The La Center softball team is coming off a historic run of success.
Three consecutive state tournament berths.
Back-to-back appearances in the state title game.
A state championship in 2016.
But as the Wildcats returned to the diamond this spring, they are taking a much different approach to the season.
“Our goal is still to get back to state,” junior Sydney Mairose said. “And if we can do that, that’s great. But that’s not our sole focus. It’s really just about having fun together.”
Junior Coral Clark echoed that sentiment. “We’re really just trying to get better and build relationships.”
That’s because the 2018 Wildcats have plenty of new faces on the roster.
“We will be extremely young,” coach Randy Martinez said. “It’s going to be a rebuilding year for us. We have one senior on the team, and she is playing softball for the first time in four or five years. We have a lot of freshmen out. We have some good players, but there will be a lot of learning happening this year.”
Anchoring the Wildcats’ run of success was a class of players who graduated last June – league MVP Abby England, offensive player of the year Megan Muffett and defensive player of the year Kaylie Faul.
But it’s not as if the cupboard is completely bare in La Center. The Wildcats bring back five all-league players, including Mairose, Clark, junior Macy Randolf and sophomores Ceanna Johnston and Madi Rose.
With such a young roster, Martinez said he is depending on returning players like Mairose and Clark to serve as on-field coaches to tutor their younger teammates.
“I don’t really feel like I can tell them what to do,” Mairose said of her younger teammates. “But I definitely feel like I can relate to them. I can remember when I was the new, young player on the team, and I can share my experiences with them to help them get better.”
Martinez said the Wildcats will stay with their tough non-league schedule the team has played in past seasons to prepare for the Trico League season.
He said Castle Rock is the team to beat in the Trico as the Rockets bring back an experienced squad. The rest of the league is wide open between La Center, Columbia-White Salmon and Stevenson, which is returning to varsity play this season after being unable to field to squad last year.
“With just four teams, we all get to go to district, which will be good for us,” Martinez said. “The district will be very tough with teams from up north like (defending state champion) Montesano, Elma and Hoquiam. So getting through district and making it to state will be a challenge with just three berths.”
