2025 Softball Sophomores Joined by ‘Very Good Recruiting Class’

Head coach Jon Cox says expectations are high for his 2025 Eagle softball team, which includes six returning players from last year's team that stayed in the conference championship race until the final day.

The sophomores' leadership will benefit nine freshmen who form what Cox describes as "a very good recruiting class."

In a Golden Valley Conference with several teams who could finish on top, "It will come down to who plays the best defense, has the best pitching, and gets timely hitting," said the Eagles' veteran head coach.

Starting his 14th season at the helm, Cox plans to again use all players on the roster often. He believes that "builds confidence and puts them in position to be successful… We'll be grinding all the way. It's a long season, a lot of times playing 3 or 4 games in two days, and we do a lot of traveling. I want them all to know every day that it's likely their number will be called. The more time they all get playing, the stronger the team will be."

Last year's team finished 13-7 in conference, the second-best GVC record for an Eagle softball team since Cox became head coach in 2012. The five All Conference players from that team have all moved on, but other key contributors are back, including outfielders Nevaeh Harry of Grants Pass, OR, Shelby Flournoy of Corning, and Ashley Falk of Grants Pass, who is also one of four pitchers on the roster.

Pitcher Megan Allen of Eagle Point, OR, started 9 games last year, and sophomore Kanalei Brasch of Mount Shasta plays first base. Sophomore Grace Hubbard of Etna, one of three players who will join the softball team soon after basketball season ends, will again play third base and catcher.

Hubbard is a starter with the Eagles' women's basketball team, as is freshman shortstop Alexes Collier, a lefthanded hitter who will bat leadoff. Cox believes that Collier, his niece and the basketball team's leading scorer, "is a better softball player than basketball player."

Also joining the team after basketball will be Kaelyn Lange, a freshman lefthanded pitcher/outfielder from Coleville, CA, and "key newcomer" on the pitching staff.

Cox says having two lefthanded pitchers, Lange and freshman Dominic Bouska of Glencoe, OR, will allow the Eagles to give opposing team's different looks from the pitching circle.

Other freshmen expected to help this season are Brooklyn Mills of Newburg, OR, who plays shortstop and third base; June Woster of Medford at second base; Madison McClure of Winnemucca, NV, at first base; catchers Remie Strahm of Tualatin, OR, and Rylee Reasoner of Cloverdale; and recent transfer Kacie Jacobs, an outfielder from Vale, OR.

Cox said Mills has a strong arm and big bat with power; Woster is a solid defender with good bat control who fits in well with the team's bunting and running goals; and catchers Strahm and Reasoner can both contribute needed offense and help control opponents' base-running with their strong arms. He said Jacobs, who joined the team earlier in the week, adds speed and depth.

Nevaeh Harry, the Eagles' top returning hitter, led last year's team with 13 extra base hits while batting .302 with a .483 slugging percentage, 20 runs batted in, 29 runs scored, 4 triples, and only 9 strikeouts in 116 at-bats.

Hubbard, the only returning infield starter, and Flournoy were both clutch hitters during last year's conference season. Hubbard drove in 13 runs in 20 GVC games and made some sterling defensive plays at third base. She was second on the team with 42 assists in conference play. Flournoy drove in 10 runs and tied for the team lead with 8 steals against GVC opponents.

The Eagles have three assistant coaches who are all returning, Daniel Sanchez, Russell Morena, and former Siskiyous all-star Zoe Mendez. Sanchez started assisting Cox in 2013, and they also both officiate many local high school and junior high basketball games.

The Eagles had a scrimmage scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1 at Bushnell University in Eugene, OR, depending on weather. Former All-Conference Eagles Shyla Mead and Maddy Fullenwider, are now juniors on the Bushnell roster, and former All-Conference Eagle Ashley Cox, Coach Cox's daughter, is an assistant there.

The Eagles first two games are scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 8, at Chabot in Hayward. They're scheduled to play 16 more preseason games on the road before opening conference at home against Shasta on Wednesday, March 19.

Cox expects defending GVC champion Yuba to be the team to beat this year with the Eagles, Butte, Feather River, and Lassen all in contention.

One team that was on the Eagles' conference schedule, College of the Redwoods, announced earlier this week that it will not be competing this season because of a player shortage caused by injuries and medical clearance issues.

By Steve Gerace