FROM THE PRESS BOX: A GLIMPSE INTO THE CRYSTAL BALL — A LOOK AHEAD TO THE 2026 SOFTBALL SEASON (2025-06-24)

The 2025 softball season was a very good one — historic for one school, in the Valley with three of the four teams qualifying for the postseason.

Athens posted a school-record 21 wins (against just two losses) and won the program's first NTL title since 2019 and second in program history, before winning its first-ever District 4 title.

A young Tioga team posted a 15-4 record, avenging two of its losses with a win over Union Springs in the Section IV, Class C semifinals, before losing to eventual state finalist Deposit-Hancock in the finals. (Its other loss was to Athens.)

Waverly, another very young team, posted a 10-10 record in the rugged STAC, and advanced to the semifinals, where it lost to eventual Class B champion Susquehanna Valley.

Sayre followed up a 5-13 season in 2024 with a 4-14 mark in 2025. Say what you will, but it's a program that struggled to win one or two games a season for years.

So what does the crystal ball say lies in store for 2026. Let';s dust it off and take a look about nine months into the future:

ATHENS WILDCATS: Can Athens duplicate its historic season in 2026? Well, I believe they can.

Sophomore hurler Gretchan Hiley will return with another year's experience under her belt, and she'll have the majority of her team returning.

The Wildcats lose a pair of four-year starters in Ella Coyle, whose improvement defensively at shortstop during her career was impressive, and Jules Pack, as well as Gretchen Schmieg and Savannah Persun, who missed this season with a knee injury.

Athens will have the luxury of getting its younger players, like Kendall Galasso, Andi Davis, Faith Parkhurst, and Abby Ahern up to speed with Hiley spinning her magic from the pitcher's circle.

Prediction: It's difficult to believe Athens won't repeat as NTL champs and make another run at a District 4 title with Hiley, her sister Maddie, McKenzie Jarvis, Memphis Paul, Savannah Finan, and Danica May returning. ... 2025 regular-season record: 18-2.

SAYRE REDSKINS: Sayre loses a pair of key seniors in Raegan Parrish and Abbie McGaughey, and they will be tough to replace.

A healthy Rylee Lantz will be a big first step for the Redskins. Lantz along with Olivia Thompson, Zoey Ward, McKenna Parrish, and Emily Strickland form a solid nucleus for the team.

Prediction: Sayre will need several players from this year's bench and the junior high program to step up and contribute in 2026 if it wants to keep program on an upward trajectory. ... 2025 regular-season record: 2-16.

TIOGA TIGERS: Tioga dominated mediocre competition, but struggled against good teams until it knocked off unbeaten Union Springs in the Class C semifinals, and gave defending state champion Deposit-Hancock a tough game in the finals.

The Tigers lose a pair of four-year starters in Erin Luther and McKenzie Williams, but is flush with talent at the JV and junior high levels.

Tioga returns RaeAnne Feeko for her fifth and final varsity season, as well as 8th-grade phenom Kate Kithcart, and five other starters, including Emily Shiner, Lilly Mezzatesta and Bri Lounsbury.

Prediction: Softball is all about pitching, and Kithcart is the latest in the line of top-notch pitchers in the Tioga program. The offense might not be quite as dynamic next year, but will still be very good, especially by the end of the season. ... 2026 regular-season record: 15-3.

WAVERLY WOLVERINES: Waverly graduates three senior starters, but has a wave of talented young players in the pipeline, including 8th-graders Taylin Gonzalez, and 7th-grader Paige Bubniak, who both started this season.

Waverly also returns cornerstones Maddie Cron, Lecksie Douglas and Hannah Carpenter.

Prediction: The Wolverines have a young team that oozes potential, but the STAC is a very tough softball landscape. Waverly will need this year's part-time starters Kaiya Horton, Ayla Wheeler, and Mel Skovira, or someone from the JV or modified team to step up and contribute next season if they want to improve on this season's 10-10 mark. ... 2026 regular-season record: 11-7.

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