MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / June 3, 2000

LUTCHER – Toni Riley is getting used to this All-Star thing.

As an eighth grader at Reserve Christian School, she was selected to play in the Louisiana Christian Schools Athletic Association All-Star game.

And now following her senior year at Lutcher, she is heading to LSU to play in the Louisiana High School Coaches Association All-Star doubleheader.

“I was surprised,” Riley said. “I didn’t think it would come down to havinga chance to play. But it’s a privilege. I feel privileged to get to play withthe big name girls on the big name schools. I’ll get to play with some verygood athletes.”Riley has been playing with one of the big name schools in Class 3A over the last three years. In those years, Riley has helped the Lady Bulldogs wina Class 3A state championship and advance to the semifinals twice.

Riley’s most memorable moment came during her sophomore year when the Lady Bulldogs made a run to the state title. Riley was used a courtesyrunner that season and scored the first run in Lutcher’s 13-4 championship game victory over Catholic of New Iberia.

“It was like a dream come true,” Riley said. “When we started district, wehad a feeling we could win the state title. We had some really goodathletes on that team.”Riley became a starter in the outfield her junior year as the Lady Bulldogs captured the district title and advanced to the semifinals. With the teamlosing seven senior starters off the squad and coach John Bentivegna resigning, not many expected Lutcher to make it back to Alexandria for the state tournament.

But behind coach Helen Funk, the Lady Bulldogs again captured the district title and won their first two playoffs games to return to the state tournament. There, Lutcher defeated Parkview Baptist before falling toeventual state champion Teurlings in the semifinals.

“A lot of people didn’t expect us to get that far and do that good,” Riley said. “We really came together. We had good coaching and we really stucktogether. We didn’t think anybody could take the place of coach Bentivegnabut coach Funk did a really good job.”Funk looked to Riley and Breeze Vicknair, the only two returning senior starters, to provide leadership for the young team.

“I knew I had to step it up a notch because we only had two seniors.”Stepped it up she did, earning first team all-District 9-3A honors after batting .302 with eight RBIs and eight stolen bases while committing justone error in the outfield.

Riley said she has been playing sports since she was four years old. Afterher second year of high school, she felt like she wanted to quit but knew she would regret it if she did.

“I just loved playing sports no matter what sport it is,” Riley said.

Riley played for Reserve Christian her eighth-grade year, playing on the high school team. She was coached by her mother, Denise, who would alsocoach her as the head volleyball coach and assistant softball coach at Lutcher.

“It was kind of hard at times but it was also special knowing she was there all the time,” Riley said of being coached by her mother.

Riley will be attending Southeastern Louisiana University in the fall and said she wants to go into photography. An exceptional student, Riley wasan honorable mention All-Academic team selection in both volleyball and softball and finished in the top 10 in her class.

Before she heads to SLU, however, Riley is preparing for the All-Star game that she will be playing with St. Charles Catholic’s Jessie Zeringue, aformer teammate of hers in the St. James Parish leagues.”I need to start hitting and throwing,” Riley laughed. “But I think I’ll doalright.”

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