A look at the season ahead for Serena baseball, Newark baseball and softball

Here’s an early look at a handful of the area’s high school softball and baseball clubs scheduled to open their season in the coming days:

SOFTBALL

Newark

Coach: Tim Schofield (4th year)

Last season: 26-6 overall, 13-1 Little Ten

Top returners: Skyler Chavoen, sr. CF; Emily Schofield, sr., C; Emmie Akre, jr., UT; Bri Dixon, so., UT; Emma Dormady, jr., UT; KJ Friestad, jr, IF; Morgan Long, jr., OF; Kailey Wohead, jr., OF; Taylor Kruser, so., P/IF; Kaitlyn Schofield, so., P/OF/IF; Peyton Wohead, so., C/IF

Key newcomers: Cali Beyer, fr., UT; Emily DiClementi, so., UT; Danielle Monsess, fr., UT; Danica Peshia, fr., UT; Kodi Rizzo, fr., UT; Alyssa Shriber, fr., UT; Ryan Williams, fr., UT

Worth noting: Last year would have been the year for the Norsemen, with 1A First Team All-State pick P Sophie Schomer and Second Teamer Naomi Sweeney back from the 26-6 LTC and regional champs, but it didn’t happen. ... Now Coach Schofield says, “We’re pretty young, but we’ve got 11, 12 players that play year ‘round. That’s pretty rare for a Class 1A school, so I’m not concerned with the experience level. We’re really deep. I feel I can move girls around, play them in multiple positions, and we have a lot of pitching. Any one of three I can put out there to win a game.” ... Those pitchers, Kaitlyn Schofield, Kruser and Rizzo, are the real deal, with whoever is not pitching playing 2B and SS. ... Another second-team All-Stater, Emily Schofield, is back behind the plate, while Peyton Wohead and Friestad handling the corners. ... Chavoen, an All-LTC pick as a sophomore, Kailey Wohead and Long will man the outfield for now.

— Charlie Ellerbrock

BASEBALL

Newark

Coach: Josh Cooper (2nd year)

Last season: 13-10 overall

Top returners: Logan Benesh, sr., OF/P; Ethan Jeffers, sr., UT; Jared Slivka, sr., IF; Dalton Reibel, sr., IF/P; Luke Hauge. Jr., IF/P; Mitchell Kruser, jr., OF/P; Tegan Kruser, jr., UT; ; Nick Moore, jr., IF; Lucas Pasakarnas, jr., C

Key newcomers: Zach Carlson, so., OF; Jake Kruser, so., UT; Joe Martin, so., IF/P; Ty Steffen, so., IF; Andrew Stoughton, so., OF; Carter Westphal, so., IF; Clay Friestad, fr., UT; Ben Schutter, fr., IF

Worth noting: Technically, Cooper didn’t have a first year as the Norsemen coach. While he’s grateful there would have been no seniors on that team that missed out, he laments the experience this year’s youngsters would have gained, as this year there are only four seniors, albeit great leaders. ... “No seniors then, so it would have been a great year for my guys to get some experience in. … These kids are definitely excited to have something going on. I’m excited. We have a lot of nice young talent.” ... The anchors will be Pasakarnas, a unanimous All-Little Ten C after posting .352 BA, .430 OBP, 23 R, 14 RBIs and 11 runners thrown out as a freshman, along with Slivka in his fourth year starting at 2B and Reibel back at 3B, but the rest of the positions are fluid, including SS between Teegan Kruser and Martin. ... There is a need for pitchers to “step up and throw strikes,” said Cooper, with Reibel, Martin, Benesh and Mitchell Kruser leading the staff right now.

— Charlie Ellerbrock

Serena

Coach: Chad Baker (23rd season)

Last season: 9-16 overall

Top returners: Ivan Stafford, sr., P/3B/1B; Conner Holdiman, sr., P/IF/CF; Cole Shannon, jr., C; Dylan Cartwright, jr., P/1B

Key newcomers: Camden Figgins, so., P/IF; Hudson Stafford, so., P/OF; Todd Smith, so., P/C/1B; Bryce Shannon, so., P/3B; Leo Brennan, so., P/3B/1B/LF; Tanner Faivre, fr., IF/OF/P; Carson Baker, fr., P/IF/OF; Hunter Staton, fr., P/IF/C

Worth noting: The Huskers return a trio of players with experience from 2019 in Ivan Stafford (20 hits, 16 RBIs, 26.1 IP), Holdiman (15.1 IP, 12 RBs, 9 SB) and Cole Shannon (21 hits, 16 RBIs), but overall because of losing the 2020 season, Coach Baker will have a young, inexperienced varsity group. ... “While the bulk of our roster is freshmen and sophomores, their lack of experience will hopefully be overshadowed by their abilities,” Coach Baker said. “The majority of them have played a lot of baseball leading up to high school and have a pretty good idea of how to play the game. There is a lot of flexibility in where I can place these guys in the lineup and on the field. We also have a lot of guys on the roster that can pitch … as the season rolls on, we’ll see which guys we depend on most, but it’s nice to have options and confidence in players being able to go out there and throw some innings.” ... The Huskers’ goals include competing for a Little Ten Conference title and playing their best as the postseason draws near. “Even these juniors and seniors don’t have as much varsity experience as they should because of missing last year,” Coach Baker said, “so some patience and willingness to keep working and adjust early on will be important.”

— Brian Hoxsey