Softball Overview: Elgin, Ridgedale expected to battle in NWCC
CARDINGTON — Mark the calendars for April 17 and 18 ― weather permitting of course.
On those two days a pair of Marion County softball heavyweights will be meeting up for a potential league championship. Elgin and Ridgedale, with rosters filled with returnees from last year's 1-2 finish in the Northwest Central Conference, are likely going to be battling atop the standings with Ridgemont again this spring.
"We see ourselves battling for one of the top three positions in the league," longtime Elgin coach Wendy Muselin said referring to her team, the Rockets and Ridgemont.
Ridgedale's new head coach Randy Bennett, who takes over for Rick Ferguson, sees it the same way.
"Elgin is always a tough one in the league and a good county rival, and I would say Ridgemont is usually a pretty decent challenge as well," Bennett said.
The Comets have lost just one game since joining the NWCC in 2018. They've been undefeated league champions the last three seasons.
"Don't settle for where we are, keep improving every day. Be better than last year," Muselin said of her message to the 2023 squad.
Elgin has one of the area's top pitchers back in Alyvia Roth, last year's NWCC Player of the Year, but they have a lot more, too. Mekena Smith, Kyra Wilcox, Ava Baker, Gracie Isler, Katie Penry and Emilie Bishop all earned all-league honors a year ago and are back.
But like the Comets, Ridgedale is laden with veterans who can play at a high level. Abby Bridges and Kenzie Delaney return to the pitching circle as does Alexis Burton behind the plate. Those three as well as Aubrie Smith and Lilly Ruth were all-league and or all-district. Ten letter winners return.
"One of our big strengths will be players experience," Bennett said. "As conference runners-up last year, I would say our first goal is to focus on making that a conference championship this year."
The Mid Ohio Athletic Conference is always a tough loop in softball and this spring will be no different.
"There are no easy ones," longtime RV coach Phil Shepler said. "Ontario is the reigning champion so they are the team to beat. Ontario and Shelby have most of their starters back. Highland lost several seniors but have their two best players returning. Clear Fork is always good. Pleasant, Galion and Harding all have good players.
"I feel that we should be in the mix for a title, but we have to be more consistent night-in, night-out, and last year we did not do that."
The Vikings will be without All-Ohio shortstop Shelby Westler who is now playing a Ohio University as well as three others. The team only has one senior in Riley Hamm, but they are softball savvy. Juniors' Lanie Wooten, Delaney Myers, Bentley Auld, Chrissy Vitek and sophomores Addison Braun, Sidney Street and Alexis Williams all return from a 14-win squad that went 9-5 in the MOAC.
"We have a lot of talented players that are capable of winning a lot of games," Shepler said.
Also in the MOAC, Marion Harding and Pleasant should both be better in 2023.
For the Presidents, 13 of the 14 players on the varsity roster played a year ago on a nine-win squad. Sophomore Kameron Biederman and sophomore Taylor O'Conner were among the area's leaders in several stat categories as freshmen.
"It's important to us that this season be a positive experience for our student athletes. Wins and losses are often forgotten over time, but people rarely forget the overall experience. We want to ensure that our ladies are ultimately glad they played softball at Marion Harding. We believe that if we are exceptional at (showing improvement and being positive), if we surround ourselves with good people and good attitudes, winning will take care of itself."
Pleasant welcomes a new head coach in Hannah Wilson as she tries to turn around the program after a three-win season in 2022.
"Our girls are extremely competitive. They do a great job of supporting one another," Wilson said.
The Spartans won't be short on experience with nine returnees, but still, only three are seniors.
"We expect to improve on last year's record," she said.
Also in the MOAC, Highland lost eight to graduation with five of them being starters, but the Scots still have pitcher Stevie Asher and three other seniors to lead the squad.
"We are looking towards adding in a young but talented group of athletes to the varsity roster," Highland coach Abby Steele said.
Like many of the teams in the area, North Union will feature a veteran group that brings back 10 letter winners and adds some talented newcomers for second-year coach Emily Clark-Lindsey.
Jada Davis, Reese DeCamp, Emma Padovano, Cagney Stewart and Laine Sparks are took home All-Central Buckeye Conference Mad River Division honors in 2022 for the Wildcats.
"We are returning all pitchers and a lot of letter winners. We are strong hitters," Clark-Lindsey said. "We should be at the top of our league. It is expected."
In the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference, Cardington will be reloading like it hasn't had to do since the mid 2010s. The Pirates lost eight grads from a Final Four team, and they have not missed a regional tournament since 2016.
"For the first time in a long time, we are the underdogs in the league.
Cardington returns All-Ohio pitcher Genevieve Longsdorf and big-time sophomore Aril Simpson, but everyone else will be new to the varsity lineup.
"We are going to be extremely young," Cardington coach Tod Brininger said. "We are anticipating starting five freshmen. Our two returning starters need to be great leaders and bring the young players up to speed."
Regardless of the revamped lineup, the expectations remain the same for the Pirates: Win the KMAC, go to the state tournament and win a title there.
Last year five of the seven teams in the KMAC played in the districts and four were runners-up. One of those district squads was Northmor, and the Golden Knights will be loaded with experience all around the field. Five are multi-year letter winners and four others also have letters as Taylor Cantrell, Madison Simpson, Mahaila Strobel and Kate Kissling all earned league and/or district honors.
"Together is the rally call," Northmor coach Matt Wiseman said. "The girls seem to genuinely like each other, so they pick each other up."
The goals at Northmor are to compete for a league championship, go back to the district tourney and set the school record for wins with 14.
Mount Gilead is looking to improve on last year's six wins for first-year coach Morgan Dettra. The Indians have five returnees with six newcomers.
"Our team strengths are willingness to learn, effort and speed," Dettra said. "We are concerned with the lack of experience coming into this season."
The hope is that MG can win a league game for the first time in a couple seasons.
"Our goals this year are to become disciplined in our fundamentals both defensively and offensively and to see improvement throughout the year," Dettra said.
∎ For a capsule look at all the area's high school softball teams for 2023, visit MarionStar.com or its app.
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This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Softball Overview: Elgin, Ridgedale expected to battle in NWCC
