Mike Cioppa is on the verge of the part of his new job he enjoys the most.
All the paperwork, the setting up of hotels, planning travel, meetings – that takes some getting used to.
But on the practice field, he’s at home. And he’ll finally get to see the fruits of his team’s hard labor Friday.
Cioppa, the new head coach of the Durango High School softball team, will manage the DHS varsity squad for the first time when the Demons visit Grand Junction for a doubleheader Friday afternoon.
“I think we’re way ahead of where we were this time last year. The work ethic is second to none,” Cioppa said.
He inherits a team with a pair of freshmen and a handful of players from the junior varsity team he helmed a year ago.
The Demons’ varsity just missed out on a playoff berth after going 9-10.
What DHS brings back is a strong battery. Lexy Vidunas was a second-team All-SWL pick last season as a pitcher, and the experienced arm of junior captain Augusta Brockus gives the Demons a solid 1-2 punch in the circle. Junior catcher Mercy Lashway has two years of varsity experience behind the plate under her belt, and she hit .388 and drove in 12 runs last season.
“I really think it’s good. ... To gel is so much of the game of softball,” said Brockus, daughter of Don and Jackie Brockus. “We’ve just come such a long way. Lexi and I know how to communicate with each other. We know how to pick each other up, and I feel the rest of the girls know how to do that, as well.”
Senior captain Cindy Kobrin returns to the outfield after hitting .333 a season ago, and Deryn Candelaria provides additional outfield experience, having appeared in 11 games last season. Candelaria and fellow senior Kaylee Kempinski are expected to share time in the outfield, with the team’s other senior, Sierra McCloskey, expected to see time in the outfield and at third.
As far as surprises go, the buzz around practice was a talented pair of freshmen. Cioppa said freshman Rebekah Ford will take over the starting role at second base, and fellow freshman Katrina Chandler is expected to start in center field.
“It’s nice to have (the whole summer) to get to know everybody,” said Kobrin, daughter or Mark and Rosa Kobrin.
“The freshmen have really benefitted from having the youth programs, which from what I understand are very new to Durango, and I really see it in the freshmen.”
Paige Mazur is expected to hold down shortstop, with Danica Dudley handling duties at first base. Newcomer and Pagosa Springs High School student Katelyn DeLuche will play at third base and could see time at first, as well. DeLuche hit .333 last year for Rains High School in Emory, Texas.
“Do we have all-star softball players? No, but we have grinders, and I think because we’re grinders, we’re going to do OK,” Cioppa said.
Before the games Friday, Cioppa will have to deal with the usual duties of a coach taking a team on a road trip: getting lists of passengers to the bus driver, prepping for the hotel, making sure everyone’s accounted for. But once the Demons step off the bus, the fun begins.
“The softball is great. All the paperwork we have to go through to have a season ... that’s quite a burden. ... I’m looking forward to playing, no question,” Cioppa said. “When I get off the bus at Kronkright Field it’ll be like, ‘Ah, now it’s just softball. Here we go.’”
rowens@durangoherald.com
