The Montezuma-Cortez softball team enters the 2015 season with new personnel.
Angelo Topaha takes over as head coach, after serving as an assistant for the previous two years.
Assistant coach Jason Higgins and assistants and junior varsity coaches Jolicia Blackhorse and Rochelle Blackhorse will join him.
The Panthers also have a number of new players.
“We’ve got 30-plus out,” said Topaha. “And a majority of them are freshmen.”
The Panthers lost Brenna Leonard and Makayla Merz to graduation, but they return six seniors.
After a 7-14 season last year that included a regional appearance, the Panthers will lean on seniors with experience.
Leading the seniors will be Tayla Topaha, who was named to the all-conference second-team last year after leading the team in batting average (.520), runs-batted-in (29) and home runs (7).
Also back for a final season are Abriana Conklin, Kitty Wallace, Wesley Kirks, Shavargus Noyes and Stevee Brenner.
The Panthers started practice on Monday, and with over 30 players to evaluate, Topaha has yet to determine positions.
Topaha and his staff will spend the next week learning the players’ skills in order to create a lineup for the Panthers’ first game next Saturday, August 29 at home against Cedaredge.
