By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

RESERVE — Riverside softball coach and assistant athletic director Kristy Hebert likens standout centerfielder Taylor Terrio as something of a trendsetter at her school.

Terrio’s play as a seventh grader led to a starting job at that young age — in the ensuing two years, a number of her classmates would earn spots as eighth and ninth-graders and today, that group of Rebel seniors are expected to form the core of a team that will be among the favorites to contend for the Class 2A state crown.

“She was really that first one that came along for me and showed everyone that if you work hard enough and show you can contribute, that you’ll get a chance to play regardless of your class,” said Hebert.

Terrio’s abilities are recognized at the next level as well. The Rebels’ centerfielder and leadoff batter has signed with Nicholls State, Riverside commemorating the event with a special signing ceremony Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s kind of hard to believe,” said Terrio, who has played softball since she was just 3-years-old. “I’ve worked so hard for this and it’s finally here. It’s a dream coming true.”

Terrio batted .536 as a junior last season, scoring 36 runs and stealing 21 bases. She helped lead the Rebels to appearances in the Class 2A state semifinals in each of the past two seasons.

Hebert said that the speedy Terrio has been a major factor for the Rebels from day one.

“You can’t replace that kind of speed. It’s one of the main things that caught my eye about her when she was starting out,” said Hebert. “When you have someone with that speed out in centerfield and you have the confidence that she’ll track it down … she’s robbed many people of doubles and triples.

“And in terms of her hitting, as a left-hander, between slapping and drag bunting, she became such a threat that it didn’t make sense to not have her out there at the top of the lineup.”

But Terrio has accomplished a great deal away from of the softball diamond as well. She’s a four-sport standout, starting in volleyball, soccer and track and field as well; she competed at last season’s state track and field meet and helped Riverside to this year’s state volleyball semifinal and the  girls soccer program’s first district championship and playoff victory.

“She’s just one of those special athletes,” said Hebert. “She was able to help our school in four different sports. A lot of people think that if you want to get to college, you have to specialize in one sport, but Taylor kind of shows people that it isn’t that way.

“And I think that’s great. You’re only in high school once, so play as much as you can.”

Softball, though, stands as Terrio’s favorite.

“I guess because it was my first sport,” she said. “And I just stuck with it.”

She said that Nicholls appealed to her in large part because of its proximity to home.

“It’s close to home. And I know people that go to Nicholls and say good things,” said Terrio. “I like the coach and everything there feels comfortable.”

But before she heads off on her own to college, she still has some unfinished business at Riverside. The soccer team is off to a strong start at 8-3-2, and track and softball seasons are still to come.

She recounted last season’s dramatic semifinal loss to Curtis as a memory that stands out.

But were the Rebels to break into and through that Class 2A championship game this season, it would make for the second “dream come true” for Terrio in her senior season — a state championship.

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