Softball: Sabrina Rabin leading the St Charles North adjustment

Updated: April 19, 2012 7:38PM

Sabrina Rabin knows what it’s like to be left behind, but she is making the most of it.

The St. Charles North pitcher and leadoff hitter played a part as a freshman in her senior-dominated team’s journey to a Class 4A state runner-up softball trophy last spring. She’s now one of the two remaining players getting used to being part of a very young North Stars squad.

“It’s been different, but I really like it,” said Rabin, who has committed to Northwestern. “We have a lot of young players, so we’ve got a lot of room to grow. But we have a lot of talent, so I think we’re going to be doing well.

“I get to be involved with leadership and get to help people out. I get to teach what our seniors did, the way they did it, to the next group.”

The North Stars are trying to build momentum in a different setting this season. Gone is the pressure of having a nearly all-senior team filled with college-committed players.

“It’s a lot different,” coach Tom Poulin said. “It’s rare that we even have reporters at the games now. Last year it was seven of you (reporters). It’s fun. There’s not as much pressure.

“We just want to try to get ourselves ready for the tournament. That’s really where the focus is — learning how to play winning state tournament softball and the best way to do that is against (strong) teams day in and day out. It’s a new year and that was a great time last year but this group is looking to make its own mark.”

South Elgin coach Jason Schaal paid Rabin a huge compliment after losing to the Stars last week.

“I don’t know if there’s anybody faster in the conference,” he said, after his team had already faced Elgin’s hard-throwing ace Hannah Perryman.

With nine freshmen or sophomores on the 13-player roster, the Stars were welcomed to the cold, cruel world of facing more experienced teams when they dropped their season-opener to Plainfield Central 12-2.

They’ve quickly adjusted behind the pitching of Rabin, who was 5-1 with a 1.66 earned run average last year, and Shannon Caliri.

“I think we’ve got a lot of talent,” Rabin said. “I think we can be a really dangerous team.”

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