by Malcolm Butler
To say that the 2025 Cedar Creek softball team is young may be an understatement.
The Lady Cougars roster includes just one senior in Mallory Smith. And a grand total of zero juniors.
Even more glaring is the fact that 10 of the 15 players on the varsity roster are still in middle school.
However, head coach Julie Riser is embracing that fact and is excited to see her squad open up the season tonight at 5 p.m. when they face Caddo Magnet in a game that will be played on the home field of Louisiana Tech. The JV team is scheduled to play following the varsity game.
“We are young,” said Riser. “The young ones have played a lot so they do have some experience, but they are still young. We are just trying to focus on what we can do well and to be the best that we can be. They work hard. It is what it is. We work hard and try to do what we can do.
“They are fun to coach. They are soaking everything up.”
The Lady Cougars pitching staff this year consists of four arms in Smith, sophomore Anna Claire Fitzgerald, and eighth graders Ava Lantrip and Kendall Ramsey. Riser said that she will utilize a pitcher by committee approach this year.
“Kendall ended up being our No. 1 towards the end of last year,” said Riser. “She is the one who threw in our playoff game against Opelousas Catholic. She was performing the best at the end of the season.
“We have four that will throw. A lot of it is them logging innings and getting experience and trying to keep batters off balance. We are not a dominating pitching staff. We aren’t going to blow it by anybody. We want to locate (our pitches) and keep the other team off balance and play defense behind them.
“The good part about it is when they aren’t pitching they can play other positions. They are interchangeable so that will help.”
Making it even more challenging is the fact Cedar Creek could start the season without both Ramsey (injury) and Smith (playoff basketball).
“Right now Kendall is out,” said Riser. “She has been dealing with tennis elbow so she has just come back in the last two weeks and started hitting and throwing overhanded. She hasn’t pitched any at all. It will probably be a few weeks once she is released before we can work her into a game.”
Offensively, Smith, Fitzgerald, sophomore Hydi Boyd and Lantrip will be the centerpieces in the lineup for a Lady Cougars team that will have to manufacture runs.
“They all kind of have their strengths,” said Riser. “We will be a put it in play and dig it out type of team this year. Mallory is our lone senior so she will definitely be a key to our success this season.”
The Lady Cougars home opener is March 4 against Jonesboro Hodge. The annual Caroline Menzina Tournament will be March 28 and 29.
