Lady Vandals open season today in Alamo

The Eureka County High softball team have a new coach this season, but not one who is without considerable coaching experience.

Briana Brown comes in with a background in youth softball, “Everything from T-ball, Little League and Junior League,” she said.

There are only 11 players on the team with five returning starters from last season, Heather Lacavara (Sr.), Shauna Brown (So.), Kaitlyn Torres (Jr.) Tristen Blake (Jr.), Savanna Sanders (So.), Cammie Skinner (Jr.) and Breeyanna Hooper (Jr).

Brown said positioning is undetermined as yet except for Lacavara whom she said is “my utility player, I can put her anywhere.”

Last year the Lady Vandals were 20-7, third place at 7-1 in the Northern Division IV, were the No. 2 seed in the North behind Wells, but lost twice to eventual state champion Pahranagat Valley.

With a young team this season, Brown said the team will be working constantly on fundamentals and back to the basics. A lot of our game play is going to be based off structure and strategy. I think we have missed some things over the years in developing our overall game play, and as the year progresses it will be more intense.”

The season begins for the Lady Vandals March 17-18 as they participate in the preseason tournament in Alamo.

“We are looking at a successful season,” Brown said, “and whether that ends up with wins or just success in development, it will be a success one way or the other.”

Since 2012, the girls have done well on the field with a record of 79-21-1 under former coach Mary Jane Hodson and two second place finishes at state in 2013 and 2014.