By Richard Smith
West Valley Preps

Rarely does a state title contender enter the postseason without a playoff victory in the history of the program.

But Shadow Ridge softball fits that bill and is almost assured of starting the 5A tournament as the No. 2 seed. The Stallions will host a first round game at 10:15 a.m. Saturday.

This is heady stuff for this still-young program, in particular four seniors that arrived on a team coming off a 10-12 season in 2013. Now the Stallions enter the bracket with a Northwest Region title, a 24-5 overall record and a 17-1 mark in regular season games.

“Our field was not as nice as it is now and the expectations for the softball team were not as high as they are now. Everyone just kind of blew us off,” senior Hayley Bejarano said. “Now a lot of the teachers and students are praising us because of how much progress we’ve had. It’s definitely a big jump from our freshman to senior year.”

Bejarano’s freshman year was the first year of her mother, Vicki, as coach after moving over from Dysart. Fellow freshmen Taya Brooks, Maya Lentz and Devynn Marshall were in the starting lineup — and two more freshmen made the roster but did not play for Shadow Ridge after that year.

Almost immediately the four freshmen, especially Bejarano, Lentz and Marshall, were the heart of the lineup and Marshall pitched practically every inning. Sophomore Breanna Neveu was able the only other help in the lineup



“We had to do everything. As freshmen we were like ‘we got this.’ We were the worst team ever,” Marshall said.
She is exaggerating, as the Stallions improved to 16-9-1. But the team was firmly in the middle of Division II.

Another solid freshman class arrived in 2015 and Shadow Ridge posted a 27-5 record. However, a tissue soft schedule left the team as the first one out when the playoffs begin.

With more freshmen added to the mix and the class of 2017 ready to take control of the program, last year was a leap year.

“The first couple of years were learning years. And as juniors and seniors they’ve picked it up,” Coach Vicki Bejarano said. “Our practices run smoother and we’re able to get through a lot of things quicker because they understand what the expectation is. I always joke that they could run their own practice. And the freshman and sophomores have been able to pick up and kind of roll with it.”

Shadow Ridge rolled to a 21-6 record and its first section title in 2016. The team entered the playoffs with the No. 7 seed and some buzz as a Division II darkhorse.

All those good feelings evaporated in an afternoon, as No. 23 seed Casa Grande blew out the Stallions 13-2.
Haley Bejarano said she thought the team realized it finally made the playoffs and settled for that much, expecting to keep winning. He mother has another viewpoint.

“Last year I was so disappointed and upset because we had a lot of talent. We got into a pressure situation and they crumbled. When we ended that game I said ‘see you in the locker room tomorrow.’ I told them that’s not going to happen again. We’ve had some situations this year where the pressure’s been on and we’re slowly learning to handle that,” Coach Bejarano said.

That is a tribute to the senior leadership — and the best freshman class to arrive since those seniors were freshmen. Most come off the bench but the Carroll sisters, Sophia (.462, 9 home runs, 37 RBI) and Aris (.432, 4 home runs, 21 RBI), are the team’s power source.

The sisters and senior Paradise Honors transfer Cassidy Young have added depth to a lineup that dropped off after the first five batters in previous years.

“The twins have had a really big impact. They’re even leaders on the field. It’s super cool to see freshmen take that leadership role. All of our freshmen have a part and they contribute,” Lentz said.

The three captains lead in their own way. Haley Bejarano handles most of the on-field talking, while Lentz uses the friendly approach off the field and Marshall does most of her talking with her play.

UNLV-bound Marshall leads Shadow Ridge in batting average (.519) and is rounding back into form as the ace after early season injuries. She also has more help in the circle from Young, sophomore Natalie Moody and freshman Emari Evans.



Bejarano, a Central Florida commit, is a elite contact hitter (.509) and defensive first baseman while future GCC player Lentz is a top defensive shortstop.

“They’ve been versatile players and have had to pick up different roles. Devynn was out early in the year with an injury so she’s had to rebuild to come back. They’re pretty mentally strong and push themselves, which allows the younger players to see that,” Coach Bejarano said.

All five losses have been to some of Arizona’s top teams, including to Cactus, Phoenix Desert Vista and Phoenix Pinnacle in tournament play.

Those teams are not in 5A but Sahuaro is — as part of Tucson’s trio of contenders with Cienega and Ironwood Ridge. The Cougars are ranked No. 3 and beat the Stallions on March 8 in Tucson and at the Desert Mountain tournament March 18.

“We played them in Tucson and then we played them in the East Valley tournament. The first game we lost 6-4 and came back in the last inning. The last game we lost 4-3 so we’re in the same ballgame as them,” Bejarano said. “And I think the progress we’ve made from the beginning of the season to the end, I think it would be a different game if we play again.”

Shadow Ridge has 13 straight wins since then. The team swept through region play and capped its regular season Friday by pounding No. 7 Phoenix Arcadia 14-7.

Now, as the seniors look for their first playoff win and first championship challenge, the school and southwest Surprise has embraced Stallions softball.

“I would say that goes on and off the field. Our peers, teachers and even the city of Surprise knows who we are now. (Teams across) the state know who we are now. That’s really cool to be a part of that, seeing where we started, which was kind of nowhere,” Lentz said.