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2006 was to be first of 3. 2007 loss spurs Hoover big-time in 2008 finals
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Thursday, Jun 05, 2008
Fifty-four weeks ago, the talk was that the North Canton Hoover softball team was a mini-dynasty destined to win three consecutive Division I state championships.
There was even an ongoing debate whether the Vikings were one of the best teams in state history.
Such conjecture was spurred by Hoover having won the 2006 state title with seven sophomores in the starting lineup, including ace pitcher Jessica Simpson.
The plug was pulled last May when unranked and upstart Hudson edged the top-ranked Vikings 2-0 in eight innings in the Akron regional final. The Explorers went on to win two more games to claim the state title.
Hoover has lived with that defeat for more than a year and now has a chance at redemption. The Vikings won the Akron regional last weekend to earn a spot in the 31st annual State Fast-Pitch Softball Tournament that will be played today through Saturday at Firestone Stadium in Akron.
''We saw both sides of the spectrum. We know what it was like to go all the way and what it was like to lose,'' said Simpson, who pitched shutouts over Hud
son and Brunswick last week in the regional tournament. ''We like it a lot better to win. We don't want to have the feeling that we did last year.''
The Vikings (30-2) will play Grove City (28-3) at 3 p.m. Friday in a state semifinal. A victory would send Hoover to the state final at 5:30 p.m. against the winner of the other semifinal between Elyria (27-1) and Mason (24-8).
Getting such a chance has been on their minds since the loss to Hudson.
''It was really tough when we lost because we could have won it. We were good enough to win it, but we didn't. It was so disappointing,'' said senior second baseman Megan Lilley, who had five hits in the two regional victories. ''For a whole year, we were anxious for this moment . . . to keep going and have a chance to win it again.''
The sophomores of 2006 have become the seniors of 2008 — and five of them have earned Division I college scholarships.
Simpson will attend Miami University and Lilley is going to Northwestern. Catcher Sarah Gerber and right fielder McKenna Russ are headed to Eastern Michigan, and center fielder Felicia Houtz is headed to the University of Akron.
First baseman Ali Lindeman (Ohio State, but not playing softball) and third baseman Erin Riccardi (John Carroll) also started in the 2006 state tournament. Another senior, starting designated player Jessica Meleg (Ursuline College), was a member of the 2006 team.
The acknowledged the key piece of the puzzle is Simpson, a right-hander who has a 101-11 record as a four-year starter, including 84-6 in the past three seasons.
Simpson does not have a dazzling fastball, but she is smart and is best in the clutch.
''Jess has the ability to step it up a notch when she gets in tough situations,'' Hoover coach Jerry Goodpasture said. ''The outstanding pitchers do that. It could be placement. It could be more speed. It could be more movement. They do something to step it up.''
Goodpasture said his team is peaking at the right time after some lackluster early performances.
''The [Hudson] loss motivated them, but not until late. We didn't have a whole lot of fire for much of the season, until tournament time,'' he said. ''We played well enough to win, but we didn't have a lot of fire.
''Once the tournament started, you could really see the difference in their play. They were waiting for the opportunity.''
An opportunity they seized in 2006, let slip away in 2007 and have again in 2008.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
Fifty-four weeks ago, the talk was that the North Canton Hoover softball team was a mini-dynasty destined to win three consecutive Division I state championships.
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