Michael Kiral / L’Observateur / June 17, 1998

BATON ROUGE – The Lutcher Lady Bulldog softball team’s magical season continued with the announcing of the Class 3A all-state team recently.

Junior pitcher Erin Hymel was named the state’s outstanding player in Class 3A and John Bentivegna was selected as the coach of the year after leading the Lady Bulldogs to their first state championship. Catcher AprilBenn was also selected to the Class 3A all-state team.

Lutcher captured the state title with a 15-4 victory over Catholic-New Iberia at The Alexandria Youth Complex in May. The championship cappedoff a season that saw the Lady Bulldogs go undefeated in winning their second-straight District 10-3 title and finish 24-3 overall.

Hymel, The River Parishes most valuable player, finished her junior season with a 22-2 record, an earned run average of .40 and 158 strikeouts in 147innings. She had seven no-hitters in 1998 and pitched 15 shutouts. In the postseason, the all-District 10-3A selection pitched a one-hitter against Notre Dame in the regionals and went the distance in each of her three victories in the state tournament.

Benn, a senior, excelled defensively and offensively. The District 10-3Amost valuable player batted .520 this past season with nine doubles, fivetriples, five home runs and 38 runs batted in. In the state tournament,Benn sizzled with nine hits and four RBIs in 10 trips to the plate.

Also named to the Class 3A all-state team were Brusly’s Kristi Crochet and Elise Williams, Catholic-New Iberia’s Lili Desormeaux, Mansfield’s Ursula Maroski, Westlake’s Kelly Hamilton, Notre Dame’s Amanda Valdetero and Leah Smith, Church Point’s Lauren Smith, Redemptorist’s LeeAnn Guedry, Grant’s Emillie Collins, Parkview’s Christa Miller, Live Oaks’ Lesly Morris and Kaplan’s Lauren Trahan.

Lutcher also placed two players on the Class 3A all-state baseball team, senior catcher Lance Roques and senior utility Namatala Nassar. Roquesand Nassar helped the Bulldogs finish as the co-champions in District 10- 3A and led them to a berth in the bi-district playoffs.

Roques batted .447 in 1998 with seven home runs and 30 RBIs. Anexcellent defensive catcher, Lutcher coach Matt Dornier allowed Roques to call pitches during the season. He was a member of both the all-District10-3A team and the Class 3A academic all-state honorable mention squad.

Nassar, who played third base and shortstop for the bulldogs this past season, batted .447 with 32 RBIs and four home runs. The all-District 10-3A selection also went 3-0 on the mound.

E.D. White third baseman Jake Ritchie was named the Class 3A outstandingplayer after leading the Cardinals to the state title with a .389 battingaverage.

E.D. White head coach Boyd Hebert was named the coach of the year.Roques, Nassar and Ritchie were joined on the all-state team by E.D.White’s Eric Centanni, Westlake’s Brent Cutchins, Pearl River’s Mack Lambert, Church Point’s Lucas Wimberly, Catholic-New Iberia’s Charlie Babineaux, Jennings’ Kevin Bruchhaus and Beau Herrod, Benton’s Jeremy Alford, Plaquemine’s Clark Crowson and Monty Migliacio, Independence’s Antrone Seiber, Evangel’s Chris Walton and Parkview’s Dustin Singletary.

Return To News Stories