By Dana Harding (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
A new face will patrol the Webb City softball dugout this fall, as head coach Allyson Stolte takes over the reins.
Stolte, who most recently coached at Seneca, played softball at Republic High School, the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Saint Mary.
“Under a new head coach, we are looking to change the mentality of this program and to make it a program that competes hard every inning we play,” Stolte said. “We look to cut our losses in half.”
Stolte will have a solid foundation to build upon, as the Cardinals posted a 21-13 record last season, falling to Lee’s Summit in the Class 5 District 7 tournament.
Webb City returns eight players from that squad in senior catcher/infielder Liz Rhuems, junior pitcher/first baseman Addie Burns, senior pitcher/outfielder Karsyn Cahoon, junior shortstop Abby Sargent, senior third baseman Alex Maturino, sophomore outfielder/shortstop Chansey Brown, senior second baseman Lily Hall and senior utility Kylee Sargent.
Stolte on Rhuems – “Liz is a big returner for us behind the plate with a big bat most likely hitting in the 3- or 4-hole. She is the leader of our defense and for her senior year we look for her to step up and lead her teammates on and off the field. Her leadership role will play a large part in our work ethic as a team.”
Stolte on Burns – “Addie is going to be beneficial for us in the circle again this season. We look for her to step up in big, competitive moments due to her experience in tight games last season.”
Stolte on Cahoon – “Karsyn has been a role player for this team. She will continue to play multiple positions for us this upcoming season, like dealing in the circle and finding time in the infield or outfield to keep her bat in the lineup.”
Stolte on Abby Sargent – “Abby is the vacuum on the infield and her leadership and competitive edge on the infield will be exciting to watch this season. She is the firestarter for this team and knows how to bring the energy for the girls.”
Stolte on Maturino – “Alex has experience and lead by example energy on the left side of the infield at third base. She is smooth and her and Abby together on the left side make it hard to get a base hit on the ground. She will be a big bat in our lineup, and we will look to her to drive in a lot of our runs this upcoming season.”
Stolte on Brown – “Chasney comes back for her sophomore season, and with the experience she gained last year as a freshman at the varsity level, we are all excited to watch her continue to excel in the outfield. We look forward to her stepping up and getting more comfortable being the leader in the outfield this season.”
Stolte on Hall – “Lily puts an excellent glove on the right side of the infield for us at second base. She covers a ton of ground and makes unbelievable plays. As a senior we look forward to her bringing her high energy everyday and pushing our younger girls to fill the expectations of this program.”
Stolte on Kylee Sargent – “Kylee came back from a knee injury last year and will finally be returning to us full time this season. We are super excited to have her bat fully in our lineup for her senior year.”
In addition to her returning players, Stolte expects a host of varsity newcomers to step up and compete for playing time this season.
“There aren’t just one or two newcomers that are going to make an impact for this team,” Stolte said. “Our freshman and sophomore classes are getting better every single day with the help from their upperclassmen to better this team. We have multiple underclassmen who have the potential to see varsity time and gain experience for the upcoming seasons.”
With plenty of talent and experience returning, Webb City’s lineup is more than capable of taking pressure off its pitching staff while causing problems for opponents.
“Our lineup is returning eight girls who all have varsity experience from last season,” Stolte said. “Their experience in seeing varsity level pitching will be a strength to us this season. The top of the lineup has speed that we will use to run the bases aggressively. The other half of our lineup can hit with power and will be used to drive in those that get on before them.”
In the circle, Webb City will look to both Burns and Brown to anchor a staff while roles are established throughout the early portion of the season.
“Our pitching staff has spent lots of time throwing to different teams and our hitters this summer to get ready for the season,” Stolte said. “They are working on tightening their spins and being more commanding on the rubber. We have three to four talented arms that can see varsity time this upcoming season. We have some girls who throw harder and rely on their speed to attack hitters and a couple girls who rely more on movement to induce groundouts and flyouts.”
Stolte believes Webb City’s returning experience and depth will be primary strengths heading into the season.
“We have lots of returners who are hungry to complete their goals from last season and make their senior year an unforgettable one,” Stolte said. “We are going to look to our upperclassmen to lead by example and continue to fight for this program and its success. Another strength would be our depth. Our girls are fighting for their spot every day at practice and pushing each other to be the best versions of themselves for this program. It is exciting to see underclassmen challenge the returners to be better and continue to work at their craft.”
With a host of experience, talent and depth on the roster, Stolte believes the sky is the limit for her program in 2025 as long as it continues to develop and improve throughout the season.
“I think our biggest challenge will be finding ways to finish games,” Stolte said. “Last season we struggled with finishing close ballgames and staying consistent throughout the whole game.
“Our expectation for this season since the day I got to Webb City is to play in a state game. Obviously, we have to compete well all season and make a strong district run, but for this team that is all accomplishable. The girls get along really well, and you can see how much they play for each other on and off the field. That kind of bond makes a huge difference.”
Following an Aug. 22 jamboree at Seneca, Webb City opens its season Aug. 28 at McDonald County.
