Performance: Schoolcraft's Lydia Goble
May 31, 2018
Lydia Goble
Schoolcraft senior – Softball
The Eagles’ standout shortstop has enjoyed a career full of highlights, and added to her most memorable over two games May 23 against Delton Kellogg. Goble drilled three home runs during the doubleheader to set the MHSAA single-season record at 25 – and counting – and earn the Michigan Army National Guard “Performance of the Week.”
Goble had hit 23 home runs total over her first three high school seasons. But she entered the Delton Kellogg games with 22 this spring, which at the time tied her for the record set last season by both Taylor Dew of Muskegon Mona Shores and Brooke Nadolny of Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse. A shot to right field against the Panthers put Goble alone atop the list, and that accomplishment will join the 17 other entries in the record book that she’d earned entering this season. This spring she’s hitting .564 with 25 home runs and 62 RBI, and heading into this weekend she’s tied for 11th in MHSAA history with 230 career runs scored, tied for 11th with 31 career triples, tied for fifth with 48 career home runs and tied for fifth all-time with 229 career RBI.
Schoolcraft is 26-3 this spring and will play Saturday at Comstock for its third straight Division 3 District title. Goble also the last two seasons led the girls basketball team to a pair of Regional titles, the first in that program’s history. She made basketball all-state this winter averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 steals per game as the Eagles finished 25-1 and lost only in the Class C Quarterfinals. Goble will continue her softball career next season at Grand Valley State University, where she’ll study exercise science, and she graduated high school with a 3.7 grade-point average while also taking classes at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. But a few final high school memorable moments could be in store over the next few weeks – she’s only two behind in the race for the career home runs record, and a Regional title in softball would be a program first as well.
Coach (and father) Jim Goble said: “I remember when Lydia was 5 years old and went to a soccer camp. The guy running the camp was coaching a team that age and right away asked if Lydia could play for him even though she had never played before. He saw that she just (went) all out every time she had an opportunity to get the ball. Thirteen 13 years later, it hasn't changed. She doesn't know anything less than going all out. She does it in basketball and does it in softball and really anytime playing a competitive sport. The other thing I have found unique with her is she is committed to the current sport she is playing. When it is basketball season, we do occasional batting lessons and she'd go to travel ball practices, but her focus and passion was on basketball. Now we are in softball season, and that is what is getting all of her attention. … She loves the game inside of the game! Watching and observing her opponent to take advantage of any weakness she sees, especially when running bases – she loves the challenge of stealing a base. … Lastly, she recognizes that the player she is and the success she has isn't just due to her (but because of) her teammates, her family, her coaches, her friends. I believe that is due in part to her life experiences, her faith in God and just who she is.”
Performance Point: “Before the game I was tied for the record, and my team made sure I knew about that. So I was actually pretty nervous and just wanted to get it over with,” Goble said of the matchup with Delton Kellogg. “My goal was to hit (the record homer) as soon as I could so I could stop worrying about it. They were like, 'Oh, you're tied. Better not strike out.' They were just messing with me. They know it won't get to my head, but they like to have some fun with it. ... (The first homer) just sounded weird coming off the bat, kinda like it was an indoor (foam practice) ball, so it didn't feel very good. I was just hoping it would keep going, and it actually did, so I was just thanking the Lord that I got it over with. (After that) it didn't really matter anymore, so I was just playing my game.”
Power surge: "In the fall before basketball season I worked out with a personal trainer. I definitely found that helped me during basketball season, and I'm assuming that carried over to softball too. That was something different I had never done before. He worked a lot on our core and our endurance – because your core plays into pretty much every part of your body. I just think it overall made me a better player and person."
Multi-sport crossover: “I see my jumping ability, that gets a lot better with basketball and it helps me on the field when I get a line shot over my head and I can go up and get it. And basketball, definitely with my hand-eye coordination from being a shortstop. And being able to read people, what they're about to do on the basketball court helps me see base-runners -- sometimes I can tell when going to steal because they have a different stance, so that helps me.”
Thanks Coach Dad: “It's definitely pretty rough sometimes because he's telling me what to do at home and he's telling me what to do on the field. … (But) at the end of the day he's doing it to help me, and he wouldn't even be coaching if it weren't for me. So it's a good bonding thing for us and definitely strengthened our relationship at our house as well as on the field.”
What a way to finish: “I didn't have any expectations coming into this year for basketball or for softball. God has just blessed me a lot this year. … (Team success) has meant a lot. Last year was the first year we won Regionals for girls basketball; honestly, it felt like we won the state. The school was just so proud of us, and it was a place personally where the girls had never gone. And just to be a part of that and help lead that was amazing. And then to come back this year after losing five seniors and do the same thing again was truly amazing – I didn't even think we'd be able to do it this year. We just came out and played hard every night and it ended up being a great season. Then for softball, freshman year we lost in Districts, and that was a pretty tough loss (3-2 to Gobles in the District Final). Then the next year we ended up winning Districts, and the past two years we’ve lost to Coloma in Regionals – so it's been rough having to see them each year and having them take us out. But we're hoping to change that this year.”
- Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2017-18 school year, Second Half and the Michigan Army National Guard will recognize a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom or protect lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Previous 2017-18 honorees:
May 24: Corinne Jemison, East Kentwood track & field - Read
May 17: Reagan Wisser, Richland Gull Lake soccer - Read
May 10: Clayton Sayen, Houghton track & field - Read
May 3: Autumn Roberts, Traverse City Central tennis - Read
April 26: Thomas Robinson, Wyoming Lee track & field - Read
March 29: Carlos Johnson, Benton Harbor basketball - Read
March 22: Shine Strickland-Gills, Saginaw Heritage basketball - Read
March 15: Skyler Cook-Weeks, Holland Christian swimming - Read
March 8: Dakota Greer, Howard City Tri-County wrestling - Read
March 1: Camree' Clegg, Wayne Memorial basketball - Read
February 23: Aliah Robertson, Sault Ste. Marie swimming - Read
February 16: Austin O'Hearon, Eaton Rapids wrestling - Read
February 9: Sophia Wiard, Muskegon Oakridge basketball - Read
February 2: Brenden Tulpa, Hartland hockey - Read
January 25: Brandon Whitman, Dundee wrestling - Read
January 18: Derek Maas, Holland West Ottawa swimming - Read
January 11: Lexi Niepoth, Bellaire basketball - Read
November 30: La'Darius Jefferson, Muskegon football - Read
November 23: Ashley Turak, Farmington Hills Harrison swimming - Read
November 16: Bryce Veasley, West Bloomfield football - Read
November 9: Jose Penaloza, Holland soccer - Read
November 2: Karenna Duffey, Macomb L'Anse Creuse North cross country - Read
October 26: Anika Dy, Traverse City West golf - Read
October 19: Andrew Zhang, Bloomfield Hills tennis - Read
October 12: Nolan Fugate, Grand Rapids Catholic Central football - Read
October 5: Marissa Ackerman, Munising tennis - Read
September 28: Minh Le, Portage Central soccer - Read
September 21: Olivia Theis, Lansing Catholic cross country - Read
September 14: Maddy Chinn, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep volleyball - Read
PHOTOS: (Top) Schoolcraft's Lydia Goble winds up to throw out a runner during a game this season. (Middle) Goble powers through a swing. (Photos by Lingering Memories Photography.)
Vicksburg, Richmond Earn Title Chance
June 16, 2016
By Bill Khan
Special for Second Half
EAST LANSING — Avery Slancik of Vicksburg could empathize with her rivals in the pitching circle.
She's been where Livonia Ladywood's Rozlyn Price and Alexa Flores were Thursday. At some point, every pitcher has.
Slancik and her Vicksburg teammates took advantage of eight walks while hitting safely out of the infield only once, rallying from a 5-0 deficit to beat the second-ranked Blazers 7-5 in the MHSAA Division 2 Softball Semifinals at Michigan State University.
Slancik, a sophomore, remembers how she felt after the Bulldogs were eliminated in the Regional championship game last year.
"I had a similar situation last year when I gave up some home runs and our team got knocked out," Slancik said. "I feel for the pitcher. She pitched her butt off."
It was nearly a repeat of last year for Slancik, who gave up back-to-back doubles to begin the game, then surrendered a two-run homer to Price in the third inning. At that point it looked bleak for Vicksburg, trailing the tournament-tested Blazers by a 5-0 margin.
However, Slancik didn't allow another run or hit over the final four innings.
"I know my team has my back, and they can hit," Slancik said. "Whether I give up a home run, base hit or whatever, we can come back strong. We never quit. It all comes down to stress, if you can take the pressure. That's why I practice. I worked my whole life for this, and it's happening. It's like a dream come true. I know God put me in this position for a reason."
Vicksburg, unranked all season, will take a 36-8 record into the Division 2 championship game at 12:30 p.m. Saturday against Richmond at MSU's Secchia Stadium. It's the first time a team from Vicksburg had made it to an MHSAA championship game in any sport. The Bulldogs won championships in the non-bracketed sports of boys cross country (1963) and boys tennis (1974). Only three other teams from Vicksburg reached an MHSAA Semifinal, with the boys soccer team losing in 1997 and 2004 and the baseball team losing in 2015.
The Bulldogs reached the title game by beating three top-10 teams in their last four games: No. 9 St. Joseph in the Regional Semifinal, No. 10 and reigning champion Wayland in the MHSAA Quarterfinals and No. 2 Ladywood (32-13) on Thursday. Richmond (31-9) received only honorable mention in the final coaches' poll, setting up an unlikely Final.
"We haven't even been honorable mention," Vicksburg coach Paul Gephart said. "We've beaten teams that are ranked and haven't been given any respect at all. Yeah, it's awesome. Between Tuesday and today, we've earned a little bit of respect. We just find a way. I always tell them, 'Find a way.' We didn't really hit the ball well, but we found a way."
Vicksburg hit only three balls out of the infield in the entire game: a single up the middle by Carlie Kudary and two fly-outs to left field. The Bulldogs' other four hits were infield singles.
Epitomizing Vicksburg's "find a way" approach was junior catcher Grace Stock, who came to the plate four times but didn't have an official at-bat. She walked three times and had a bunt. One of her walks, on a 3-2 pitch, forced home a run.
"I was confident up to bat," Stock said. "I tried to swing at good pitches and let the bad ones go by and get on base to help my team. I did whatever it took. Get on base, score runs and be smart at the plate. We got on base any way we could and used our strengths."
Ladywood jumped out to its 5-0 lead with three runs in the first inning and two in the third. Flores led off the game with a double and scored when Cecilia Werner doubled right after her. Werner scored on a single by Elizabeth Kemp.
A two-run homer by Price over the 220-foot sign in center field made it 5-0 in the third.
The Bulldogs were unfazed.
"The amount of runs we've scored in the whole year, getting five runs is nothing," Slancik said. "We've beaten teams 24-0. We can come back from five runs."
Vicksburg began its comeback by scoring two runs in the bottom of the third inning, with three walks, two wild pitches, a passed ball and one hit helping deliver those runs.
The Bulldogs took the lead in a bizarre fourth inning during which they scored five times without hitting a ball out of the infield.
Olivia Holmes began the rally by leading off with an infield single. After four more walks, a bunt single and an error, Vicksburg had a 7-5 lead. Two runs scored on bases-loaded walks, with another crossing on a wild pitch.
Ladywood coach Scott Combs pulled his standout pitcher, Price, after her sixth walk of the game with one out in the fourth inning. She was relieved by Flores, who started at first base.
"The ball never left the infield," Combs said. "They did a good job of putting the ball down on the ground and getting a base at a time, but you can't walk (eight) people and expect to win. The disappointing part is we probably haven't walked (eight) in the last 10 games. That's on us."
After falling behind, Ladywood got a runner on base in each of the last three innings, but couldn't get the runner past first. The Blazers had six hits, three for extra bases, in the first 2 1/3 innings before their bats fell silent.
"We always preach the attitude that when you get up by four or five runs, play for one run each inning," Combs said. "A couple of bunts that we didn't get down were important. When you don't do that and people see the ball lasering all over the place, they change their swing and think they're going to hit home runs. It just got a little contagious. I don't want to say they were selfish, but they were trying to over-swing."
Richmond 5, Escanaba 2
Richmond broke a 2-2 tie by scoring three runs in the top of the fifth inning, reaching the MHSAA championship game for the fourth time. Richmond lost in the title game in 1985, 1998 and 1999.
"We've had our down points, but over the last couple of games we've started getting key hits and playing to our potential," Richmond pitcher Erin Shuboy said.
Richmond took one-run leads in the second and third innings, only to have Escanaba match those runs in the bottom of those innings.
No. 8 hitter Emma Caperton, who doubled home a run in the second, singled and scored the tie-breaking run in the fifth on a strange play. Amy Thueme reached first on a throwing error and headed for second after the overthrow. Caperton was going to stop at third, but she continued home when Thueme slid into shortstop Callie Heller, who fell on her and was shaken up.
Lindsay Schweiger and Shuboy singled home the other runs in the inning. Richmond tacked on one more run in the seventh on a single by Rachel Leach.
Shuboy, who had eight strikeouts, retired 10 of the last 11 batters she faced.
"We still hit the ball hard," said Escanaba coach Jamie Segorski, whose team finished 36-3-1. "Softball's a funny game. You miss the ball by an eighth of an inch and it's a fly ball. You hit it square, it's a home run. It is what it is."
PHOTOS: (Top) A Vicksburg hitter connects during the Division 2 Semifinal against Livonia Ladywood. (Middle) A Richmond runner slides under a tag in her team's win over Escanaba.