Priest River softball looks to build on inexperience

The Priest River softball team had an uphill battle in 2021. It posted a 1-22 record and severely lacked experience.

The Spartans only had one senior on its team a year ago. This year is more of the same with only one senior returning for the 2022 campaign.

“We were really inexperienced last year,” Priest River softball coach Ron Kruse said. “We only had one kid that had high school softball experience last year.”

In 2022 Priest River is looking to turn that inexperience into leadership.

The Spartans will bring back 10 players from last year, including ace pitcher Jaylien Zylstra. The junior threw 2,550 pitches last year.

“She’s a workhorse,” Kruse said. “She pitched for us in almost every game last year.”

Pitching was an area of weakness for Priest River last year, but after Zylstra finished out the season throwing over 2500 pitches, those reps became increasingly important for this season.

The Spartans lone senior, Ona Rose will be behind the plate playing catcher for Priest River in 2022.

Brodi Hansen will also be contributing to Priest River’s bullpen this year. She also plays shortstop, but her work at the dish is what makes her special. Kruse labeled her as a “homerun hitter.”

Madi Rose, Ona’s sister, will also have a big bat for Priest River.

Madi Rose plays third base and is a contact hitter for the Spartans.

Priest River brought home a lot of runners in 2021. In its lone win against Troy, Priest River scored 27 runs. It scored double digit runs in seven games last year.

The girls never got down on themselves last year. They remained positive throughout. That positive attitude will drive the Spartans this year, according to Kruse.

“They have such a great outlook every time they step on the field,” Kruse said. “They remained positive throughout everything that they went through.”

Kruse has been coaching at the varsity level for four years and spent another four years at the junior varsity level.

Out of all the years he’s coached, he said last year was the most fun.

“The girls are having fun,” Kruse said. “If the girls made a good play, that was considered a win for them. I’m looking forward to more of the same this year.”

With the inexperience fading from a year ago, 2022 brings a new outlook for Priest River softball.

Kruse listed inexperience as a weakness and as a strength. It’s a strength because the young Spartans team will have one more year under their belt but a weakness because it’s still only the second year that most of the girls have played high school softball.

As a bonus, six out of its 10 returners are sophomores. Kailee Davis, Unity Holcomb, Naomi Rosa, Faith Taylor, Cheyenne Thompson, and Cazzity Watson are all sophomores.

Having its core be mostly in year two of Priest River’s softball program is a huge benefit to the future of the Spartans.

Kruse expects to see some improvement from Priest River, not necessarily a huge improvement to where they win the 3A Intermountain League. but a big enough progression to steer the program in the right direction.