...................THE HISTORY..................

Homer softball got it's start in 1987, with Head Coach Chuck Finch.It did not take long for them to establish a dominate force in the Big 8 conference,as they won the league championship in there second year. (the first year of conference play).The third year(89) they once again took top honors in the league, as well as the district title, Regional title and lost only to Ida in the state championship game 7-5! In 1990 the tradition continued as the Trojans once again won the conference championship, and went all the way to the semi-final game where they lost to Kent city in a heart breaking 2-0 game. Coach Heidi McLane, a graduate of Central Michigan university, where she played 4 years of softball, got her start in Homer as the first JV coach when that program started in 1989.She took over the reins of the varsity in 1991. As head coach she has won 8 conference championships as well as many district and regional titles. She also has been to the Quarter finals in 1993 and 1999. Homer has maintained a dominate force all along ,in the ten years of league play, they have won seven titles, and have acumulated an overall record of 204-70-1. At the end of the 1998 season, The Homer Trojans were looking at first place...from one place back as they notched a second place finish. The season was, however a good one, as they won a district championship, and lost in the regional championship game to the soon to be state champions Burr Oak by a 3-0 score. The final season record of 22-7 ups the overall record to 226-77-1 for a .743 winning percentage.

1999,...Oh what a season, Homer once again proved to br the domanant force in conference play, as they posted a record of 13 - 1 to re-claim the big 8 title. but that was only the begining, they were also a tough competitor for all they faced, finishing the season with a 28-4 win loss record. This squad, captured the Bellevue invatational, big 8 championship, districts,and regionals! Along the way, many new school records were established. Sarah Butler set new Pitching marks in: Most compleet games (28 ) Most wins (25), Most strike outs (232) Most innings pitched (192.66 ) Most batters faced (756) . And finished with a second place E.R.A. of 1.16. Great job, well done. the other records to fall were stolen basses which was toped by two players. Courtney Morgan now has the lead with 25 and Amy Duncan surpassed the old mark of 23 established in1996 by Melissa Wolfe, and finished the season with 24. all in all a great season came to an end 3 wins short of the state championshop as they lost in Quarter -finals to Monroe St. Mary's catholic Central in a 15 inning marathon 6-1 at Lansing Evreett high school. ...Oh what a season !!! Mandy collins was named to the all State first team.

2000: another record breaking season in Homer ! a new team record was set for victories 30-3 unfourtanetly 2 losses came in conference play and we had to be content with second place. Coach Heidi McLane reached an outstanding 200th victory as Homer Head Coach. Sarah "Boomer"Butler kept setting new records on the mound all season.Courtney Morgan broke her own stolen base record by 10 taking the new record to 35. The District title came home again as did the invatational titles from Homer, Concord, Clinton,and Belevue.A good ..but disapointing year came to a close in a hard to take 1-0 loss in Regional play against Bronson.Sarah "boomer" Butler was named to the all State first team and Jackie Payne earned an honorable mention

2001: Was a good , but another disapointing season,espicialy for the seniors. The Trojans only lost 1 conference game and re-claimed the big 8 title. Sarah" Boomer" Butler finished her high school years setting more records and holds all of the careare and single season pitching records in Homer. Great job Boomer ! this season was one of highs and lows, for the sniors this was the only year in their 4 in which they did not advance out of district play as they fell in 8 innings to Bronson in a 1-0 championship game. the team finished with a 26-6 record. we will sadly miss the 5 seniors who graduated this year.4 year starter"Boomer"Butler, finishes with all of the pitching records,and will be playing next year at glen Oaks CC Kristen Avery,4 years at short stop had a great senior year hitting over .420,and will be joining Sarah Butler at glen Oaks. Firstbaseman, Jackie Payne 4 year starter finished her senior year with only 1 error at firstbase for the year and 8 in her 4 years! and is still exploring the college oppertunities,3 year catcher Mandy Collins had another great year throwing out over 66% of attempted base stealers and hitting .340 She too will be at glen Oaks to catch for her long time battery-mate .and 2 year Third baseman Jody VanWert steped into the # 2 spot in the batting line up and excuted very well all season, Jody will be at Seina heights in the fall of 2001 Good luck to all of these fine young ladies in their future !The trojans 26-6 record brings the total program record to 310-90-1 for a winning percentage of .773! Coach McLane's record is now 249-69-1 for a .780 winning percentage over 11 years!

2002...A semi-disapointing year. finishing the season with a 12-14 overall record and a 9-4 (second place) conference record. Brenna Nickles led the offence with a .350 batting avg,and Tina DePew set a new batters faced record (815). on the down side the tem commited 87 errors! That will be the focus of the '03 season DEFENCE! Seniors, Stephanie Warner finished her season early due to a knee injurie but will continue her softball at Olivet college. Michell Miller moved from right field to behind the plate and did a great job. She will be playing the 2003 season with Kellogg community in Battle Creek. Total program record now stands at 322-104-1(.754).

2003... Coach Debbie VanMeter,in her second year as head coach,has once again got the program back to its winning ways, although a disapointing 4th place finish in conference standings, the team managed to win the pewamo-westphailla tournement,and win 4 out of 4 games at the Elk Rapids invatational. The team got off to a slow start,and it took a little tweeking to get the right people at the right spots but when we did good things happened, the errors that plagued the team in 2002 were cut nearly in half,and the last half of the season saw solid defense.The hi-lite of the season came from Tina DePew who has established new records in Complete games,innings pitched,batters faced,and most importantly NO HITTERS! Tina's shinning moment came in district play throwing back to back no hitters against a normaly strong hitting Bronson and Union City !Great defense help out as the trojans played error free in the districts and brought home the programs 11th district championship in 16 years.

Tina DePew also got the job done at the plate as she tied the single season total hit record with 45,she had the teams second highest batting avg.of.375. Other records to fall...The single season record for home runs was re-set this year as Christina Finch hit 5,she also makes the record book in the hits aera with a total of while driving in a team leading 30,carrying a team leading batting avg of .386.The season came to a close with a 5-1 loss in the regional semi-final at the hands of Napoleon. the teams final record was 25-11 for a total program record of 347-115-1 For a .749 winning %.

2004: Season ended in a district loss to Bronson in Bronson. The final season record of 25-7 was good enough for a Big 8 championship. Single season records set by Christina included Home runs (5) Hits (47) and also finished the season hitting .500 in 116 at bats (4th).While pitcher Staci O'Dell moved into the record books in second place with wins (25) and era(.99).and first place in compleet games with 33

2005: Homer repeated as confrence champs although they did have to share it. Coach Norton also added her second district title for a program total to 12. This young team steped up and played well most of the time starting 1 senior and 2 freshmen and only 3 returning starters. Season final record of 28-8.Our only senior ,Angela Meter moves into the record books with 46 total hits (2nd) and 33 RBI (5th) While pitcher Staci O'Dell captured the lead with 5 no hitters and an ERA of .92(2nd) and strike outs 254 (2nd).Staci,along with teamate,secondbasman Cassie DePew,earned a well deserved all state honorable mention.The Homer softball Progrmas record now stands at 400-132-1 for a .750 winning %.

2006:The tradition just keeps on going...Under the direction of first year head coach Doran Winchell, This years team played very well lead by seniors Cassie DePew,Staci O'Dell, Kurnin Albrecht,and Courtney Edwards,a new mark was set for team wins with a 32-3 record. The big 8 conference record of 14-0 was the first time scince 1991 a Homer team was undefeated in the conference.In tournement play they lost in the H.W."Pork" Weiss Homer invatational to Bronson in the championship game .In the Alma invite they lost only to a top ranked division 3, Freeland team 3-2 and brought home the first place trophy in the tie breaker. This years team was ranked as high as 4 in division 4 and lost in the regional championship in a heartbreaking 12 inning pitchers dual to Merrill by a score of 2-1. Along the way many new records were set. ALL STATE HONORABLE MENTION Pitcher Staci O'Dell set a new mark in wins with 28, a new low ERA of 0.45 and tied her own record with 5 no-hitters(3 perfect games). The team was also an offensive powerhouse hitting a record 20 home runs lead by Cassie DePew with a new record 8. Brandi Bowser tied for a new second place with 5, Kurnin Albrecht moves into 3rd with 4 Courtney Edwards blasted 2 and Ashley Ball notched 1.ALL STATER Cassie DePew also set records for total hits 51, RBI 44 (the old record ws 42 set in the first year of Homer Softball by Missy Cavender) and finished the year hitting .464 The big 8 championship was Homers 13th to go along with their 13th district title. the programs record now stands at 432-135-1 for a .765 winning %

2007: Head coach Doran Winchell's second year was another success,not quite as successful as the first but a success. The trojans were 23-14, 12-2 in big 8 conference play and took a share of the league title (4 years straight). The district crown was also won by the young lady trojans.This year defence (or the lack of) played a huge roll in the 12 losses. this team commited a record of 113 errors. unfortanetly that was the only recod set by this team.on a positive note this was a young team starting only 1 senior 4 juniors and 4 sophomores. IF we can tighten up the "D" we should be a very good team in 2008 The total program record for our first 20 years is 455- 148-1 for a .753 winning %. A total of 14 conference titles and 14 district championships,4 regional crowns, State runner up (1989) an a semi final apperance in 1990. Coach Winchell's record now stands at 55-16 (.774)

2008: What started out as a so-so season took on a whole new light as the season moved into the second half. A season that saw the ladie Trojans at a 4-8 record at one point turned into a big 8 conference championship season (15th; 5 in a row),a fully expected district championship (15th; 4 in a row) a not so expected regional championship(5th),and a run that no-one really expected that found them in the state championship game !! The lady Trojans finished the season at 21-15 and state runner up in div. IV.(2nd time)WHAT A SEASON GREAT JOB LADIES !! No new records were set this year but Ashley Calhoun came close hitting 7 home runs. Sarah Stempien led the trojans in post seasn awards by being named All conference, all district, all region and all state center fielder! others reciving all conference all district and all region were, Vickie VanWert, Ashley Calhoun,Brandi Bowser, Paige Winchell, Alexa Johnson. Named to the all district team was Chelsea Hayes. the program record now stands at 476-163-1 for a .743 and coach Winchell's record is now76-31(.710)

THE TRADITION CONTINUES !!!!!!!!!!

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