Last year, Jefferson Middle School’s eighth-grade softball team made an impact on softball in Midland with a record of 23-0-1. This year, the momentum continues with a total of 39 players on the three club teams at JMS, 12 of whom are in eighth grade. Girl’s Softball coach Thomas Stoney helped lead the team to their victory and hopes to continue their success into this year’s season. With a team of 13 girls, 11 of them being freshmen, this year’s DHS softball team is a young team in comparison to other teams in the league.
“Our team is very young, but we have a lot of talent,” Stoney said in an email interview. “I believe we’re going to surprise some teams this year. We should be able to hang with most of the programs in the SVL.”
This year’s DHS softball team has set goals not only for this season, but all the way out to 2026. This year their goal is to be competitive in the league and hold their own against older teams. Along with competing competitively on the field, the team has a goal of being the most academic team in the SVL. Some other goals for this season are to have a 19-19 season which would be a huge accomplishment from last year’s record of 6-33. The team also wants to be District Champions which hasn’t happened in several years.
“A batting average of .500 is another goal,” freshman Pryia Ghose said.
Many players on this team came from the eighth-grade JMS team where a close-knit bond was created throughout the season. Many of the upcoming girls are excited to go through this transition from middle school level to high school level softball with their friends.
“Last season the team had a really good bond and it all worked really well because we got along and worked really hard to get where we are,” freshman Ella Stoney said. “I am hoping for the same this season.”
Looking to the future, the team has high hopes with the many seventh and eighth graders participating in JMS club teams. The hope is that with these high numbers, DHS will be able to have a JV team, which hasn’t happened in several years. Many of the girls on the team are excited about these upcoming high numbers.
“I’m hoping younger generations continue to build up the Dow team so Dow can have a JV and Varsity team,” freshman Raelyn Qualls said.
