Nothing like a returning experienced player to boost a coach’s confidence.

Area softball teams have enough experience to go around as the fastpitch season nears its start.

Fort Gibson may be best defined by its experienced roster, and Muskogee and Hilldale have veteran squads as well.

One area coach is so emboldened as to make a rather strong prediction.

“I look for us to be in be in the state championship with a chance to win it,” Muskogee coach Mack Chambers said.

Optimism abounds. But the Lady Tigers may have a little bit of an edge as three of their returning starters — pitchers Taylor Mills and Hayley Jaynes along with outfielder Brennan Miller — were selected to the All-Phoenix Team last fall. No other area school returns that many players who were chosen to the all-area squad.

Mills was 12-4 with 172 strikeouts in 110 innings, while Jaynes hit .364 with 29 RBIs. Miller hit .397 and scored 17 runs for the Lady Tigers.

The trio helped take Fort Gibson to the state tournament and a 26-10 record in 2007. The Lady Tigers lost a heartbreaker to Claremore Sequoyah after having the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“That experience helped in the spring (slowpitch season),” coach Jerry Walker said. “Those three are outstanding, but we’ve also got several more players who can play with them. We also have some really good freshmen as we could possibly have 26 kids out for softball. The future looks good.”

Fort Gibson’s present doesn’t look too bad either. Particularly among the younger players.

“We’ve got a good group of juniors who just finished playing in different places all across the country,” Walker said. “We don’t coach summer softball because they get more playing time with other teams and that’s going to help us get better.”

Other returnees include Allison Cates, Megan Wynn, Jessica McClure, Kayla Jones and Rashell Bennett.

“I’m looking forward to the year and our schedule is going to be tough,” Walker said. “That’s how you get better. The first thing we talked about to the players is to not worry about records, just get in time for the playoffs. We have a lot of depth and good kids. I like our chances.”



Muskogee

Coach Mack Chambers likes the Rougherettes’ chances in 2008, especially with seven starters returning from the 25-18 team of a season ago. Only All-Phoenix selection Evan Sallis has graduated from a squad that finished 25-18 after losing in the Class 6A regional semifinals last year.

How much might turn a few heads.

“I feel like if we don’t lose to Broken Arrow last year, we would have come out of regionals,” Chambers said. “We played well against (Broken Arrow) and just came up short.”

There’s no shortchanging the talent on this year’s Rougherettes. Some of the players suiting up for another year include shortstop Jordan Clark, second baseman LaDarra Brown, catcher-first baseman Emily Emberson, pitcher Lacie Burch and center fielder Hannah Hamilton.

“Jordan Clark has those shoes to fill (of Evan Sallis) at shortstop and she’s capable of filling that,” Chambers said.

Newcomers expected to contribute include outfielder Julia Mahan, third baseman Shelby Winters and catcher Cheyene Parish.

Chambers wants this year’s team to make the push into the elite, not just in the area but the state.

“We’re ready for a change. We hear about Hilldale, Oktaha and Fort Gibson but it’s time to get Muskogee in the mix in fastpitch softball,” he said. “We’ve got a program here.”



Hilldale

The Lady Hornets have the best chance of any area team to improve on last year, after finishing 7-22. Coach Matt Ross takes a team into the season that doesn’t have any seniors, but he’s not worried.

“I don’t want to go out on a limb but I look for them to make a big difference this year,” he said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun watching these girls grow. They’re really talented individually and they’re nice kids.

“We’re going to definitely have growing pains. We should be a solid team that has really good potential.”

Paige Boling, who hit .507 in 2007, returns to center field and first base.

Other returnees include catcher Julie Tarkington, shortstop Jordan Stinson and first baseman Karlee Hester. Hester will not join the team until early September as she recovers from a knee injury. Kayla Romine and Madison Kirk are also back.

Newcomers this season include pitchers Danielle Riddle and Julana Schrum, who will be freshmen.

“I’m looking for them to step in and play big for us,” Ross said. “Those two complement each other as one’s a hard-throwing right hander and the other’s a hard-throwing left hander.”

Another freshman Ross looks forward to having on the field is Emily Garcia, a move-in from Waco, Texas.

“It was too late for her play at the middle school last year,” he said. “She’s a nice addition.”



Haskell

The Lady Haymakers have All-Phoenix MVP Jalie Neal, Rachel Criner and Amber Moats, who are seniors, back to head a team that made it to the state championship game. Coach Greg Wilson, the Phoenix Coach of the Year, lost just three players to graduation and welcomes back eight starters from the team that finished 27-16.

Other starters back include seniors Melody Tucker and Macy Moore along with junior Hayley Harris and sophomores Jodi Edminston and Kelsey Kelly.



Oktaha

All-Phoenix outfielder Sydney Chapin returns for coach Darrell Wood and steps on the mound this season, while Newcomer of the Year Emery Fox recovers from a bulging disc in her back