Hazelwood West Softball on an Unfinished Business Mission

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By Jim Wieners

Hazelwood West Softball was 20-3 last season, scoring 10 or more runs in 13 games while shutting out 12 opponents. The three losses last year were all at home including a 2-1 Class Four Sectional loss to Francis Howell North that ended the Wildcats’ season too soon.

So far this year West opened the season with four wins in August as the ‘Cats routed Ladue-Horton Watkins 14-0, Clayton 22-0, Riverview Gardens 15-0 and McCluer North 11-1, the last two were in the Suburban XII Conference North Division. After hosting Hazelwood Central on Sept. 5 and Parkway North on Sept. 6, West plays 4 p.m. games at Hazelwood East (Thursday, Sept. 7) at Pattonville (Friday, Sept. 8) and at home against McCluer (Sept. 12). The ‘Cats seek to avenge two of those losses on the road, at Lafayette Sept. 13 at 4:30 and in Lake St. Louis against Wentzville-Liberty Sept. 25.

Hazelwood West, as of Sept. 4, has allowed just one run, in the fourth inning at McCluer North on Aug. 31.The Wildcats have played only 17 innings of which junior Alexandria Cafolla has pitched in 16, facing 60 batters and striking out 43 while walking just two on eight hits.

Junior Mikayla Michaelson has a batting and on base average of .800, and a slugging percentage of 1.733 with 26 total bases on 12 hits including three triples, two home runs and pitched an inning. Senior Mackenzie Wagner has five doubles, two home runs and nine runs batted in. Junior Meredith Vietmeier has scored 10 runs, junior and senior Madison Rogers has stolen four bases.

BOYS SOCCER — Hazelwood West, prior to playing Sept. 6 at Parkway North, is off to a 5-1 start with wins over Missouri Military Academy (10-0), Lutheran St. Charles County (5-1), St. Charles High (3-0), St. Charles West (3-2) and Fort Zumwalt North (2-1). The lone loss was 3-0 at Fort Zumwalt South. West plays Pattonville Thursday, Sept. 7, 7 p.m. at Koch Park, plays their first on-campus home game Sept. 11, 4:15 against Wentzville-Holt and travels to Lake St. Louis Sept. 12 for a 6:30 game against Wentzville-Liberty.

In goalkeeping, senior Anthony Lingle has 11 saves while junior Damian Garcia has 10. In scoring, senior Zack Lyeki has six goals including two game winners while Senior Bryan Carroll has four assists.

BOYS SWIMMING — Two Hazelwood West seniors, Spencer Campbell and Rami Hanin, and two freestyle relay teams qualify for Class Two State, Nov. 3-4 at the St. Peters Rec-Plex after their performances Aug. 26 in the Ladue Invitational at Ladue-Horton Watkins.

Campbell, who made the consolation finals in the 50- and 100-yard freestyles the last two years, will return to State after winning the 50 Freestyle (22.15 seconds) and the 100 Freestyle (48.74). Hanin, who competed in state two years ago, returns to compete in the 100-yard Backstroke after winning at Ladue (58.46 seconds).

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