10 to Comprehend: Need for Speed

Andale! Andale!

Speedy Gonzales is still one of my favorite cartoon characters of all-time. No matter how many times Sylvester the Cat tried to catch up to the high-motored mouse, he was always either out-smarted or just plain left in Gonzales' dust.

Why are you reading about a 60-year old cartoon character on the front page of the Chillicothe Gazette's sports section? This week's '10 to Comprehend' focuses on multiple area athletes who can relate to Speedy Gonzales' antics.

Whether it's legging out an infield single, taking an extra base on a blooper into left or stealing second or third; these athletes have no trouble stirring up dust on the base paths.

•When I think of speed, Huntington's Brian Smith instantly comes to mind. The Huntsmen' center fielder/pitcher can flat out fly. Not only does Smith lead his team in hitting with a .406 batting average but he's also swiped 10 more bases than any other teammate with a grand total of 23. If he reaches first — and he does frequently with a .486 on-base percentage — he's guaranteed to give the opposing pitcher nightmares. Always a threat to steal second, Huntington's rallies usually start with Smith traveling 90 feet forward.

•The Adena Warriors are lucky enough to have two athletes that own a set of PF Flyers — Carly Carroll and Abby Stark. At the top of the order, Carroll sets the tone and if she gets on base, it's highly likely that she'll make an attempted burglary of second base. Stark, at the bottom of the lineup, has the ability to lay down a bunt and unhitch the wagon or hustle out a single by simply making contact. Both Carroll and Stark own seven stolen bases — tied for the team lead.

•Dustin Kaiser can hit; we all know that. The Westfall junior recently snapped a 24-game hitting streak, dating back to late 2014. But did you know he can also run? Kaiser owns a team high 18 stolen bases while also leading the Mustangs in hitting at .466. Sometimes when you see a player's numbers on paper, you simply don't think there's anyway they can be true. After seeing Kaiser play this past week, I became a witness to one superb baseball player. Kaiser is the total package.

•On an all-star team built around speed, Chillicothe's Tori Bettendorf would still be the squad's leader in stolen bases. Bettendorf has made a living in 2015 off legged-out infield singles and stolen bags. If you don't believe me, look at her numbers. Time and time again, Bettendorf has reached first base — she is 22-57 at the plate (.386) with all 22 hits being singles — and is second on her team in runs scored with 17. If you get a chance to catch a Chillicothe softball game before this year is up, bring your stop watches just for Bettendorf alone.

•For Zane Trace, it's sort of a down year. The Pioneers aren't accustomed to owning a sub-.500 record under head coach Ron Allen. But let's not forget that they are still an incredibly solid team. A big part of that is junior Joel Dunkle, who has been a trend setter in the Pioneers' lineup this season. Dunkle has used his legs to steal a total of 10 bases and score 19 runs — good enough for third on the team. I still believe that Zane Trace could make a postseason run.

•There is nothing Piketon senior Adrien Dunn cannot do. While she leads her team in eight offensive categories, Dunn has proven over and over again her worth to the Redstreaks. Her stat line is truly impeccable as she claims top dog status in all of the following categories: at-bats (45), hits (21), doubles (7), triples (1), home runs (3), runs batted in (18), batting average (.467) and runs scored (16). Oh yeah, she's also a pretty decent pitcher, but don't let me decide that. Let her 10-3 record, 2.47 ERA and 113-28 strikeout-walk ratio be the judge.

• Senior Spotlight: If you're looking for a local athlete with passion and enthusiasm for their school, look no further than Unioto's Payton North. His resume includes the anchor of the football team's offensive line, the Shermans' student section leader, designated hitter and most eligible bachelor in Frenchtown. But even with all of these honors on the shelf, North would never tell you about them. He's as humble as they come. Sometimes, my job consists of more than just reporting scores and eating popcorn in the stands. One of my favorite parts is getting to know the area's local athletes and Payton is one that I'm thankful I've gotten to know.

• Performance of the Week: Anybody else hit two home runs in one game this week? No? Chillicothe's Haylee Jo Large went 4-4 in a 14-4 win over Hillsboro on Friday night. Those four hits included two round trippers — her sixth and seventh of the season — to go along with three runs batted in. Fun fact: Large is now the Cavaliers' career leader in home runs. The previous record was eight. She has seven; this year. And she's a junior.

• SVC Baseball Player of the Year Watch: I'm sticking with Adena's Jonathan Thomas at number one, largely in part due to the Warriors' 12-0 record inside SVC play — Thomas has played a gigantic role in that. After Thomas comes a battle of the McFadden's. Paint Valley's Teagan and Anthony square off for number two and three.

• SVC Softball Player of the Year Watch: There's been a change at the top here. Unioto's Brooke Blevins overtakes Piketon's Adrien Dunn for the top spot, thanks to her performance at the plate and in the pitcher's circle. Huntington's Alayna Lytle remains at number three.

NOTE: Look for the area's statistical leaders in Tuesday's edition of the Chillicothe Gazette or at chillicothegazette.com, Monday night.

Derrick Webb is a Gazette sportswriter and can be reached at dwebb@chillicothegazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @dw1509.

Power Rankings

• Baseball: Adena (16-3), Paint Valley (16-4), Chillicothe (8-9), Zane Trace (10-13), Unioto (8-9), Waverly (10-9), Southeastern (7-8), Piketon (5-12), Westfall (9-14) and Huntington (7-12)

• Softball: Westfall (15-4), Unioto (13-4), Piketon (10-4), Waverly (6-2), Huntington (13-7), Chillicothe (7-12), Zane Trace (9-8), Adena (6-7), Southeastern (2-13) and Paint Valley (2-13)