2025 SOFTBALL PREVIEW 

CLASS 6A
 
2024 State Champion: Olathe Northwest
 
2024 State Runner-up: Campus 
 
2024 Review:  Olathe Northwest trailed Campus by two runs heading to the fifth inning of the championship game before a 3-run blast from Kendall Yarnell ignited the Ravens. Northwest tacked on five more runs for eight unanswered in a 10-4 win at Arrocha Ballpark in Lawrence. It was Yarnell’s 15th homer of the season, extending her all-time state record for career homers to 47. Bre Severino pitched all but one inning during the Ravens’ three wins at state. She struck out 11 in the title game, giving her 27 strikeouts over 18 innings in a two-day span. Olathe Northwest (23-4) won the program’s fourth state title and first since 2017. Campus, which took a 2-1 win over Olathe South in the semifinals, finished 18-7. Washburn Rural captured third place with a 6-4 win over South.

2025 Contenders: Reigning champion Olathe Northwest graduated two of the state’s best in Kendall Yarnell and Bre Severino, with those stars moving on to the University of Central Florida and Ball State University, respectively. Yarnell ended her high school career as the state’s all-time home-run leader with 47, and Severino leaves a big void to fill in the circle after posting a 15-2 record with a 1.41 ERA in 104 innings as a senior. But Northwest still has plenty of returning firepower to go after a repeat, led by Johnson County signee Kennedy Glassford and future Emporia State Hornet Lily Winright. Glassford hit .371 with six home runs and 32 RBI last season as a junior. In the circle, she finished with a 2.10 ERA. Winright, a senior catcher, batted .333 last season with four home runs and 27 runs driven in. Glassford and Winright were second-team All-6A selections last season. Campus was one of the state’s best surprises last season, reaching the state championship game in its first state tournament appearance since 2017. The Colts’ Cinderella run came just two years after a four-win season. Campus graduated a strong group of seniors including a first-team All-6A selection in Gabby Stauffer, now at Hutchinson Community College. Senior outfielder Ava Strohm was a second-team Ark Valley Chisholm Trail Division I selection. Sophomores Lily Clements, Alexis Butler and Emmy Cooper were all impact players as freshmen, with Clements joining Strohm as a second-team all-league pick at third base. Butler and Cooper received honorable mention all-league honors The Colts will have to replace their top two pitchers from last season in Ava Baker and Londyn Ysidro. Senior Kamdyn Minnick, an Independence Community College signee, is also back after earning honorable-mention all-league honors last season. Traditional power Washburn Rural should be primed for another strong year. The Junior Blues lost four seniors including standout pitcher Makayla Ekis but return three all-league players from a season ago, including a first-team All-Class 6A selection in first baseman Avery Rupp, who hit a team-high six home runs last season. The Juniors Blues will rely on Olivia Koch and Reagan Chapman in the circle. Both Koch and Chapman are also key bats in the lineup, earning second-team All-6A honors last season. An influx of talented freshmen helped power Olathe South to a fourth-place showing last season and the Falcons have their sights set on another big year. South knocked off Derby in the quarterfinals before falling to Campus in the semis and Washburn Rural in the third-place game. The Falcons will have to replace second-team All-6A pitcher Riley Braden, now at Rockhurst, but are expecting big things out of their sophomore class after starting six freshmen last year. Sophomore Gabby Frantz is one of the Falcons top returners, hitting .481 and driving in 36 runs last season as a freshman. She earned honorable mention All-6A honors last season along with junior Cameran Clutchey and sophomore Hayli Houfek in the outfield. Sophomore Liv Larsen is another key hitter in the Falcons’ young but powerful lineup. Derby will look to bounce back from last season’s quarterfinal upset loss. The Panthers lost a pair of All-6A selections in pitcher Addy Canfield and outfielder Kyler Demel. Junior Karlie Demel is the Panthers’ top returner after earning second-team All-6A honors in the outfield last season. She hit .411 last season with 25 RBI and 18 steals. Blue Valley West is coming off its first state tournament appearance since 2015. The Jaguars lost to Washburn Rural in the first round and graduated an eight-player senior class. Natalie Rupert was a second-team All-6A selection last season as a junior. Blue Valley took down defending champion Olathe West in the regional title game last season before falling to eventual champion Olathe Northwest in the first round at state. Benedictine signee Ashley Rindom is the Tigers’ top returner after hitting .465 last season. Free State was hit with heavy graduation losses after another state tournament appearance last season. Sarai Preston and Delaney Bruhns are among the Firebirds’ top returners. Olathe West, the 2023 state champions, will look to return to state after last year’s regional loss which ended its season at 18-9. The Owls have one of the state’s top pitchers in Brevyn Kellepouris, a first-team All-6A selection and Sunflower League pitcher of the year last season. West also returns some key weapons at the plate in Emma Heineman and Maliyah Warren, both first-team All-6A selections as well. Olathe North went 21-3 last year but was upset in regionals by Olathe South. North is primed for another big season after returning eight starters, including three first-team All-6A selections – Abbie Walden,  Lailah Simmons and Sophie Herman. Maize returns key pieces off last year’s 19-9 team that fell to Washburn Rural in the regional final. Joslynn Stiglitz was a second-team All-6A selection as an infielder for the Eagles, while outfielder/catcher Lila Collins is also a key bat for the Eagles. Gardner-Edgerton was 16-12 a season ago. Maileigh King hit .479 for the Trailblazers in 2024. 
 

CLASS 5A
 
2024 State Champion: Bishop Carroll
 
2024 State Runner-up: Aquinas 
 
2024 Review: Bishop Carroll’s run to a 15th state softball championship was highlighted by a dramatic comeback in the semifinals against Maize South. Carroll rallied for four runs in the top of the seventh to edge the Mavericks 6-5. Carroll (27-4) then rolled to a 12-2 run-rule win in six innings over St. Thomas Aquinas in the title game at Wilkins Stadium in Wichita. It was Carroll’s first title since 2021 and fourth under coach Steve Harshberger. Aquinas, which reached the championship with a 5-4 semifinal victory over top-seeded Spring Hill, finished at 25-5 after seeing its bid for its first state title come up short. Spring Hill went on to take third place with a 3-2 win over Maize South.

2025 Contenders: Bishop Carroll will look to add another chapter to its softball dynasty after graduating just two players off last year’s title team. The Golden Eagles have a strong returning nucleus that includes Keira Stripling, Lilly Martin, Allyson Orth, Olivia Navarro and Izzy Pfannenstiel. Stripling earned first-team All-5A honors at pitcher last season as a freshman and was a force at the plate, hitting .611. Juniors Orth and Pfannenstiel are also proven pitchers in the circle. Navarro, a senior catcher, hit. 458 last year while senior outfielder Lilly Martin batted .393. Aquinas lost leader Kelsey Schenck to graduation but returned three other Eastern Kansas League first-team picks in Aurora Sweetland, Clara Pinkham and Ella Przybylski off last year’s 25-5 runner-up team. Spring Hill is loaded with returning talent off last season’s third-place team that finished 28-3. Senior Jaleigh White put up huge numbers in the circle and at the plate last season. She went 15-2 with a 0.86 ERA and 121 strikeouts while hitting .533 with 10 home runs and 61 RBI. White was a first-team All-5A pick last season along with infielder Mya January, who has moved on to Central Arkansas. Senior catcher Nora Burrell was a second-team All-5A selection last season while senior Ellie Ruffin landed first-team All-Frontier League honors a year ago after hitting. 391. Maize South nearly reached the championship game last season before allowing a four-run rally to Bishop Carroll in the top of the seventh of the semifinal and dropping a 6-5 heartbreaker. The Mavericks fell 3-2 to Spring Hill in the third place game to finish 26-5. Maize South returns heavy firepower from that squad. Sophie Stockam and Kiley Thornquist were first-team All-5A selections last season while Lizzy Lassley was honorable mention at catcher. Stockam and Kinslee Cottner give the Mavericks a strong 1-2 punch in the circle.Thornquist hit .519 and had seven home runs last season while Lassley hit .396. Maize South made an early-season statement with a 10-0 win over Carroll. Great Bend returned to state after a five-year drought before taking a 14-5 loss to Spring Hill in the quarterfinals to finish at 22-7. The Panthers return almost everyone from last season, led by senior DeShawna Bryant and sophomore Kya Behr. Bryant earned first-team All-5A honors in the outfield last season after hitting .489 with 38 RBI while Behr hit .486 with 42 runs driven in. Piper took a first-round state loss to Aquinas last season to finish 20-6. The Pirates will have to reload after taking key graduation losses, including catcher Sage Grann, now at Southern Illinois. Seaman dropped a tight 3-2 decision to Maize South in the quarterfinals to end at 22-7 last season. The Vikings’ returners are led by pitcher Kaelyn O’Rourke and catcher Reagan McConnell, both second-team All-5A selections last season. McConnell hit .522 and drove in 35 last season while O’Rourke posted an 8-5 record with a 1.85 ERA in the circle. Basehor-Linwood made its fourth consecutive state tournament appearance last season before falling to eventual champion Carroll in the first round. The Bobcats entered this season with some big roles to fill, losing a pair of first-team All 5A selections in infielder Kaleigh Small and outfielder Harley Baker. Pitcher Abby Reilly earned first-team All-United Kansas Conference last season as a sophomore. After back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023, Valley Center missed state last season and finished 17-8. The Hornets will got a huge boost from the return this season of junior outfielder Abreya Perry, who missed two-thirds of her sophomore season with a shoulder injury. She was All-5A as a freshman and has already committed to Texas A&M. Junior pitcher Emily Freeby and junior outfielder Kailee Abasolo are also key returners after earning first-team Ark Valley Chisholm Trail Division II honors last season. Andover Central went 16-12 in 2024. The Jaguars bring back a pair of All-5A selections in first-team shortstop Taylin Tabor and second-team outfielder Payton Converse. Hays will look to build on a 15-12 season. Senior Riley Dreher is the Indians’ top returner after earning honorable mention All-5A honors last season. Salina South, 19-9 a season ago, is led by UNLV commit Paityn Fritz. She hit 10 home runs last season and went 14-4 with a 2.50 ERA and 106 strikeouts in the circle. Eisenhower went 17-11 last season and returned a second-team All-5A selection in Karli George. Kapaun put up 16 wins last season and brought back two Greater Wichita Athletic League picks in senior first baseman Kylie Cartwright and senior outfielder Charlee Hoffmann. Blue Valley Southwest lost five starters to graduation off last season’s 15-12 team but returned a first-team All-5A pick in utility player Karter Skillman.
 

CLASS 4A
 
2024 State Champion: Wamego 
 
2024 State Runner-up: Andale/Garden Plain 
 
2024 Review: Wamego ace Peyton Hardenburger delivered a flat-out legendary performance in the 4A state tournament. For the second consecutive year, Hardenburger threw back-to-back no-hitters in the semifinals and finals, leading the Red Raiders to a 5-0 victory over Andale/Garden Plain in the championship game. The state title was the second straight for the Red Raiders (25-4) and third in four years. In the semifinals against Eudora -- a 2-0 win -- and finals against Andale, the future Tennessee Volunteer allowed just three base runners, struck out 33 batters, walked two and hit one. She came within two outs of a perfect game in the championship game. But perhaps her most impressive feat came in a 17-inning 2-1 quarterfinal win over Clearwater in which she struck out 30 batters. Then-freshman Alana McCarthy came up huge at the plate in the title game, going 4-for-4 with a two-run home run and a three-run double. Andale/Garden Plain finished 19-10 in its runner-up campaign. Eudora claimed third place with a 2-1 win over Circle.  2025 Contenders: Already established as one of the most dominant pitchers in state history, Wamego ace Peyton Hardenburger will look to help the Red Raiders secure a 3-peat before heading off to Tennessee. The reigning Gatorade player of the year entered her senior season with 13 career no-hitters (7 last season) and a 39-1 career record with a 0.28 ERA and 652 strikeouts. She’s no slouch at the plate, taking a .462 career average into this season. The Red Raiders have plenty of firepower to go with Hardenburger. Sophomore Landri Adams complemented Hardenburger in the circle, going 10-3 last season with a 2.45 ERA to earn honorable-mention All-4A honors. Sophomore Alana McCarthy starred as a freshman last season, hitting a school-record 13 home runs with a .525 average to earn first-team All-4A honors. Kyra Olberding is back behind the plate after receiving second-team All-4A honors last season. Arabell Razzano is a defensive standout in the outfield for the Red Raiders and was also a second-team All-4A pick in 2024. Andale/Garden Plain made the title game last season in its first season under coach Erin Carney. Andale/Garden Plain brings back its top two pitchers in senior Elsie Johnson and junior Jayna Lies. The Indians have a standout catcher in senior Emery Benson-Hladik, who was a first-team All-4A selection last year after batting .500 with nine home runs. Andale/Garden Plain returned four first-team Ark Valley Chisholm Division IV selections in Johnson, Lies, Benson-Hladik and sophomore first baseman Paige Stanhope. Eudora has a loaded roster following last year’s third-place finish. The Cardinals bring back four players who earned first-team All-4A honors in pitcher Sam Claire, catcher Reese Pattison, outfielder Lexi Born and infielder Jaiden Burris, while Katie Courter was honorable mention as an infielder.  Circle’s first-ever state tournament appearance ended with a fourth-place showing. The Thunderbirds will have to replace a star in the circle and at the plate in Ellie Randall. Whitney Wilbur was a first-team all-league Ark Valley Chisholm Trail Division III pick last season as a sophomore for Circle. Clearwater was on the wrong end of a 17-inning quarterfinal with eventual back-to-back champion Wamego last season. The Indians are poised to contend again after bringing back three players that earned All-4A honors in 2024 – pitcher Trista Welty, infielder Kaylee Hampton and outfielder Madi Clevenger. Makena Hampton and Liv Miller were also first-team Ark Valley Chisholm Trail Division III selections last season as freshmen. Fort Scott reached state last year and fashioned a 20-6 record. Abbie Gorman was a first-team All-4A selection last season in the outfield. Allie Brown hit .500 last season for the Tigers and is a Pittsburg State signee. Rock Creek dropped a 2-1 quarterfinal heartbreaker to Eudora last season. Reese Grady, Brynna Zoeller and Teagan Zenger are all back after earning second-team All-4A honors last season. The Mustangs own a win over reigning champion Wamego this season after splitting a doubleheader with the Red Raiders. McPherson went 15-5 last season but the Bullpups were knocked off in the regional final by eventual runner-up Andale. The Bullpups return several standouts from that campaign including Addison Chapman, Haely Hagemann, Addie Herrera and Ava Romero. Chapman hit .570 with 10 home runs and 43 runs driven in last season while Hageman batted .489 with nine home runs and 42 RBI. They were both first-team All-4A selections. Herrera was second-team All-4A as a pitcher. Chapman, Hagemann, Herrera and Romero all earned first-team all-league honors in 2024. Pratt is coming off an 18-win season. The Greenbacks returned several key players from their lineup from last season including catcher Mica Stapleton and pitcher/utility player Savannah Copus, both honorable mention All-4A selections in 2024. Ottawa is off to a 7-1 start this season. Addison White was a first-team All-Frontier League pick for the Cyclones last season as a junior. Chapman produced a 14-10 finish last season. Jai Rogers turned in a strong freshman season last year, hitting .458 to earn first-team All-North Central Kansas League honors. The Irish also return their top pitcher in senior Madalynn Harold, who went 11-2 with a 1.76 ERA in 2024. Senior outfielder Taylor Gustafson joined Rogers and Harold on the first-team All-NCKL squad last season. Hoisington/Central Plains, which moves up from 3A, lost a big senior class off last year’s 20-7 team. Seniors Ellie Crawford, Kylie Kempke and Claire Crutcher were the only returning starters.
 

CLASS 3A
 
2024 State Champion: Frontenac 
 
2024 State Runner-up: Silver Lake 
 
2024 Review: Avery Johnson tossed a pair of shutouts at the 3A tournament to power Frontenac to its fourth state championship in program history and second in three seasons. Johnson shut down Wichita Trinity Academy 1-0 in the semifinals and then silenced a potent Silver Lake attack 3-0 in the championship game. The Raiders (28-2) mustered up just enough offense and shined on defense behind Johnson to get the job done. Abi Beaman homered in the  second inning of the title game. Senior Ella Sullivan tripled in two more runs in the fourth inning to give Johnson more than enough cushion. Silver Lake (24-3) blanked Cheney 10-0 in the quarterfinals and beat top-seeded Holcomb 12-2 in the semifinals. But the Eagles managed just six walks against Johnson. Trinity topped Holcomb 14-3 in the third-place game.

2025 Contenders: Led by ace Avery Johnson, Frontenac returned heavy power off its championship squad. Johnson hasn’t let a torn ACL in the offseason slow her down. She’s off to a strong start as she puts the finishing touches on a decorated career that includes two state titles. A Northeastern Oklahoma A&M signee, Johnson entered her senior season with a career ERA of 1.33. The Raiders have plenty of help around her, including fellow seniors Maddie Call and Tenley Sullivan. Call, the Raiders’ catcher, and Sullivan, a second baseman, earned second-team All-3A honors last season. Mady Logiudici and Alana Sullivan are also key weapons at the plate, both hitting .400 last season. Silver Lake appears primed for another run, returning six starters from last year’s runner-up team. The Eagles are led by Taylor Zordel and Kendra Cook, who were both first-team All-3A picks in 2024. Zordel hit .422 and drove in 51 runs to set the Eagles’ single-season record. Cook posted a 1.24 ERA and struck out 92 hitters last year. She was also a force at the plate, hitting .450. Kira Lowrey is a four-year starter at third base for the Eagles and was honorable mention All-3A last season. Kaylin Hanna, one of the top guards in the state in basketball, is a three-year starter in the outfield and was a second-team All-3A selection last season, posting a .518 batting average in 2024. Wichita Trinity Academy brought back a strong core after taking third place and going 22-5 last season. Catcher Madison Cross and utility player Ava Lay were first-team All-3A selections last season while pitcher Dominque Schellenberger was a second-team pick. Liberty Lewis is another key retuner at pitcher. Holcomb, led by the state’s all-time strikeout leader Korryn Johnson, made its second state tournament appearance in program history last season and ultimately finished fourth. Johnson has moved on to Fort Hays State and the Longhorns also lost standout catcher Rian Rodriguez and shortstop Emma Cornelson to graduation. Marysville brought back eight starters to try to build on last year’s 16-12 season, which ended with a quarterfinal loss to Holcomb. The Bulldogs are led by Lindsey Dressman and Sarah Nemec. Dressman pitched Marysville back to the state tournament after throwing a no-hitter in the regional semifinals against Riley County and blanking Sabetha in the regional title game. She hit .384 for the season. Nemec had a team-best .388 batting average and led the Bulldogs in runs driven in with 29 last season. Cheney made it back to state for the first time since its 2021 state title. The Cardinals went 19-3, ending their season with a 10-0 loss to eventual runner-up Silver Lake in the quarterfinals. Third baseman Adelle Fouquet, catcher Chloe Young, center fielder Macey Batt and left fielder Kendyll Walker are among the Cardinals’ top returners. Fouquet earned honorable mention All-3A honors last season. Osage City returned to state for the time since 2018 last season. Four-year starting catcher Taylor Ericson, versatile utility player Addison Watson and standout pitcher Peyton Pitts are among the key returners who will look to help the Indians build off last year’s success. First-year coach Tyler Smith took over the Southeast of Saline program after Petsa Ptacek stepped down after guiding the Trojans for 15 seasons. Southeast of Saline went 20-4 last season, ending its season with a 3-2 loss to eventual champion Frontenac in the quarterfinals. The Trojans will be tasked with replacing four first-team All-North Central Activities League players who graduated last year. Seniors Kimber Ogorzolka and Abby Wyatt are back after earning honorable mention all-league honors last season. Burlington went 15-7 in 2024 and returned a standout pitcher in Grace Birk, who sported a 0.94 ERA last season. Haven went 22-3 last season, falling to Cheney in the regional title game. Avery Brawner is back in the circle after going 20-3 with a 1.89 ERA and striking out 116 last season. She earned second-team All-3A honors for the second year in a row. Junior outfielder Mayzie Warden hit .439 for the Wildcats last season. Cimarron/Ingalls went 19-4 last season, falling in nine innings to Holcomb in the regional final. Quinn Campbell is a key returning player for the Bluejays after earning first-team All-Great West Activities Conference honors last season. Halstead put together a 20-win season in 2024 but lost to Cheney in the regional semifinals. Kaci Young is back to lead the Dragons after going 13-3 in the circle with 176 strikeouts last season, earning honorable mention All-3A recognition. Senior catcher Brett Young and sophomore Callyn Divine are among Halstead’s other key returners. Scott City went 18-4 last season and reached the 4A state tournament but the Beavers, now back to 3A, have some big voids to fill. They graduated their top hitter in Malorie Cupp and ace pitcher Cheyenne Cramer. However, junior Crissa Irvin is back after hitting .463 as a sophomore. Columbus went 24-4 but fell to eventual state champion Frontenac in the regional final in 2024. Senior pitcher Hailey Ediger, an honorable mention All-3A pick last season, fashioned a 1.18 ERA last season. Hesston, 15-7 last season, is led by junior pitcher/shortstop Elyse Griffin, who posted a 1.85 ERA and batted .500 last season. Iola is coming off a 16-12 season and returns a talented sophomore in Zoie Hesse, who set school records for hits (47), home runs (5), doubles (19) and RBI (38) in a season last year. Santa Fe Trail closed last season at 22-5, falling to Silver Lake in a loaded regional. Senior Brooke Neidhardt set school records for home runs (9) and RBI (52) while hitting .471 last season. Prairie View posted a 19-9 record in 2024. Seniors Rian Stainbrook and Bella Stolle are the last starting links to Prairie View’s 2022 Class 3A state runner-up team. 
 

CLASS 2-1A

2024 State Champion: McLouth

2024 State Runner-up: Cedar Vale/Dexter
 
2024 Review: Showing no weaknesses, McLouth cruised past the competition in the 2-1A state tournament at Pratt with a near-flawless performance to secure its second straight championship. The Bulldogs outscored opponents 32-0 in their three state games. They closed it out with a 6-0 win over Cedar Vale/Dexter in the championship game. Following an undefeated season in 2023, the Bulldogs finished 28-2, with the only losses coming to 3A Rossville. They outscored their other 28 opponents 367-14 on the season. McLouth’s Dani Lee was superb all season in the circle and at the plate. Cedar Vale/Dexter finished with a 24-4 record. Onaga defeated Inman 10-3 in the third-place game.

2025 Contenders: McLouth is eying a 3-peat and the Bulldogs certainly have a full arsenal of weapons to accomplish that feat, starting with one of the best two-way players in the state in senior Dani Lee. The Class 2-1A Player of the Year each of the past two seasons, Lee hit .659 last season with 18 home runs and 59 RBI. In the circle, she went 18-2 with a 0.70 ERA and 291 strikeouts and only 14 walks in 128.2 innings. Other key returners include outfielders Abby Patz and Charlie Coffin, second baseman Leanna Larson and first baseman Taylor Edmonds. Cresinda Bandel, who had been a key contributor, is not playing for the Bulldogs this season but talented freshman Maddie Turner has already filled that void. Following last season’s runner-up showing, Cedar Vale/Dexter returned seven starters led by sophomore pitcher/shortstop Zoe Davidson and senior center fielder Edee Boatman, both first-team All-2-1A selections last season. Third baseman/catcher Kylee Bragg and pitcher/shortstop Gracie Webb are also back after earning first-team All-South Central Border honors. Onaga is coming off its best season in program history after taking third place last season. Willow Hochstedler and Bridgett Campbell are both back after playing huge roles in the Buffaloes’ success last season. Hochstedler hit .410 at the plate and also was solid on the mound, striking out 95 in 71 innings. Campbell, a four-year starter, split time between pitcher, catcher and third base, earning second-team All-2-1A honors last season. She hit .397 with 13 RBI and 24 runs scored and in the circle struck out 90 batters in just 59.2 innings. Inman enjoyed a breakthrough last season to take fourth place at state. Sophomores Lyla Levin and Taylor Froese picked up second-team All-2-1A honors last season as freshman for the Teutons. TMP-Marian has big expectations after losing just one senior off a team that reached the state tournament last season. Infielder Brooke Koenisgman leads the Monarchs after putting together a huge junior season that saw her hit .640 with 64 runs driven in. Koenigsman was a first-team All-2-1A pick last season. Pitchers Bria Windholz and Brynn Rebel turned in promising freshman seasons in 2024. Windholz was a second-team All-2-1A selection while Rebel received honorable mention. Pratt-Skyline went 10-14 last season but still managed to earn a state tournament berth. The Thunderbirds have solid experience led by senior Kory Anschutz. The 2024 state tournament field also included Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan and Central Heights, which returned an honorable mention All-2-1A selection in Mel Chrisjohn and other key players in Aracely Crump and Lyla Hamblin. Mission Valley, the 2022 champion, will be looking to get back to state after getting knocked off in the regional title game by Onaga last year. The Vikings certainly have experience on their side, returning every player from last season, include first-team All 2-1A selection Kyplee Jacobson and second-team pick Maddie Kraus. Jacobson hit .439 last season while Kraus sported a .373 average. Remington racked up a program-best 19 wins last season before losing in the regional final. Elena Bowling, Cambree Lawler and Kynzee Klaassen are all standouts for the Broncos. Rossville, 3A champion in 2023, drops down to 2A this season. The Bulldawgs lost a talented senior class off last year’s team that lost in the 3A regional semifinals but Brooke Springer heads a strong group of returners looking to challenge in Class 2-1A this season. Springer hit .444 with 12 doubles, 2 home runs and 26 RBI last season. Flinthills went 15-9 last season and will be led this season by Paige Corter, an All-Central Border League first-team selection in 2024. Ell-Saline went 14-6 last season and returned five starters. Uniontown posted a 12-7 mark last season and returned 10 players with varsity experience, including standouts Reese Gorman, Klara Stock and Madison Shepard. Bluestem. Lebo/Waverly got off to a 6-0 start this season. Saige Hadley is a four-year starting shortstop for the Wolves and she was a second-team All-2-1A pick last season. Abi Jones and Siara Crouch are also key players for the Wolves. Bluestem is moving back down to 2-1A after going 22-1 last season. The Lions lost to Wichita Trinity in the regional championship game. Jewell Carleton leads a group of six returning starters.