Expectations were high for Hanover Central freshman Jillian DeYoung.
She hasn’t disappointed this season. Far from it.
“The cool thing is, one of the benefits of our program, we have the middle school program, so I get to see some of these girls when they’re in seventh and eighth grade, which is a big, big, big help,” Hanover Central coach Sam Antkiewicz said. “They get to see how I coach, and I get to see what’s coming up, so we’ve already started a relationship before they get to high school.
“I’ve seen Jillian the last couple of years in middle school, and she’s very talented — very talented. But even more impressively, she’s very humble and a hard worker. And when you have all three of those, it’s special. She’s really special.”
Through Thursday, DeYoung had a 3.37 ERA with a team-high 44 strikeouts against 14 walks in 27 innings for the Wildcats (7-5, 3-4), who are in their second season in the loaded Northwest Crossroads Conference. She was hitting .474 with two homers and nine RBIs.
DeYoung, who also played on Hanover Central’s girls volleyball team, said her experience in travel softball, competing with and against older players in tournaments around the country, helped prepare her for her debut this season.
“High school is a lot more fun,” she said. “I feel like I can enjoy myself, just playing with the girls who are my friends and I’ve gone to school with for a while. In travel, it’s just a little more serious. I want to go to school for it, and travel is where you get more exposure. High school is just as serious, but I feel like I can enjoy myself a little bit more and have more fun.”
Standout junior catcher Sienna Stilley, a Jacksonville State recruit, has enjoyed playing with DeYoung.
“She’s made a huge impact,” Stilley said. “She’s 14 years old, and it’s insanely hard to come onto a varsity team at 14 years old and do the things she’s doing. I feel like she makes it look so easy.
“But she definitely puts in the work. I’m catching for her on the weekends all the time, so her work ethic is definitely there, and it obviously shows on the field.”
Following Payton Antkiewicz’s graduation last year, the Wildcats entered the season looking for other pitchers to join senior Elle Mowry. DeYoung, as well as junior Claire Edgerton, have fit that bill.
“She’s still a freshman,” Sam Antkiewicz said of DeYoung. “She still gets those freshman jitters a little bit, but we have the utmost confidence in her that she’s going to get the job done. She’s going to continue to see opportunities and continue to see increased innings on the mound.”
DeYoung missed about a week’s worth of pitching after tweaking her back during a conference game against Munster on April 21.
“As a freshman, there’s things she’s still learning about the high school season and how to stay properly warm on those cold days,” Antkiewicz said. “In travel ball, it’s the summer, and everything’s hot and loose and warmed up. It’s just little things she needs to learn as a freshman as she continues to grow and mature.”
DeYoung has also been growing as a hitter. She has seen some time at first base, with Antkiewicz saying he’s hesitant to put the “super athlete” anywhere else on the field so they don’t risk injury. In games DeYoung doesn’t start in the circle, she also could be the designated player before closing in relief of Mowry or Edgerton.
“Early on, she wasn’t batting as much, and then we gave her some opportunities when girls got sick, and she started pounding the ball,” Antkiewicz said. “We were like, ‘We can’t take her out of the lineup now.’ She’s been hitting the heck out of the ball, and she’s one of our top hitters now too.
“All around, this is what she wants to do, this is what she works hard at and this is what she excels at. Her future is very bright.”
DeYoung hopes the not-too-distant future includes helping the Wildcats win a sectional title. They had won three straight before losing to Boone Grove in a sectional championship game last season.
“I like how we never give up,” DeYoung said. “We have a good chance of winning sectionals and regionals this year. We all have good attitudes, and we all enjoy playing with each other. It’s just a good, strong team.”
