Mendota softball looks to continue regional streak

Though it is a new era for Mendota softball, the goals remain lofty for the Lady Trojans after back-to-back regional championships.

Mendota lost some key players, but with reinforcements from a new co-op with LaMoille High School, the Lady Trojans look for another winning record and more postseason hardware.

“We lost some girls off our back-to-back regional championship teams and through injury, but even though we are young, we fully expect to play for the regional title and keep up our standard of play,” Mendota coach Joel Perez said.

The Lady Trojans will come into the season with a depleted pitching staff as Perez was counting on Mary Defore and Zoe Finley to share time in the circle, but an injury in a previous sport has taken Finley away for the season.

That means Defore will have to shoulder more of the load and the Lady Trojans will have to count on some talented freshmen to grow up quick and contribute in Macy Pizano-Olsen, Katlyn Jenner and Emma Schultz.

The Lady Trojans have a good core coming back and Perez is looking to Anna Bokus — a three-year varsity player — to supply some leadership and Kassidy Barkman behind the plate as well as Jenna O’Donnell at shortstop to bring back experience.

They will mix in with a talented group of newcomers in freshmen Pizano-Olsen, Jenner, Finley and Schultz behind the plate.

Some hungry juniors battling for playing time in Emily Elwell, Grace Leifheit, Izabella Nunez and Felicia Atreaga, who have all been around the program for three years and are ready to take their turns in the limelight.

With a mixture of youth and experience the Lady Trojans look to make a serious run at their goals to finish above five hundred against a competitive schedule, including a tough Big Northern Conference slate that will get them battle tested and ready to once again challenge for hardware.