No. 4 Friendswood Mustangs
Jarrod Hunter takes over the Friendswood softball program in 2024 and the stable is full of talent.
Seven starters return for a Mustangs team, which went 25-11 a year ago and reached the Regional Quarterfinals.
Texas Tech-commit Charleigh Esparaza is coming off a first-team, all-state, first-team, all-district-type season, while fellow Red Raider-commit Chloe Aldrich was named second-team, all-district. Baileigh Burtis (Rutgers), Bella Halata (LSU-Eunice) and Morgan Armstrong (Oklahoma Wesleyan) are also back.
Other notable players of note include Naveah Cason (first-team, all-district), Lola Widner (second-team, all-district), Lenox Laviolette (honorable mention), Kira Sarabia (second-team, all-district), Maddie Green and Ryland Pesak.
Keys to success for Hunter’s crew include staying focused on the task at hand, game by game, being smart, play smart, limited strikeouts and limited mental mistakes.