2024 preseason softball preview:

NWA Polson Lady Pirates

by John Heglie

 

Preceding Season Recap

Last season, the Polson Lady Pirate softball squad went 19-9 overall

Regulation schedule highlights included an 8-6 early season road win over the eventual state champion Columbia Falls WildKats, a 12-11 squeeze by the visiting Frenchtown Lady Broncs and a 10-1 victory over the AA Kalispell Flathead Bravettes.

Heading into the regulation schedule NWA conference finale against Columbia Falls, the Lady Pirates held a pristine 9-0 mark with the winner of the final matchup capturing the conference crown. That outcome would gravitate by way of the WildKats.

Last season featured the first Western A Divisional in which Polson finished runnerup. Their progression included wins 15-5 over 6SW Dillon, 7-5 over 4NW Ronan, 5-4 over 1SW Frenchtown before falling 11-7 to Columbia Falls in the chipper. The Lady Pirates went 2-2 at State A with losses to both 3E Laurel and 2E Billings Central in which they trailed the duration of both contests with wins over 6E Park and 4W Libby.

 

Adaptations impacting Lady Pirate roster

Polson graduated a trio of seniors from their softball squad last season: all-conference honorable mention Tyneesha Brown, utility Caitlyn Ward and outfielder Ansley Nordberg. The trio combined for just under five dozen hits of which 14 stretched for extra bases while generating just over three dozen combined RBIs. Their departure accounted for about a quarter of offensive productivity.

But the Lady Pirate roster will need to reconfigure on account of further attrition with the transfer of a pair of players in starting senior Nikki Kendall and sophomore reserve Nevaeh Perez. Kendall was the second leading hitter on the team from the leadoff position. Their combined departure accounted for a low teen percentage of punch at the plate.

Though departures leaves a dimple dent in the previous punch of Lady Pirates at the plate, returnees still accounted for productivity among the 60th percentile, leaving Polson in the enviable position of reloading with up and comers.

 

Roster returnee resources:

Oregon NAIA Corban University-bound, thrice all-state senior infielder Mckenna Hanson tied for team lead in overall hits as well as RBIs with over three dozen of both last season while leading the team in overall extra base hits by a slim margin of one with a tally among the mid-teens. Future collegiate Warrior Hanson has averaged extra base hits among the mid-teens each of her preceding seasons such that her cumulative career RBI tally has already crested the century plateau.

 

South Dakota NCAA D2 Black Hills State-bound twice all-state senior infielder Carli Maley tied for team lead for overall hits as well as RBIs with over three dozen of both last season, tallied overall extra base hits among the mid-teens while leading the team for mashed taters with eight. Future collegiate Yellow Jacket Maley hones her craft while sharpening her skill sets during the offseason playing for the Arizona Bombers, stemming from her previous residence in the Lake Havasu area of Arizona.

 

All-conference (1st-team) junior hurler Samantha Rensvold holds championship credentials stemming from summer 2022 USA MT JO State 14U championhip winner Polson, a game in which she closed out the final four innings and change against the Missoula Riot while smacking a pair of extra base hits to help out the cause. Rensvold is one of those doubly endowed playmakers, able to either sizzle or slam from the mound or at the plate. Her proficiency at pitching has benefitted under the tutelage of former Frenchtown/Ohio State hurler Morgan "No-No Mo" Ray.

 

All-conference (2nd-team) senior hurler/infielder Avery Starr is anticipated to shine her final prep season in her multiple roles of key contributor from the mound as well as at the plate. Starr was team second leading generator of RBIs last season with an extra sharp eye at the plate with a team leading number of free trips to the base path that were one shy of two dozen when a pair of bean balls are integrated.

 

All-conference (2nd-team) senior infielder Kailey Smith was team third-leading smacker of extra base hits last season that included four mashed taters. Smith was also team third-leading generator of RBIs last season with two dozen. Among her goals include improving upon those numbers to improve upon the prospects of team LP of making a foray deep into the postseason.

 

Other returnees who saw playing time in multiple contests last season include a trio of juniors in utility Olivia Jore, outfielder Sierra Perez along with infielder Jaja Nichols, senior Lizzie Cunningham and sophomore pitcher Alyssa Orien.

In the wings are an assortment of nascent newcomers along with  those who hold 2022 USA MT 14U JO championship credentials

 

Season Prognosis

Polson head coach Jami Hanson enters his six season at the helm of the Lady Pirates, assisted by seventh year assistant coach Juan Perez, Jaelin (née Vanderburg) Moldenhauer and Jake Starr.

The 2024 rendition of the Lady Pirates return a solid core with a veteran infield reprising strategic roles. The team embarks upon the season with depth at key positions: multiple arms who can throw from the mound or gloves that can catch at the plate. Such wealth is a crucial component for any team with aspirations of extending their season.

The Lady Pirates embark upon a nascent season with the pieces of the puzzle from which can be forged inclusion as part of the conversation when the regular schedule winds toward a close and the postseason looms.

But with confidence that comes from being able to rely on known factors, there remain the unknowns of those tasked with filling vacant positions and how they may fare. Inevitably, opportunities will arise for those plugged into new roles to respond to the demands of a multitude of moments with a chance to carve out a niche that contributes to the outcome of games.

Despite promise of potential, there is always room for improvement when it comes to overcoming obstacles: minimizing miscues, improved productivity at the plate, facilitation of fielding fundamentals, maximizing mojo in the crucible of crunch time. The 2024 rendition of the Lady Pirates will need to make incremental improvements in each of these areas is they want to route their way back into the hardware rounds of postseason play.

Polson will host the Western Divisional this postseason with its associated advantages of field familiarity, eating home cooking and sleeping in one's own bed. State A is slated to be held at Billings.

The softball season gets underway on Saturday, March 23, with the First Four Quad-wrangle as Polson plays host to the visiting Western AA Flathead Bravettes and the Western B Plains Trotters. State A champion Columbia Falls will face one team when the Lady Pirates are playing the other.

 

 

2023 NWA postseason softball honors

C-FALLS – (a-s): Maddie Moultray, Syd Mann, Haden Peters; (1st-tm): Kyrah Trenkle; (2nd-tm): Demye Rensel, Aspen Dawson; (hm) Tayler Lingle.

POLSON – (a-s): Mckenna Hanson, Carli Maley; (1st-tm): Sam Rensvold; (2nd-tm): Avery Starr, Kailey Smith; (hm): Tyneesha Brown.

LIBBY – (a-s): Mackenzie Foss; (2nd-tm): Kinzee Boehmler, Jossalyn White; (hm): Paislee MacDonald, Destinee Crawford.

RONAN – (a-s): Kaleigh Benson, Kaydance Santos; (2nd-tm): Tyariah Morigeau, Ally Luedtke; (hm): Brogan Youngren.

WHITEFISH – (2nd-tm): Jude Perry.

BROWNING – (hm): Kayt Evans.

 

Spr2023mhsa tmLP – (28g) 239-698: (41)2B, (7)3B, (27)HR, 220RBI

 

Spr2023mhsa jr.Mckenna Hanson – (28g) 40-81: (9)2B, (1)3B, (6)HR, 38RBI, 494AVG, 38R, 1SF,3SH,19BB,2HB, 1SB, .592obp

Spr2023mhsa  jr.Carli Maley – (28g) 40-88: (7)2B, (0)3B, (8)HR, 38RBI, 455AVG, 10R, 2SF,8BB,6HB, 0SB, .519obp

Spr2023mhsa  jr.Avery Starr – (25g) 21-64: (1)2B, (0)3B, (2)HR, 27RBI, 328AVG, 20R, 2SF,1SH,21BB,2HB, 2SB, .494obp

Spr2023mhsa  jr.Kailey Smith – (25g) 21-77: (5)2B, (2)3B, (4)HR, 24RBI, .273AVG, 21R, 1SF,1SH,6BB,1HB, 2SB, .329obp

 

Spr2023mhsa so.Jaja Nichols – (14g) 1-5: 2RBI, .200AVG, 11R, 5BB,1SH, 2SB, .600obp

Spr2023mhsa so.Sierra Perez – (21g) 2-15: (1)2B, 4RBI, .133AVG, 2SF,2BB, 2FC,3ROE, 3SB, .211obp

 

Pitching:

AveryStarr 2023(6-3, 59⅔IP:51K,77H,31W);

SamRensvold 2023(12-6, 86⅓IP:91K,97H,35W);

 

Accrued athletic accolade acknowledgements

Mckenna Hanson (SB 3x a-s, 3x a-c 1st-tm 2023-21; VB a-s, 2x a-c: 1st-tm 2023, 2nd-tm 2021), Sam Rensvold (SB a-c 1st-tm 2023, USA MT JO State 14U champion 2022; VB 2x a-c hm 2023-22), Avery Starr (SB 2x a-c 2nd-tm 2023-22; VB 2x a-s, 3x a-c 1st-tm 2023-21), Carli Maley (SB 2x a-s, 2x a-c 1st-tm 2023-22)

 

Spr2023mhsa tmLP – (28g) 239-698: (41)2B, (7)3B, (27)HR, 220RBI

Vacancy/departure attrition:

Spr2023mhsa sr.Tyneesha Brown – (28g) 23-67: (7)2B, (2)3B, 13RBI, .343AVG, 26R, 13BB,3HB,3SH, 2SB, .470obp

Spr2023mhsa sr.Ansley Nordberg – (25g) 19-68: (1)2B, (1)3B, 13RBI, .279AVG, 13R, 5BB,5HB,4SH, 1SB, .372obp

Spr2023mhsa sr.Caitlyn Ward – (27g) 16-64: (1)2B, (2)HR, 12RBI, .250AVG, 25R, 10BB,4HB,6SH, 1SB, .385obp

Spr2023mhsa jr.Nikki Kendall – (28g) 27-73: (6)2B, (1)3B, (3)HR, 22RBI, 370AVG, 43R, 15BB, 12SB-3CS, .477obp

Spr2023mhsa fr.Nevaeh Perez – (7g) 4-12: (1)HR, 3RBI, .333AVG, 4R, 1BB

Spr2023mhsa departure/vacancy attrition subtally – (28g) 89-284: (15)2B, (4)3B, (6)HR, 63RBI,

Spr2023mhsa returnee subtally – (28g) 150-414: (26)2B, (3)3B, (21)HR, (50)xbh, 157RBI

 

2022 USA MT 14U JO champion POLSON LP – Sierra Perez, Izzy Fyant, Liz Cunningham, Olivia Jore, Emma Smith, Rensvold, Nevaeh Perez, Jaliyah Pierre, Keke Tenas, Madison Turner, Jelayna Tenas