Dons tabbed as team to beat

It didn't surprise Spanish Fork coach Don Andrews when coaches voted the Dons the No. 1 softball team in the preseason rankings.

As most coaches acknowledge, some of the voting is based on what a team did last season. And last season the Dons played their best softball when it mattered most — the 5A tournament.

"We only lost four kids, but they were big players for us, four starters," said Andrews. "But with untested pitchers and outfield, we probably shouldn't be (rated No. 1)."

The Dons have only two losses — one to Springville and one to Layton — but preseason games aren't always the best indicator of how a team will develop.

"We're coming along," Andrews said. "We need to get a little bit more disciplined."

Spanish Fork has a mixture of experience and youth that will make them formidable if they can find the right chemistry. Among the team's key contributors are pitcher Whitney Holm, catcher Susan Cole, centerfielder/third baseman Tina Ferguson and shortstop Katelyn Elliott.

While Spanish Fork was voted No. 1, Viewmont was voted No. 2, and many coaches cited senior pitcher Shelby Tyteca as one of the main reasons. The Viewmont senior is one of the fastest pitchers in the state, and she's been leading the Vikings defensively, including a big win over Riverton two weeks ago. But fielding errors are hurting the team, and the Vikings have lost their first two region games against Weber and Layton, where both times their opponents scored big in the game's final innings to win.

Viewmont coach Tiffani Randall said her philosophy in the preseason is to find out which players are up to the challenges of 5A softball.

"We have a lot of young kids, so we're moving them around, trying to see who will be best in each position," she said. The Vikings will rely on three seniors, two juniors and eight sophomores, so it may take some time before the young squad reaches its potential. In addition to Shelby Tyteca, her younger sister Shasta Tyteca, catcher; Randall's younger sister, Kalli Randall, first baseman; freshman Cina Cummings, shortstop; and Brittney Wayman, outfield, are among the team's core players.

Coaches voted Riverton the No. 3 team in preseason polls, and the Silverwolves have shown they will be among the state's top teams again this season. Riverton split with Viewmont in preseason play, and like the Vikings, it has a mixture of experience, talent and youth that will make them an interesting and dangerous squad.