RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville players come off the field at the conclusion of a high school softball game against South Williamsport at South Williamsport on Tuesday. Hughesville won 16-1.

Hughesville generated something more important than reaching a district championship and the Class AAA state tournament last spring.

It created belief.

Prior to 2024, Hughesville had never won more than 12 games in a season. Before last season, it had not won a playoff since 1999. For years, many Spartan teams hoped to do well, but struggled with believing and/or expecting to so do.

That is a vital hurdle to climb when establishing a winning culture The Spartnas leaped it last May, winning two playoff games, reaching that first district final and state tournament and shattering the previous record with 16 victories.

Now they are hoping for more and believing they can earn more. Hughesville certainly started strong in its season opener, defeating South Williamsport, 16-1 in five innings. Every starter reached base, eight produced this and Addison Henninger and Maddie Smith combined on a three-hitter.

“I have one senior catcher Kiana (Peck) who is an outstanding leader and then five juniors, Lyla (Kinny), Addy (Knight), Maddie, Ashlynn and Pip (Henninger,” Hughesville coach Dave Dimoff said. “They’re ready to lead. Last year they got a taste of it and they’re bringing the young players along.”

Those young players made a big impact against South as well; freshman Kenna Fisher going 2 for 3 with a double and RBIs. Put it all together and Hughesville is seeing more fans than ever before.

That trend started last year when Hughesville continued its upward climb and edged former nemesis North Penn-Liberty, 1-0 in the district semifinals. From believing and hard work, has grown excitement as well.

“I was looking out at the crowd before the (South) game and thinking back to last year just makes it feel so much better what we did,” Henninger said after throwing four strong innings and adding two hits. “People want to come see us play.”

Hughesville has given them good reason to do so. The Spartans just missed out on a winning a share of the HAC-II championship last year, but paid back a lot of rivals who had defeated them in the past. In a loaded Class AAA district field, they excelled offensively, defensively and in the pitching circle on their way to the final.

They get no bonus points for making that run and the Spartans understand that. But seeing is believing and they understand more than ever what they can do. That fosters both confidence and trust and adds another key intangible.

“I think we’ve all been playing together for such a long time now that we’re all so close,” Knight said after smashing a three-run home run at South. “We know that everyone has each other’s backs.”

That’s important because the challenges are many in both a fiercely competitive league and district field. Hughesville encounters a good test today when it heads to Montoursville after the league rivals split two exciting games a year ago.

Once upon a time, teams like Montoursville, which shared the league crown with Loyalsock a year ago, might see Hughesville on the schedule and put down a pre-emptive ‘W’ on the schedule. Those days are long gone.

All but two players are back from last year’s Hughesville team and reaching new heights only made this group want to soar higher. What the Spartans are hoping now is that last year was just a start.

“We knew going into the offseason after last year with the early exit in states that we had things to work on and we spent the fall and the offseason working on them,” Dimoff said. “The biggest thing is you always question whether the older kids will mentor the younger kids and these six are outstanding at it. They take the freshmen and sophomores under their wings and they guide them on the path.

“They all work hard and they all are pushing each other.”

QUICK LEARNERS: When Brenna Beck, Isabella Reddy, Ashlyn Robinson and Emma Vollman were freshmen, they were the new kids on the Williamsport block, joining a veteran team which featured nine seniors. Those four are seniors now but they remain the minority.

The four leaders are part of a roster which includes 13 freshmen, three who started last week as Williamsport opened its season with thrilling walk-off wins against Loyalsock (6-5) and Mifflin County (9-8 in 9 innings).

One reason the young players are shining early is that the seniors are setting a good example. They have learned a lot these last few seasons and all four, who played massive roles in last week’s wins, are pushing helping bridge the present and future.

“It’s a young team this year. This whole game is a mental sport so you have to learn what kids receive well,” Robinson said after earning the win and going 4 for 5 with four RBIs against Mifflin County. “Some kids might want some hard constructive criticism, some might want it hard but light. You just have to figure out what kid each kid wants and kind of motivate them from there.”

So youthful is Williamsport that the four seniors and junior first baseman Katelyn Solomon, who hit a walk-off single against Loyalsock, are the only non-freshmen and sophomores. Those five helped Williamsport repeat as District 2-4 Class 6A champions last May and have helped a standard which all players, experienced or not, have continued setting well early on.

Williamsport never flinched when Loyalsock scored twice in the top of the seventh and tied the game; scoring the winning run before an out was recorded in the bottom of the seventh. Mifflin County built a 6-0 fourth inning lead and held a one-run advantage entering the seventh. This time, sophomore Zaelana Minor made a fabulous throw home to freshman catcher Payton Pennycoff to cut down a go-ahead runner in the eighth before Beck led off the ninth with a single and scored on Reddy’s walk-off single.

Whatever grade they are, all the Millionaires are connected and tough and that is a strong combination.

“That’s what I’ve seen out of them. They’re really rallying together,” Williamsport coach Scott Stugart said. “It’s early, but that leadership and familiarity has really helped us overcome adversity so far.”

EXTRA BASES: Madisyn Miller reached one impressive milestone last Wednesday and had the opportunity to achieve another Monday against Bucktail in a game which ended after press time. Miller collected her 100th career RBI in a 2-0 win at Halifax and entered Monday’s game needing two hits to reach 100. She opened the season with four hits in wins against Halifax and Millville. Arianna Snyder threw a no-hitter with eight strikeouts against Halifax and also fanned eight at Millville. Sndyer drove in three runs there as well and Zoe Furman was 3 for 4 with a triple, double, five RBIs and three runs … Julie Friel did not allow an earned run and threw a two-hit masterpiece in Montoursville’s 9-2 season opening win against Central Columbia. She also hit a two-run double, while Kayleigh Sheleman homered and Trinity Belle produced three hits in her first high school game … Kendall Wagner started her senior season on quite a high, going 3 for 4 with a home run, double, three RBIs and three runs as Bucktail defeated Moshannon Valley, 10-6. Eva Sockman, Makenna Stone and Rebekah Conway all added two hits … Cowanesque Valley has the look for a team which could be a contender in the District 4 Class A field, opening with convincing wins against Canton and Coudersport. Lilah LeBaron struck out 10 in both games and also drove in five runs. Sophomore Raegen Watson made a run at the cycle in the 9-1 win against Coudersport, going 3 for 4 with a triple, double, RBI and two runs. Taylor Eldridge added three hits and two RBIs … Sullivan County improved to 2-0, defeating Muncy, 16-4. Miley Dickinson led the way, going 3 for 4 with a double and four RBIs, while Charley Insinger was 3 for 5 with three RBIs. Rachel Paulhamus went 3 for 3 for Muncy and is 4 for 5 through two games … Mackenzie Litchard threw a three-hit gem at Mifflinburg in Warrior Run’s 1-0 season-opening loss. She also struck out nine. Speaking of strong pitching, North Penn-Liberty’s Elyna Booth threw two-hitters in each of her first two starts, striking out 17 … Watch out for Wellsboro sophomore pitcher Ady Frantz. Although the Hornets lost to North Penn-Liberty and defending District 4 Class AAAA champion Athens, Frantz allowed just four hits and struck out 20 in nine innings.

Chris Masse may be reached at cmasse@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @docmasse.

DR. MASSE’S TOP 5 RANKINGS

1. Williamsport (2-0): Pennycoff not only plays like a veteran but acts like one. The catcher has been a weapon behind the plate, throwing out a runner at third against Loyalsock and also proving quite reliable offensively. Pennycoff has hit safely in both games and reached base in five of her nine plate appearances.

“She’s so quiet. You don’t see her get pressured,” Stugart said. “She’s the calmest freshman I’ve ever seen in my life.”

2. Central Mountain (0-0): Last week, it was No. 1 vs. No. 2 when Williamsport hosted Loyalsock. That is the case again today at Millionaire Mountain. Following an early-season loss there last year, Central Mountain won its next 13 games and captured another District 6 Class 5A championship and tries taking the first step toward more success this afternoon.

3. Loyalsock (2-1): Loyalsock bounced back last Friday, defeating Danville, 8-5 as Easton Waller threw a five-hitter and slammed a three-run home run. The Lancers often load up their non-conference schedule and it has paid big dividends with them reaching states in consecutive seasons. They are hoping that will be the case again this season, edging Lake-Lehman and James Madison-bound pitcher Hannah Chipego before fighting back from a 4-0 deficit at Williamsport to tie it in the seventh inning.

“Seeing teams like this at beginning of the season will help us down the stretch, there’s no doubt in my mind,” coach Casey Waller said. “We’re seeing some really good pitching.”

4. Hughesville (1-0): Henninger made her second varsity start at South and looked mighty comfortable doing so. The junior right-hander kept the Mounties offense, pounded the strike zone and let a strong defense work behind her, while holding South hitless in three of the four innings she threw.

“I know they have some really strong hitters, but the defense is really good,” Henninger said. “Being able to hit spots and let my defense do the work behind me gives me a confidence boost.”

5. Jersey Shore (3-0): Speaking of excellent pitching, Lexi Frey and Lynna Clark have formed an impressive tandem thus far, allowing just seven hits and two runs in three starts. Frey threw a no-hitter in an 8-1 win Wednesday at Lewisburg and Clark followed the next day with a five-hit shutout in an impressive 8-0 win against Montoursville. The Bulldogs, featuring three freshmen starters, also are hitting well, collecting at least 10 hits in all three wins. Five players delivered multiple hits against Montoursville and freshman Aubree Reichard highlighted the surge with a two-run triple. Fellow freshman Sophia Wrench doubled twice at Lewisburg, adding two RBIs.

Players of the Week

Lexi Frey, Jersey Shore and Jocelyn Colegrove, Williamson: Clark dazzled both in the pitching circle and at the plate over that two-day period against Lewisburg and Montoursville. Frey dominated the Green Dragons, striking out 14 and walking none while closing with six shutout innings. She also went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs. A day later, Frey added two more hits, including a double, and flashed the leather at first base, making a sensational catch with turned into a double play which saved two runs.

It’s hard to hit much better than Colegrove did last week. The sophomore catcher had a quality season in terms of run production in just two games. She went 6 for 7 with three home runs, a double and 11 RBIs, helping Williamson thump Northeast Bradford and Sayre. Colegrove also belted a double and scored five runs.

Game of the Week

Central Mountain at Williamsport: Today features a strong daily double with Hughesville at Montoursville on the menu as well, but it’s hard to deny this one. Central Mountain and Williamsport shared the HAC-I championship a year ago, each giving the other its lone league loss. The Wildcats won their final nine league games after Williamsport took Round 1, so this has the makings for another excellent game at a field which already has hosted two walk-off thrillers this season.