Prep softball preview: Capsules for all area leagues

Greater Spokane League

Central Valley

Coach: Joe Stanton, eighth season

2018 record/finish: 25-3, 17-1; first in GSL, third in State 4A

Starters graduated/returning: 4/5

Key departures: P Kelsey Gumm (2018 GSL MVP); 1B Hannah Wampler (1st-team All-GSL).

Key returners: OF Grace Stumbough, senior, (1st-team); 2B Suhela Tanak, junior, (2nd-team All-GSL); C Julia Andrews, sophomore; 3B Jordan Williams, sr.; SS Gianna McCoy, soph.

Key newcomers: UTL Emily Schulhauser, freshman; UTL Carly Imes, fr.

Outlook: The Bears lost Gumm but look to remain competitive in the GSL with a strong defense.

Ferris

Coach: Linda Bushinski, first season

2018 record/finish: 1-19, 1-17; 10th in GSL

Starters graduated/returning: 1/7

Key departures: None.

Key returners: P/UTL Katie Strauss, so.; SS Jordan Whitten, sr.; OF Tayler Hart, sr.; C/IF Jailyn Strauss, sr.; P/C/UTL Lexie Dinwoodie, jr.

Key newcomers: P/1B Courtney Miller, fr.

Outlook: The Saxons have speed and will rely on defense and pitching under longtime slowpitch coach Bushinski.

Gonzaga Prep

Coach: Jill Benson, third season

2018 record/finish: 8-13, 7-11; sixth in GSL

Starters graduated/returning: 3/6

Key departures: C Madeline DeMarco (1st-team All-GSL); 2B Sarah Tweedy (honorable mention All-GSL); OF Gracie Cunnelly.

Key returners: SS Josie Kobluk, sr., (2nd-team All-GSL); P Jadyn Raley-Jones, jr., (2nd-team); C/IF Maddi Murphy, soph.; C/IF Grace Duchame, soph.; OF Genevieve Hose, sr.

Key newcomers: P/1B Bailey Benson, fr.

Outlook: The Bullpups should have a complementary pitching duo between Raley-Jones and Bailey Benson, the coach’s daughter.

Lewis and Clark

Coach: Paul Neff, 12th season

2018 record/finish: 10-13, 8-10; fifth in GSL

Starters graduated/returning: 3/6

Key departures: P/OF Taylor John (1st-team All-GSL); C Peris Oschner (2nd-team All-GSL).

Key returners: P Kylie Pester, jr., (1st-team); SS Jasmine Ereaux, jr.

Key newcomers: None.

Outlook: Pester should be one of the top pitchers in the GSL and the Tigers could be in the mix for a league title.

Mead

Coach: Tiffany Casedy, second season

2018 record/finish: 11-11, 11-7; fourth in GSL

Starters graduated/returning: 3/7

Key departures: 2B Ciara Harding (2nd-team All-GSL).

Key returners: C Sadie Bocook, sr.; 3B/2B Peyton Cushner, jr.; C/Utility Tori Veter, soph.; SS Destiny Scott, sr.

Key newcomers: P Makayla Williams, soph.; 3B/2B/OF Grace Sykora, soph.; 3B/SS Bailey Wilkins, fr.

Outlook: The Panthers feature six seniors. Can the bats and defense lead as the young staff – which has no varsity experience – matures?

University

Coach: John Schuh, 20th season (406-129-1)

2018 record/finish: 17-9, 14-4; third in GSL

Starters graduated/returning: 5/4

Key departures: 2B Gracee Dwyer (1st-team All-GSL); OF Sierra Apodaca (1st-team); C Hanna Click (2nd-team All-GSL); P/1B Brianna Hecker (2nd-team); DP Courtney Awberry (2nd-team).

Key returners: OF Emily Stannard, sr., (1st-team); C Alyssa Benthagen, sr., (1st-team); SS Makala Marshall, sr., (2nd-team).

Key newcomers: None.

Outlook: The Titans hope to contend for a GSL title and a berth in the state playoffs with four experienced seniors leading the way.

Mt. Spokane

Coach: Carl Adams, 19th season (233-192-1)

2018 record/finish: 21-5, 16-2; second in GSL

Starters graduated/returning: 4/5

Key departures: P/OF Jesse Dupuis (1st-team All-GSL); C Hannah Madsen (1st-team); 2B Kaitlyn Zemke.

Key returners: 3B/1B Ashton Cathey, sr.; UTL Katie McKinnis, jr.; P/1B Morgan Flesland, soph.

Key newcomers: None.

Outlook: Cathey, one of two seniors on the roster, will help lead this young squad for Mt. Spokane, a perennial contender in the GSL.

North Central

Coach: Chris Lester, second season

2018 record/finish: 2-19, 2-16; ninth in GSL

Starters graduated/returning: 6/3

Key departures: C Paula Pinter (1st-team All-GSL); SS Harmony Bay (1st-team); P Maddy Patterson (2nd-team All-GSL); 1B Ashley Sweeney (honorable mention All-GSL).

Key returners: 3B Gabby Mason, jr.; 2B Lexi Atchley, jr.; P/OF Siera Waid, sr.

Key newcomers: SS Isabella Bay, fr.; P Emma Dravland, soph.

Outlook: The Indians return three letterwinners from last year’s squad, but second-year coach Lester has an athletic bunch.

Rogers

Coach: Cris Coffield (150-209)

2018 record/finish: 8-14, 7-12; eighth in GSL

Starters graduated/returning: 3/6

Key departures: SS Gracie Olsen (1st-team All-GSL); P Macey Finch (2nd-team All-GSL).

Key returners: OF/SS Angelina Blystone, sr., (1st-team); 3B Jaelynn Proctor, soph., (hon. mention All-GSL); P/SS Gabriell Rickman, sr., (hon. mention); C Alyson Slawter, sr., (hon. mention).

Key newcomers: None.

Outlook: The Pirates return seven starters but have a huge hole to fill in the circle with Finch gone.

Shadle Park

Coach: Scott Kine, first season

2018 record/finish: 7-14, 7-11; seventh in GSL

Starters graduated/returning: 2/2

Key departures: SS/OF Skyla Mangis, sr., (1st-team All-GSL).

Key returners: C/IF Meghan Keenan, sr., (1st-team); C/OF Ariel Hall, jr., (2nd-team All-GSL).

Outlook: Three-time all-league senior Keenan looks to lead the Highlanders back to state for the first time since 2016.

Great Northern League

Cheney (11-1, first place) lost GNL MVP 3B Meghan Krantz and first-team All-GNL P/2B Maddie Kallsen but returns eight starters, including senior C Shelby Melton (1st-team All-GNL), junior 1B Logan Krantz (1st team) and sophomore OF/2B Kyla Olson (2nd team). Coach Gary Blake his 11 letterwinners back. … Clarkston (1-11, fifth) returns All-GNL INF Mikayla Hill (sr.). … East Valley (7-5, third) lost just one starter, first-team All-GNL OF Madrona Beitz, from last year’s team that advanced to the state. First-year coach Kelli Peckham’s squad returns four all-leaguers in P/INF Abi Brake (sr., 1st team), P/OF Addie Meyer (so., 1st team), INF Emma Todhunter (soph., 2nd team) and INF Katelyn Harvey (jr., 2nd team). … Pullman (2-10, fourth) will look to sophomore pitchers Hailey Talbot and Kinsey Kallaher to lead. Coach Tara Briggs’ squad returns six letterwinnners. … First-year coach Brian Ostby takes over at West Valley (9-3, second). The Eagles return two first-team selections in INF Maddie Thompson (sr.) and OF Jillian Taylor (sr.), and second-team picks P India Wells (sr.), OF Lilly Arch (sr.), IF Kilee Imada (jr.) and IF Sararh Nowles (jr.)

Northeast A

Colville (8-6, fourth) slipped after a run to the state semis in 2017 but returns seven starters and nine letterwinners, including second-team all-league selections senior IF Hallie Cox and junior OF Hanna Worrell. Amanda Sumner returns as coach after a six-year hiatus. … Deer Park (10-4, third) has won back-to-back district titles behind a battery of juniors Jaylee Lane (1st-team All-NEA pitcher) and Courtney Butler (1st-team All-NEA catcher). Coach Dana Shaw’s Stags lost three all-league selections. Junior Morgan Erickson (2nd- team All-NEA) will take over at shortstop. … Freeman (6-8, sixth) returns four starters, including first-team all-league CF Hannah Brock (sr.), senior SS Lexi Johnson (1st-team All-NEA) and junior 1B/C Bradee Parisotto – who was injured last season but was a second-team all-league pick in 2016. …Defending state champ Lakeside (11-3, second) graduated four starters, including 1A Player of the Year Shelby Claassen (P) and all-state selections Katelynn Clark (first team) and Saelor Dvorak (second team). Seventeen-year coach Chuck Moffatt has a trio of juniors in 1B/C Olivia Charbonneau (1st-team all-state), SS/CF Brie Frazier (1st-team All-NEA) and P/UTL Magan Isayev (2nd-team All-NEA) amongst their seven returning letterwinners. … Medical Lake (6-8, fifth) returns five starters, including senior All-NEA OF Suzanne Shores, who will move into the circle.

Northeast 2B

Coach Elesha Johnson led Davenport (7-11, 4-6) to the second round of the districts in her second season. She lost five starters and returns six letterwinners, including starters P Sydney Zeiler (sr.) and C Macie Hopkins (jr.). … Coach Renee Stewart’s defending state champ Northwest Christian (27-0) team lost two starters and returns seven. The Crusaders will rely heavily on senior first-team all-leaguers C Amree Tibbetts and 1B Jordan Rabe and sophomore P Alison Shaler. … Wilbur-Creston (3-15, 0-8) has a young but experienced squad for coach Teresa Chrisman and will be led by Darien Boyer (sr., 1B) and Schie Springstead (jr., P). … Coach Todd O’Brien led Lind-Ritzville/Sprague (13-13) to state but graduated seven starters. The Broncos return two-time all-league catcher Lacey Miller and 3B Sadie Miller.

Small schools

Cusick (7-10, 4-8) returns seven starters. Coach Monica Allen, in her seventh year, will rely on an experienced group led by captains P Taylor Allen and C Amy Reijonen.

Idaho

Inland Empire 5A: Lake City (21-6) finished fifth at state. Fifth-year coach Jesse Lenz has seven starters back, including All-IEL selections Reilly Chapman (sr., INF), Ashley Kaufman (sr., P), Jalyssa Beamer (sr., C) and Ashlynn Allen (jr., OF). … Second-year coach Holly Gleaves has to replace four starters, including three first-team all-league picks, at Post Falls (14-14). SS Bailey “Bubba” Gleaves (sr.), who has committed to Division I Columbia, is the lone returning All-IEL player. … Lewiston (14-8) returns seven starters and nine letterwinners for second-year coach Kristin Delp, including All-IEL 3B Emma Lawrence (sr.).

Others: Timberlake (15-6) placed fifth in state and fourth-year coach Casi Lupinacci’s team returns five starters, including senior all-league P/OF Becca Malloy. … Sandpoint (10-14), which has won three consecutive IEL 4A titles and finished third in state in 2017, returns six starters, led by senior All-IEL selection 3B/P Tanis Davis. … Priest River (6-17) returns 13 letterwinners and eight starters, including two-time all-league pick Tawny Nichols (P/SS) and C Jasmine Martin (1st-team all-league).