(This article first appeared in the April print edition of the Hendersonian.)
Three straight trips to the state championship have transformed Henderson County Softball into the standard that teams around the state are chasing. If it wishes to continue adding to its legacy, the team will have to do so without one of the best players ever to wear the maroon pinstripes, Anna Kemp.
With Kemp having graduated and now pitching for the University of Southern Indiana, the question isn’t if the team will be good enough, but if it can adapt enough to continue its championship tradition.
“When you lose players, there’s no such thing as filling the gap. It’s bringing new players up and teaching them to lead and own the moment and trusting them,” head coach Shannon Troutman said. “Anna was a big loss, but we’ve got some young ones up-and-coming.”
Though they’ll be losing Kemp and four other seniors, Henderson will return eight key contributors from last season’s lineup. That combination of experience and maturity should give them much-needed stability early in the season.
One player who figures to continue leading for HCHS is senior Ayden Bennett who led the team last year in several major statistical categories, including batting average (.486), hits (67), runs (62), and stolen bases (46). Bennett, who recently signed to play softball at the University of Evansville, is excited to play her senior season alongside all her teammates.
“Personally, I’m looking to beat my goals like my stolen bases and hitting average and am looking to go further with those,” Bennett said. “We’re here to have fun, but we’re here to win.”
Mackenzie Burczyk is another senior, who should anchor the lineup with her bat. She was by far the best power hitter on last year’s team with 10 home runs and 64 RBI, while batting at a .420 clip. She hopes to leave her mark on Henderson County with another solid season. She is focused on her team establishing its identity early in the season.
“Our identity is definitely grit and fight,” Burczyk said. “The last couple years we’ve always talked about finding that dog in us and digging deep in those hard moments. Knowing what it was like to achieve those goals, we have a mindset and work ethic that is so strong.”
If there’s an underclassman to keep an eye on taking a major leap forward in leadership, it could be junior Maggie Grogan. Grogan is a smart, speedy shortstop who has enjoyed loads of success on the field due to her athleticism. She was second to Bennett in each of the same categories, hitting .432 with 54 hits, 53 runs, and 29 steals. Additionally, she collected 48 RBI, which was second to Burczyk. Grogan is confident that her team’s hard work will pay off, as she hopes to fill a leadership role.
“I’m going to take the younger ones under my wing and just have a good attitude no matter what the outcomes are. Whether it’s a good game or a good at-bat, just having a positive attitude,” Grogan said.
There is a ton more talent and experience up and down the lineup with other players such as senior Braylin Risley, juniors Azayah Hall and Saniya Shields, and sophomores Lilly Bennett and Jersey Gardner, all looking to take a step forward this season. Bennett and Shields were each named to the state All-Tournament team last June. Risley has committed to play at Frontier Community College, while Shields will one day continue her softball career at USI.
Of course, one of the largest questions looming for the Lady Cols is how to replace Kemp’s production in the pitching circle. Kemp threw 163.1 innings with 200 strikeouts and a 22-4 record. The answer is junior transfer Kamryn Timmons, who comes to Henderson from Daviess County.
Last season for the Lady Panthers, Timmons owned an 11-2 record, throwing 58.2 innings with 118 strikeouts and a 0.72 ERA. She actually pitched against HCHS in the quarterfinals of the state tournament, giving up one run over 3.2 innings before being removed in a game that featured several lengthy rain delays and was postponed until the next day. The Lady Cols ultimately won the game, 7-0.
Timmons is a self-described strikeout pitcher, who has already committed to continue her playing career at Ole Miss. So far, she has been impressed with the culture surrounding Henderson County Softball.
“I wanted to make myself better as a player and a person,” Timmons said. “I definitely feel like this program could help me do that and it has. I’m so grateful for the ability to be surrounded by such great people that push me and push themselves. I just love being here. They’re very goal-driven. They’re very intense in practice, and it’s something like I’ve never seen before, but I love it.”
Timmons has already shown flashes of brilliance this year. In the second game of the season, she tossed a nine-inning no-hitter with 18 strikeouts. She also drove in the only run as HCHS beat Apollo, 1-0.
Troutman expects his juniors and seniors to step forward and have even better years than they had last year to push his team even further. He knows that the Lady Cols are no longer the ones doing the pursuing, but have become the team with a target on its back.
“It’s state championship or bust.”
The Lady Cols have gotten off to a strong start this season. As of March 26, they own an undefeated 6-0 record, having allowed just eight total runs to opponents.
