Still-youthful WHS eager for run at District 11-6A championship
The Waxahachie Lady Indians made some noise a year ago, qualifying for the Class 6A Region II playoffs and finishing 12-12 with a core of sophomores.
Those sophomores are now juniors and still pretty young, but there’s plenty enough upside to excite Lady Indian fans as the 2022 softball season gets underway.
The Lady Indians were scheduled to raise the curtain officially on the new year on Tuesday at Crandall.
Leading the returnees are juniors Molly Gilbert and Kadin Vire, who were named to the all-District 11-6A first team at the end of last season by the coaches in the district. Both Gilbert, a strong left-handed bat, and Vire, the team’s catcher, were also named to the Ellis County High School Sports Awards softball team as sophomores.
Also returning are senior Makenae Stone and juniors Bryten Burns, Marlee Jackson, Kennedi Massey and Kylee Raney, who were all named second team all-district. Raney did the vast majority of work in the pitcher’s circle a year ago. Seniors Sam Christian and Grace Boozer, and sophomore Val Medina are back after being named honorable mention all-district.
Other players on the Lady Indians’ varsity roster include Michaela Ross, Kaylee Favors, Brynne Grammer, Savannah Porter, Emma Puebla, Darbie Richard and Brooklynn Warrix.
This weekend, the Lady Indians will jump into their first tournament of the new season at Forney. WHS will take on Prosper on Thursday at 9 a.m., Burleson at 10:45 a.m. and McKinney at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, and Wylie East at 9:30 a.m. and Forney at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
After a home game against Ennis on Feb. 22, the Lady Indians will host the Ellis County Invitational at the Midkiff Athletic Complex, facing Keller, Lubbock Coronado, North Forney, Lewisville Hebron and Lampasas over three days Feb. 24-26.
District 11-6A play begins March 8 against Waco Midway at the Midkiff Complex.