There will be a lot of familiar faces in the Sterling softball lineup this spring. After losing only three senior starters from 2025, expectations are high for the Golden Warriors.

“We have a handful of girls that have varsity experience, so I think that chemistry will carry on into the season. I’m pretty excited to see how that all plays out come game time,” said Mya Lira, a four-year varsity starter. “I think having us three seniors that have a lot of varsity experience, we have that drive to really want to go farther than last year.

“I think we’re definitely chasing a regional championship.”

Last season ended a little too early for Sterling’s liking, as they were upset in the 3A Dixon Regional final by Belvidere North. That is only fueling the fire for this year’s team.

“These girls are hungry to get going. It was a big deal to not get past regionals last year, so we need to get that started back up and start another streak,” fourth-year coach Donnie Dittmar said. “The nice thing with that is there’s just a couple spots we have to fill. We might make some changes in their primary positions, but everybody else is pretty much the same. That’s going to be a big key for us.”

Having so many players back in the same positions has given this Sterling team confidence and is allowing the Warriors to start a little further along than they did when they had so many new varsity starters a year ago.

“Everyone has an idea where they are, so knowing they have that confidence in their position makes them a better player, makes each other a better player, and everyone knows their role and what to do. No one overthinks the situation, we’re confident in the field, so it makes everything cleaner and more precise,” third-year varsity player Lily Cantu said.

“We definitely lost some strong positions [from last year], but I feel like there’s more people filling in, and more people are building into their position and growing where they’re supposed to be, which I think is great.”

Lily Martinez is one of those players who feels a lot more comfortable coming into this season. Now starting her second full season as the varsity starting pitcher, she feels more in control of the situation.

“I think last year there were a lot of nerves, new girls in new positions. This year, I think we’re settled in, for the most part, so I feel like we have that connection,” said Martinez, a third-year varsity player. “I was really nervous at the start [of last season], but once I got out there and knew my team had my back, we were good. My defense did really good for me last year in my first year in the circle, and we’re just building on that for this year.”

She will have some help in the circle this year in the form of junior Layla Wright, who was unable to pitch for most of last season while recovering from an injury. Having Wright in the mix will help both pitchers stay fresh throughout the season and be “strong down the stretch so we don’t run out of gas,” according to Dittmar.

The Warriors will be relying on the leadership of seniors Lira, Martinez and Lily Cantu, while juniors Wright and Rosie Cantu are in their third season on varsity. Junior Olivia Castillo and sophomores Breanna Taylor, Grace Springman and Madison Birdsley are also returning varsity players, while senior Grace Johnson, juniors Sophie Potthoff and Kennedy Tate and sophomore Haley Janssen round out the roster.

“It’s just the chemistry. Everyone gets along very well. Everyone knows what everyone else is thinking without having to say it, it’s great,” Lily Cantu said. “I feel like since we were on varsity very young, I think we know what leadership is supposed to look like and feel like. It’s involving everyone, making sure everyone feels comfortable, and I think we do a great job as a team.”

Dittmar expects Sterling to challenge for the Western Big 6 title and also thinks this year’s team will play with an edge to prove themselves with a postseason run after seeing a streak of 12 straight regional titles end last spring.

“It’s just going to be how we are at the end of the season. Are we hot at that time, or have we packed it in?” Dittmar said. “I think these girls, just the experience they have, the amount of varsity they’ve played, I think they understand that we need to be at our best at the end of the season, so that’s what they’ll be chasing.”