Softball preview: Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell ready to roll with proven cornerstones, youth sprinkled in

Back in the fall, the Woodland girls volleyball team suffered some roster-shaking injuries but relied on upperclassmen stepping up and young players stepping in to craft a 23-win season.

With a couple of those athletes still injured for the start and likely the entire spring softball season, the 2024 Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell softball team is going to have to do something similar.

Second-year WFC head coach Mike Hoekstra seems quietly confident his Warriors can do so, however. After all, they overcame similar injury problems and inexperience during last year’s 19-11 season that ended with the program’s second straight regional championship and seventh overall.

“We’ve got some tough injuries like last year, ... and we’re going to be young like we were last year,” Hoekstra said. “We have four freshmen coming in again, kind of like last year, and numbers are really down this year with 11 eligible players. But we have a lot of high hopes for the freshmen coming in. We did last year when they came in, and they produced.”

There are 13 players on the Warriors roster, but only 11 are medically cleared to play. Starting corner infielders Cloee Johnston and Emma Highland are on the roster, but are recovering from injuries suffered during volleyball season. Highland and Johnston each hit over .350 last season with a combined 51 RBIs and 51 runs scored.

There are, however, some proven program cornerstones who will take the field on opening day, led by a senior at the most important position on the softball diamond, four-year varsity ace Shae Simons.

Simons was a 2023 Times All-Area first-team selection with her 15-11 record, 1.76 ERA and 233 strikeouts over 155 1/3 innings along with her .286 batting average and 26 RBIs.

“The best thing with Shae is she’s always ready,” Hoekstra said of the right-hander. “She’s already committed to play at IVCC, so that pressure’s off her shoulders for her senior year, and just talking to her you can tell she’s more relaxed than she’s ever been.

“I think she’s ready to have a great season.”

Alongside her will be a pair of Times All-Area second-teamers from last spring who are now juniors manning vital positions – outfielder/catcher Ella Derossett (.457, 30 RBIs) and shortstop Olivia Chismarick (.427, 40 runs scored). They will be joined by another key returner, senior outfielder/catcher Kaiden Connor (.254, 21 runs scored).

“They’re phenomenal ... and both hit the ball so well,” Hoeskstra said. “Olivia’s going to settle in back at shortstop, and Ella’s going to be mixed in all over the place. She could end up playing every position but pitcher.”

With those three expected to step up their game, it falls to the remainder of the roster – namely junior OF/3B Tiffany Rustman, sophomores P/OF Taylor Heidenreich and 2B/OF Jaylei Leininger, and freshmen such as C/2B Kaylee Henert, OF/1B Brittany Rustman, 3B/UT Emma Palaschak and P/C/1B Lilly Libby – to contribute.

“There’s going to be no shortage of playing time for everybody,” Hoekstra said.

With Connor and Derossett expected to spend more time in the outfield than behind the plate and the heart of last year’s lineup unavailable, the versatile Libby could be in line to make the most immediate impact after spending her summer competing at the 18U level.

As for goals, it’s the same as it ever was for WFC, a program that has gained a reputation for hitting its stride when the postseason comes around.

“The regional’s always the goal for the season,” Hoekstra said, “but to make that next level [and win the program’s first sectional championship] would be really nice, since we haven’t gotten there yet. But we’re not gonna worry about wins and losses this year. It’s all gonna be about what we can do in the postseason.”