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WILLIAMSTOWN — The waiting game is now in play.

After Williamstown extended its streak to six consecutive state titles in girls track, talk among the girls already stirred about a possible seventh straight and the creation of T-shirts with 6-7.

The state title definitely won’t be handed to the Yellowjackets.They have their work cut out now that Doddridge County bumped up a class to double-A.

On the flip side, Williamstown is the lone school out of last year’s top five which remained in double-A. The rest are now in Class AAA.

“We consider this season a reload – we want to be running our best at the end of the year for another possible state title,” said Williamstown’s Zach Hall, who enters his 15th season as head coach. “We’re ready to go. It’s always fun. Now we have to put in the work and compete.”

The one significant absence from the lineup is Shelby Smith, who finished first in two individual events and competed on a winning relay in her senior year. Alyssa Sauro, who was bothered by injuries throughout her senior year, is also gone.

“We might be a little deeper than last year, but we don’t have that top one we had last season,” Hall said. “You will be learning some new names this year. I like the relay girls we have coming back, but we will need them to step up in individual events.”

Williamstown still has its share of veterans to lock in on, including middle-distance runner Cassie Sites, pole vaulter Grace Boone and thrower Regan Corbett.

Sites competed on three relays which placed in the top five, while Boone placed second in the pole vault. Corbett was runner-up in both the disc and shot.

“It’s Cassie’s time to step up a little more in the individual events, and I think she is ready to do it,” Hall said. “Every year, we have that distance runner who steps up into those shoes.

“Regan is our school record holder in the disc – she ranks among the top two in Class AA. Grace Boone also looks ready to go.”

Maggie Johnson leads a freshman class which will work into the varsity lineup. Coach Hall has the perfect vantage point for scouting out upcoming talent from the lower levels at Williamstown.

“The elementary physical education teacher probably mentions track and field earlier than most schools,” Hall said about his teaching role. “It helps a lot with the connection and finding out who will work out later in high school.”

The regional site for Williamstown has switched from taking the trip to North Marion. Instead, the postseason begins at Tyler Consolidated.

The high jump and long jump are perhaps the only two events where points will be hard to come by.

“When we score points throughout all the events, it’s really hard to beat us,” Hall said.

BOYS TRACK

Williamstown took quite a haul to last year’s Class AA state meet and nearly half of those individuals return to this roster.

Under boys track coach Kati Brunny, the Yellowjackets welcome back six athletes who qualified for state, including junior Christian Hoosier who placed second in the discus and sophomore Tyrell Miller, who placed fourth in the pole vault and qualified for 300 hurdles.

Most of Williamstown’s success last year occurred in the relays.

Of the four relays which competed, the 4×400 took second place. Junior Chase Pickering is the lone returnee from that particular foursome.

Williamstown seeks to fill the holes left by the graduation of seven individuals who participated at the state track meet and helped the Yellowjackets place third as a team.

BASEBALL

In anticipation of the upcoming season, odds are Williamstown baseball coach Levi Maxwell was studying up on the latest jargon from the next generation of student-athletes.

The roster contains a slew of youth, including four sophomores and six freshmen. And everyone one of them is expected to contribute.

“This young core, their attitude and learning our way has been something really special for me,” said Maxwell, who enters his sixth season as head coach. Last season, Williamstown finished 20-10.

“These kids are very coachable and open to hearing things we need to tell them,” Maxwell continued. “They are kind of like a sponge. It’s one of the more impressive freshman classes I’ve had.

“It’s always awesome as a coach when you get a younger group – you can get back into a teaching mode. I’ve always had an older group. You kind of get into cruise control with certain situations. Our coaching staff is able to break things down more, so they are getting the core basics we teach.”

Among the five seniors on the roster, Jenner Burge is among the top pitchers returning. He has signed to play for Wheeling University. Classmate Wyatt Powell has three years of prior varsity experience. Primarily an outfielder, Powell will shift to shortstop.

Another senior, Tyler Keiser, returns to first base. Dylan Pucella, who placed at the state wrestling meet, provides speed on the basepaths.

A starter back from the junior class is catcher Wyatt Siley. Sophomore Jackson Fulton gives the Yellowjackets experience in right field.

Among the freshmen projected to provide an immediate impact on the mound are freshmen Ben Raines and Brayden Strcula. Another freshman, Colten Rinard will spell Siley at catcher on occasion.

Since Wood County Christian does field a baseball program, Wildcat freshman Daniel Cunningham will journey across town and join Williamstown as a center fielder.

“Every year, the No. 1 goal is to get to the state tournament – the end goal is to win it,” Maxwell said. “Having this young core, we will have some bumps and bruises with how they adapt being in high school.The game is much faster, the opponents much bigger.

“But going off of that, they are willing. Every year we throw a freshman into a big game just to see how he reacts being out in the fire. Every year, it’s been a good situation because they have learned from it.”

Another underclassmen joining the baseball team for the first time is Breck Allen, who started at quarterback for the Yellowjackets.

Despite Allen being away from the sport for six years, Coach Maxwell loves his athleticism and his drive.

His ability to lead is another strong trait.

“I always love having young guys out there because it sets the tone for years to come,” Maxwell said. “I like all 17 guys on my roster. I am confident in every one of them..”

SOFTBALL

The Williamstown softball team made strides last season, and look to continue that trend under coach Ron Stanley, who has been involved with softball in the community for 30 years.

For the second consecutive year, the Yellowjackets graduated just one starter. However, losing last year’s top starting pitcher, Kiersten Kerby, is a major hit to the lineup.

The hope is players like junior Alyssa Clare can fill the void without skipped a beat from a team which finished 9-17 and improved the win total by seven from the previous season.

“Alyssa will pitch a lot of the time,” Stanley said. “Last year, her best game came against state-ranked Buffalo. That day, she pitched solid.”

Adding depth to the pitching staff are senior Alexis Stevens and sophomore Gracie Rush, who could also see time as a utility player.

“Gracie became more consistent with her pitching last year, and picked up more time behind Kiersten and Alexis.

Junior Elli Hanlon played travel ball in the offseason and figures to start at first base. The role of senior Nevaeh Moore is similar to Rush as a utility player.

Making a significant improvement in her game since the end of the last year is junior Jadyn Lee, who will patrol the outfield.

“Every aspect of her game is better,” Stanley said.

Another junior, Lakyn Harshbarger, is pegged as another starter — in all likelihood as an infielder when not filling in as an outfielder.

Crossing over from the girls basketball team are junior Kyla Myer and sophomore Kaylee Rafferty.

“I tell the girls do something in the offseason so you are not coming into the spring time and starting all over from the end of last season,” Stanley said. “In our first scrimmage, our baserunning, fielding and pitching was much improved overall from last year’s first scrimmage.”

TENNIS

The Williamstown tennis program seeks to feed off the momentum turned in a year ago when the Yellowjackets won their first state title on the girls side.

Their male counterparts are returning all-stater Brady Woodard back from a team which placed runner-up in Class AA-A.

“Addison Woodburn and Brady Woodard were both all-staters in singles – they are enthusiastically leaving our boys and girls teams in preseason workouts, and pulling together unity to get us back to Charleston,” Williamstown coach Diana Leo said.

Returning letterwinners joining Woodard on the court are Isaac Harris, Brady Anderson, Noah Mourat and AJ Kitchen.Freshmen JP Strobl and Xavier Graeber are also expected to contribute.

Addison’s twin sister Peyton Woodburn, along with Brooke Mason, will have company by newcomers Emmalee Pritchett and Brooke Mason.

“Our players are focused and pushing themselves to be ready for tough times ahead,” Leo said. “Most have worked in the offseason to maintain physical abilities and have confident attitudes.

“Coaching these dedicated tennis players is humbling. The fact we’ve had highly competitive teams for so many years is amazing. They are strong in ability, desire and will put in the hard work required. If they trust their instincts, find the best way forward, stay healthy, remain focused, play aggressive and build a supportive network it can all come together.”

Williamstown competes in a new region this season. Charleston Catholic, Logan and Williamstown figure to have a say where the state contenders are concerned.

The mantra for this year’s Yellowjacket season follows an inspirational quote by professional tennis player Coco Gauff: “Just keep working hard. It won’t come easy and it will seem impossible.but if you keep working hard it will happen.”

Amy Strobl and Jeremy Woodward will serve as coach Leo’s assistants.

“All of our returning roster have worked in the offseason to become stronger and more consistent hitters,” Strobl said. “We’ve picked up a talented freshman class, and we have athletic upperclassmen new to our team. You will see some new and solid players in our lineup.

“Players have worked hard in the offseason.They are ready to prove they’ve got what it takes for another trip to Charleston.”

Contact Kerry Patrick at kpatrick@newsandsentinel.com