The Woodlands softball sets sights on repeat with target on back

It might not be noticeable, but The Woodlands (Texas) softball team's green jerseys will look a bit different this season: They will feature very large targets on them.

That's the honor the top team in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Preseason Softball Rankings receives. And after the Highlanders' 2011 season, there is little argument that they were the best high school softball program in the United States.

"We're kind of accustomed to having a target on our back," said Highlander head coach Richard Jorgensen. "Many years, we win the Lone Star Award (most successful athletic program) for Texas high schools. The girls handled it (being targeted) really well last year. We had media at all our practices from midseason on. I look for them (players) to do the same thing this year."

Led by all-everything Paige McDuffee, the Highlanders won 44 of 45 games last season, including a Texas 5A State championship. In addition to being honored by MaxPreps as National Softball Player of the Year, McDuffee was also honored as Gatorade's National Softball Player of the Year.

With McDuffee leading the Highlanders, they were atop the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 rankings from early March to the end of the season. The team's only loss during the season was 9-8 to Tomball in the 5A state playoffs, then the Highlanders followed that loss by winning out. En route to the title, The Woodlands defeated defending state champion Pearland in the semifinals and then edged O'Connor (Helotes) in the final.

A UCLA signee, the left-handed McDuffee did almost all the pitching for the Highlanders during their magical season, posting a 38-1 record with 227 strikeouts and an 0.97 ERA. She also hit .410 with 42 RBIs.

The team wasn't all McDuffee, but matching its 2011 accomplishments might be difficult. The team batting average was one base hit short of .400 and the Highlanders scored 404 runs. The Woodlands also had 31 home runs and stole 148 bases.

"We do a lot of things well," said Jorgensen.

It's a good thing it wasn't all McDuffee, as she starts the season on the bench with a swollen forearm.

"Paige will be out until midseason with the swollen forearm," said Jorgensen. "Doctors ordered her to rest and the Texas Rangers team doctor made a two-inch incision."

Jorgensen explained McDuffee had excessive skin scraped off Nov. 21. "Several college pitchers have had this done and it's not threatening. It just needed to be taken out," said the coach who has a career record of 255-57 and in seven seasons at The Woodlands has won 235 of 282 games.

Though the nation's top player starts the season on the bench, Jorgensen said the strength of this year's team is defense.

"We have seven starters back from a very good defensive team," said Jorgensen, who said if there is a weakness it is lack of power at the bottom of the order.

But before opponents get to the bottom, the Highlanders are expected to have created a lot of damage.

Last year, second baseman Alyssa Jorgensen had 68 hits, batted .486 and scored 51 runs. Shortstop Faith Bohack had 57 RBIs, seven homers and batted .425. And first baseman Jessica Snyder drove in 61 runs, collected 32 extra base hits and hit 13 round-trippers. Kayla Prater batted .328.

Many considered Prater the best defensive catcher in the state in 2011 and Jorgensen says she is better this year. And Alyssa Jorgensen, the coach's daughter, is one of the state's best defensive players.

"We will be counting on some freshmen to step in and replace the two starters we lost (centerfielder Kelsey Jolly, on scholarship at McNeese State) and third baseman Brooke Reimann (Blinn Community College). And we'll have to deal with keeping our focus," coach Jorgensen said.

The two freshmen are Aubrey Leach and 6-foot Abby Langkamp, a lefthanded pitcher who is throwing right at 60 mph consistently. Richard Jorgensen said there are already some D-1 schools looking at her.

Leach also has some "big schools" looking at her. The coach said she is super fast, an excellent slapper, and can run down anything. She'll lead off and be a base-stealing threat every time she reaches base.

"We'll count on them (the freshmen) to produce early and we expect they will."

Langkamp will have help filling in for McDuffee as sophomore Caitlin Bartsch pitched 10 games and never lost as a freshman. McDuffie, Snyder, Bohack, Prater and Jorgensen were all honored as All-State players and had hugely successful summer club seasons.

Richard Jorgensen and his staff were honored as 2011's National Fastpitch Coaching Association's National Coaching Staff of the Year.

In addition to McDuffie (UCLA), Snyder (Houston), Bohack (University of Louisiana-Monroe), Prater (Louisiana-Monroe), Jorgensen (Houston), left fielder Taylor O'Dell (Galveston College) and right fielder Taylor Vick (Stephen F. Austin) have signed. Jorgensen expects Reimann will be "re-recruited" after Blinn CC.

Previous D-1 players include Jessica Arana (SFA), Lizzi Arana (SFA), Stephani Krysiak (Harvard), Amber Depasqual (Liberty), Melissa Elks (Campbell), Emily Casey (Syracuse) and Kelsey Jolly.

The Highlanders know that starting the season with McDuffie on the bench will make this year's goals of repeating more difficult because of the target.

"You pull a piece of the puzzle out like Paige and it makes it (reaching goals) difficult," said Richard Jorgensen. "A lot of strong teams in our area are gunning for us."

He mentioned Bellaire, Tomball, Alvin, Pearland, O'Connor and Plano as teams that will contend. O'Connor (34-5 and No. 7), Plano (39-5 and No. 8) and Tomball (34-6 and No. 22) were all ranked among MaxPreps' final Xcellent Top 50 National rankings.

"The most challenging aspect will be keeping focus – just keeping these girls down to earth," said Richard Jorgensen. "Since we've started back (to practice), our goal is getting them refocused. We need that same drive and intensity to keep them going every year."

The Highlanders might have targets on their back this season, but they also have two new banners in the outfield - one for a Texas 5A State title and the other for a national championship.

That should help their focus.