Experience and Youth Fuel Highland Softball’s 2025 Outlook

“This year’s a little bit different,” said Highland softball head coach Paul Scifres. For the first time in his coaching career, he and his team enter the season with one clear goal: defend the state title. After finishing 27-6 last season and claiming the Class 2 State Championship for the first time since 2005, the Lady Cougars now look to hold on to their crown.

“We’ve got that experience, we got the taste of it. But right now the goal is to stay hungry,” Scifres said.

A key part of Highland’s title defense is the return of five seniors, four of whom earned All-State honors last year. Bailie Crist, who will move to catcher after the graduation of Haleigh Winters, received All-State recognition for her outfield play. She also carried a .549 batting average and a .607 on-base percentage, leading the team with 48 RBIs.

Addy Abell returns with second-team All-State honors, bringing back a .477 average, a .523 OBP, and three home runs. Catherine Darnell hit .310 with a .433 OBP, while Manda Jennings posted a .250 average and .325 OBP.

“All five of them are awesome, and they are going to do a great job to lead this team,” Scifres said of his seniors.

Several underclassmen also bring experience back to the lineup. Junior Keera Rothweiler, an All-State selection, held down the leadoff spot last year with a .505 average and .567 OBP, while going a perfect 52-for-52 on stolen bases. Hannah Ritterbusch will take over in center field and contribute offensively, while Emma Berry (left field) and Allie Lundberg also return.

One of the biggest questions entering the season surrounds the status of senior ace Abby Lay. Lay was a dominant two-way player last year, starting 28 games in the circle and throwing 162.2 innings with a 1.29 ERA and a 24-5 record. At the plate, she hit .454 with a .518 OBP and four home runs.

Lay suffered an injury during basketball season this winter but has since worked her way back.

“She’s been cleared, and she’s been hard at it,” Scifres said. “She’s worked really hard… She wants to do everything, she’s ready to hit the ground running, she’s looked strong so far.”

Lay reflected on her recovery, saying, “To begin with it was rough. But then I realized that I can’t take it in a negative way. I really focused on what I could do and not the negatives. I also had my whole community and my softball team behind me, to push me along, and I’m very excited to be back my senior year.”

Along with the depth of experience, Coach Scifres is also eager to see what the incoming youth can bring both now and in the future. “We got a good crop of freshmen coming in, and it’s got some speed and athleticism.”

Even Abby Lay gave praise to some of the younger athletes moving up. “Yeah, we have some young fast girls… They are all fast, and gonna be really good baserunning, they’re some slappers.”

Both Scifres and Lay discussed options in the circle to help take some of the load off of Abby. “We have Calyn Mathes, who’s gonna be a sophomore. She kind of had that load last year… She pitched for us this summer and looked strong.” Mathes, as a freshman, started five games and picked up three wins on the season.

Scifres also pointed to other arms ready to contribute. “We have an incoming freshman, Corinne Brinkley, who threw a lot for us in the summer, looked strong. We have a transfer, Maliah Thomas… She’s been looking strong.”

No matter who is in the circle, Scifres expressed confidence in the defense behind them. “The defense that we have, the athletes that we have — throw strikes and put the ball in play, and there’s a good chance one of those girls is gonna go get it and throw somebody out.”

Coach Scifres highlighted several opponents the Lady Cougars are eager to face. “Conference opponents, the Clarence Cannon Conference has always been a tough conference… Macon (vs. 9/27, @ 9/30), that was a team we couldn’t beat last year. Centralia (vs. 9/9) is another one,” he said. Scifres also pointed to the Troy Tournament (Aug. 29–30), stating “full of Class 4 and Class 5 schools, so that’s always a good test at the start” He gave a nod to the cross-county rivalry with Canton (@ 9/16, vs. 9/22), adding, “Home and away every year, the county rivalry, those are games we always look forward to.”