By Dave Krider
MaxPreps.com
Once Kelsey Krych perfected the art of head-first sliding, she was off to the races. And she never stopped until she had established a national high school softball record for base stealing.
The 5-2, 115-pound speedster stole 261 bases - being thrown out just twice - while sparking the Goodrich (Mich.) Martians during a remarkable four-year career. Frazzled opponents may have thought she was from another planet because she never was thrown out as a junior and senior, being successful on her final 135 attempts. The previous record was 246 by Kristy Roberts of Danville, Ala., from 2002-05.
Krych wasn't any slouch with the bat, either, because she had 260 hits, which placed her No. 3 in Michigan history. During her career she batted a lofty .485, with nine doubles, six triples, 53 walks, 233 runs, 69 RBIs, a .559 on-base percentage and she struck out only 38 times in 656 at-bats.
"I never thought I'd break a national record - it's kind of unrealistic," the Goodrich star says. "I'm proud of what I've done. I worked hard and I love the game of softball. Hard work pays off."
Assistant Bob Morgan calls the national record "one of my proudest moments as a coach. There is no higher pinnacle. She reads pitching very well and her timing is an asset. I consider her my fourth daughter."
A left-handed, leadoff hitter, she is a natural center fielder, but also filled in at shortstop briefly this year. She is a lifetime Detroit Tigers fan and enjoys following players such as Curtis Granderson and Johnny Damon.
"She's a great bunter and slap hitter," head coach Ryan Pritchett says. "She also is a tremendous defensive player and that's not emphasized enough. She is really a joy to watch."
The entire Krych family enjoys softball and Kelsey believes it is "in our blood." She played baseball until the fourth grade before starting competitive softball as a seventh grader. Her turning point was the summer between her eighth and ninth grade years, because Rick Bescoe - who coached her as a freshman and sophomore - asked her to switch from batting right-handed to become a left-handed slap hitter and take full advantage of her natural speed (2.8 seconds from home to first).
"It was hard, but not as hard as I thought," Krych said of the switch. "It was just a lot of repetition. It took a whole off-season. I swing right-handed once in awhile - just fooling around in practice - and it feels awkward."
That same freshman year Bescoe taught Krych to slide head-first into bases. "I was fast, but wasn't really used to my speed on offense," she explained. "I loved stealing bases. When you slide head-first, you have to know how to get around the tag. I wear a mask on my helmet (to protect her face). I'm usually sore the next day. I get a lot of scrapes on my hips and elbows, but usually not that deep. I had never broken a bone, but I did injure a finger on my left hand in the last game."
"We slid every single day," Bescoe related. "Each girl would slide five or 10 minutes per day. It was important to prevent injuries and to steal bases. She also mastered stealing third. Every time she got on base, it was like she hit a triple. After she would steal third, her teammates would ask her to do a little break-down dance. She has a contagious laugh that would just about bring everybody to their knees. The whole ball park could hear her laugh. We always had our sights set on the state record (222). She's a modest girl. She deserves all the credit."
Krych wound up stealing 54 times in 55 tries as a freshman. She started out in left field, but near the end of the season she became a fixture in center. With a good eye at the plate she drew 17 walks, scored 44 runs and batted .401. Hitting left-handed for the first year, she struck out 27 times in 137 at-bats. However, she fanned only 11 times over her final three campaigns.
The Goodrich star batted .571 as a sophomore, scored 57 runs and stole 76 bases in 77 attempts. As a junior she batted .460 with 63 runs and 66 stolen bases. She completed her senior year by batting .508 with 69 runs and 65 stolen bases. She also threw out four base runners and made only one error. The Martians, ranked No. 2 in the state in Division II, posted a 34-3 record this spring.
Krych's high game was five stolen bases against Durand, though she did steal 10 in a three-game tournament.
Her feats were even more amazing because she constantly was targeted by opposing defenses. As captain she would attend the pre-game conference and often hear a coach say, "Hey, we've been practicing for you." She pointed out, "That gave me a lot of determination."
Not surprisingly, Krych was able to use her speed to also become a standout in track and cross country. She ran cross country for three years, placing as high as 10th in the state meet as a junior. She ran track for two years, placing second in the state 800-meter run as a junior.
She has an excellent 3.5 GPA and lists math as her favorite subject. She works with special education kids and helps coach younger players in softball. She is a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Lapeer. "To have morals and keep faith is probably the biggest thing in my family," she says.
Krych has a scholarship to compete in softball and cross country at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., so it appears she'll be running opponents ragged for years to come.
Softball Notes
* The nation's premier sophomore pitcher, Kenzie Fowler of Canyon del Oro (Tucson, Ariz.), has been hospitalized for 11 days due to blood clots in her right (pitching) arm. She has had three major surgeries, her mother, Kelly Fowler, told MaxPreps.com. She is expected to come home soon and will begin physical therapy in two weeks. "She can begin light throwing in two months and should be at full strength in six months," Kelly Fowler said.
Kenzie, who throws a blazing 70 miles per hour, compiled a sparkling 28-1 record this spring. She lost only to nationally No. 1-ranked Valencia, Calif., while leading her team to the Class 4A Division I state title and No. 2 ranking in the country. It is believed she had the life-threatening blood clots during the majority of the season. Kenzie, who has committed to the University of Arizona and has been compared favorably to Jennie Finch, was the only returning high school pitcher chosen for the USA Junior National team, which will play in the Netherlands this summer.
* Broughton (Raleigh, N.C.) junior Landon Warren smashed the national record with a spectacular 63-game hitting streak. The record was 46 by Natalie Johnson of Burlington, Iowa from 1999-2000. Warren batted a lofty .633 with 10 home runs. She also stole 26 bases in 26 tries.
* Hueytown, Ala., junior Lindsey Dunlap missed the national record by two when she pitched 33 shutouts this year. She led the state in practically every category with a 44-5 record, 13 no-hitters, 16 one-hitters and 569 strikeouts in 285 innings (14 per seven-inning game). Dunlap, who has committed to Mississippi State, yielded just 69 hits and compiled a microscopic 0.20 ERA.
* Gatorade National Player of the Year Ashley Brignac compiled a flawless 25-0 record and tied the national record (held by many) with a 0.00 ERA while pitching River Ridge John Curtis Christian to its second consecutive Louisiana Class 2A state title. She fired 18 no-hitters - three short of the national record - and seven perfect games. The 5-9 superstar, who had a perfect 4.0 GPA and will attend the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, struck out 421 of the 528 batters she faced, allowed only 14 hits in 159 2/3 innings and batted .500. She had a 31-1 record as a junior with 491 strikeouts and another 0.00 ERA.
* Junior Caitlyn Delahaba pitched a no-hitter and struck out 12 (400 for the year) as Ashburn Broad Run blanked New Kent, 8-0, to win Virginia's Group AA state title and complete a perfect 29-0 campaign. In the semifinals, she struck out 19 and No. 9 batter Kaitlyn Tiplady singled in the only run during a 1-0 victory over Tunstall.
Basketball Notes
* Plymouth, Ind., coach Jack Edison has retired with a 545-251 record in 34 years. The soft-spoken Edison went out on top as his Pilgrims won the Class 3A state title this year with a 25-2 record. His 1982 state championship, sparked by current Chicago Bulls coach Scott Skiles, was one of the greatest accomplishments in Hoosier history.
* The No. 1 rising senior in Texas, Willie Warren, is transferring to Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.). The 6-4 guard averaged 23.2 points and 4.7 assists as a junior at Crowley North Crowley.
* Brookhaven (Columbus, Ohio) rising senior Chris Johnson has announced that he will attend the University of Dayton. The 6-4 guard averaged 24.4 points and 13.2 rebounds as a junior.
* Marcus Jordan, youngest son of Michael Jordan, is transferring from Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.) to Chicago Whitney Young. The 6-2 guard, who will be a junior, will join forces with four other projected Division I prospects. The Chicago powerhouse has games scheduled in Kentucky, New Jersey and Michigan.
* The Hickory Huskers raced past the Terhune Tigers, 145-119, in the second annual Hoosiers Reunion All-Star Classic at the Historic Hoosier Gym. Indiana University-bound Eric Gordon set the pace with 33 points on 12-for-15 shooting. In the girls game, Xavier recruits Ta'Shia Phillips and Sabrina Johnson combined for 52 points and 20 rebounds as the Hickory Huskers romped, 124-84.
Golf Notes
* James White, a rising senior at Harrison (Acworth, Ga.), broke the American Junior Golf Association record with a sizzling 9-under-par 61 (32-29) during the Ringgold (Ga.) Telephone Company Junior Classic. The record of 62 was set in 2002 and tied in 2004. White carded nine birdies and no bogeys over the 6,459-yard, par-70 Windstone Golf Club course. His previous best round was a 65 and he is No. 104 in the Polo Golf Rankings.
* Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis) senior Katie Detlefsen became the first Minnesota golfer - male or female - to win four state titles. She captured the Class 1A crown by 12 strokes even though she was saddled with an ugly double bogey on the final hole. She will attend Central Florida.
Baseball Notes
* Californians dominated the recent Major League draft, with high school seniors being chosen for two of the top three picks. Chatsworth's record home run-hitting shortstop, Mike Moustakas, was taken No. 2 by Kansas City and Cypress third baseman Josh Vitters was taken third by the Chicago Cubs. Another Chatsworth star, third baseman Matt Dominguez, was taken at No. 12 by the Florida Marlins. The Chatsworth duo is only the fifth from the same school to be taken in the first round since the draft was started in 1965.
* West Orange Seton Hall Prep (32-1) sewed up the national championship in at least two publications by routing Metuchen St. Joseph's, 10-1, to win New Jersey's non-public Class A state championship. Senior Rick Porcello (10-0), a first-round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers, pitched a five-hitter with nine strikeouts and two walks.
Football Notes
* Oklahoma is off to a great recruiting start, already having commitments from two of the nation's top 25 players: Jermie Calhoun, a 6-0, 210-pound running back from Van, Texas; and Stephen Good, a 6-6, 305-pound offensive tackle from Paris, Texas.
* Notre Dame has received a commitment from one of the nation's top nose tackles, 6-1, 300-pound Omar Hunter of Buford, Ga.
Potpourri
* Castilleja (Palo Alto, Calif.) senior Tori Anthony pole vaulted 14 feet, 1 ¬ inches at the Golden West Invitational track meet in Sacramento, Calif., to break her own national record (14-1). Euclid (Ohio) junior Jessica Beard set a meet record while winning the 400-meter dash in 52.07 seconds, which also was the fastest in the nation this year. Walter Henning, a senior from St. Anthony's (South Huntington, N.Y.) threw the hammer 254 feet, 2 inches - No. 2 all-time nationally.
* John Jay staged the upset of the year in lacrosse, stunning the nation's No. 1-ranked boys team, Huntington, 11-10, in double overtime during New York's Class B state semifinals. Huntington had won 63 consecutive matches and the last two state titles. John Jay then lost to Jamesville-DeWitt, 13-11, in the state championship contest.
* Wyatt McCoy of Mounds View (St. Paul) defeated Blaine junior Paul Swanson, 6-2, 6-0, to become the first eighth grader in Minnesota history to win a state singles championship in tennis. Earlier the Class 2A king had ousted previously unbeaten defending state champion Michael Sicora of Buffalo in a three-set semifinal. McCoy's father, Brian, and brother, Brody, both are tennis pros.
* Bill Buchalter, one of the nation's leading high school sportswriters, has retired after 45 years at the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel. A member of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, "Bucky" is a walking encyclopedia of Florida prep sports and he'll be greatly missed.