Bobcats rely on defense to mount 15-5A run

By TODD HVEEM
CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT
The Cy-Fair Lady Bobcats were the only District 15-5A team to advance to the second round of the playoffs in 2009.
This year, they would like to take that a couple steps further.
I think we have a shot to have a really good team this year,'' said long-time head coach Debra Burrow, who watched her team finish third in the final District 15-5A standings in 2009.
We lost a couple of quality seniors (in Bethany Armstrong and Patti Bradshaw), but we do have a lot of returners. And we have some very good freshmen coming up.''
Cy-Fair, which will take on 15-5A rivals Cy Ridge on Tuesday and Cy Creek on Friday, will rely on the pitching of Haley Peete, Laura Driskill and freshman Mariah Gibson to carry them to the top of the 15-5A heap.
We don't have dominating pitching,'' said Burrow, who has been with Cy-Fair ISD for 34 years. But it is good enough (to keep us in games).
Our defense will be the key,'' she added. That and we have to come up with timely hits.''
Freshmen Amanda Fulkerson (center fielder) and Jordan Rains (utility player) will be asked to provide an instant impact this season.
Meredith Fair also will join the club after the end of the basketball season.
It is our last year in Region II,'' Burrow said. I know Klein Oak is not going to be as good, but Spring should be really good. We have to make it out of our district first.''
Burrow, who guided her team to a 23-8 record a year ago, said Cy Creek might be the team to beat in 15-5A.
I think they only lost one player,'' she said. Cy Woods lost a few players, but they probably are going to be tough, too. I am sure we are going to have our share of battles.''
The softball teams elected not to separate the district into two five-team zones, meaning each of the league's 10 teams will play 18 district games.
This is the first time we have never had a non-district game,'' said Burrow, who guided her team to the Region III-5A finals in 1992 before losing to eventual state-champion Angleton.
I don't like it,'' she added. We need to quit building so many schools. We just need to expand the schools we have and add more teachers and students.''
Cy-Fair also will play in the Pearland tournament on Thursday and Saturday.
That is it as far as non-district,'' she said. We did have a couple scrimmages, but then we moved right into district play.''