COULEE CITY — Coming off of a fourth-place finish at the 2023 1B State Softball Tournament, the Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors return much of their corps from a season ago. 

ACH only graduated two seniors off of their 2023 roster, and this year’s team hails seven seniors.

“It’s always helpful to have those seniors, because they have more experience,” ACH Head Coach Faye Butler said. “Having these seniors mentoring these younger girls; (saying), ‘This is how we do it.’”

Butler is entering her first season as head coach of the Warriors, and grew up playing softball herself; the first-year coach played softball at Royal High School in her youth and played collegiately at Hesston College in Kansas. 

Of the strengths the Warriors have shown through early practices in preparing for the upcoming season, Butler noted the team’s positivity.

“The atmosphere in practice is really great,” Butler said. “They are really encouraging, which I’m very thankful (for), and they’re willing to learn and soaking it up.”

While the Warriors have seven seniors on this year’s roster – Shaina Beal, Abigail Brummett, Abigail Dormire, Christine Keeley, Mariah McWalter, Kady Murray and Beth Okamoto – six of the other nine players are all freshmen; Butler noted the importance of senior leadership in guiding along the younger players.

“I’m super excited about developing that younger team,” Butler said. “There’s a lot of good athletes in there.”

Of those seniors, the Warriors bring back first-team all-league talents in Okamoto and Beal. ACH’s two starting pitchers from last season, Okamoto and her sister, freshman Grace Okamoto, both return this season.

ACH earned a No. 5 seed in last year’s state tournament, placing fourth after falling to Mossyrock in the third/fourth-place game. The Warriors finished the 2023 season with a 19-10 record.

“I hope to see us back at the state tournament because I don’t see that we’ve lost a ton,” Butler said. “We didn’t lose a ton of ability.”

The Warriors open the 2024 season on the road against Lake Roosevelt at 4 p.m. on March 21. 

“I hope in the beginning that they (say) ‘We’re here, we’re ready to work,’” Butler said. “And as we’re doing that, everything falls into play; doing the double play, the pitching, the hitting.”

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.

ACH Softball Schedule

March 21 - at Lake Roosevelt - 4 p.m.

March 23 - vs Selkirk (doubleheader) - 11 a.m.

March 26 - at Wellpinit (doubleheader) - 2 p.m.

March 30 - vs Wilbur-Creston-Keller (doubleheader) - 12 p.m.

April 9 - vs Curlew (doubleheader) - 2 p.m.

April 12 - vs Quincy JV (doubleheader) - 3 p.m.

April 13 - vs Mary Walker (doubleheader) - 12 p.m.

April 16 - at Ephrata - 5:30 p.m.

April 23 - at Northport (doubleheader) - 2 p.m.

April 27 - vs Republic (doubleheader) - 3 p.m.

April 30 - at Inchelium (doubleheader) - 2 p.m.

    Almira/Coulee-Hartline senior Kady Murray (18) stands in the batter’s box against Darrington.
  

    Almira/Coulee-Hartline senior Shaina Beal runs to third base during a game against Darrington at last year’s state softball tournament.
  

    Almira/Coulee-Hartline sophomore Peyton Roberts swings at a pitch during the 2023 season.