‘All for one, one for all’

The building blocks are there for Creston to win its sixth Hawkeye 10 Conference championship in seven years in softball.

The key, head coach Mike McCabe said, will be how his girls come together as a team. The first test comes Monday, when the Panthers travel to Corning to open the season against Southwest Valley.

After starting the conference season 1-3 last year, the Panthers reeled off 16 straight Hawkeye 10 Conference wins to claim a share of the conference title with Harlan. Eleven letterwinners return from that team that had no seniors.

“I think becoming a team and using our depth as an ally and not making it an enemy,” McCabe said about the key to his team’s success this year. “I think chemistry. I think that’s always been our M.O. We’ve always had good chemistry. All for one, one for all kind of thing. Being a part of something bigger than yourself and that being the important thing. I think that’s huge again with this group.”

The key building blocks for the Panthers are senior returning first-team all-conference players Haylee LaMasters and Natalie Mostek, who form the team’s battery and a potent heart of the order.

LaMasters led the team with a .519 batting average, hitting six home runs, 20 doubles and driving in 48 runs. Mostek hit at a .415 clip with six doubles, five home runs and 33 RBI. LaMasters was 18-8 in the pitching circle with 114 strikeouts and a 2.53 earned run average.

“Of course, Nat and Haylee, two first-team all-conference selections, we’ve got them back,” McCabe said. “Leading hitters, RBI producers. We feel good about our entire offense, but those two will certainly be counted on to drive in some runs.”

Senior Brenna Baker returns for a full season after missing part of last year because of knee surgery.

“I expect really good leadership from them. They’re all three really good kids,” McCabe said. “We get Brenna back this year for a full year healthy. I know she’s ready to go and get back.”

Junior Josie Sickels, a first-team all-conference selection a year ago, returns in center field and to her spot atop the lineup. Twin sister Jami Sickels, who raised her batting average from .185 to .411 to earn a second-team all-conference nod, is back in left field.

Junior Taylor Briley also earned second-team all-conference honors last year at her shortstop position. Junior Alyssa Higgins and sophomore Lexie Little each earned honorable mention in the Hawkeye 10 Conference last year.

Other returning letterwinners include juniors Shelby Palser and Alli Thomsen, along with freshman Chloe Hagle.

“We’ve got everybody back,” McCabe said. “Pretty good year and that’s one of those things as a coach, you probably always fear. Expectations are always high then from everybody. But probably none higher than from the kids themselves.”

Versatility

One of the team’s biggest assets this year will be its versatility and depth.

McCabe has the flexibility of playing players at several different positions, which could open up ways to utilize as many players as possible.

“I really feel we’ve got more than nine kids that can contribute at the varsity level,” he said. “That’s something we’re working through right now and how we’re going to handle that. We’re certainly versatile. I’ve got kids that can play four or five positions, easily. We do a lot of things, especially early in the season, where you’re both outfielders and infielders. We want softball players.”

Hagle is someone McCabe sees as potentially forcing her way into some playing time this year.

She is one of those versatile players McCabe talked about, being able to catch, play first base and play the outfield.

“She’s really, I think, taken a step offensively. She’s kind of jumped on Haylee’s right shoulder all winter long and been there watching and listening. It’s helped her.”

Morgan Shawler, Mattie Wheeler and Aleisha Larkin have all shown improvement, as well. Cali Foglesong, a new addition to the district, has shown promise in the pitching circle and will provide the Panthers with some innings at the JV level and will likely have an impact at the varsity level in the future.

McCabe noted that the difference between his varsity and junior varsity players is beginning to narrow, which is a good thing for his program.

“Once upon a time, there was a pretty good difference between who our varsity was and who our JV was. That’s narrowing,” he said. “Give credit to our kids who have put in the time. It’s a tough lineup to break into this year. We didn’t lose anybody. But there’s always someone who seems to pop up out of the woodwork and surprise everybody.”

Daily dogfight

Defending the Hawkeye 10 Conference championship won’t be an easy task, however.

Every team in the Hawkeye 10 Conference returns its pitcher this year, with the exception of Kuemper Catholic, who had two pitchers last year, one of which returns.

“I think it’ll be as good as ever,” McCabe said about the conference. “Harlan will be solid again. They were co-champions with us. They’ve got a good number back. Played a lot of young kids. Denison will be very good again. (Paige) Lansink is back on the mound.”

McCabe said he expects Atlantic, Lewis Central, Clarinda and Glenwood to all be in the mix this year, as well.

“It’ll be a dogfight, it really will,” he said. “Plus, this is our year to go on the road for some key doubleheaders.”

Roster

Varsity/JV

(* — returning letterwinners)

Seniors — Brenna Baker*, Haylee LaMasters*, Natalie Mostek*.

Juniors — Taylor Briley*, Jami Sickels*, Josie Sickels*, Shelby Palser*, Alyssa Higgins*, Alli Thomsen*, Dakota Sleep.

Sophomores — Lexie Little*, Hannah Hood*, Cammy Rutherford, Morgan Shawler, Mattie Wheeler, Cali Foglesong, Morghan Frey, Aleisha Larkin.

Freshmen — Chloe Hagle*, MyKenna Hribal, Kiersten Latham, Cayla Maitlen.

Freshman team

Freshmen — Hannah Best, Angel Stow, Cassity Conley, Kalan Bloodgood, Jaiden Stephens, Macy Andreasen, Taylor McDonald, Taylor Fredrickson, Shelby Cook.

Eighth-graders — Mary Ott, Maura Kinsella, Marika Chubick, Brielle Baker, Megan Haley, Devon Buls, Laura Weis, Taylor Buxton, Saige Rice, Breanna Ross, Grace Root, Lexie McGrath.

Varsity schedule

May 25 — at Southwest Valley, 7:30 p.m.

May 28 — at Lewis Central (2), 5:30 p.m.

June 1 — vs. Glenwood, 7:30 p.m.

June 2 — at Clarinda, 7:30 p.m.

June 4 — at Harlan (2), 5:30 p.m.

June 6 — at Atlantic Tournament, 10 a.m.

June 8 — vs. Shenandoah, 7:30 p.m.

June 11 — vs. Kuemper Catholic (2), 5:30 p.m.

June 12 — John Stephens Classic, TBA

June 13 — John Stephens Classic, TBA

June 15 — at Red Oak, 7:30 p.m.

June 16 — at Glenwood, 7:30 p.m.

June 18 — vs. Denison-Schleswig (2), 5:30 p.m.

June 20 — at Oskaloosa Tournament, 11 a.m.

June 22 — vs. Clarinda, 7:30 p.m.

June 23 — at Shenandoah, 7:30 p.m.

June 25 — at Council Bluffs St. Albert (2), 5:30 p.m.

June 27 — at Cedar Rapids Jefferson Tournament, TBA

June 30 — vs. Red Oak, 7:30 p.m.

July 2 — vs. Atlantic (2), 5:30 p.m.

July 6 — vs. Winterset, 7:30 p.m.

July 9 — Regionals

July 11 — Regionals

July 14 — Regionals

July 20-24 — State Tournament