JMU Softball Has Various Valley Connections

[longtimerhsfan]

My apology in advance if this has already been discussed in another thread, but fans might want to check out the JMU women's softball team in action this weekend in the Super Regionals. They are playing at UCLA, which is the number two seed in the entire tournament. First pitch is tonight at 9:00 on ESPN U. Second game is Saturday night at 8:00 and I believe that is on ESPN. Game three, if necessary, is Sunday at 4:00, on one of the ESPN channels.

The team has some connections to valley schools. The most talked about one is of course their star pitcher, Megan Good, a fifth-year senior who graduated from Fort Defiance. Then there is home-run specialist Kate Gordon, who is a Page County alum. I have also just recently learned that the coach, Loren LaPorte, lives just outside Staunton (in Riverheads district) and is married to Josh LaPorte, who was a star on that Gladiator basketball team that advanced to the state finals against Altavista back in 2004. We can only hope that over time they will be producing lots of softball and basketball talent for RHS, but for the moment, best of luck to the Lady Dukes as they will hopefully make their long journey one to remember.

 

[75LAB18]

My apology in advance if this has already been discussed in another thread, but fans might want to check out the JMU women's softball team in action this weekend in the Super Regionals. They are playing at UCLA, which is the number two seed in the entire tournament. First pitch is tonight at 9:00 on ESPN U. Second game is Saturday night at 8:00 and I believe that is on ESPN. Game three, if necessary, is Sunday at 4:00, on one of the ESPN channels.

The team has some connections to valley schools. The most talked about one is of course their star pitcher, Megan Good, a fifth-year senior who graduated from Fort Defiance. Then there is home-run specialist Kate Gordon, who is a Page County alum. I have also just recently learned that the coach, Loren LaPorte, lives just outside Staunton (in Riverheads district) and is married to Josh LaPorte, who was a star on that Gladiator basketball team that advanced to the state finals against Altavista back in 2004. We can only hope that over time they will be producing lots of softball and basketball talent for RHS, but for the moment, best of luck to the Lady Dukes as they will hopefully make their long journey one to remember.

The catcher, Roadcap, went to Turner Ashby.

 

[peck_7]

The catcher, Roadcap, went to Turner Ashby.

Lauren LaPorte is graduate of Northumberland. Her mother is a W&L graduate. Josh LaPorte was on the Riverheads team that upset the W&L team in 2004. Small world.

 

[longtimerhsfan]

My apologies to Miss Roadcap for leaving her out of the list of players with local ties. I realized during the broadcast tonight that I had done that.

Now on to a different topic..........."the Riverheads team that 'upset' the W & L team in 2004?" Had never heard that one referred to as an upset before. (Still think it was the greatest basketball game in RHS history by the way.)

 

[peck_7]

My apologies to Miss Roadcap for leaving her out of the list of players with local ties. I realized during the broadcast tonight that I had done that.

Now on to a different topic..........."the Riverheads team that 'upset' the W & L team in 2004?" Had never heard that one referred to as an upset before. (Still think it was the greatest basketball game in RHS history by the way.)

Sorry for offending anyone. I called it an upset due to W&L being the higher seed. I was at the game and it was an amazing atmosphere.

 

[longtimerhsfan]

Oh no offense. But I guess your take is correct that W and L was the higher seed. It must have been one of those cases where they had won Region A and RHS had lost the Region B title to Altavista, so that is why they got to host. So in that regard, yes the term "upset" might have applied.

As for the atmosphere, you are correct that it was incredible and I will still take that game over any other state tournament game I ever have seen at the smaller school levels. The only other one worth comparing would be the amazing one-man-show comeback that somebody (Galax I think?) pulled to beat Luray in the semis at VCU about 6-8 years ago.