If the Lady Pioneers are going to make it to sectionals for the third straight year, they’ll have to do it with a new group of girls. Fortunately, talent seems to continue flowing in for the WCHS softball team.
Coach Gooby Martin announced his 2024 roster Friday, with many familiar faces still in place from last year’s 17-win team. The Lady Pioneers will feature 22 players, including eight new freshmen and 13 underclassmen overall.
“We’re going to be super young again this season,” said Martin. “Fortunately, we had some girls that got a lot of experience last season. We need those girls to improve more this season.”
Coach Martin can lean on two veterans that formed the battery for the Lady Pioneers last year. Catcher Jaz Ward and pitcher Kora Forbes are back after all-district seasons in 2023, giving Warren County strength up the middle and in the heart of the order.
Juniors Ky Damon, Maggy Whiles and Addison Smith are also back after starting all season. Smith was one of the team’s biggest success stories last year, emerging as a .400 hitter and all-district selection at first base. The junior class also includes Lily Rains, Annabelle Reinitz, Callie Roberts and Brooke Wilson. All four have served in supporting roles in prior seasons, but coach Martin is hopeful they are ready to really shine next spring.
“This junior class needs to step up and produce for us to be successful and make a deep run in the postseason,” said Martin. “It’s going to take a lot of hard work and soul searching for us to stay competitive and keep winning.”
Warren County will have to replace the left side of its infield as Alyssa Mosley and Jessie Young are both off to play in college (Mosley will play softball at UT Southern and Young is playing volleyball at Cumberland University). Rock solid right fielder Dallis Melton has also graduated, leaving a hole to fill.
The Lady Pioneers should have plenty of options next spring though. All eight newcomers – Kaidence Crouch, Ruby Denning, Nevaeh Duggin, Amaya Martin, Alexia Ross, Aubrey Oleksik, Kaydence Tanner and Ali Young - are coming off back-to-back runs to the TMSAA sectionals at WCMS and bring loads of talent to the roster.
The sophomore class features five players: Maddox Adams, Maria Cates, Ceilee Gudat, Kyaira Sharpe and Lola Wells. Wells was a star from the start last year, finding a home in the No. 3 hole in the lineup and making plays in left field. Gudat got stronger as her freshman year went on, including a playing a big role in sectionals when she came in to strike out three Riverdale batters and delivered a key RBI single during the team’s comeback attempt in Murfreesboro. Adams was also in the starting lineup by the end of last season as a designated hitter, while Cates and Sharpe will be trying to make their impact on varsity in 2024.
