By Chris Cox
State championships are a common occurrence at Jenks High School and this year’s softball team wants to add to that championship tradition.
“We talk about [winning a state championship],” says head coach Todd Williams. “We made the state tournament in the fall and spring. We talk about continuing the momentum we got from those last two seasons and progressing on it.”
Williams has an experienced roster with six of the nine starters from last year’s team returning in 2021. Williams described senior centerfielder Dacia Sexton as the vocal leader on the team. He also said Sexton and senior first baseman Lauren Allen are two great defenders. Williams said the most consistent bat on the team is probably senior second baseman Faith Russell. Russell hit .412 as a junior and .512 as a sophomore and he’s looking for Russell to have another big year from the plate. Another senior challenging for playing time this year is utility player Abby Hoover.
The player Williams says is the leader of this team, on and off the field, is senior catcher Emma Vickrey. Vickrey, a University of Tulsa commit, hit .365 last year and led the team in home runs and RBI despite missing 15 games due to COVID-19 protocols. While she’s capable of putting up some gaudy offensive numbers, Williams believes it’s her ability behind the plate that makes her special.
“Defensively, I don’t know if there’s one better,” Williams says. “Her defensive skills are amazing behind the plate, and she has a cannon on her right shoulder. But, as great as a player Emma is on the field, she is an even better person off the field.”
Having that senior leadership is key, but it’s the talent of the underclassmen that can push this team over the top. Junior Kayla Adams will be the primary pitcher while juniors Paige Williams and Natalie Rodman will take over at left field and shortstop. Sophomore Cali Worsham is a true utility player that Williams says can play just about anywhere.
Jenks is set to get their season underway August 10th against Stillwater.
