2008 Season: 22-9 (6-6 NEMC)

Coaches: Sam Harrison, Walt Harrison

Returning athletes: Ashley Tanner, sr.; Heidi Killingbeck, sr.; Allison Schulte, sr.; Cortney Bork, jr.; Nicole Tanner, jr.; Chelsea Jasman, jr.; Jordan Maxwell, so.

New to varsity: Cory Durham, sr.; Cassondra Knaub, jr.; Cortney Ridley, jr.; Kayla Foco, jr.; Emily Forton, fr.; Ali Bronson, fr.; Heather Hinkley, fr.;

Outlook: If Whittemore-Prescott's softball team seemed young a year ago, get a load of the Cardinals now.

W-P coach Sam Harrison points out that graduated seniors Julie Janish and Sharesse King accounted for more than a third of the Cards' hits last season; Janish was also the team's primary pitcher.

Now the Cardinals will be heavily dependent on three freshmen and a sophomore, all of whom will join the starting lineup, to join several key returning contributors if they are to stay competitive as the smallest school in the North East Michigan Conference.

"We seem to have gone from being inexperienced in 2008 to even younger and more inexperienced in 2009," Harrison says.

Juniors Chelsea Jasman and Cortney Bork return the most offensive firepower. Jasman, who moves from second base to shortstop, finished last season strong and ended up with a .269 batting average, three home runs and 29 RBIs. Bork (.277, 39 RBIs) returns behind the plate.

Bork's experience will also be key as she catches a pair of freshman pitchers, Ali Bronson and Heather Hinkley.

"(Bork) will be responsible for being a steadying influence our young pitching staff," Harrison says. "We are really happy with their progress this winter and spring, but only game experience will tell if they are truly ready to compete on the varsity stage."

Emily Forton, another freshmen, will start at second or in the outfield, while sophomore Jordan Maxwell returns after starting in the outfield as a freshman.

Senior captain Ashley Tanner (.271, 29 runs, 24 RBIs) returns at third base, while seniors Heidi Killingbeck and Allison Schulte, and junior Nicole Tanner also return.

Junior transfer Cassondra Knaub and first-year senior Cory Durham are also expected to contribute.

"We've been working hard in practice learning baseball softball defense and (on our) baserunning IQ," Harrison says. "We have a lot to learn if we expect to be competitive in districts and compete in a conference with teams that average more than double our high school enrollment."