Qualifying for the postseason is supposed to be a once-in-a-while occurrence, a special moment that should be treasured and celebrated.
But for the Chambersburg softball squad — which has qualified for the District 3 Championships for 42-straight seasons — the playoffs have been an expectation since 1982.
This year is no different for the Trojans, who will be aiming to flex their muscle in both the Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division and District 3. Chambersburg will try to get the job done with a roster that includes four returning Commonwealth All-Stars.
Another area softball squad, Greencastle-Antrim, brings back a wealth of talent from last season’s group that captured the Colonial Division title, while in Maryland the South Hagerstown Rebels are ready to pick up where they left off after making it to the MPSSAA 3A West I Region championship game.
We’ll take a closer look at these three teams, as well as the four other schools in the Local.News1 coverage area — Waynesboro, Fairfield, North Hagerstown, and Smithsburg — in today’s softball previews. In the days to come, we will be wrapping up preview coverage with high school baseball.
Below is a team-by-team preview for each of our area’s softball squads:
Waynesboro Tribe
Coach: Troy Witte
Division: Mid-Penn Colonial
Last season: Waynesboro posted an 8-12 record last spring, which includes a 5-9 mark for fifth place in the Colonial.
Top projected returners: Lydia Shank (Sr., C/1B), Emma Bradley (Jr., P/2B/SS), Riley Shetler (Sr., C/1B/3B)
Notable: With three returning Colonial Division All-Stars — Lydia Shank, Emma Bradley, and Riley Shetler — Waynesboro will be shooting to qualify for the District 3 postseason for the first time since 2022 … Shank, a senior, was a Second Teamer, while Bradley and Shetler landed on the Third Team … The Maidens lose a key player in the graduated Zoei Singrey, a Colonial Second Team selection who is now playing for Mont Alto.
Opener: Wednesday, March 19, at New Oxford
Greencastle-Antrim Blue Devils
Coach: Mark DeCarli
Division: Mid-Penn Colonial
Last season: The Blue Devils played to a 16-6 record last spring, and posted an 11-2 mark for first place in the Mid-Penn Colonial Division. Greencastle’s season came to an end in the quarterfinal round of the District 3-5A tourney with a 12-11 loss in nine innings to Mechanicsburg.
Top projected returners: Meadow Gambacurta (Sr., SS), Caroline Logsdon (Sr., OF/1B), Kaidyn Zimmerman (Sr., P/1B/OF), Kylie Kerns (So., OF/SS), Bailey Leckron (Sr., C/3B), Zhen Reuter (Sr., 2B/3B/OF), Kindal Rice (Jr., 1B/P/DP).
Notable: Mark DeCarli is set to the lead the Blue Devils once again after being named the Colonial Division’s Coach of the Year last season … Greencastle embarks on this year’s campaign without the services of graduated Colonial Player of the Year Makayla Jerin, who is now playing for the University of California (Pa.) … The Blue Devils also graduated Colonial Third Team selection Alexis Jones, as well as pitcher Mackenzie Wingert, who led Greencastle in innings pitched … The good news for the Blue Devils is they return three Colonial All-Stars in Meadow Gambacurta (1st Team), Caroline Logsdon (3rd Team), and Kaidyn Zimmerman (3rd Team), as well as plenty of talented arms in the pitching circle … Gambacurta is coming off a monster season that saw her bat .478 (32 for 67) with seven doubles, one triple, two home runs, 29 runs, and 31 RBI … Logsdon and Zimmerman both batted above .340 last spring … Zimmerman has experience in the pitching circle, with a 4.85 ERA in 30 1/3 innings last season, but also keep an eye on super sophomores Kiersten Swain (42 2/3 innings, 0.98 ERA, 45 strikeouts) and Paiton Gordon (17 2/3 innings, 1.98 ERA, 11 strikeouts) … The Blue Devils swiped 74 bases last season, with Logsdon, Kylie Kerns, Zhen Reuter, and Kindal Rice combining for 46 of those stolen bases … Greencastle, a three-time district champion (2008, 2009, 2013), has not had a losing season since 2018, when the Blue Devils went 8-12.
Opener: Wednesday, March 19, at Delone Catholic
Chambersburg Trojans
Coach: Chris Skultety
Division: Mid-Penn Commonwealth
Last season: Chambersburg secured an 18-6 overall record, and finished second in the Mid-Penn Commonwealth with a 12-4 mark. The Trojans finished fourth at the District 3-6A Tournament, before their season eventually came to an end in the first round of states with a 4-3 loss to Downingtown West.
Top projected returners: Bree Paetow (Jr., OF/2B), Karley Skultety (Sr., 1B/C/OF), Addison Gsell (Jr., 3B/RHP), Kori Leedy (Sr., RHP/2B/SS), Bailey Summers (Sr., 3B), Erissa Varner (Jr., C/OF/2B), Issie Slimmer (P), Kendall Flory, Kylee Perry (Fr., C), Malia Cramer (Jr.), Marley Onomastico (So., OF/CF), Rowan Ogden (So., 1B/3B/P), Sanay Jones.
Notable: No softball team has won more District 3 championships than Chambersburg, which has captured 13 titles, most recently in 2017 … The Trojans have qualified for the district tournament for 42 consecutive years … Chambersburg will be aiming to keep its decades-long momentum going this season with a group that has graduated Commonwealth Division All-Stars Sam Paetow (1st Team), who is now playing at Kutztown University, and Saleen Null (3rd Team) … Bree Paetow, a junior outfielder/second baseman, returns to the Trojans after being named a First Teamer last spring … The Trojans return three other Second Team All-Stars in Karley Skultety, Addison Gsell, and Kori Leedy, the team’s primary starting pitcher.
Opener: Thursday, March 20, at home vs. Central York
Fairfield Knights
Coach: Terry Weikert
Division: YAIAA IV
Last season: The Knights posted a 7-12 record last spring, which includes a 6-9 mark in YAIAA IV for fourth place. Fairfield qualified for the District 3-2A postseason, and was eliminated in the semifinal round with an 8-1 loss to Delone Catholic.
Top projected returners: Sydney Kreitz (Jr., 2B/3B/RF), Aubree Eichenlaub (So.., Util), Aubrey Gillitzer (Sr., Util), Natalie Hess (Jr., OF), Sophia Klinedinst (Sr., Util), Cider Kerstetter (Sr., Util), Kaylee Stone (Sr., OF/1B), Steph Hamilton (So., Util), Maddy Payne (So., RHP/OF), Aubrey Arvin (So., Util), Maddy Laird (So., Util), Madilynn Pletka, Reese Sweeney, Addison Welch.
Notable: Fairfield has been competitive year in and year out, with the Knights qualifying for the District 3-2A tournament in every season since 2017, the year it won its first and only championship … The Knights will need be looking to fill the void left by graduated YAIAA IV All-Stars Christina Hamilton (1st Team), Alyssa Wiles (1st Team), and Claudia Bricker (Honorable Mention) … Fairfield’s top returning player is Sydney Kreitz, a junior who can play second and third base, and in the outfield …
Opener: Tuesday, March 18, at James Buchanan
North Hagerstown Hubs
Coach: Hannah Beeler
Division: Washington County Public Schools
Last season: The Hubs played to a 1-20 record, with their season ending with a 16-1 loss to Tuscarora in the MPSSAA Class 3A West I Region Quarterfinals.
Top projected returners: Halie Hughes (So., 2B/3B/P), Kelsey Hartsock (Sr., 2B), Harley Owen (Jr., OF/2B), Isabelle Ferretti (Jr., OF), Kaley Rodgers (Sr., P/1B), MacKenzie Lemar (Jr., OF/C)
Notable: With sophomore Halie Hughes leading the way, North Hagerstown is aiming to improve upon last season’s 1-9 campaign … Hughes, a second/third baseman and pitcher, is coming off a season that saw her bat .326 (15 for 46) with four doubles, two home runs, eight runs, eight RBI, and seven stolen bases … The Hubs return their entire pitching staff — Hughes, Kelsey Hartsock, Kaley Rodgers, and Isabelle Ferretti — a group that’s combined to strike out 47 batters over 100 innings … Hubs coach Hannah Beeler played for Greencastle-Antrim from 2016-19.
Opener: Friday, March 21, at Clear Spring
South Hagerstown Rebels
Coach: Chelsea Showe
Division: Washington County Public Schools
Last season: The Rebels competed to a 13-6 record last year, with their campaign concluding with a 4-2 loss to Linganore in the MPSSAA 3A West I Region Final.
Top projected returners: Kailia Burke (So., RHP/3B), Chelsea Desmond (Jr., OF/3B), Mackenzie Lamer (Jr., C/1B/OF), Ja’Seri Chapman (Jr., OF), Ellie Hill (Sr., Util), Ryan Kochersberger (Jr., INF), Raelee Fry (So., RHP/1B/3B)
Notable: The Rebels will be navigating this season without the services of graduated All-CMC Large School First Teamer Madi Wade, who doubled as South Hagerstown’s top batter and pitcher last year … Wade, now playing at UMass Lowell, led the Rebels with a .556 batting average and 18 extra-base hits, and in the pitching circle she was 9-5 with a 3.85 ERA and 126 strikeouts … Attempting to fill Wade’s shoes will be another All-CMC player: Kailia Burke … The sophomore Burke shined last year in her first season of high school softball … Burke batted .490 with four doubles and a home run, and she also got valuable time as a pitcher, posting a 4-1 record with a 2.91 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings of work … Look for Chelsea Desmond to provide some pop at the plate after a sophomore season that saw her bat .361 with 10 extra-base hits and 26 RBI … The Rebels return two other players who batted over .300 last season: Mackenzie Lamer (.351) and Ja’Seri Chapman (.340).
Opener: Friday, March 21, at home vs. Westminster
Smithsburg Leopards
Coach: Leslie Kocevar
Division: Washington County Public Schools
Last season: The Leopards were 4-16 last spring, with their campaign ending in the MPSSAA Class 1A West II Region Semifinals with a 10-0 loss to Williamsport.
Top projected returners: Adianna Dudley (Jr., RHP/1B/3B), Kimberly Hebert (Jr., RHP/1B), Morgan Baker (Jr., 2B/SS), Olivia Kocevar (Jr., C/SS), Lizzy Cox (So.), Rileigh Romberger (So.)
Notable: The Leopards will be aiming to improve upon last year’s win total with a returning group of players that includes juniors Adianna Dudley and Kimberly Hebert … Dudley and Hebert have both showcased strong skills at both the plate and in the pitching circle … Rileigh Romberger enters this spring with confidence after winning a MPSSAA 1A wrestling title at 120 pounds.
Opener: Friday, March 21, at Thomas Johnson
