Optimism runs rampant as sports seasons begin, especially around the softball field at Riverdale Ridge High School.

Ridge lost just one player (pitcher Aubree Davis) from a team that went 23-4 a year ago (15-1 in the class 4A Longs Peak League).

League rival Frederick High School knocked the Ravens out of the state playoffs in the quarterfinal round.

The cast of potential returnees – all juniors – includes Zoie Linvile, who batted .382 a year ago, Jazmyn Sandoval, who batted .541 to lead the squad, Madyson Ortiz (.472 at the plate in 2022) and pitcher Brynn Trujillo, who won 10 of 13 decisions last year and compiled an earned-run average of 1.42 in 18 appearances covering 74 innings.

“This could be our best-hitting lineup,” said coach Ray Garza. He’s been the Ravens’ only coach in their six-year history. “Even if I put someone in the lineup from the bench, we don’t lose anyone. The tough part is going to be trying to play everybody.”

As the late news commentator Paul Harvey said, “Here’s the rest of the story.”

“You’ve got the likes of Lutheran. You’ve got the likes of Windsor, Holy Family (defending state 4A champions),” Garza said. “That's a gauntlet. I know that’s down our path. They are feeling the same way, that they brought everybody back but so did everybody else. We’re going to let the chips fall where they may. We’re going to have fun, but we’re going to work hard.”

Tegan Medina is a senior catcher for the Ravens. She batted .300 last season.

“We have a lot of really strong talent,” she said. “We're going to be able to utilize that talent very well. We have a good chance of making it far.”

The Ravens are trying for their fifth league title in its six-year history.

“We have the team (to get to the state finals) this year,” Medina said. “With as close as we got last year and how much drive we had as a team, we’re ready to break it through. We’re really solid. Once we get into the season, we will have really great team chemistry.”

It's all about getting to work and polishing what they know they do best, and sharpening aspects of the game that need it. 

“I love what I’ve got here,” Garza said. “We’ve got a lot of girls back this year. A lot of the girls are young. They are hungry. It’s a hard-working group. They really felt the sting from last year against Frederick, and they don’t want that again. These girls have unfinished business."

Garza trusts the players to play the right way on their own. 

“I just have to stay out of the way,” Garza laughed. “I just let them do their thing, not change much. They are hungry and driven. This is their passion.”

The Ravens open the season on Aug. 15 against Severance.