CLAREMORE ZEBRAS
Coach: DEREK SHORT
OUTLOOK
Claremore will have plenty of experience going into the 2023 season under head coach Derek Short. The Zebras welcome back eight players who played roles from a 16-20 team last year. “Last year we had a dominantly underclassmen lineup. This year we will have two seniors. I expect our team to have a better 2023 with the experience we gained from last year,” Short said. “We are stronger and more athletic. We have two experienced pitchers and return several all-district players.” Offensively, we will be led by two juniors, Grace Weaver and Halle Bucktrot, with big-fly potential from senior Jaz Cookson,” Short added. “Defensively, we will be anchored in the circle by senior Jaz Cookson and sophomore Mae Foster with several all-district and honorable mention defenders returning. We are excited to see what the season brings.” Weaver, a VYPE Top 100 candidate, will see time at catcher and third base after hitting .500 with 20 doubles, one triple, two home runs and posting a .536 on-base percentage in 2022. The junior-to-be is a two-time all-district catcher and will provide the punch in the middle of the Zebras’ lineup. “[Grace] is an extremely hard worker and competitor who puts in extra time every opportunity she has,” Short said. “You can almost always find her putting time in the cage before and after practice. She has matured and gotten stronger from an offseason spent in the weight room and we expect to see more chaos caused by her bat.” Cookson returns as Claremore’s ace in the pitcher’s circle and also gives the Zebras a powerful bat in the lineup. She led the team with eight home runs and 37 RBIs in 2022. “[Jaz] finished the 2022 season healthy and pitching her best at regionals. She is a dominating figure in the circle and has the ability to throw it by you and will induce a large number of ground balls with her drop ball creating 161 ground ball outs last season,” Short said. “Offensively, she has big power with the bat and in the circle and I am looking forward to her senior season in the circle. She also has several offers on the table and we are excited to see where she goes after high school.” Bucktrot, a junior, returns as an all-district shortstop after playing in center field as a freshman. She batted .474 with 46 hits, 17 doubles and 36 runs scored in 2022. “[Halle] made a huge jump offensively as a sophomore,” Short said. “Halle has great range, great hands with a fast exchange, and a plus-arm at shortstop. She has continued to get stronger and we will see more explosion off the bat in 2023 and will anchor our infield.” Foster will form a strong duo, along with Cookson, at pitcher and also see time in the infield. She hit .381 and had a .530 on-base percentage as a freshman last year. “Mae was an all-district honorable mention as a freshman who gained valuable experience last season. She was our starting second baseman and had a little over 50 innings in the circle,” Short said. “She was tied for a team lead in walks and led the team in sacrifices. She did this out of the nine spot for us last year. We are looking forward to seeing the growth she has made in the offseason, both offensively and in the circle. She will be a pivotal part of this program the next few years.” Junior outfielder Aubrey Pilgrim and freshman infielder Rylie Fay are also expected to contribute, as well as senior outfielder/catcher Emory Woody, junior outfielders Mackenzie McNamara, Toney Gibson and Sydney Bass, junior infielders Rylie Biswell and Taylor Webster, sophomore outfielders Abigail Carter, Belle Morganroth, Peyton Wright and Gabby Garcia, and freshman outfielder Addison Reavis.
