New coach looking to turn Vandals softball program around

Eureka has a new coach for girls softball. Samantha Wilson takes over from Briana Brown.

The Lady Vandals struggled through a difficult 1-12 season in 2018 and Wilson has ever desire to change that this season.

A Eureka native, Wilson played youth softball, then high school ball for Eureka and two years of college ball at Feather River Community College in Quincy, Calif.

Wilson said she was an assistant coach for several years with the varsity girls under her mother Mary Jane Hodson, 2007-2015, also Little League girls softball, two years assistant varsity coach, and has now stepped into the head coaching position with the departure of coach Brown.

She said there are 14 players on the team, “five of whom are freshmen to go along with seven returning players.”

Eureka has been troubled by snow covering the field in recent weeks, and the team has not been able to practice there much.. “But we do go to the football field and do what we can there,” she said.

Top players for the Vandals are expected to be Shawna Brown (Sr.) C, Savannah Sanders (Sr.) SS, “These two girls were on my Little League teams,” she said.

Other top players are Jenesis Dominguez (Jr.) and Carlie Wells (Soph) P/Util, Gracie Garrett (Soph), 1B/OF and newcomer Violet Ferne’e.

Wilson said, “There is a good outlook for the team. All positive. They all know each other well. Most played on the volleyball and/or basketball teams.”

The Lady Vandals begin the season this weekend, Friday and Saturday, participating in the Panther Invitational in Alamo with Beaver Dam, Wells, Pahranagat Valley and the White Pine JVs.

The home season begins with league game games against Tonopah and Mineral County April 5-6, then a non-league meeting with White Pine April 11.

Wilson’s assistant coach during the season will be her sister-in-law, Jackie Hodson.