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Grass is greener with the Lancers by Fred Jeter RICHMOND TIMES DISPATCH - May 20, 2005 |
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The Manchester High softball
team planted a field three years back, then proudly stepped back to watch it
grow. Now the field - as well as the girls playing on it - have blossomed. Coach Lynn Gilbert's Lancers are vying for a Dominion District title with a junior-dominated squad that has grown up with its sparkling diamond. "Not many teams can say they built their own field," said slugging first baseman Taylor Morgan, one of four freshmen Gilbert kept on the varsity in 2003. Morgan's father, Butch, who owns a construction company, was among the most industrious in the winter of 2003 when the field was carved from scratch on what had been a physical-education yard. Many other parents of the current players chipped in, as did the girls. "We did a lot of the little stuff," Morgan said. Before that, the Lancers shared a field with the Chesterfield Little League. It was an uneasy alliance. Gilbert grew tired of hearing the youth-league coaches clearing their throats outside the fence when a Lancers practice or game went a bit long. "An unbelievable difference," Gilbert said. "I think we all have a lot of pride in this field. It was a joint effort." The fully-fenced and meticulously manicured diamond has a sprinkler system, billboards on the outfield walls, an electric scoreboard and cinderblock dugouts. And then there's the flower garden, behind the backstop, with the world "Lancers" spelled in daffodils. "The flower garden is our own special touch," Morgan said. The Lancers won a state Group AAA title in 1996 behind pitching sensation Natasha Johnson. More recently, the Lancers have struggled in the middle of the district. This year's surprising edition, with just two seniors, is ranked No. 10 in the area. Many of the Lancers grew up with the Sports-Plus travel team. "These girls have been playing with each other since they could walk," Gilbert said. Morgan, right fielder Erica Skinner and the "three Laurens" - third baseman Lauren Johnson, catcher Lauren Pleveich and left fielder Lauren Wooten - are long-time teammates on the school/club levels. "We pick each other up; we've got good chemistry," Morgan said. Pleveich is hitting well over .400. She catches for freshman Leslie Skinner, Erica's kid sister. "This field is definitely a team effort," Pleveich said, "and our lineup, one through nine, is very strong." The flower garden is dedicated to Pleveich's dad, Gary, another of the field's founding fathers. Mr. Pleveich died of cancer 2 years ago. "The field gets greener every season," Pleveich said. "Now is the best I've seen it." And with virtually all the starters scheduled to return in 2006, the best is yet to come, for both the Lancers and their home-made ballpark.
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