The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears girls softball team will play their first games of the season at the Sitka Varsity Tournament next weekend — not as a representative of the Division II Southeast Conference, but in their new Division I Railbelt Conference distinction as consolidation with now-defunct Thunder Mountain High School put them into the Alaska School Activities Association (ASAA) large-school distinction.

“Overall the girls have been working hard and coming together as a team,” JDHS softball coach Alexandra “Lexi” Razor said. “We are excited to be back in large schools and looking forward to the challenge of the bigger schools.”

JDHS joins Colony, Lathrop, Wasilla and West Valley in the Railbelt, and will play two games against each.

The top two teams that place first and second in their conference tournament in Fairbanks at the end of May qualify for the state championships June 5-7 at Anchorage’s Cartee Fields. The Cook Inlet Conference (Bartlett, Bettye Davis East, Chugiak, Domind, Eagle River, Service, South, West) send their top three. There is one at-large bid among the two conferences.

“We have some fast players and we are excited to play a fast-paced game,” Razor said.

In addition to a varsity roster the team will field two full-strength JV teams.

“Varsity will play over 22 games this year and go on five trips,” Razor said. “Junior varsity teams will play 12 to 18 games and travel on two trips. This year we have seven girls that have played one year or less in the past, but they are learning quickly and working hard to understand the game. We also have six to 10 girls that will be working hard during the season in hopes to swing up and play in varsity games. Coaches had a hard time deciding who was on varsity, which is evidence that fast-pitch softball is strong in Juneau.”

Razor noted that JDHS and TMHS both graduated five players apiece last year.

Returning JDHS varsity players are first baseman Taiya Bentz (1st), infielder Tatum Billings, pitcher/shortstop Gwen Nizich, pitcher/first baseman Brynn Wheeler, catcher Cassie Chenoweth, utility player June Troxel, and pitcher/utility player Skylar Oliva.

Returning varsity players from TM are outfielder Bryanna Eakes, outfielder Alayna Echiverri, utility player/catcher Lily Hayes and pitcher/utility player Taylor Williams.

With the move the SEC DII softball conference has just Sitka and Ketchikan and both will advance to the DII state tournament.

The JDHS softball team are:

Seniors: Varsity – Bryanna Eakes, Ella Schmidt, Taiya Bentz, Tatum Billings. Junior Varsity – Kayla Peter.

Juniors: V – Alayna Echiverri, Gwen Nizich. JV – Deedee Mills, Marlee Gines, Michelle Meeks, Neela Thomas, Reegan Hansen, Sarah Jackson.

Sophomores: V – Brynn Wheeler, Cassie Chenoweth, June Troxel, Lily Hayes, Skylar Oliva, Taylor Williams. JV – Aubrey Boyden, Claire Babcock, Keira Payne, Taylor Petrie.

Freshmen: V – Sadie Lockhart. JV – Ari Ma’ake, Danica Sale, Haida Bullock, Kiki Gallettes-Swafford, Mikenna Swanson, Regan Salisbury, Ryann Oliva, Trinity Haynes.

Managers are senior Jadela Saetern and sophomore Audrina Knight.

Assistant coaches are Chuck Gordon and Nicole Adair. JV coaches are Mona Mametsuka, Nicole Fenumiai, Sharla Hayes, Kara Lockhart, Angie Kemp and Mackenzie Jackson.

The Crimson Bears softball team opens home play on April 16-19 against Colony and West Valley at the newly turfed Adair Kennedy Park.

The JDHS boys baseball team remains where it has always played, the SEC DI, now with just Sitka and Ketchikan, but the Crimson Bears can also host teams on the new artificial turf field complete with outfield warning track and raised fences.

JDHS graduated just three seniors from their sixth-place state qualifying team and TMHS graduated four.

The return of the JD roster and addition of TM players should be a positive boost, and the team will get a chance to find out as they play this weekend at the Sitka Baseball Tournament against Sitka and Soldotna.

“This weekend’s tournament in Sitka will be a great opportunity to see players in various roles and positions,” JDHS head coach Luke Adams said in an email interview. “Returning players have set a high standard in practice and this Sitka tournament will help us assess where we stand and how we can continue to grow as a team. The energy and excitement are high this season, not only because of the new turf field at Adair-Kennedy but also because the players are eager to step on the field and represent their school and community. Now that we’re a few weeks into the season, we’re seeing who is ready to step up – not just in competition but also as a leader on and off the field.”

The JDHS baseball team are:

Seniors – Jacob Katasse (#5), Charlied Begenyi (6), JJ McCormick (14) and Christian Nelson (20).

Juniors – Ryland Carlson (4), Madden Mendoza (8), Nate Fick (10), Brandon Casperson (11), Tyler Frisby (12), Cayman Huff (16), Marcus Mendoza (18), Nils Nelson (21), Riley Fick (22), Breven Jackson (24) and Chris Anderson (25).

Sophomores – Aaron Lazo-Chappell (1), Hunter Carte (7), Garrett McGuan (9), Christian Brown (13), Drew Cadigan-MacAdoo (15), Silas Keeler (17), Noah Lewis (19) and Alejandro Lamas (23).

Freshmen – Josh Beedle (2), Micah Nelson (3), Boston Larsen (28), Porter Goudie (29), Kamden Kissner (30) and Brenner Harralston (31).

Manager is sophomore Jethro Cano and assistant coaches are Jaime Kissner, Randy Quinto, Jason Hart, Kasey Watts and Larry Blatnick.

The team’s home opener is April 25-26 against Sitka. The Region V tournament is May 29-31 at Ketchikan and the state tournament is June 5-7 at Anchorage’s Mulchay Stadium.

• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.