PREVIEW:Teams have new coaches

BURBANK — Switching leagues isn't the biggest change faced this season by the local high school softball teams.

Three of four schools have new coaches, as Bellarmine-Jefferson High's Patty Bertole is the only returner.

Kris Jones has taken over for Jana Kovar at Burbank. Jones has been a coach in the Bulldog program for five years and worked with Kovar for three.

Kovar helped revive the program and the Bulldogs enjoyed sustained success the past two seasons.

At Burroughs, gone is popular former coach Jennifer Gomez, who headed the Indians for six years. Under her guidance, the program churned out a steady stream of all-league players, many of whom went on to play in college.

Nick Schepperle, a former Burroughs coach with a wealth of experience, is the Indians' new coach.

Providence lost a successful coach when Maggie Boozel stepped down. Along with compiling a 60-27 record (.700 winning percentage), Boozel and assistant coach Jay Creps helped guide the Pioneers to two consecutive Liberty League championships and three straight CIF Southern Section Division V quarterfinal appearances, as well as cultivate players who have gone on to earn all-league and All-CIF accolades.

Taking her place is Latisha Hernandez, who played at Cal State San Bernardino and at Paraclete High.

Along with the new coaches, three teams also join new leagues: Burbank and Burroughs go from the Foothill League to the Pacific League and Bell-Jeff jumps from the Sunshine League to the Santa Cruz League.

Here is how the teams are shaping up:

BURBANK

Although the Bulldogs have a new coach, most of the team is returning from last season from a group went 14-9 (2-8 and tied for fifth in league).

"We have almost the entire team back, along with a few who have come up from [junior varsity] and two new freshmen," Jones said. "They have the experience and we have some players with talent."

One of the squad's key returners is sophomore Kristin Peraza, who had a breakout season a year ago. The second-team all-league selection helped the team go 12-2 to start the season. Peraza went 14-8 with a 0.92 earned-run average and had 185 strikeouts in 137 2/3 innings.

Freshman Megan Schafer will back up Peraza in the circle.

"Kristin can be a dominant pitcher," Jones said. "We are hoping she will have an even better season this year."

Also returning is sophomore second-team all-league infielder Daisy Beltran, who led the team in hitting with a .340 average in 2006.