Despite losing in the Class 2, District 6 championship game last month, Wright City softball Head Coach Fred Ross liked what he saw from his players down the stretch.

The Wildcats finished the season 14-11, and won seven of their last 11 games.

“We held the state champions (Bowling Green) scoreless for five innings, so I think that’s the way you have to look at it,” Ross said of the district title game. “We played to our potential there, and we really played well the last few weeks of the season. We played North Callaway well in the conference tournament, and did really well in districts. Our fielding was better and our errors were down. We were getting our bunts down, things like that. We really peaked at the right time, and that’s what you want to do as a team.”

Wright City was led by five seniors, including starting pitcher Maddy Webb and starting catcher Leah Vossen.

Webb led the team with 63 innings pitched while posting a 3.89 earned-run average.

Vossen led the pitching staff, which also included sophomore Melissa Locke and junior Ashton Fast, while becoming one of the best hitters in the Eastern Missouri Conference.

She hit .380 with 36 RBIs and five home runs.

Other departures will include Kailyn Gudermuth, Abby Jaspering and Jada Hunter.

The trio combined to hit 20 doubles and drive in 47 runs.

Ross described the rebuild bluntly.

“It’s going to be brutal,” he said. “We have a lot of girls that are going to have to step up next year. Our J.V. team was really successful, and there were girls on that team that got varsity at-bats, and they’ll use that experience next year. But we have to rebuild next year. When you lose five starters, your good pitcher, your good catcher and two outfielders, and your third baseman, it’s going to be tough.”

Returners that are expected to make big contributions next season include Fast, Locke, Riley Heiliger and Brooklyn Moore.

Moore hit .431 this season as a sophomore to go along with a team-high .542 on-base percentage.

“It’s going to be difficult next year, but we’ve got some kids who can play, and we’ll move some people around to fit their strengths,” Ross said. “Hopefully we can have high numbers again next year, which is what we had this year. That really helps us with competition.”