By Richard Smith
Twitter: @rsmithYWV

The high school softball regular season started March 12. West Valley Preps asked Northwest Valley coaches to take a look at their teams:

Cactus Cobras

4A West Valley Region
Coach: Bartt Underwood (10th year as Cactus head coach)
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Pitching, hitting from our veterans.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? We need to improve our defense with several returners playing position that are new to them this year.
Who are your team leaders? Senior pitcher McKenna “Bub” Feringa, senior SS Hannah DiFabio, junior 2B Tanya Windle.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? New to the starting lineup is junior 1B Reagan Leyvas, junior pitcher 3B Angelica Tello and junior CF Taylor Rigazio.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? Our new players working hard, improving with fundamentals and using those fundamentals in game situations. We have a group of young ladies that genuinely like each other and want their teammates to succeed as much as they do.

Centennial Coyotes

5A Northwest Region
Coach: Randall Kaye (fifth year as head coach)
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Without a doubt, team chemistry. In 2020 we graduated our first complete class and they have created a solid culture of hard work and competing every day. I feel that this is a close-knit group with good leadership.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? I think we need to improve our base running, situational hitting and our offensive and defensive execution.
Who are your team leaders? Our team leaders are Meghan Golden, Alex Thiel, Chloe Hetrick and Cadence Walding.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? Due to the cancellation of the 2020 season, I would say our entire sophomore class of Samantha Jarvis, Sierra Walding, Alyssa Munoz, and Ella Kirkeby will be key contributors. In our freshman class there are a few kids who have an opportunity to see some game time but two have stood out during tryouts, Tawnie Mozeris and Ella Cordova have an opportunity to start for us.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? They just need to stay healthy and keep a disciplined approach to getting better each day and I think that will keep us in the playoff conversation. If we score a few runs a game and play good defense we will be a touch matchup for anyone we play.

Deer Valley Skyhawks

4A West Valley Region
Coach: Taylor Haegle (third year as Deer Valley coach)
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? I have girls who are excited to play. They miss the normalcy of a spring season and are chomping at the bit to get back on the diamond.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? We haven’t had much time together. We had five seniors last year who have moved on and only one senior this year. We’re a young and inexperienced team. We are needing some strong leadership on and off of the field to bring us together. I’m excited to see who is going to step up and fill that role this year. 
Who are your team leaders? Jessica Monsisvais (senior) is our team leader. She hustles, has a great attitude, and plays with a “team first” mentality. All of which are vital to building up a program. I see potential in Madison Jones (junior) and Jailey Baird (sophomore); both of which have the talent and I am anxious to see if they can step up and fill that role that the team needs this season.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad who could make an impact? Last year, Selena Rodosta (sophomore) was out with an injury. She’s not a new player, but I am wanting to see what she can do now that she is healed up. I think she’s going to be a great asset.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? I think the most important thing we need to do is come together as a team. We need to learn how to play the game together, be tough mentally and make the routine plays on a consistent basis.

Kellis sophomore Celina Morales meets her teammates at home plate after hitting a two-run home run against Ironwood on April 18, 2019 in Glendale. After most of the 2020 season was canceled by COVID-19, Morales returns for her senior season. [West Valley Preps File]

Kellis Cougars

5A Northwest Region
Coach: Todd Pyne (third year as head coach)
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? The willingness to work hard and keep a positive attitude.
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? Staying focused on the fundamentals. Believing in themselves.
Who are your team leaders? Sara O'Connor, Leah Calderon and Celina Morales.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? Sophomore Jocelyn Roe and freshmen Elia Marquez and Emily Arce.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? Our underclassman will need to step up to the challenge. We will need to come together as a team and work hard.

Mountain Ridge Mountain Lions

6A Desert Valley Region
Coach: Kent Decker (sixth year as Mountain Ridge coach)
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Our best team attribute is senior leadership
What will your team need to improve for the season to be a success? We need to improve on our pitching and productive hitting.
Who are your team leaders? Our team leaders are seniors shortstop Megan Lake and third baseman Odessa Treese.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? Newcomers will be Amanda Margo and Courtney Lake.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? Our underclassman will need to step up to the challenge. We will need to come together as a team and work hard.

Sunrise Mountain Mustangs

5A Northwest Region
Coach: Jody Pruitt (22nd year at Sunrise Mountain)
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Pitching and catching.
Who are your team leaders? Seniors Sawyer Snodgrass and Berlynn Stockton.
Who are newcomers to the varsity squad that could make an impact? Junior Grace Deines.
What needs to happen for your squad to reach the state tournament this season, or reach the goals the program has set? We need to play solid defense.

Richard Smith
Associate Editor | Surprise & West Valley Preps
@rsmithYWV

rsmith@iniusa.org

Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.

An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.

For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.

As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.