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Sports

Woodbury Softball Team Eyes Success in Suburban East Conference

The Royals hope that stability at key positions propels them to a better finish in the competitive conference.

The softball team posted a respectable .500 record in the competetive Suburban East Conference last year, but the head coach says things won't get any easier in the conference in 2011.

Last Season:  8-10

Conference Record:  7-7 (fifth in Suburban East Conference) 

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Section 4AAA tournament: Lost to East Ridge  3-0

The Woodbury Royals finished with a .500 record in the stellar Suburban East Conference in 2010, but the season ended with a section loss to intra-city rival . Yet Coach Bob Samson and his team enter this season poised to get even better this season.

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“We’re improved from last year, though we’re young, because we have a lot of returning players,” Samson said.

Key Returning Players

Senior pitcher Abbie Morris, who started 16 of the team’s 18 games last year, is back, as is starting catcher, junior Alex Benedict.

“When you have pitching and catching at this level, you’re in good shape,” Samson said.

In addition, the team’s leading hitter, outfielder Josie Ryan (.350 batting average), returns for her junior season.

Conference Outlook

Samson doesn’t expect the road in the Suburban East to get any smoother. If anything, he thinks it will get even rougher.

Two teams—Hastings and Forest Lake—made the Class AAA state tournament last year. Samson said he thinks at least that many Suburban East teams will qualify for the state tournament this season.

East Ridge and Park are two teams that could surprise people, he said. For the Royals to make the state tournament, they’ll have to navigate their way through a section that also includes perennial power North St. Paul.

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