Official Site of the Corona Angels: News: ANGELS TICKET FOR NATIONALS NOT PUNCHED IN LANCASTER QUALIFIER
ANGELS TICKET FOR NATIONALS NOT PUNCHED IN LANCASTER QUALIFIER
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This story first appeared
June 23, 2008
By Craig Currier
Valley Press Staff Writer
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ALMOST, BUT NOT QUITE FOR WRIGHT'S ANGELS
LANCASTER - Shawna Wright and the Corona Angels had about as much success as you possibly could this weekend without actually qualifying for August's Amateur Softball Association 18-and-under Gold national tournament in Oklahoma City.
The Angels played seven games in three days this weekend, but they'll be in Stockton again next weekend, trying to qualify for the nationals, where they finished fifth one year ago.
They played in two separate games in which the winner earned a trip to Oklahoma City, but lost both. The first try was in the winners' bracket against California Cruisers, but the Angels lost 5-3. The defeat dropped them into the losers' bracket where they beat the San Jose Sting before losing 8-6 to Firecrackers in the final game of the three-day tournament, which narrowed almost 100 teams down to just six national-tournament qualifiers.
For Wright, who will be a senior at Lancaster High School in the fall, the busy schedule is nothing new.
"I love it," Wright said. "I wish we could have won, but we fought hard. We really only played three good innings (against Firecrackers)."
In the Valley, Wright is likely the area's most respected hitter. But when she travels with the Angels, there are top-level players all around her. The mind set is much different, she said, partly because the pressure is different.
Instead of being relied on to drive in runs and lead the team, Wright is playing in front of countless Division I college coaches and recruiters every time she takes the field. Although she has already committed to the University of Washington, much is expected of the Lancaster catcher.
Returning to the national tournament in August is, of course, the team's first priority.
"Hopefully we can win in Stockton and then just practice until it's time for Oklahoma City," she said.
Most of the time, Wright spends on the road traveling to Corona, or to wherever the team's playing in a tournament at that particular time. But this weekend, Wright was the most rested of all her teammates, staying at her own home. That, however is rare.
"Once a year I get to do that," she joked.
The Angels are well-known and highly-regarded among travel ball coaches and college recruiters. Coach Marty Tyson is respected for his ability to find and develop smart and dedicated players. For that reason all the traveling is worth it to Wright.
The team travels all over the country to participate in showcases. Past members have gone to high-profile softball schools like Tennessee, Arizona State, Nebraska, Cal, Florida and many others. A number of Wright's current Angels teammates are either committed to Washington or currently playing at Washington, as well, making that eventual transition all the more comfortable for her.
