Artesia Punisher family to be busy throughout country, vie for national championships

By Loren Kopff

There will be a lot of texting, tweeting, and other means of communication for the next week amongst the Artesia Punisher travel ball family as half of dozen teams will be competing in their respective end of the summer major tournaments. From Southern California to Bloomington, IN, there won’t be any shortage of games involving the Punishers as they try to bring home an Amateur Softball Association “A” championship. Here is a quick look of the six teams.
18 Gold
Manager: Mark Dupuy, Assistant: Tim Koenig.
Destination: ASA 18 and Under Gold Western National Tournament in Stockton.
Opening ceremonies: Aug. 4 at Arnaiz Fields. Championship game: Aug. 8.
Games to be played at Arnaiz Fields, Louis Park, Oak Park and Regional Sports Complex.
What’s at stake: An automatic berth in the 2011 ASA/USA 18-Under Gold National Championships in Irvine.
1 Taylor Gonzalez 1B/OF El Segundo High
3 Alexandra Rodriguez 2B/SS/OF St. Joseph High
4 Eileen Rico 2B/SS/UTL Downey High/University of California, Irvine
6 Brittany Adler OF/1B Millikan High
9 Michelle Rivas P/1B/OF South Gate High/Cypress College
10 Jenna Fiala OF/2B Millikan High/Hope International University
12 Liz Gonzalez P/1B Millikan High/Hope International University
13 Lina Avila P/1B Valley Christian High/Calvin College
16 Julie Lopez C/1B/OF St. Joseph High
17 Brenda Bott C/UTL Fountain Valley High
21 Marissa Rivas OF/1B El Rancho High
22 Bri Dupuy 3B/UTL Valley Christian High
32 Leanne Garrels SS/UTL Valley Christian High
38 Connie Koenig SS/UTL St. Joseph High/Long Beach State University
44 Amanda Olazabal C/1B/3B South Gate High/Mt. San Antonio College
77 Katie Gripp P/C/1B/3B St. Joseph High
Avila was the 2010 Los Cerritos Community News Pitcher of the Year while she, Adler, Koenig and Rico were recently named to the Long Beach Press-Telegram’s Dream Team. The team just capped off a 7-0 performance in the Surf City Showcase and has gone 13-10 in major tournaments this summer. The Punishers had to play in two national qualifiers in order to advance to the Western National Tournament. Bott, Bri Dupuy and Michelle Rivas are swinging hot bats of late according to Mark Dupuy.
“I think we’re definitely peaking,” he said. “I think we’re really going to give it a really good shot at Western’s. Again, it’s all chemistry. The addition of Liz as another pitcher just solidifies our pitching rotation.”




18-Under
Manager: Bob Medina, Assistants: Ed Blanck, Mike Fuentes and Tim Rivera.
Destination: ASA 18-Under “A” National Championships in Hemet.
Opening Ceremonies: Aug. 1 at Hemet High School. Championship game: Aug. 8.
Games to be played at Diamond Valley Lake Community Park, Wheatfield Park and Winchester Park.
What’s at stake: An automatic berth in the 2011 ASA/USA 18-Under “A” National Championships.
00 Celine Fuentes P/UTL Ocean View High
5 Amanda Natsuhara OF Canyon High/University of California, San Diego
7 Mahrisch Medina SS Mayfair High/East Carolina University
8 Kristin Jaeger P/1B Mayfair High/California State University, San Marcos
9 Sydney Colenzo C/SS/UTL Downey High
10 Jessica Roper C/1B Mayfair High/CSUSM
11 Lacey Nilsson C/1B/OF Los Alamitos High
17 Autumn Martinez SS/UTL Ocean View High
18 Starla Coffee OF/C Los Alamitos High
19 Brittany Colenzo P/3B Downey High/Vanguard University
2 Sarah Carrasco SS/C Lakewood High
23 Natalia Morales 1B/2B/3B South East High
25 Rochelle Rivera CF/OF Fountain Valley High
27 Cerissa Rivera P/OF Fountain Valley High
29 Kristina Akiona SS/1B/UTL Pacifica High
32 Abrianna Palacio OF/SS Garden Grove High
33 Arren Nunez 2B/SS/OF South East High
99 Katrina Pinkowski P/1B Cypress College
Bob Medina returns to the National Championships for the first time since 2008 when his team played in Moline, IL. He won the 2007 ASA/USA 18-Under “A” National Championship in College Station, TX. Carrasco, Brittany Colenzo, Jaeger, Medina and Roper were recently named to the Long Beach Press-Telegram’s Dream Team. The Punishers began the summer by going 4-2 in the inaugural Premier Girls Fastpitch Qualifier, then went to Las Vegas for the first of two college showcase tournaments. The team is in Hemet by virtue of finishing in 12th place in the state tournament, winning four straight games in the loser’s bracket after falling in the first game. Bob Medina won the





16-Under
Manager: Michelle Medina, Assistants: Gus Avila and Norm Okazaki.
Destination: ASA 16-Under “A” National Championships in Bryan/College Station, TX
Opening Ceremonies: Aug. 1 at Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater. Championship game: Aug. 8 at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex.
Games to be played at Bee Creek Park, Bryan Regional Athletic Complex, Stephen C. Beachy Central Park and Veterans Park and Athletic Complex.
What’s at stake: An automatic berth in the 2011 ASA/USA 16-Under “A” National Championships.
00 Rheanna Davis UTL Fountain Valley High
2 Lisa Perez C La Mirada High
3 Rabecca Rice 2B La Mirada High
8 Alex Avila LF Cerritos High
9 Alyssa Marquez 3B Cerritos High
11 Marissa Swank RF Los Alamitos High
12 Miki Okazaki P Cerritos High
14 Kennedy Smith CF Fillmore High
17 Kelsey Neipris SS Los Alamitos High
19 Paige Bourgeois P Kennedy High
21 Shelby Unger 1B El Dorado High
25 Carley Roberts UTL El Dorado High
27 Amanda Padilla P/LF Mira Costa High
After beginning the summer with a two-and-out performance in the Premier Girls Fastpitch Qualifier, the Punishers rebounded by going 7-0 in a Las Vegas Showcase tournament. The team qualified for nationals with a 3-2 outing in the state tournament and capped off the recent Surf City Showcase by going 2-5 with both wins coming in the playoff portion. While the hitting heated up late in the Surf City Showcase, head coach Michelle Medina stated another part of the team needs to have a stronger showing in the heat and humidity in the Brazos Valley of southeast Texas.
“Pitching,” she said. “If our pitchers can handle it, we’ll win. We have the defense and we have the offense. But it’s really pitching.”
Medina is no stranger to the Bryan/College Station area as she observed her father’s initial games back in 2007 when the 18-Under squad brought home a first place trophy. Last summer, Medina’s 16-Under team, along with Tim Rivera’s 16-Under team, went to the Western Nationals in Phoenix. In 2008, Medina managed the 14-Under team in the Western Nationals in Clovis.





14-Under
Manager: Mario Alvarado, Assistants: Joe Collso, Mark Garcia and Ralph Gonzales
Destination: ASA 14-Under “A” Western Nationals, Fort Collins, CO
Opening ceremonies: Aug. 2, downtown Fort Collins. Championship game: Aug. 8.
Games to be played at Fossil Creek Park, Rolland Moore Park, Spring Park, Spring Canyon Park.
What’s at stake: An automatic berth in the 2011 ASA/USA 14-Under “A” National Championships in Midland, TX
00 Danielle Munoz C
2 Sarah Mendoza OF
3 Alex Cruz P/OF
4 Amy Zeronian SS/OF
8 Amber Helguera P/3B
9 Jasmine Javier C/OF
15 Stephanie Guild P/OF
16 Sara Gonzales 1B/OF
21 Andrea Rocha 2B/OF
26 Melissa Martinez P/3B
39 Valerie Alvarado P/1B
40 Bryanna Campos 2B/SS/OF
54 Erika Garcia 1B/OF
Mario Alvarado takes this first-year team to the Rocky Mountain state. This is one of three 14-Under teams in the Punisher family, the most ever at this age group and one of two going to Western Nationals. They qualified just by playing in the state tournament in Lancaster. Martinez will be a sophomore at Bellflower High School and is the leader of the pitching staff. The only other current high schooler is Zeronian, who is attending Marshall Fundamental. The rest of the team will be incoming freshmen. The leading hitter is Garcia. Alvarado stated that his team could have played in major tournaments from non-ASA organizations.
“We could be more competitive if we go to Western Nationals,” he said. “You’re not going to see the same competitiveness outside of ASA. A lot of teams shy away from ASA.”

14-Under
Manager: Roger Chavez, Assistants: Frank Goodman and Fernando Pintado.
9 Linnea Goodman OF/P Millikan High
10 Alex Algondar
14 Gabby Juarez
15 Sammi Nunez P/OF
22 Alexis Schiff IF/OF Wilson High
23 Nicole Chavez IF/UTL Kennedy High
24 Cynthia Ramirez
27 Alyssa Puente OF/P Mayfair High
33 Janine Lopez C/UTL Whittier High
36 Courtnie Voet OF/IF Cypress High
44 Sara Foster IF/OF
83 Kira Ito OF/C Artesia High
Inessa Lopez
Melanie David
This will be the second straight year Roger Chavez has taken a Punisher team to a major tournament. His then-new 14-Under squad went to Mt. Vernon, WA last summer in the western Nationals. Like Mario Alvarado’s team, this 14-Under Punisher group qualified by participating in the state tournament.

12-Under ‘97
Manager: Craig Cameron, Assistants: Carlos Hernandez, Brian Iseri and Tommy Parten.
Destination: ASA 12-Under “A” National Championships in Bloomington, IN
Opening Ceremonies: Aug. 2 at Armstrong Stadium on the Indiana University campus. Championship game: Aug. 8
Games to be played at Twin Lakes Sports Park and Winslow Sports Park.
What’s at stake: An automatic berth in the 2011 ASA/USA 12-Under “A” National Championships.
00 Jennifer Iseri P/1B
1 Brianna Betschel OF/2B
3 Amanda Flores 1B/P
8 Leeann Tran OF
9 Ashley Hernandez LF
10 Jenna Llamas CF
11 Katelyn Valladao OF
12 Sarah Parten OF
15 Heather Cameron C
21 Lauren Vansteenwyk SS
22 Monica Navarette P/OF
97 Alex Hernandez 2B/C
99 Amanda Akles 3B/P
Craig Cameron has been in a familiar position before as he guided the Cerritos Girls Softball Association’s 10-Under Xtreme all-stars to a fifth place finish in the 2008 ASA “B” Western Nationals. His daughter Heather along with Iseri, Llamas, Tran and Valladao were part of that team as well.