By Mike Kays
Of all the numbers Cortney Glass compiled this year and throughout her four-year career at Sequoyah High school, the one her coach cited to define her best won’t be found in any numeric.
“She’s been the leader of this group ever since she’s been out here,” Sequoyah coach Jeff Turtle said about the Most Valuable Player on the 2009 All-Phoenix fastpitch softball squad.
“She came out here as a freshman and immediately gave us the possibility of having a pitcher that would be here for four years, getting better every year — which she did,” Turtle said. “But I also believed she would grow with this team and influence it, working with those that weren’t as experienced. And once we got past that inexperience, we thought we’d have a shot of getting where we were.”
Where they were was three state tournament appearances. This season, Sequoyah fell short of a championship in Class 3A, losing a 2-1, 10-inning decision to then No. 1 Purcell, which went on to lose the championship game. For the most part of that game, Glass matched Purcell sophomore Kayla Wyatt. Both carried shutouts into the 10th. A leadoff single, infield error and two-out walkoff single ended Sequoyah’s season.
The Lady Indians finished their second straight semifinal trip at 32-9. Glass posted a 23-6 pitching mark and an 0.74 ERA, with 151 K’s, 10 shutouts and two no-hitters. She also hit .404 with 34 RBIs and one home run that Turtle said would lead off her senior highlight reel.
“It was at the park on the edge of campus where we hosted our festival,” he said. “With one home run, she’s obviously not known as a power hitter but the fences were closer down there. At our regular field on campus, the fences are backed up. We preach line drives. If you hit it in the air it’s an out. We hit about five that day at the other one.”
Jamie Roberts, whose Purcell team had just one hit off Glass through nine innings of the semifinal, was impressed with her.
“She had good location, threw it exactly where she wanted to, and kept us off balance until we finally put something together,” Roberts said. “She’s a heck of a player.”
But about that leadership edge she gave her team....
“I just tried to set a good example for everybody, to help make everybody work as a team and stick together, said Glass, who also made the team in 2007 and 2008. “There’s not one person on this team that’s above anybody. We grew stronger as a team each year. We didn’t get where we ultimately wanted to get but we fought hard and played good.”
She’s visiting Connors State this week and has a list of schools she’s looking at including Rose State, Coffeyville, Seminole and Oklahoma Christian University. Her sister, Lindsey, graduated from Kansas and played at Bacone as a catcher.
“I only know at this point that I want a small school,” she said.
Speaking of family ties, Hilldale coach Darren Riddle was selected Coach of the Year in a narrow decision over Turtle and Fort Gibson coach James Parnell. Riddle, Hilldale’s athletic director who became interim coach in August, led his unranked team to a 20-10 record and an unexpected state semifinal spot before a loss to eventual 4A champion Blanchard. His sophomore daughter, Danielle, was his pitcher and the runner-up in the MVP voting.
Riddle has coached Hilldale’s baseball team to three state tournaments, including last year’s quarterfinalist team.
“I don’t look at this as anything special for myself even though I guess it is an honor. But it’s because the kids make these happen,” the coach said. “It’s not as much of a turnaround as it seems because these girls have gotten out of districts the last few years and it was just that last step at regionals that was the hump they couldn’t get over. They practiced hard, did everything I asked and we didn’t have any issues.”
Sequoyah and Hilldale had the most selections on the team, both with four. Joining Glass was third baseman Saharra Henson and outfielders Nikki Lewis and Ashton Parent. Joining the Riddles were outfielder Paige Boling and second baseman Kali Romine.
Boling and Fort Gibson’s Taylor Mills both achieved four-year membership on the team. Mills was predominantly a pitcher for the Lady Tigers, who under Parnell got to the quarterfinals where they were upended by Tuttle in 13 innings.
Muskogee catcher Madison Reed and first baseman Hannah Hamilton were repeat selections, as was Haskell shortstop Jodi Edmiston.
Also selected was freshman pitcher Madyson Fox of Oktaha, the Newcomer of the Year, and her teammate and sister Emery Fox, Oktaha’s designated hitter and the 2007 Newcomer of the Year.
Checotah shortstop Shelby Townsend and Keys outfielder Megan Alsenay round out this year’s group, selected by a vote of Phoenix staff members and area coaches.
The lineup
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
*Cortney Glass, P, Sr., Sequoyah
.404 BA with 34 RBI and 1 HR. 23-6 pitching, 0.74 ERA, 151 Ks, 10 shutouts and two no-hitters.
COACH OF YEAR:
Darren Riddle, HIlldale.
Took over team in August when previous coach resigned and led team to state semifinal loss to 4A state champ Blanchard.
NEWCOMER OF YEAR:
Madyson Fox, P, Fr., Oktaha
Hit .360 with a .990 FP; 4.89 ERA
PITCHERS:
*Danielle Riddle, So., Hilldale
Was 18-8 in app. 156 innings with one save, a .098 ERA, 177 Ks and 27 walks. Hit .417 in 91 at-bats, 16 runs, seven doubles, 1 HR, 25 RBIs. .970 FP.
*Taylor Mills, Sr., Fort Gibson
Was 16-5 in 152.3 innings, 83 walks, 198 Ks. 0.60 ERA. Hit .330 in 103 at bats with 9 RBIs.
CATCHER:
*Madison Reed, Sr. Muskogee
.413 BA, 34/38 stolen bases, 7 doubles and 34 runs scored.
FIRST BASE:
*Hannah Hamilton, Sr., Muskogee
380 BA, 15/17 stolen bases, 5 doubles, 3 triples, 16 RBIs
SECOND BASE:
Kali Romine, So., Hilldale
.428 BA in 96 at bats with 4 doubles, 9 RBI and 7 stolen bases in leadoff spot, .910 FP.
SHORTSTOP:
*Jodi Edmiston, Jr., Haskell
.495 BA, 54 hits, 30 runs, 12 RBI, 5 doubles, 5 triples, 28 stolen bases and .972 FP.
THIRD BASE:
Saharra Henson, So., Sequoyah
.424 BA with 29 RBIs, 18 stolen bases, 4 HRs.
OUTFIELDERS:
*Paige Boling, Sr., Hilldale
.414 BA in 94 at bats, 14 walks, nine doubles and a 1.000 FP
Megan Alsenay, Sr., Keys
.409 BA in 98 at bats, 35 runs, 40 hits, 10 doubles and 21 walks.
*Nikki Lewis, Sr., Sequoyah
.475 BA with 19 RBIs, 34 stolen bases, 1 HR.
DESIGNATED HITTER:
Emery Fox, Jr., Oktaha
.420 with six home runs and 32 RBIs, .992 FP
UTILITY IF:
Shelby Townsend, Checotah, SS, Sr.
.463 BA, 10 stolen bases, FP .926
UTILITY OF:
Ashton Parent, Sr., Sequoyah
.462 BA, 14 RBI with 25 stolen bases, 1 HR.
* repeat selections
