solid group of players, recreational and tournament teams, and good coaching, including that of WC's Lucy Young and St. Al's Gene Rogillio, the 2002 Vicksburg Post co-coaches of the year.

"I think interest has grown to where fast-pitch is now being played everywhere. They'll grow up in fast-pitch the way we grew up in slow-pitch," Young said, adding that increased attention on women's sports has contributed to the meteoric rise here. "It almost makes me tear up when I see that field house and what it'll mean to those girls, and interest in the game and opportunities for our players. It's exciting.

As were the seasons for WC and St. Al. WC went 26-4, and only lost one game to a Mississippi team during the regular season. They advance to the state playoffs for the second straight season and won a first-round series before splitting a pair of thrillers against Starkville in the second round.

Along the way, the Lady Vikes spent part of the season ranked No. 1 in the state in the Clarion-Ledger poll. Freshman pitcher Lauren Anderson, in her third season of varsity ball, turned into a dominating pitcher and catcher Katie Barnett was on the best hitters in the state.

Young said the Lady Vikes' desire was the biggest reason for their success, however. "We've progressed a lot faster this season and accomplished more that I anticipated. But once the season went on, it was a given that we were going to be successful," Young said. "That attests to ... why we have done so well so quickly, is because they wanted to."

While the success of the high school teams creates more interest in fast-pitch, new opportunities in youth leagues and at colleges and junior colleges are also fueling the growth of the sport. Many more junior colleges have added fast-pitch programs in the past few years, and a half-dozen Warren County seniors have either signed or are considering scholarship offers from jucos this spring.

"In the past, for women, trying to get scholarships were few and far between," Young said. "Now they can take these talents they're working with and set their goals. It's a great day for women's sports."