By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

SALEM, Ore.–  Blanchet Catholic’s Regan Rasmussen has been putting in a lot of work for this moment as she’s about to enter her junior year with the Cavaliers.  Putting in the work with the NW Vandals 16U-Oliver squad this Summer, putting in work against high competition that the Vandals organization wants to face every Summer season, while learning from Ariel Davila and Alexis Jensen the last two years as she now prepares to be a leader of the squad.

“It’s helped out a lot, just being able to face tough competition has not only grown my mental game, but physically longer in innings and stuff.  Just being able to work on my fundamentals and continue to get stronger and being able to control where I want to pitch the ball and stuff,” describes Rasmussen.  “Watching Ariel and Lexi lead the team, they don’t necessarily get mad at anything, but they lead by their actions and show how they want you to play the game.  To step it up and ‘hey I want to be like them and strive to be better’.”

Blanchet went 9-10 last season, going 4-8 in PacWest Conference play in their final year in 3A before beginning their new chapter in 2A this Spring.  They’ll be low in numbers, graduating Davila and Jensen, but will have girls like Rasmussen, Ellie Fromwiller and Jensen’s younger sister Alana as the squad will have ten girls on roster this year.  For Rasmussen, who will be turned to pitch the bulk of the innings this year for the Cavs, she knows how important for her in particular to step up to lead the squad as they kick off the season March 16 against Scio.

“It’ll be huge to help my teammates to grow not just in their softball career, but to grow in my relationship with everyone on the team.  To be a leader, just being there mentally, physically and emotionally just being there for my teammates. Just putting our all out there and taking advantage of being able to play and having fun because that’s pretty key for playing,” Rasmussen said.

Blanchet opens 2A/1A Special District 2 March 21 at Gervais.

Photos By Jeremy McDonald