The West News (West, Tex.), Vol. 112, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 25, 2002 Page: 7 of 10
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The West News - Thursday, April 25,2002
Page 7
Opening Day activities
There was plenty of baseball and softball action at the West Community
Complex last Saturday as the city's summer league had its opening day
ceremony and first games of the season. In the bottom left picture, a T-ball
player prepares to take a big swing at the ball, in the top left picture, a Senior
Midget league player hurls a pitch toward home plate. In the top right picture,
the West League Booster League honored the West VFW and Ladies Auxil-
iary during the opening day ceremony. Pictured left to right are VFW
Commander Frank Podsednik, Ladies Auxiliary President Ruby Betz and
VFW officer Jim Garrett. In the bottom right picture, Megan Grones entertains
the crowd with her singing. „ . .
staff photos - Larry Knapek
Amanda Horton signs scholarship with UTSA
West High School senior
Amanda Horton signed a letter
of intent to attend the Univer-
sity of Texas at San Antonio on
April 15 and play softball.
The 5 ft. 10 in., 155 pound
Lady Trojan received the schol-
arship for the Division I univer-
sity after three outstanding sea-
sons on the West varsity.
As a starting pitcher for the
West team, which just last week
wrapped up the District 17-AAA
championship, Horton currently
has 26-3 won-loss record which
includes a .89 earned run aver-
age and 184 strikeouts in 142
innings pitched. Last season, she
finished with a 22-2 record and
.51 earned run average in win-
ning all state honors. She was
also chosen the Most Valuable
Player in District 17-AAA and
was a first team Super Centex
selection.
As a sophomore, she was se-
lected to the all state team at
first base and was the district's
offensive most valuable player
and a second team Super Centex
selection.
The West pitcher said Temple,
McLennan Community College,
Hill College and Stephen F. Aus-
tin all showed interest in her
bringing her softball skills to
their school, she chose UTSA
because of their medical studies
program. "They have a strong
medical program there," said
Horton who plans to be a pre-
West Lady Trojan Amanda Horton received a scholarship to play softball at the University of Texas at San Antonio. At her
signing on the front row (left ot right) are Kathleen Horton (Amanda's mother), Amanda, and coach Guyla Smith. On the
back row are coach Pam Young, coach Sharon Hlavenka, Chuck Horton (Amanda's father) and coach Sandy Dickerson.
med major at the university this
fall.
"They recruited me as a
pitcher, hut I will play wherever
they want me," she added.
In addition to her accomplish-
ments in softball, she has also
excelled in other sports while at
West High. As a sophomore, she
was a member of the West Cross
Country which qualified for the
regional meet and was named to
the district's honorable mention
list in volleyball. As a junior, she
was an honorable mention selec-
tion in basketball and this past
year, she was named the district's
most valuable player in volley-
ball and was a first team Super
Centex selection in that sport.
The West pitcher, who is the
daughter of Chuck and Kathleen
Horton, said her decision to sign
with UTSA has made the re-
mainder of the season more en-
joyable. "It took a lot of pressure
Lady Trojans win
district softball title
The West Lady Trojans won their fifth consecutive district
softball title on April 16 as they defeated the China Spring Lady
Cougars 3-0 behind the no-hit pitching of senior Amanda Horton.
"We played well and hit the ball hard," West coach Guyla Smith
said concerning the win. "Our defense played real well."
West scored the only run they really needed in the first inning
while adding two insurance runs in the fifth.
Horton completely shut down the China Spring attack as she
struck out four Lady Cougars and walked four. Bryant was the
losing pitcher for China Spring.
"It was one of our preseason goals," coach Smith said concerning
the district title. "They just took care of business when they needed
to. I am happy with the win. It is always great to be the district
champs."
Amy Hromadka led the West hitting attack with two singles and
a double while teammates Horton and Casie McCauley each had two
singles. Kristi Charanza smacked a double and Gessica Eskew had
a single.
The West girls are now preparing for the playoffs and on Tuesday
played the Clifton Lady Cubs in a warm-up game at Getterman
Stadium on the Baylor University campus in Waco.
Coach Smith said she is currently trying to get another warm-
upgame for this Friday, but as of press time Wednesday nothing had
been confirmed on the other possible game. The Lady Trojans
receive a first round bye, due to their district championship, and will
play their Area game on either May 2 or 3.
"We are working on fundamentals again," coach Smith said. "It's
the same old story, most of the teams in the playoffs don't get beat
by better teams, they beat themselves." The West coach is hoping its
preparations will give them the needed edge on their playoff oppo-
nents.
Trojans beat La Vega
in baseball action
off. I feel more confident now and
I know I have an awesome de-
fense behind me. We are just
having fun and that's what it's
all about."
With the Lady Trojans enter-
ing the playoffs, Horton wants to
put a fine ending to the season,
but does not want to look too far
ahead. "Ofcourse everyone (who
makes the playoffs) wants to go
to state, but we want to take it
one game at a time."
The West Trojans kept alive
their slim hopes for making the
playoffs last Friday night as they
defeated the La Vega Pirates in
a 20-13 slugfest in West.
The West squad banged out
17 hits as they picked up their
sixth District 17-AAA win
against seven losses to pull
within one game of third place
Connally as the teams finished
district action on Tuesday.
Matt Matus, Ari Loiben and
Justin Boyd led the Trojan hit
parade with three hits each in
the contest. Matus had two
singles and a double while both
Loiben and Boyd smacked three
singles each. Kevin Glomb fol-
lowed with a double and single
while Heath Keel and Bo
Kutscherousky each had two
singles. Glomb and Keel also com-
bined for nine runs batted in
during the game.
Jeff Zapalac got West started
quickly in the first inning as his
two-run homer helped give the
West squad a 3-0 lead. Zapalac
also singled in the sixth inning.
Jason Khoury and Eric Rejcek
both added singles for West in
the game.
Boyd pitched the final three
innings in relief of starter Cody
Gassaway (two and one-third
innings) and reliever Ryan Kolar
to pick up the win.
Despite the win, the Trojans
received some bad news as start-
ing first baseman Adam Marek
broke his arm during a collision
at first base in the game.
"That was a slugfest," West
coach Robb Kirkland said con-
cerning the win. "Heath (Keel)
was out and we were just trying
to get some quality innings from
the rest of the staff," he said in
describing his team's pitching in
the game. He was impressed with
the way his team fought back
from a 9-5 deficit in the game.
In the team's two previous
games, the Trojans came out on
the losing end of contests against
Connally and China Spring.
OnApril 12, the Trojans fell to
Connally 5-2 as neither team was
able to score until the sixth in-
ning when the visiting Cadets
scored twice against West starter
Heath Keel. They tallied three
more times in the seventh in-
ning while the Trojans picked up
their two runs in the bottom of
the inning.
"We just came out flat in that
game," Kirkland said. "We were
not hitting aggressively until the
seventh inning. We had opportu-
nities, but just didn't take ad-
vantage of them. We hit into three
double plays in that game."
Keel went the distance on the
mound for West as he allowed
seven hits in the game and struck
out seven batters. Travis Terry
was the winning pitcher for
Connally.
Justin Castro led the West
hitting attack with two singles
followed by Matus, Keel, Zapalac
and Boyd with a single each.
West then lost a close 3-2 game
to China Spring on April 16.
The Cougars grabbed a 2-0
after the first three innings, but
West fought back with a run in
the fourth and fifth innings to tie
the game. China Spring then
scored the winning run with two
outs in the bottom of the sev-
enth.
"I thought we hit the ball well,
but it was always right at some-
one. It was just a good game,
well-played on both sides," the
West coach said.
Josh Orler was the losing
pitcher for the Trojans as he
pitched the entire game as he
struck out four while walking
nine and hitting a batter.
Johnson was the winning pitcher
for China Spring.
Hits were hard to come for the
Trojans as Orler had two of the
three West hits in the contest.
Matus had the other Trojan hit,
a fifth-inning single.
West Trojan Heath Keel clears the bar during high jump competition at the Glen
Rose meet last Thursday. He is to compete in the high jump in regional
competition this Friday. West Lady Trojan Shana Sulak also is to compete in the
high jump competition this Friday.
West Trojan Frankie Pavelka clears the final hurdle en route to a first place win
in the 300 meter hurdles at the Glen Rose track meet last week. He also won first
at the Brenham meet last Friday. He is to compete in both the 100 meter dash and
300 hurdles at the regional meet in Humble this Friday and Saturday.
The West Trojan 1600 meter team is scheduled to compete at the Regional track
meet. On the front are John Kapavik (left) and Matt Matus. Standing (left to right)
are Justin Boyd, Brian Khoury, Kevin Glomb and Frankie Pavekla.
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Knapek, Larry. The West News (West, Tex.), Vol. 112, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 25, 2002, newspaper, April 25, 2002; West, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth715672/m1/7/?rotate=270: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting West Public Library.