The Mount Si Wildcats softball team is looking to do well in the KingCo Conference this season.

The team has a new coach this year. Larry White, an assistant coach on the Mount Si girls’ basketball team, replaces Dirk Hansen as head coach. The team, who last year finished with seven wins and 13 losses, is led into battle this year on the field by junior first baseman Rachel McNall, who was the team’s top hitter last season.

Last year, the Wildcats lost to Newport in the first round of the KingCo Conference tournament 9-3 to end their season.

Among the other upper-class players to watch this year are senior shortstop Lauren Davis, junior pitcher Alison Moorehead and sophomore catcher Sabrina Porterfield. Freshmen to watch this year, according to White, include third baseman Kayla Jayne, who competed this year in gymnastics for Mount Si, second baseman Amy Trenkamp and outfielder Emily White.

White expects a middle-of-the-pack finish for his team this year, but, he said, “We may surprise some people with our young talent.”

Davis also expects that, too.

“I think we’ll have a split season. I think we’ll be winning half the games,” she said.

As for which teams may do well in the conference this year, White said Skyline and Sammamish may be the teams to watch.

Being a first-year head coach involves a lot of growing pains, but White is ready.

“I’m learning a lot.” he said. “I coach basketball with Dirk and learned a lot there, and I’m looking to grow, too, along with the kids. We’re trying to build a solid softball program. We’re starting new, and [it’s] pretty much a new start for all of us.”

As a freshman first-year player, Trenkamp is adjusting not only on the field, but off of it. She is hoping that her more experienced teammates, in particular Davis, provide leadership for the team.

“I think that, especially Lauren, she’s going to be a really good inspiration and a role model for us. She knows a lot about the game, and we all look up to her,” she said.

Davis is hoping to provide that leadership, saying, “I’m hoping I can display good attitude, something for the young girls to model, and talentwise, I just hope they can pick up [and] hopefully notice the right way to do things on the field and off the field and pick up on it.”

White brings several years’ experience of softball coaching to the team. He is also a 1976 graduate of Mount Si and works for the city of Snoqualmie.