By Kyle LoJacono
All three Hillsborough County softball championship teams call Lutz home.
The Lutz Leaguerettes all-star teams won the Ponytail, Pigtail and Pixie titles, sweeping the tournament crowns on their home fields at the Oscar Cooler Sports Complex May 11 to 13.
It is the third time in the last four years Lutz has swept the county championships. It is also the sixth straight title for the Pixies and fourth in a row for the Ponytails.
“It was such an amazing feeling winning two back-to-back, especially because we’ve been playing together since I was little,” said outfielder/pitcher Taylor Dec, who played for the Ponytails all-stars the last two years. “It’s awesome that I ended my softball career that way.”
Dec graduated from Gaither High in June and is currently taking summer classes at Florida State University. She played in the league for 10 years, but was only part of an all-star team that won county gold in her final two seasons.
Lutz matched up with the programs from Brandon in all three finals, setting up a rematch of the Ponytails finals from 2011.
“It was so suspenseful,” Dec said. “We’d be up, then they’d come back and it went into extra innings. That game, and the one before it, were definitely the craziest of my life.”
The season was the final for Dec with the Lutz Leaguerettes. Along with two county all-star crowns, she also has a bounty of experiences she will have forever.
“It’s such a good sport, and I wouldn’t have made so many awesome friends if it wasn’t playing for the Leaguerettes,” Dec said. “I’ve got a lot of memories I’ll have for the rest of my life.”
The Ponytail division is for players ages 14 to 18, Pigtail is for 10 to 13 and Pixie is for 6 to 9.
The end of the year all-star event includes the top players from each of the Leaguerette softball programs in Lutz, North Tampa, Temple Terrace, Town N’ Country and Brandon in a three-day, double elimination tournament.
Lutz Leaguerettes co-secretary Karen Cuervo, who is also the Pigtails all-stars manager, said players were selected for the all-star teams based on their performance during the regular season. Coaches earned a spot by leading a team to the regular season division title at their home park.
For more information on the league, visit www.lutzleaguerettes.com.
Ponytails
Players: Zizi Pawlus, Taylor Dec, Christine Canger, Audrey Trent, Christine Rodhouse, Christine Snyder, Maddy Reinhard, Morgan Wade, Abbie Pearson, Nikki Dorsey, Giselle Ponce, Megan Richardson, Kayla Cassato
Coach: Jeff Canger
Manager: Iza Pawlus
Assistants: Larry Pawlus, Danny Pawlus
Pigtails
Players: Kellie Zambito, Jessica Paul, Sami Mulenberg, Shelby Byrd, Gabby Puleo, Leah Hulm,
Amber Mickel, Joceyln Salce, Riley Murray, Karen Triggiano, Shannon Morrissey, Hailey Cuervo, Bailey Wagner
Coach: Frank Zambito
Manager: Karen Cuervo
Assistant: Lisa Zambito
Pixies
Players: Daisy McQuaid, Casey Contreras, Frankie Raeckers, Shaniyah Pope, Aiyana Graham, Yuli Vargas, Monique Faber, Ellis Erickson, Madison Rametta LIlly Kiester, Savannah Lyall, Riley Apple, Madison Wagner
Coach: Laura Kiester
Manager: Amanda Cagle-Torres
Assistants: Wade Lyall, Kirt Kiester
