Bryan High School of Bryan, Texas, has been named the 2002 Speedline/NFCA High School National Coaching Staff of the Year.
Head coach Janice Williamson and assistant coaches Cody Foreman, Chris Southard, Charlie McMath and Rae Ann Watson guided Bryan to the Texas Class 5A state championship and a No. 3 national ranking in the season-ending USA Today/NFCA High School Top 25. Bryan posted a 33-7 mark to set a school single-season record for wins. Three Bryan players earned NFCA All-America honors and seven players were named NFCA Scholar-Athletes. Williamson was named Oshman's Softball Coach of the Year, Texas Sportswriter's Softball Coach of the Year and Eagle Coach of the Year. The Bryan staff was selected by its peers as the Speedline High School South Central Region Coaching Staff of the Year and was then placed on the national coaching staff of the year ballot. They will be recognized as the 2002 Speedline/NFCA High School National Coaching Staff of the Year at the NFCA National Convention in St. Petersburg, Florida, in December. Other Speedline top regional coaching staffs, as selected by their coaching peers, are: East Region -- Montclair Kimberley Academy, Montclair, N.J. North Region (tie) -- Chelsea High School, Chelsea, Mich. North Region (tie) -- Penns Valley Area High School, Spring Mills, Pa. North Region (tie) -- Reitz Memorial High School, Evansville, Ind. South Region -- Madison County High School, Danielsville, Ga. West Region -- North Medford High School, Medford, Ore.
2002 Record: 27-5
Bob Gervasi, Head Coach
Tara Wisz, Assistant Coach
Montclair Kimberley Academy won the New Jersey Private School Class B state championship. The team posted a 22-1 record against teams from New Jersey and a 5-4 record against state champions or finalists from other states. The 2002 state championship was the third in four years for Montclair Kimberley, which extended its winning streak in Colonial Conference games to 102, dating back to 1997.
2002 Record: 36-3-1
Kim Reichard, Head Coach
Kasie Ruhlig, Mark Musolf, Chris DeFant and Jenni Driskill, Assistant Coaches
Chelsea High School won the Michigan Class II state championship. Chelsea posted 16 shutouts and recorded eight mercy rule wins, outscoring its opponents 254-36 in 2002. Reichard was named district coach of the year and three players earned all-state honors.
2002 Record: 24-2
Don Lucas, Head Coach
Kris Vancas, Curt McCool and John VanVactor, Assistant Coaches
Penns Valley Area High School won the Pennsylvania Class 1A state championship. Eight players earned all-state honors, including five first-team selections. Eleven players were honored as NFCA Scholar-Athletes in 2001-02. Penns Valley's pitching staff combined for an earned run average under 0.74. Lucas was named Pennsylvania Coach of the Year and District 6 Coach of the Year.
2002 Record: 25-10-1
Bob McFall, Head Coach
Randy Stephanus, Assistant Coach
Reitz Memorial High School won the Indiana Class 2A state championship. The team allowed only one run in its last 12 games. Christina Machuca was selected as the winner of the Mental Attitude Award in Class 2A Softball, and was one of two Memorial players to earn all-state honors. The coaching staff was named All Metro Coach of the Year and Hoosier Diamond State Coach of the Year.
2001 (Fall) Record: 30-7
Doug Kesler, Head Coach
Melissa Mullis, Assistant Coach
Madison County High School was the Georgia Class AAA state runner-up. The team, which had only one senior, posted 12 shutouts and outscored its opponents 220-70. Five players earned all-state honors, including four first-team selections. Kesler was named region coach of the year and was selected to coach in the Georgia High School All-Star game. This was the fourth year of fastpitch for Madison County, which reached the state semifinals the previous year.
2002 Record: 26-5
Larry Binney, Head Coach
Ernie Adams, Duke Anderson, Brent Barry, George Calvert, T.P. Jones, Rod Rumrey and Naomi Silva, Assistant Coaches
North Medford High School won the Oregon Class 4A state championship and was listed among schools receiving consideration in the season-ending USA Today/NFCA High School Top 25. Binney, who has served as head coach in 20 of the last 21 years, stepped down in June after winning his fourth state championship. Assistant coach Brent Barry was named head coach.
