Huntley looks forward after loss

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WOODSTOCK – The seniors on Huntley’s softball team spent the past four seasons building the program into one worthy of attention and respect.

After Thursday, when the Red Raiders bowed out of the postseason with a 4-3 loss to Hononegah in a Class 4A Woodstock Sectional semifinal, pitcher Samantha Clemons, third baseman Deana DeBosschere, shortstop Alex Albanese, center fielder Sarah Clancy and right fielder Jordan Hogue can only hope their successors continue to mold the program.

Huntley was fresh off its third consecutive regional crown and its third consecutive 20-win season. The program evolved from one that struggled to one that won a share of the Fox Valley Conference Fox Division title last year and always challenged opponents.

“I hope the [underclassmen] take what we’ve started and go further with it,” said Clemons, who took the loss against the Indians. “We want to challenge the girls behind us to do better than what we’ve done; to finally get past this spot.”

The Indians will face Prairie Ridge at 10 a.m. Saturday for the sectional championship.

The sectional semifinal has been the hurdle that the Raiders softball program never could jump.

“It is frustrating, but all you really can ask for is a chance to be in this game,” Huntley coach Mark Petryniec said. “I’m very proud of their efforts. We just came up a little short today.”

Huntley (24-13) and Hononegah (28-9) went into the seventh inning tied at 3, but Hononegah struck for the winning run in the bottom of the inning.

Second baseman Holly Zinnecker led off with a single and advanced to second on a Huntley throwing error. Staci Heller flew out to right field for the Indians’ first out, but first baseman Nicki Ervin drove a double into deep left field to drive in Zinnecker for the game-winning run.

The Raiders beat the Indians, 13-4, early in the season in the second game of the Harlem Tournament, Hononegah coach Lisa Larson said.

“They’re a great team, so we were anxious to play them head-to-head,” Larson said. “We wanted to see who was going to take advantage of what they were given.”

The Raiders scored their first run in the first, when DeBosschere’s flyout to center drove in Clancy, who had led off with a double.

Clancy stole home in the third after leading off with a single, advancing to second on a passed ball, and to third on Clemons’ single. She saw her opportunity to score when Hononegah catcher Shauna Heller caught Clemons trying to steal second and threw to Zinnecker.

Zinnecker and Ervin had Clemons in a rundown when Clancy stole home. Clemons got back to first unscathed.

The Raiders’ final run came in the fifth when DeBosschere’s single drove in Clemons, who had singled and gone to second on a passed ball.

They might not have cleared that sectional semifinal hurdle, but Petryniec still was proud.

“I brought up these [senior] girls as freshmen and the program wasn’t doing well,” Petryniec said. “... I can’t say enough or be more proud. And I’m so proud of [Clemons]. Being the only pitcher on a team is hard and she did everything I ever needed her to do.”