SCC’s Zeringue up to task of following an All-Star

Published 12:00 am Saturday, June 3, 2000

MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / June 3, 2000

LAPLACE – Jessie Zeringue knew she had quite a task when she became the starting catcher for St. Charles Catholic before the 1999season.

Not only was she a starter on the defending Class 2A state champions, but she was succeeding Kori Guillory, a Louisiana High School Coaches Association All-Star, at the position.

“I knew I had some big shoes to fill,” Zeringue said. “I was nervous.”Zeringue has more than fit those shoe over the last two years. And like herpredecessor, Zeringue has been selected to play in the Louisiana Coaches Association’s All-Star doubleheader next Saturday at LSU.

“I was really shocked,” Zeringue said on learning she had made the team.

“I wasn’t expecting it. But I’m honored at the same time to represent myteam and my school.”Zeringue played a major role in helping the Lady Comets step up to Class 3A this season. She was selected as the District 9-3A MVP after helpingthe Lady Comets place second in the district and earning a berth in the bi- district playoffs. For the season, she batted .345 with 22 RBIs and a .529slugging percentage.

“That was awesome,” Zeringue said of being named the MVP. “(Lutcher’s)Carlie Humphries did a great job and (St. Charles Catholic’s) Marci (Martin)did awesome.”Zeringue put up those numbers despite playing the whole season with a shoulder injury.

“That showed what kind of player she was,” St. Charles Catholic coachTeri Hruska said. “She knew she was one throw away from not being ableto throw again for six months. But she still went strong because shewanted to play. She was a major competitor.”Zeringue was coming off a junior season in which she earned all-district honors after batting a team-high .449 with 21 runs batted in and a .674slugging percentage. The Lady Comets placed second in District 9-2A andadvanced to the regionals.

The year before, she was the team’s designated hitter as the Lady Comets’ shook off a slow start and went on to defeat rival Riverside for the Class 2A state championship.

“It was indescribable,” Zeringue said. “At the beginning of the year, westarted off slow but once we got to the playoffs, it all came together.”Zeringue said she has been playing softball for as long as she can remember. Her father, Greg, coached her in cabbageball and then insoftball in the St. James Parish leagues and she said he was her biggestinfluence.

One of her teammates on those teams was Toni Riley who went on to play for Lutcher and has also been selected to the All-Star team. The two willbe roommates for the games.

“I’m excited to be playing again with her,” Zeringue said. “We’re bothreally excited and we congratulated each other. It will make me morecomfortable (having her there).”Zeringue is playing this summer for the Outlaws, a traveling team out of St. Amant. She wants to play softball in college and said she has gotten afew calls and letters from schools interested. Zeringue said that is oneway the All-Star game will help her.

“I want to get noticed,” Zeringue said. “I want do good enough to havesomeone say ‘Hey, look at that kid.'”Zeringue had the notice of Hruska who said she is now the one who leaves big shoes to fill.

“Jessie was a major impact player all three years for us,” Hruska said.

“She was an impact player at the plate. Behind the plate, she had anexcellent sense of the game. She called all our pitches and she workedreally well with Marci and Lacey (Trepagnier). Her biggest strength is herawareness of the game. She’s going to be missed.”

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