For the last three seasons of her high school career, success hasn't eluded Mary Star High softball senior third baseman Cassie Demers.

Playing third base is a tough job it seems since it's the position that has the longest throw to first base on ground ball chances, but this job suits Demers to a T. Not making much mistakes fielding wise, and at the plate when she delivers clutch hits for the Stars, Demers has helped her team win three straight Camino Real League championships, including this season after last Wednesday's 2-0 win over Cantwell Sacred-Heart of Montebello sealed up the title.

Demers and Mary Star earned a first round home game in this week's CIF-Southern Section Division VI (6) playoffs as they will host Chadwick of Palos Verdes Estates on Thursday, 3:15 pm at the San Pedro Softball Complex.

Pressure situations don't bother Demers. Take last year's in-city battle with Port Of Los Angeles for example.

With the score tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning and the count 0-and-2, Demers laced a single to right field that brought home two critical runs that eventually led to a 5-1 victory for the Stars, their second in a row over the eventual CIF-Los Angeles City Section Small Schools champions.

In the Katella Tournament against Katella of Anaheim this season, Demers delivered two RBI-singles for the Stars' only two runs, including the eventual game-winner in the top of the eighth for a 2-1 Mary Star victory.

Coach Gregg Aguilar has a strong and experienced infield that backs up sophomore pitcher Marina Vitalich, and Demers is one of the three team captains. Vitalich and senior second baseman Rikki Legaspi-Valdez are the other captains. Senior first baseman Mariah Marquez and sophomore shortstop Lexie Geich are the other infield starters who compliment the leadership of Demers and Legaspi-Valdez very nicely.

Top-seeded Pomona Catholic, who won the CIF-SS Division VII title last season, is the favorite to win Division VI, and Mary Star could face them in the quarterfinals should they win two straight, but one thing's for certain, Demers and the Stars will certainly be up for the challenge.

(Note: For the full brackets for all seven playoff divisions, go to CIF-Southern Section website... http://www.cifss.org/)