CHERRY TWP — It is a new season with a new head coach for Moniteau’s softball team.

But the Warriors plan on meeting with familiar results.

The Warriors return six starters from last year’s team that rolled to the District 9 Class AA title and reached the state championship game.

They include pitcher Kennedy DeMatteis, catcher Kristina DeMatteis, first baseman Sara Hull, third baseman Megan Hepler, shortstop Cortney Claypoole and center fielder Gabby Stewart.

The DeMatteis twins have been Moniteau’s battery for the last three years.

Kennedy continued her superb high school career last season, compiling a 23-2 record, a 1.12 ERA and 236 strikeouts in 144 innings.

“It helps having a battery with so much experience,” said first-year coach Lennie Claypoole. “And Kennedy has not stopped working. She continues to get better.”

Speed played a big role in the Warriors’ success in 2016 as the team stole 101 bases.

Stewart accounted for 27 of those and will look to again cause headaches for opposing teams as Moniteau’s leadoff hitter.

“We have a lot of team speed,” said Claypoole. “(Sophomores) Amanda Dailey and Dolcey Shunk are both super-fast. Plus, we have a couple of freshmen who will dress for varsity and they will be there to run the bases.”

The three players who did not return for the Warriors include Alyssa Dailey and Courtney Sowinski, who both graduated, and Alazia Greaves, a current senior who will focus solely on track and field this spring.

Amanda Dailey moves into left field, Shunk will be at second base and the right field spot is up for grabs between seniors Makayla King, Bailey Hoffman and sophomore Maddie Clark.

“The players moving into starting roles are very capable,” Coach Claypoole said. “They may start out with some jitters, but when it comes to athleticism, they are every bit as good as the ones we lost.”

Claypoole is not a brand new face in the Warriors’ dugout.

“I was a volunteer assistant for (previous head coach) Dan Beebe for the last two years,” he said. “But even before that, I coached a lot of these girls starting in 10U ball, whether it was for Marion Township or travel teams.”

Most of this year’s seniors have been key cogs in Moniteau’s 64-5 record over the last three years. With that level of success comes very high expectations.

“The pressure is there no matter what,” said Coach Claypoole. “We are just trying to take it one practice at a time. Hopefully, we can focus on what we need to do.”