Sustaining success with new faces

Prairie, Battle Ground softball teams will lean on new leaders after losing key contributors to programs

Softball season is underway across North Clark County, and though the La Center Wildcats team may be hogging some of the spotlight right now, other programs also have high expectations about how their season might end in late May.

The Battle Ground and Prairie softball teams have been on considerable runs of success the last handful of years. In 2017, both programs and fans hope the ride will continue, but it will be a bit different than before. Every program has a few “pillars” to lean on, and sometimes those pillars can be big ones. Both the Falcons and the Tigers lost two big ones last season, but each are confident in who they’re turning to now.

Tigers

For Battle Ground, the big loss was shutdown pitcher Parker Boyd. As a senior, she won league MVP and led the Tigers to 20-3 overall, which was a school record. Boyd started since her sophomore year, but is currently wearing a Division I collegiate uniform, playing for Lehigh.

So who’s replacing her now? Nobody. According to head coach Arielle Wiser, Boyd was an irreplaceable player. But as for who’s now taking the circle instead, that would be senior Danyelle Joli and freshman Jennifer Westrand.

“We've got two experienced pitchers that have the potential to be effective and keep batters guessing,” said Wiser. “If these two keep working hard and stay confident, they will do good things.”

In 2014 and 2015, the Tigers advanced to state, and though they didn’t make it last year, they still won the district title. Two others who will be picking up the slack in order to achieve the same level of accomplishments are juniors Morgan Stradley and Alexis Morrison.

Stradley, the shortstop, is a returning starter from last season. Wiser says she expects a lot more action to get slapped her way this spring, but also says Stradley is more than capable of making “big plays.” On the offensive side, Wiser notes her baserunning as key to the team, which coincides well with the fact that she’s a powerful, extra bases type of hitter.

According to Wiser, Morrison brings a special factor to the table for the team that’s hard to find.

“(She) has come in clutch many times in big games,” said Wiser.

Defensively, Morrison rotates between playing the outfield and on the corners (first and third base).

In the past, Wiser says the success has primarily stemmed from “hard work and persistence.”

“Everyone worked to make one another better each day,” said Wiser of her former teams. “I think the team we have this year has just as much potential as we have had in the past, we will just be tested a little bit more defensively. We have great defensive players though, so it will be fun to see them tested.”

In their first three games so far, the Tigers have definitely had to get their hands dirtier in the field. Per game, they’re allowing over seven runs, but they’re finding ways to overcome it and are off to a good 2-1 start nonetheless (not including Monday’s game against La Center).

Falcons

The Falcons loss from last season is equally as big, but in a much different form. Instead of losing their best player over the last three seasons, Prairie lost their natural leader through the last three seasons — their head coach.

In 2014 and 2015, former coach Ari Van Horn led the program to back-to-back fourth place finishes at state, and last year got them to the tournament again. Of course, before Van Horn arrived, the program had been very successful, with highlights of a second place state finish in 2013 and a title in 2006, but nonetheless her ability to keep the program at such a highly competitive level during her tenure made losing her after last season a big question mark.

Leading the way now is head coach Mariah Dawson. Her prior coaching experience included being an assistant at Seattle University last year and an assistant at Lower Columbia College the previous year. 

“I really wanted a head coaching job, to start building my head coaching experience,” said Dawson, who admits given Prairie’s track record, taking over this team wouldn’t be a bad way to start.

As of The Reflector’s Monday morning deadline, the Falcons had only played one game (against Battle Ground) which they lost. The team, however, showed promise against the bigger school in defeat. 

“This year’s team can follow in those (past team’s) footsteps, because we have the dedication, drive and willingness,” said Dawson. “These girls are competitors.”

A few of those players Dawson refers to are seniors Kate Lawhead, Chloe Blehm, Josey Lesmester and Natalie Hodges. 

Of the senior bunch, Dawson jokingly says Lawhead is the “smart one” at third, knowing very well how to get on base and hit wherever the ball is thrown. Blehm starts at first base, but apparently will be stepping back into a pitching role occasionally after taking a couple years off from it. Starting at pitcher is Lesmester. According to Dawson, she is the “key to this defense.”

“Josey knows what she needs to do and will get it done,” Dawson said. 

Lastly, Hodges is the ultimate hustler, which is a big reason why she’s been moved to the shortstop position this year. Dawson says that, along with her “range and great arm,” make her just right for it.

Other big contributors will be junior Kylee Snider who plays center field and freshman Olivia Myers. In her first year of high school, Dawson says Myers will already be one of the starting pitchers.

“This year’s team needs to realize how talented we are,” says Dawson. “A few of our starters have never started on varsity before, but what makes us a competitor is our senior leadership.”

Prairie and Battle Ground’s softball teams can both be caught in action within the next seven days. Weather permitting, the Tigers next home game is against Mountain View on Friday at 4 p.m. and Prairie’s next home game is Monday against Woodland at 4 p.m.