Sometimes, just a taste of success can do wonders for an athlete or group of athletes.

If the 2026 softball season is any indication, the girls on the Warrenton softball team didn’t just get a taste; they got a big bite of success, and it’s made them hungry for more, freshman Brooklyn Young said.

“My first high school softball season was super fun,” Young said. “(I) made a lot of memories with the girls. I'm really looking forward to next year and hopefully going further in the postseason. I was really excited that we made it to the district championship game, and even though we weren't able to win it I'm really proud of the girls and the team with the year we had and I want us to come back excited to do more next year.”

Sure, the Warriors fell 4-0 to eventual state tournament team St. Dominic, but the team did have quite a nice feather in its collective cap, Coach Chad Berrey said.

After all, sending the top team in Class 4, Washington, home with a district semifinal win was quite something. 

“Although the season didn't end the way we would have liked, I think the girls are more motivated than ever heading into next year,” Berrey said. “This team proved to themselves that when we play our game, stay focused, and trust the process, we can compete with anyone. The win over Washington showed these girls just how good they can be when everything comes together.”

Warrenton (14-14) had plenty ‘come together’ this season in the wake of a one-win campaign in 2025.

The team twice had win streaks of four or more games.

Berrey said the effort, while not near the ceiling of what the team can accomplish, was a year in the making, as the Washington win showed. After all, the team did it through strong motivation and hard work after a tough 2025 campaign.

“After last season, I told all the returning players, ‘Let's get to work,’” Berrey recalled. “We have 24 girls in our high school program, and we averaged 17 girls at our offseason training sessions. The girls hit the weight room, embraced speed and agility work, lived in the cages and spent countless hours on the field. They put in the work, and it showed this season.”

The coach added that while the team was led by a trio of players who hit .300 or better – Young (.544 average, 13 doubles, four triples, 19 RBI), Paige Campbell (.393, 10 RBI) and Brylen Shoults (.387, seven triples, 23 RBI), the effort wasn’t top-heavy.

After all, it wasn’t limited to just the players on the field, either.

“I definitely can't take all the credit for the turnaround,” Berrey said. “I have four incredible assistant coaches – Katelyn Berrey, Matt Dodge, Zoe Schulte and Drew Sutton – who each brought something valuable to the table as we prepared for this season. They dedicated an unbelievable amount of time this past offseason to improving our program and working with the girls. Between workouts, open fields and fun team-bonding days, this team came into the season with a completely different mindset and a different look.”

That support went a step further, the coach said.

“One factor was the overall unity we had this year, not just among the players and coaches, but throughout the entire program, including our administration, parents and fans,” Berrey said. “This turnaround would not have been possible without the support and commitment of all those groups. It truly takes a community to build a successful program, and we saw that firsthand this season. I'm thankful to be part of this community and incredibly grateful for everyone who supported us, believed in us, and helped us along the way.”

Berrey said that, just as with last year, the real work towards 2027 begins now.

The team will lose the talents of a pair of graduating seniors, Campbell and Audrey Skillman. That said, there was plenty of freshman talent on this team, and the pipeline of skill from the middle-school ranks should continue.

“Losing seniors is always tough, but we have 10 varsity girls returning next year, which definitely puts us in a good position for continued success,” Berrey said. “As a head coach, I'm always looking ahead and thinking about the talent coming up from our middle school program. We have some very talented and promising softball players who will be joining our high school team next year. When you combine that incoming talent with the experience we have returning, I'm excited and optimistic about the direction of our program and what the future holds.”

For Skillman, she said she’s not only been thrilled to be a part of the program’s rebuild, but she’s also excited to be able to watch what happens next for the Warriors.

“There was definitely a huge shift in the program over the last year,” Skillman said. “Culture is a big thing for our team and it's something we talk about constantly. This season, there was just an instant click with everyone. It didn't take very long for us to get close. Something about this team is there is never a quiet moment. On and off the field, we were always talking. We support one another no matter what. That's something you didn't see from us last season. We all want to see each other succeed and grow. Compared to my junior year, I feel that we have a stronger team bond and everyone is there to back each other up. You can definitely tell there was a big energy shift compared to last season.”