Optimism is high amidst The Dalles softball team

The Dalles concluded the season with a 10-0 loss to the 5A state champion Pendleton High Buckaroos (28-2). The Dalles moved down to the 4A classification this year.

The Dalles will be led by a trio of first-team, all-league players from last year that includes senior pitcher Kennedy Abbas, junior catcher Zoe LeBreton and sophomore outfielder Despina Seufalemua. IMC second-team, all-league players Maddie Brock and Ella Smith also return.

The defending TVC champion Estacada High Rangers (19-7 overall, 14-2 league) lost four seniors to graduation. None of the other five TVC teams were ranked in the top-10 last season.

The Riverhawks will be guided by Head Coach Lindy Macnab, who took over for former Coach Danielle Sayres, who resigned in August last year. Macnab, who is coaching high school softball for the first time ever, is a 1997 The Dalles High graduate who played college softball at the University of Oregon.

“I’ve had a lot of experience playing softball, so I’ve always wanted to do this for many years, but I never had the opportunity to make it work around my nursing career schedule, but this year things are all sort of falling into place,” said Macnab. “I’ve always wanted the opportunity to give back in some way and I was asked last fall if I would be interested in the job. The talent level that we have on our returning varsity team is impressive. I have a lot of enthusiasm and I’m excited about the potential that our team has in terms of having a successful season.”

The Riverhawks had a potent offensive attack that averaged more than six runs per game, led by Seufalemua, junior twin sisters Keliani and Kaleyah Crichton-Tunai, Kaylee Fleming, Jeilane Stewart, Ahnikah Rubio and Lillian Schatz.

“I believe that this particular group of athletes is going to be a competitive team that is capable of going deep in the playoffs and maybe even compete for a championship,” said Macnab. “I really have that much faith in the level of their play that I’ve seen in the first week of practice.”

The Dalles began practice Feb. 27 with 34 players who will comprise the varsity and junior varsity squads. The 27-game schedule starts with the season opener March 17 in a double-header at Pendleton, followed by a non-league contest versus the defending Class 3A champion Burns High Hilanders (30-1 last year). Both games are at Sunridge Middle School in Pendleton. The first home game is March 22 versus the Yamhill-Carlton High Tigers (26-4 in 2022).

“Practice is going really well; it’s been fun and we started practicing indoors because of the cold weather and also because our two fields are both being renovated,” said Macnab.

The Dalles starts its 15-game TVC schedule April 10 at the Madras High White Buffaloes (13-12 in 2022). A key non-league game to circle on the calendar is a Gorge rivalry contest April 7, when the Riverhawks host the Hood River Valley High Eagles (11-15 in 2022) at 16th St. Ballpark in The Dalles.