2025 softball preview: New coach, new pitching as WFC aims to keep winning

It hasn’t always lined up perfectly, but more often than not over the past three-plus decades, when Woodland has graduated a pitcher after a dominant four-year varsity run as the program’s ace, like clockwork an incoming freshman walked in to assume duties in the circle for the next four years.

The approaching softball season is one of the rare times it has not lined up that way.

Even without a long-celebrated, presumptive ace, however, new Woodland/Flanagan-Cornell head coach Sydnee Plesko is optimistic her Warriors can again be a competitive, winning team. Plesko is a 2021 Woodland graduate, her senior year was the freshman year of recently graduated Warriors' pitcher Shae Simons after Simons' four-year stint as WFC’s all-everything pitcher.

“That’s something I knew coming into the program, that [the uncertainty at the pitching position] was going to be our biggest thing,” said Plesko, who has sophomore Lilly Libby and junior Taylor Heidenreich penciled in to take over pitching duties with sophomore Emma Palaschak in a tertiary as-needed role.

“But I think [we have a plan] with Lilly and Taylor and Emma being willing to step up and take on the role, making sure we get those strikes thrown and knowing that we have a solid defense behind us. ... As long as we can get the ball over the plate our defense will be just fine, and our offense is solid, too.

“I think we’ll be able to compete.”

The return of fourth-year varsity starters in catcher Ella Derossett and shortstop Olivia Chismarick along with third baseman Palaschak is a big reason for the optimism, the trio manning arguably the three most important positions on the diamond outside of the pitching circle.

Derossett returns after batting .443 with 21 RBIs last spring. Chismarick hit .388, while Palaschak as a freshman batted a team-best .465. All three received Times All-Area honors, Derossett as a first-team selection and the others honorable mention.

“Ella, Olivia and Emma have been really good leaders, and having [them] has been huge,“ Plesko said. ”Some of the things I haven’t thought of, they’ve been right on top of it, and even the little things – picking up the buckets, putting things back, keeping things in the order how we’ve always done it – they’ve been huge, and if I’m helping somebody and they see something, they’ve stepped up and helped out.

“Things have been going really well. The girls came out the first day of practice excited to be back, and they came out strong. ... We did some introductions, and then we got right back into the swing of things.”

WFC enters 2025 with a streak of a 12 consecutive winning seasons and four regional championships during that span. A roster of 15 players – three seniors (Derossett, Chismarick and IF Tiffany Rustman); four juniors (P/UT Heidenreich, OF Kora Edens, UT Jaylei Leininger and IF Sydney Wright); five sophomores (3B/P Palaschak, P/1B Libby, OF Aubry Edens, OF Brittany Rustman and 1B/C Kaylee Henert); and three freshmen (UT Ava Price, UT Addy Ewing and UT Macey Nutgrass) – will look to keep the run going.

“That’s still the expectation,” Plesko said. “Our biggest thing is to be able to compete and make the adjustments with our pitching, but our goal is to be toward the top of the conference ... and win at least one regional game.

“We have the athletes to do that.”

Plesko will be assisted by another recent college graduate/collegiate softball player, Cornell Grade School teacher Cameryn Cox.

The Warriors are scheduled to open the season Monday at Prairie Central and will be at home Tuesday versus El Paso-Gridley.