The De Soto High School softball team has a unique characteristic this year. The team only has three seniors. With an excessive amount of underclassmen compared to previous years, head coach Junelle Woolery is well aware of the challenges that are being presented but she is still proud of the leadership that the seniors have presented.

“This group is working really hard and almost coming together more. The seniors are doing a really good job of being good leaders and teaching because they know that they are going to have to help to fill those Varsity spots,” Woolery said.

With only three seniors, the players have recognized one major difference between practices this year and practices in previous years.

“There are a lot more fundamentals in practices since there are a lot of freshman and underclassmen that haven’t played that much softball before,” senior Cassidy Berry said.

The three seniors on the team this year are Ashley Mars, Berry and Mackenzie Lancaster. Mars and Berry have been playing on the varsity team since freshman year with Lancaster playing since her sophomore year.

Lancaster, a starting pitcher this year, plans on attending an undeclared college next year and at this point in time is not planning on playing in college.

On the contrary, Berry, who has been playing for eight years, has signed to play at Emporia State University for the upcoming fall semester.

Mars, who has been playing for eight years as well, is also going to play in college and has signed to play at Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City.

Overall the seniors are trying to create a fun environment for players on the team to practice and compete in.

“This year we are trying to be a big happy family,” Mars said.