PRESCOTT — The Coconino softball team has seen its fair share of adversity already this spring, with a recent snow-covered field forcing the club to practice inside, and other weather-related delays giving the club fits on settling into something as simple as a pregame routine.

The defending 4A Grand Canyon region champs have pushed through it all, however, opening region play against Prescott on Tuesday afternoon.

A stormy afternoon in northern Arizona once again forced the Panthers (7-3, 1-0 4A Grand Canyon) to wait out mother nature, but they prevailed 10-0.

The never-ending indoor batting practice sessions for the team from 7,000-feet in Flagstaff hasn’t seemed to slow their progress, recently pushing 6A conference threat Corona del Sol to the limit during a West Valley Softball Invitational on March 15, eventually falling 6-3.

“We are looking very well put together. We work really well as a team this year, and our comradery and team chemistry has been lot better than in previous years,” Coconino second baseman Destiny Villas said.

The junior, who is hitting .472 so far this season with two doubles and three triples, said the Panthers have used several indoor practices to keep their skills sharp.

“It’s kind of a hiccup in our season, but I think we can get better inside to be ready for outside games,” Villas said. “I think we can go pretty far if we keep focused, taking one game at a time.”

Senior Alyssa Fockler said it’s helpful to not have to hit indoors all the time, like Tuesday’s pregame reps on a backfield prior to the game with Prescott.

“We’re prepared for any type of weather, just like this. Because of where we live, it’s hot and cold. We played in the snow the other week,” Fockler said with a laugh while standing in her rain-soaked black hoodie covering her Panthers uniform.

The senior infielder thinks despite all the weather challenges, Coconino can be a force come state tournament time in May.

This group earned a No. 7 seed in the state playoffs a season ago, defeating Mica Mountain 1-0 before losing to Greenway 6-2 and having to play their way out of the loser’s bracket, only to fall to cross-town rival Flagstaff 4-1.

In 2022, Coconino reached the Elite 8 before losing to Paradise Honors, 3-1.

“I think we can beat some top-level teams, because of our pitching and team chemistry,” Fockler said. “We can push it further than ever before because we are equipped to do that.”

Fockler leads the club in hits (19), doubles (8) and is tied for the RBI lead with 14 while hitting .543.

Coconino coach Kimberly Dennis said Villas has been a “solid hitter” since her freshman year, and Fockler is the only senior on the field, so, “Her game speaks for itself.”

“Her and Destiny bring consistency on both sides of the ball and their teammates know they can count on them,” Dennis said, adding that she thinks the Grand Canyon region is one of the toughest in 4A.

“It has been a good fight the last few years and many of the top pitchers in our region are returning,” Dennis said, adding that despite the weather challenges, it has not been a distraction for the work her team needs to accomplish every day.

“It’s nothing we can control so we focus on the things we can control,” Dennis said. “These girls play plenty of ball in the offseason not to let it affect them on the defensive side of as much as most people think it should. Our philosophy is, ‘Make plays, not excuses.’”

UP NEXT

The Panthers will host Prescott on Thursday, March 21. First pitch is set for 4 p.m.

Brian M. Bergner Jr. has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports for more than 20 years. Follow him on Twitter @AzPreps365Brian. Have a story idea? Email Brian at bbergner@azpreps365.com.