Missouri softball preview: Highland reloads, Monroe City rebuilds, Canton reenergizes

EWING, Mo. — The memory still lingers.

Sure, the Highland softball team achieved quite a bit last fall, earning a No. 1 state ranking among Class 2 schools, winning 20 games in a row at one point and fashioning a 27-3 overall record.

But how it all concluded still leaves a sour taste and … the memory remains.

Highland was bounced from the postseason via an unexpected 8-4 loss to Bowling Green in its second district game. Highland had thumped Bowling Green in two earlier meetings, scoring a combined 19 runs.

“Yeah, that loss to BG was a tough one,” Highland coach Paul Scifres said. “No one saw that day going the way it did.”

But the always-optimistic Scifres says it does no good to live life in the rear-view mirror. He’s looking for more big things from a program that has won 268 games during his first 17 years at Highland and figures to be the cream of the crop among the region’s softball programs.

“After that loss, we got back to work over the summer,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of players coming back and everyone is excited.”

Scifres emphasized that one defeat should not be the calling card for what was otherwise a sensational season.

“We had a lot of fun last year,” he said.

Much of that fun was the result of a pulverizing offense that bludgeoned more than one opponent. The Cougars uncorked a school-record 42 home runs — 17 had been the previous mark — and will return six starters from that high-octane lineup.

Anchoring that Highland batting order will be senior catcher Haleigh Winter, a four-year starter and a second-team all-state pick. Winter swatted seven home runs, drove in 41 runs and batted .400. That home run total is likely to hit double figures this time around.

“Haleigh has tremendous power,” Scifres said.

Sophomore Keera Rothweiler and junior Addy Abell are not only a solid double-play combo at shortstop and second base, but they also provide Highland with above-average speed on the bases. Rothweiler (.480) stole 30 bases as a freshman lead-off hitter and tied Abell (.447) with a school-record 46 runs scored. Abell also hit six homers and accounted for 37 RBIs.

Sophomore pitcher Abby Loy will be this year’s ace following a breakout season that saw her go 13-2 with a 1.91 earned run average. Loy, who struck out 121 in 99 innings, can also hit, evidenced by her .452 average and three home runs.

“Abby will be our horse,” Scifres said. “We don’t really have an established No. 2 starter going into the season.”

The steady bat of junior right fielder Bailie Crist, who hit .475 with three homers, also returns.

Other key veterans will be junior Manda Jennings, senior Shelby Frank and sophomore Hannah Ritterbusch.

Centralia, Highland and Macon figure to be the favorites in the Clarence Cannon Conference. Centralia (7-0) is the defending champ, thanks to a 14-13 win over Highland (6-1) in their head-to-head matchup a year ago. 

Panthers coach vows to keep her Chinn up

MONROE CITY, Mo. — In her 16 years at Monroe City, veteran coach Melissa Chinn has rarely faced the kind of task that awaits her and the Panthers softball team.

Monroe City graduated seven starters from an 18-7 club, and she’s hoping tradition can help carry the Panthers program while the coaching staff puts together the pieces for the school’s next run of success.

Chinn said graduation has never had this kind of an impact during her career at Monroe City, but the possibility of rebuilding has simply added a different level of excitement.

“Every year is a new challenge,” Chinn said. “I’m excited because a lot of people are going to have opportunities to show what they can do. It will be interesting to see all the new faces.

“There are a lot of good players in the Monroe City program, and we’ll have more than 20 sophomores and freshmen. There will be competition for positions every day.”

One of the two established veterans returning is senior Audri Youngblood, a three-time Class 2 all-stater who will be playing next year at the University of Kansas. Youngblood is coming off a junior season that saw her hit .457, drive in 23 and steal 31 bases. She’s at home anywhere on the field, but look for her a lot of time at either shortstop or on the mound.

Sophomore Bradi Keller is the other key returnee. Last year as a utility player and DH, Keller batted .395.

New coach, same expectations at Canton

CANTON, Mo. — Canton has been one of the steadiest programs in the region, posting 11 consecutive winning seasons and winning 20 or more games in six of those years. And there’s also those two Class 1 state championships during that run, the most recent in 2022.

First-year coach Madison Covey, a Culver-Stockton College product, was a volunteer assistant a year ago. Covey inherits a talented nucleus from Kristyn Caldwell-Arens, who stepped down as coach after four years and an 81-22 record. Canton was 20-11 last season.

Senior first baseman Macy Glasgow is back to solidify Canton’s offense. Glasgow is coming off a junior season that saw her hit .447 with 37 RBIs. Junior utilityman Kadee Guilfoyle (.352) will be another signature bat. 

Canton’s pitching will bank on improving junior Brenna Brewer (6-1, 1.73 ERA) and senior Allie Ruffcorn (9-5, 3.29 ERA).

Around the horn

Junior second baseman Jerzey Ramey (.346) had 27 RBIs for Palmyra (9-16), which is hoping for a high finish in the always-rugged Clarence Conference … Mark Twain (7-14) hopes to challenge for a winning record behind talented sophomore second baseman Ella Moss (.371) and senior DH Bronwyn Harding (.407) … North Shelby (15-8-2) is seeking a fifth straight winning season, but will have to overcome the loss of six starters … Marion County lost seven of its final eight games a year ago to end 5-12, but returns sophomore outfielder/DH Jada Worrell (.343) and senior utility player Riley Holt (.333) … A late-season slump also cost South Shelby (13-16) a winning record when the Cardinals dropped five of their final seven games. The highlight of 2023 for South Shelby was arguably its 6-3 late-season win over LaPlata (26-5), which went on to win the Class 1 state title … Hannibal (2-20), Clark County (4-21) and Knox County (5-11) are all hoping to move closer to .500.