WARDEN — Loaded with returning starters from last year’s South Central Athletic Conference district championship team, Warden softball looked primed for another run at a state title this season. Warden senior third baseman Jocelyn Chagoya said she felt the Cougars had a great shot in her final year.

Chagoya said it was difficult, especially having the season come to such an abrupt end.

“We were trying to take the state title,” Chagoya said. “I thought, this year, we’d have a fantastic team to try and take first.”

Chagoya said she was upset at first on missing out on her chance to secure the home run record at Warden High School, which she said she was only off of by 10 or 12.

Since the season was canceled, Chagoya said, she’s been practicing at home as she prepares to join the Vikings at Big Bend Community College next year.

“I’ve just been doing stuff on my own since school ended,” Chagoya said. “I’ve been hitting, throwing as much as I could.”

Chagoya said her coaches worked with her on setting up goals to work on, including personal goals, academic goals and athletic goals. Athletically, Chagoya said her goals included running more and practice with throws — long and short distance — particularly the toss from third to first base.

“It’s kind of hard, not having some other people to be with you, to throw with you, catch and hit,” Chagoya said.

Chagoya said she’s been playing softball with most of her WHS teammates since she was about 7 years old.

“It’s gonna be very hard because, since we were little kids, we’ve been together with each team, in fall ball and summer,” Chagoya said. “And not seeing them this last year was kind of tough, not seeing them one last time.”

Adjusting to a new daily routine hasn’t been too much of an issue, Chagoya said, although she admitted she was disappointed not to have a typical graduation.

Overall, Chagoya said she truly enjoyed her time as a Cougar as she prepares to head off to the next step in her journey.

“The coaches made it fun to play the sport, and then they’re just fun people to be around,” she said.