By Dan Stillwell
“Leading off for the Warriors, catcher Cheyanne Graybeal.”
That’s something you don’t hear every day.
Graybeal doesn’t fit the stereotypes of a catcher — tall and rangy, compact and strong, or both.
Yet Wyoming East’s small and speedy Graybeal stood tall at the top of coach Robert “Doc” Warner’s batting card last spring.
She hit .434 and scored 19 times in the first inning for the 18-9 Warriors.
Her efforts have earned her a scholarship from West Virginia Conference power Glenville State.
“I didn’t think Cheyanne could play catcher in college because most catchers are big, but Glenville likes her,” Warner said.
“She plays hard and has a good work ethic. Other than size, everything else she does real good.”
Graybeal played center field when she was young, but decided she wanted to go behind the plate.
“I’ve caught ever since,” she said. “When you’re the catcher, you get to be part of every play.”
As a freshman, Graybeal played some outfield and second base.
She wasn’t happy about it.
“She did OK, but she wanted to go back to catcher,” Warner said. “When all my other catchers moved on, she was by far our best.”
Graybeal calls the pitches, and also has the challenging job of catching Warrior all-state pitcher Brandi McGraw, a fireballer who sometimes struggles with her control.
“I’m the only one who can catch her,” Graybeal said. “Sometimes she hurts my hand, and you have to be ready to break away at any time. It’s tough.”
While she’s well known as a catcher, many people don’t realize Graybeal is also a Wyoming East cheerleader.
In fact, she’s been a cheerleader since the second grade.
“I do it to keep myself busy and stay in shape,” she said. “But even when I’m cheering, I’ll be in the cages afterward.”
Graybeal visited Glenville last spring and loved it there.
“It’s homey and everybody’s family,” she said. “It felt like my home away from home.
“And their softball team is really good.”
