By Katie Carrera and Matthew Stanmyre
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, June 13, 2008

During the Virginia AA championship game against Tunstall last Saturday at Radford University, Broad Run sophomore outfielder Anna Blessing showed glimpses of her vast potential.

She reached base in the first inning after being hit by a pitch, then advanced to third with a textbook slide on a single by senior Kaitlyn Tiplady. Moments later, the 5-foot-11 Blessing sprinted home on a teammate's groundout to score the Spartans' third run during their 4-0 victory, which capped the team's second consecutive undefeated season.

"She's got all the skills to be a superstar," Broad Run Coach Ed Steele said. "Next year she's going to get more chances to prove it."

That's because the Spartans (28-0), who for the second season in a row finished the year ranked No. 1 in The Post's final softball poll, will graduate a quartet of four-year starters who have guided Broad Run to 57 consecutive victories and an 83-1 record over the past three seasons. Pitcher Caitlyn Delahaba, first baseman Karla Powell, second baseman Michelle Clohan and shortstop Ashley Kramer -- who have all signed with NCAA Division I teams -- will certainly be missed, but the future remains bright at Broad Run, which will have four starters and five reserves returning.

Broad Run coaches are expecting more from Blessing with another offseason of maturation. This year, she batted .400 with 20 runs, a combined seven doubles and triples, and two home runs.

Also back for the Spartans will be all-Dulles District catcher Haley Johnson, who had 26 RBI, and junior infielder Reagan Doiron, who batted .402 with six doubles and 10 walks. The Spartans expect sophomore Jenn Soroka to flourish as Powell's replacement at first base.

"We might not be absolutely dominant, but we're going to be pretty good," Steele said. "All these younger players, you know they're only going to get better."

For the second straight year, Chesapeake's run through the Maryland 4A title bracket culminated in a championship matchup that pitted the Anne Arundel County powerhouse against one of the top teams in Montgomery County.

And for a second consecutive year, the Cougars (24-2) dominated their opponent, defeating 18-3 Sherwood, 7-0, prompting Coach Don Ellenberger to credit their tough in-county opponents for preparing Chesapeake for a romp to the school's seventh state title.

"Anne Arundel has some of the strongest pitching around and some of the best travel-ball teams," Ellenberger said. "It's hard to get any tougher competition than what we see in the county, unless we'd play a Broad Run or a team up in Pennsylvania."

The Cougars must replace shortstop Angela Yannone next year and will need to reconstruct their outfield without Samantha Pettie, Erika Stasch and Lauren Gottleib.

But they will have two of their most successful players back: second baseman Kelly Hickman and pitcher Lauren Gibson, a three-time All-Met and University of Tennessee recruit. Gibson threw a no-hitter in the 4A final for the second consecutive year, and she batted .500 this season.

They will look to lead Chesapeake through a season with an even larger target on its back.

"Everyone's talking about who could knock us off," Ellenberger said. "I don't really expect to go 26- or 27-0. We just want to get back to that final game."