Libby softball eyes state tourney with youthful, tenacious squad
Coming off a season that ended just four runs shy of a state tournament berth, the Libby softball team is looking to build on last year’s experience and make a strong push toward their ultimate goal.
Head coach Kellen MacDonald reflects on the previous 13-11 season with optimism, acknowledging the setbacks while emphasizing the team’s potential this year.
“I felt the team had a great season last year but fell a little short of expectations, mostly because of injuries to our upperclassmen,” MacDonald said. “The goal every year is to make it to the state tournament and we fell just short of that.”
This season, the Loggers will take the field with a largely youthful group. With only three seniors on the roster, the team will rely on the energy and enthusiasm of its underclassmen, which consist mostly of sophomores and freshmen. Despite their age, MacDonald is confident that this group has the drive and determination to make waves in the competitive Northwest Conference.
“Regardless of their age, they are a tenacious, hardworking bunch,” he said. “The goal remains the same as any year, and that is to get to the state tournament and be a thorn in someones side!”
One of the biggest strengths of this year’s team, according to McDonald, is their speed and unrelenting enthusiasm for the game.
“These players are a bunch of hungry dogs that have been waiting for a chance to play together and cause mayhem,” McDonald said. “They are positive, they pick each other up at every turn and they hold each other accountable.”
Accountability and team chemistry will be key factors for a group that will be tested against tough conference competition. The Northwest Conference has long been known for its strong teams and McDonald sees no change in that trend this year.
“The Southwest Conference has been coming on strong the last couple of years, but I truly believe the Northwest is always the toughest conference,” McDonald said.
Despite the challenges ahead, the coaching staff is filled with excitement about what this season could bring. McDonald and his assistants have been encouraged by what they’ve seen in early practices, already focusing on refining the finer details of the game rather than making large-scale adjustments.
“As coaches, our excitement is building every practice—maybe even giddy at times,” McDonald admitted. “When we see what talent we have now and going forward for the future, we can’t help but be excited. You know you’re in a good place when you’re one practice into the season and you’re already tweaking little things instead of big things.”
With a group of young, talented players and an experienced coaching staff eager to mold them into contenders, the Libby Loggers are poised to make some noise this season.
The Loggers are scheduled to open the season at home Saturday, March 29, against Frenchtown. Junior varsity begins at 1 p.m. and varsity at 3 p.m.
ROSTER
Seniors: Peyton Waggoner, Madison Vincent and Rachel Koster. Sophomores: Leah Rusdal, Dakota Allen, Danika Allen, Carmen Kohler, Maddie Willis and Tessa Purdy. Freshmen: Bently Houston, Weslee MacDonald, Rossi Baney, Jayva Boehmler, Hadleigh Wood, Lexie Kim, Sophia Riddle, Teighler Parker and Cyleigh Parker.