Panther softball reloads

Creston softball will be missing its most productive power hitter in program history and one of the two varsity pitchers from last year’s Hawkeye Ten Conference championship squad, but expectations are still high for another strong run this summer.

The Panthers are coming off a 23-11 season, including a 17-3 conference mark that edged Atlantic by one game for first place. State champion Winterset defeated Creston 6-3 in regional play.

The five seniors on last year’s Panther squad were Nevaeh Randall, Daile Keeler, Keely Coen, Jacy Kralik and Caitlin Bruce. Randall was the Class 4A first team all-state shortstop after setting school records with 21 home runs last season and 47 for her career. She drove in 47 runs and scored 53 runs while batting .456. Randall started at first base for Grand View University this spring and earned Freshman of the Year status in the Heart of America Conference.

Coen was a four-year varsity pitcher for the Panthers and shared duties with Taryn Fredrickson, who returns for her junior season. Keeler was a first baseman/designated hitter and made first team all-conference with a .422 batting average and 31 RBIs. Kralik and Bruce both had outfield experience as Panthers, with Kralik playing a lot of first base as a senior.

“Of course it’s hard to replace Nevaeh, who was quite possibly the best hitter to ever play here, and they’ve had some good ones,” second-year coach Dave Hartman said. “She is a special talent and they’re figuring that out at Grand View as well. We’re hoping to make up some of that production from two or three other girls. We’re deeper this year, so we think we’ll be pretty solid in the lineup one through nine.”

Three transfers

One reason for that improved depth is the addition of three transfer students who can play multiple positions — Avery and Sidney Staver from East Union and Evy Marlin from Southwest Valley.

Marlin, primarily a shortstop at Southwest Valley, led the Timberwolves with 34 hits while batting .410 with one home run and 23 runs batted in. She clubbed eight doubles and was successful on all 17 stolen base attempts.

At East Union, Avery Staver led the Eagles with 36 runs scored while hitting .374 with two home runs, 34 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. She also shared pitching duties, going 7-8 with 69 strikeouts and 66 walks in 74 innings. Sidney Staver hit .386 with two home runs, 31 RBIs and 14 doubles along with 28 runs scored.

Those three join a cast of six returning starters, which creates a lot of options for Hartman and his staff. With the resignation of longtime assistant coach Teri Keeler, former Panther and Grand View player Gracie Hagle is the new varsity assistant coach. Chris Tibbals is the freshman coach.

Both Hagle and Randall are in the program as coaches, as Randall and SWCC player Cora Ostrem are the middle school softball coaches.

While Hartman acknowledges the team won’t have as much varsity pitching experience as last year’s duo of Fredrickson and Coen, the prospects for another stellar season are bright.

“There’s no doubt that we have more flexibility and more depth this year, especially in the infield, which in turn gives us options in the outfield,” Hartman said. “But, it’s entirely possible that we’ll be a better team and not have as good a record because of pitching depth, which is still developing. However, when we get to the tournament and we’re primarily going with Taryn as our pitcher, we will be a tough out again and maybe even tougher than a year ago.”

Fredrickson, second team all-conference a year ago, finished with a 10-5 record with 128 strikeouts and 32 walks in 110 innings. Teams batted .235 against her. Coen was 12-5 with a 2.75 ERA in 102 innings.

“We don’t have a clear number two pitcher right now,” Hartman said. “We’ll have to make more decisions this year and not just have two people we know that we’re going to put out there in doubleheaders. We’ve seen some real promise out of Ricci Johnston, an eighth grader, and freshman Kennedy Strider has looked good. We’re also working with Avery Staver, Braylee Pokorny and a lefthanded eighth-grader, Jensan Tussey. Avery had some arm issues in the spring and she’s slowly working back into it.”

Top returning hitters

Two first-team all-conference players return in catcher Ava Adamson and center fielder Jersey Foote, both juniors. They combined for 10 home runs and 67 runs scored last year, batting .400 and .352, respectively. Foote was second behind Randall with 33 runs batted in.

Adamson will be the mainstay behind the plate, but can be spelled by Sidney Staver (recovering from a quad muscle injury), Mila Kuhns, freshman Sidney McDonald and versatile third baseman Zoey Vandevender.

“It would be easy to say I want to catch Ava for all of the innings and pitch Taryn most of the innings, but I want to make sure that we get to the finish line with healthy bodies,” Hartman said. “We want to be at our best when it matters the most.”

Freshman Jaycee Hanson, Marlin and Sidney Staver could all end up with some time at first base this season. Sophie Hagle, the lone senior on the team, returns at second base after receiving all-conference honorable mention last year. Vandevender is experienced at third base.

Kuhns, primarily an outfielder last year, has been working at shortstop along with Avery Staver and Marlin. Kuhns and Staver could also play some outfield, Hartman said. Kuhns was named to the all-conference second team last year after hitting .287 with three home runs and 19 RBIs.

Foote is one of the best center fielders in southwest Iowa and anchors the outfield. Either Kuhns or Avery Staver could play left field, and Sidney Staver and Sasha Wurster are right field candidates.

Multiple lineups

“We will be more versatile with a lot of flexibility,” Hartman said. “We’re moving pieces around to spread some playing time around and get the right combinations on the field. We want to get our best bats out there and still be functional in the field.”

Creston hopes to compete for a third straight Hawkeye Ten title in 2024, but the road won’t be easy. Atlantic returns most of its talent from last year’s second-place team and figures to be a top contender again, along with Glenwood, featuring pitching and hitting standout Allison Koontz.

The Panthers host Glenwood May 30 and play at home in a doubleheader against Atlantic on June 3. The John Stephens Classic is June 7-8.

Roster

(• — letterwinner)

Seniors — *Sophie Hagle.

Juniors — *Jersey Foote, *Ava Adamson, *(SW Valley) Evy Marlin, *Zoey Vandevender, *Mila Kuhns, *Sasha Wurster, *Taryn Fredrickson.

Sophomores — *(East Union) Sidney Staver, *Jaycee Hanson, *Braylee Pokorny, *(East Union) Avery Staver.

Freshmen — *Sidney McDonald, *Kennedy Strider.

Eighth graders — Halleigh Lundy, Henley Shinn, Rohwyn Randall, Ricci Johnston, Cora Smith, Jensan Tussey, Marlee Stalker, Karlie Kruse.