Players who have a fiery edge like Neuqua Valley senior Julia Huebner tend to hate losing more than they like winning.
“I remember a loss from sophomore year that still bothers me,” Huebner said. “After a loss, I have to be by myself. I’ll go into my room, listen to music and keep to myself until I get over it.”
Huebner played games in the neighborhood growing up with her brother and his friends. Competing against boys imparted toughness and competitiveness in the Wildcats shortstop that Neuqua coach Christina Frontera has enjoyed watching.
“She has a game attitude that uplifts our team,” Frontera said. “There’s not a game where she’s not diving for a ball and hitting the dirt, and there’s a tough attitude about her. She’s a gamer.”
As a senior leader, Huebner sets an example that goes a long way. She’s committed to making sure the underclassmen understand the expectations and feel like a part of the team.
A three-year member of the varsity, Huebner batted .355 last year. Her goal as a leadoff hitter goes beyond getting on base and setting the table for the heart of Neuqua’s lineup.
“I try to take as many pitches as I can to get a good look at a pitcher,” said Huebner, who plans to play for Hillsdale College. “If I don’t get on base, it’s still important for me to let everyone know what pitches to watch out for, how the strike zone is being called.
More Top Picks Best Amazon Prime Day Qled Tv Deals 2026
“If a pitcher has a good riseball and one of my teammates has a weakness swinging at riseballs, I have to let her know to be ready.”
Frontera, a first-year coach, is happy to have Huebner around.
“The other girls definitely look up to her,” Frontera said. “What she has, you can’t teach. She was one of the girls chosen for the tug of war during our homecoming week. She’s small but she’s feisty. She just has a natural toughness.”
Warriors stay busy: Unlike most teams in the area that have had numerous games cancelled due to bad weather this spring, Waubonsie Valley has managed to play seven games.
“Props to the grounds crew,” Waubonsie coach Valerie Wood said. “They keep the fields ready for us. It pretty much has to be pouring rain for us to cancel a home game.”
The young Warriors (4-3) have wins over Oak Park-River Forest and Plainfield Central, two veteran teams with high expectations.
In a 10-8 win over Plainfield Central on April 1, the Warriors trailed 8-6 with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh inning. That’s when senior Sabrina Calabrese put her .435 average to good use.
Calabrese cleared the bases with a blast over the center fielder’s head, then scored an insurance run.
“She’s an outstanding kid, a great leader on the team, and she keeps the team calm,” Wood said. “I couldn’t ask for anything more out of her.”
Gary Larsen is a freelance writer for the Naperville Sun.