CHIMACUM — Maybe more prep teams should sit a season out on the sidelines.
After a year-long hiatus due to a lack of players, the Chimacum softball team has rebounded in a big way in 2015.
With a full team and a new coaching staff — head coach Junior Roberts and assistant coaches Mike and Jim Eldridge — the Cowboys find themselves two wins away from claiming a Class 1A state tournament berth entering the West Central District tournament at Sprinker Fields in Tacoma this weekend.
The Olympic League 1A champion Cowboys will face the winner between Coupeville and Bellevue Christian at 11 a.m. Saturday.
If Chimacum wins, they’ll advance to the district championship game at 1 p.m.
A loss in Saturday’s first game drops the Cowboys into the consolation bracket, where they will battle for the district’s second an final state berth in a loser-out game at 4 p.m.
Chimacum wasted no time this season laying waste to teams that would go on to finish in the lower half of the Olympic League 2A standings, blasting Bremerton 13-1 and victimizing North Kitsap 20-0 to open the season.
Success continued during the season as the Cowboys pushed to a 10-7 overall record, 7-2 in Olympic League 1A.
Making it to within a few wins of state hasn’t been a huge shock for Roberts.
“[Chimacum athletic director] Gary Coyan told me we had a good roster before the season,” Roberts said.
“He let me know there were quite a few players who played travel ball or had played a lot of little league softball, so I knew we had some experience, despite the year off.”
Instrumental in the Cowboys’ resurgence has been the commitment shown by four Chimacum players: freshman Bradyn Nelson, sophomore twins Mechelle and Shanya Nisbet and junior Ryley Eldridge.
With no high school team to play for last year Eldridge and the Nisbets didn’t sit idle. Instead, they joined Nelson and played for the Port Orchard-based Titus Will Titans.
The four don their black and gold Titans batting helmets when they step to the plate for Chimacum.
“That travel ball experience has really helped us,” Roberts said.
Roberts pointed to pitching as a big reason the Cowboys’ progress this season.
“Definitely great pitching from Ryley,” Roberts said.
“She’s been amazing at keeping hitters guessing and off-balance. She’s had a great year and kept us in a lot of games to help us win them.”
Mechelle Nisbet has been critical in her role calling the game at catcher.
“We also have a really great catcher behind the plate in Mechelle Nisbet,” Roberts said.
“Ryley and Mechelle have a good bond. Before every game they talk about strategy, they talk about how they are going to face each batter and they map out a plan.”
Eldridge’s dad, Mike, serves as pitching coach, working with the pair in practice and finalizing the finer points of in-game strategy.
Mike Eldridge’s brother, Jim, the head coach of the Chimacum boys basketball team, isn’t shy to offer up pointers and help the team visualize what to do in certain circumstances.
“We’ve really had some great coaching from Jim Eldridge,” Roberts said.
“He helps out a lot on defense, leading drills and going over a lot of game situations, error situations, and how we should react.”
Shanya Nisbet mans the hot corner, third base, for the Cowboys.
“That’s a tough position to play in softball,” Roberts said.
“There’s so much action, with bunts, with hard grounders, with liners, and she handles it well.”
Roberts said the twins are typically pretty quiet, but they step up the chatter during important moments.
“The twins can be vocal and get the team going when we need it,” Roberts said.
Nelson has become a defensive stopper at second base.
“Bradyn Nelson is our spark plug,” Roberts said. “Every time we need a play on defense, she comes through.”
Roberts is thankful for how smoothly his first season in charge has gone.
“Not only are the girls putting out the effort, but my assistants, the parents, the athletic director, everybody has stepped up to help,” Roberts said.
“It’s nice as a coach when all you have to do is concentrate on your lineup and practices. And even at practice, the assistants really take over and guide what we need to work on.
“This is the easiest coaching job I’ve ever had.”
A continued focus on the small stuff will help Chimacum’s attempt at making state.
“We talk about doing the little things to help us be great,” Roberts said.
“Things like getting the ball in quickly from the outfield, not trying to chase runners, covering bases on passed balls.
“Every game they’ve gotten better at doing those things, and if we continue to take care of those things we will be fine at districts.”
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 5250 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
