The kid’s got game, so it probably comes as no surprise that sophomore Clara Lyons would be game when asked to consider a position change for Geneva.
Such was the case when Kaleigh O’Brien, the Vikings’ first-year softball coach, posed a question to her promising second-year varsity player before the season began.
“Coach asked if I’d ever played shortstop before, and when I said no, she asked if I wanted to try,” Lyons said. “I was like, ‘Sure.’ I was grateful for the opportunity to try.
“It’s so different than anything I’ve ever played. It’s a very difficult position to play.”
This from a girl whose primary position is equally challenging — behind the plate at catcher.
“Props to the people that can play shortstop,” Lyons said. “I make a lot of mistakes and I’m trying my best. As I continue, I’m getting a little more comfortable.”
O’Brien would agree, and she isn’t too worried about Lyons’ defensive miscues.
“The ball finds you wherever you’re at when you’re new there,” said O’Brien, a former All-American at first base for Wisconsin-Whitewater, switching from third base/catcher after a knee injury.
“She has the ability to just bounce back and refocus on what she needs to do.”
Lyons obviously doesn’t mind challenges. O’Brien, who also coached Geneva’s inaugural girls flag football team this past fall fall, knew that.
Lyons gave the new sport a try the previous year when Vikings had a club team.
“She was our quarterback this year with a cannon,” O’Brien said of her Lyons’ strong arm that helped lead the Vikings to a 9-7 record.
O’Brien was the varsity assistant before taking the reins in softball this spring with former Kaneland standout Meg Cohrs as her assistant.
“We knew that shortstop was going to be a spot that was kind of up for grabs,” O’Brien said. “Clara was one of those kids that we realized, if there’s something we want, she’s like, ‘Yeah, anytime.’
“Clara was willing to give it a go, and her willingness to try something new taking a spot that she had never played before has been pretty comforting.”
Last season, Lyons probably flew under the radar a bit as a freshman on the varsity as Geneva won just seven games. The Vikings entered this spring with 21 wins over the past five years.
Lyons certainly did her part, batting .453 with team highs of 15 home runs and 44 RBIs.
This season, Geneva (9-19) takes an improved look into the Class 3A Belvidere Regional. The fourth-seeded Vikings play sixth-seeded Freeport (11-16) at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Lyons, who has played in the Dennison Silver Hawks travel organization since starting the sport at age 8, again leads the offense. She’s hitting .446 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs, all team bests.
“I primarily caught last year but hurt my knee halfway through the season,” Lyons said. “Then I played first base, second and outfield a little bit.”
Her walks and strikeouts are both up this season.
“Sometimes, teams are pitching me a little differently but we have some really great pitchers in the DuKane Conference,” Lyons said. “Sometimes it’s just props to the pitch, say, ‘You had a great pitcher there and I missed it.’”
O’Brien isn’t surprised by adjustments by pitchers and Lyons.
“We knew she was something special coming in,” O’Brien said of Lyons. “We had seen her in our summer camps coming up and knew very much she could hit the ball. When she got here, it was even better than we could have expected.
“Other team are realizing she’s a big threat and trying not to give her anything to hit. If they throw to her, she’s gonna try to hit it 400 feet, but in some situations, she’s learning a walk is as good as a hit.”
