Seven of those eight players were named first team All-Central Buckeye Conference Kenton Trail Division last season — Fyffe, Davis, senior Kyanne Tyson, junior Annie Fincham, junior Kendall Massie, junior Cara Cammon and sophomore Chloe Glass.
They also return senior infielder Kyleigh Schnitzler, a four-year starter. Three freshmen will also see varsity action, including Ivee Rastatter, Sophia Shingler and Lily Foulk.
“It’s great to have a lot of experience and bringing in the new kids to add into that mix,” Schalnat said. “Right now, they’re all hitting. They’re all hitting and playing great defense. I’m able to mix up the lineups a little bit and put people in positions they do play in the summer. It’s kind of nice that they’re not pigeon-holed into one place.”
They’re already off to 3-0 start, beating Thornville Sheridan 1-0 and Miami East 4-2 in extra innings last week.
On the mound, the Cougars will rely on Tyson, a right-hander who went 24-5 with 123 strikeouts last season, and Rastatter, a left-hander who is currently 2-0 with 19 strikeouts and a 0.00 earned run average this spring.
“It’s great to have a righty and a lefty and having the different looks,” Schalnat said. “It’s going to be great having both on the mound, having the option. If one is struggling, we have another to go out there. I think what’s great about that is having the team aspect of that. If one is struggling, we do have another one to help out and get where we want to be.”
The Cougars have won three consecutive district championships and back-to-back Kenton Trail Division titles. In the postseason, they’ve advanced a step further each of the past three seasons. They lost in the regional final in both 2022 and 2023 and won the regional title last season before falling to eventual state champion Canfield 3-0 in a D-II state semifinal last season.
The loss motivated the Cougars in the offseason, Schalnat said. The current senior class is the first to participate in Kenton Ridge’s weightlifting program all four years of their careers and its clearly paying off.
“The kids have bought into that and they see the benefits of that,” Schalnat said.
The Cougars know it won’t be easy in the Central Buckeye Conference that includes several strong programs in Jonathan Alder, London, Indian Lake and Shawnee.
“Every day you need to be ready,” Schalnat said. “You can have a bad game and you don’t win. I look for it to be another competitive year.”
While the Cougars have big goals, the key will be taking care of the things they can control, she said. Kenton Ridge is also moving to Division IV this season as part of the OHSAA’s expansion to seven divisions in softball.
“We can’t worry about the things we can’t control, so if it’s an umpire or if they have a stud pitcher - we worry about what can we control, how can we control our at-bats,” Schalnat said. “I really think that’s helped with those long-term goals.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brenna Fyffe, Kenton Ridge: The junior Ohio University commit hit .525 with 10 home runs and led the CBC with 74 RBIs.
Aleeseah Trimmer and Maura Simpson, Shawnee: The senior duo are both four-year letterwinners for the Braves. Simpson, a Thomas More commit, hit .397 with 10 doubles last season. Trimmer, an Ohio Christian University commit, had a 1.52 ERA with 186 strikeouts.
Reese and Kaylee Wells, Southeastern: The Trojans junior twin sister pitcher-catcher duo came up big last season. Kaylee Wells hit .582 with five home runs and 43 RBIs, while Reese Wells led the OHC with a 1.49 ERA and 189 strikeouts.
TEAMS TO WATCH
Kenton Ridge: The Cougars are seeking their third straight CBC Kenton Trail Division title and second straight state berth.
Shawnee: The Braves went 18-9 last season, falling to Carlisle in a D-III district final game.
Southeastern: The Trojans went 22-2 last season, falling to Tri-Village in a D-IV district final game. They’re seeking their sixth straight OHC South crown.
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