The Mission-Arlee-Charlo softball team hopes to improve on their third place finish at the MHSA Class B-C softball state tournament in 2017.

Lady Bulldogs’ softball coach Susan Weaselhead said her team will boast of some great returnees from a team that was right in the mix all the way to the end of last season for a state title.

“We have some great returners and we lost only two seniors (from last year’s team),” Weaselhead stated.

The Lady Bulldogs will begin their season with a double-header against the defending state champion Florence-Carlton team, who captured the state title behind a dominant pitcher who is set to return this season.

Because of the early season schedule that will include Florence-Carlton, Libby and Loyola, not to mention they are playing in a conference that includes several softball powerhouses in the Class B-C such as Eureka, Troy, Thompson Falls and Plains, her team knows they have their work cut out for them as they prepare for the 2018 softball season.

“We’ve been really lucky to be able to be outside every day (this year) practicing,” Weaselhead said of her team’s difficult early season schedule, which she said she doesn’t anticipate the Lady Bulldogs’ schedule getting any better as the team progresses through the season.

The Lady Bulldogs’ opening portion of their schedule will be as difficult at playing in a tournament bracket in the MHSA Class B-C softball tournament, but Weaselhead said she felt it will get her team “ready” for bigger games as the season progresses.

The reclassification of conferences will create a lot more travelling for the Lady Bulldogs.

“We are switching from the north conference and changed our schedule,” Weaselhead said. “We will be travelling a lot more and not have as many home games this year. We will still see everyone at least once.”

M-A-C was so close to capturing a state title last season that Weasalhead said she felt her girls will put in a lot of hard work as they prepare for a season with a difficult schedule.

“It is a result of my girls’ hard work and we were right there (last year),” Weaselhead said. “With losing our all-state catcher Kenzie Couture, who slide into second and broke her leg was pretty critical and hurt our chances. Making it to the state championship game was our goal and we are working to be right there again. I believe that is where we are going to be pushing and our kids are working much harder to get to where they were.”