ROCHELLE — The 2024 season was the beginning of a youth movement for the Rochelle Lady Hub varsity softball team. With six freshmen earning starting roles by the end of the season, head coach Deanna Jacobs and her staff are hopeful that the experience gained by the varsity team’s newcomers will translate into greater confidence and results during the 2025 season.

Rochelle finished with a 5-19 overall record and an 0-10 record in the Interstate 8 this season. The Lady Hubs scored nonconference victories against Guilford, Seymour, Boylan Catholic, Forreston and Ashton-Franklin Center. Nearly half the varsity roster consisted of freshmen, who made up the majority of the batting order and the starting defensive layout for the Lady Hubs. 

“We knew going into the season that we were going to be really young, but I don’t think we realized how young we were really going to be,” Jacobs said. “We had six core freshmen who were able to learn the speed of high school varsity softball and what’s expected of a varsity athlete. We had some growing up to do physically and mentally, especially when we played teams like Kaneland and Sycamore who have athletes that will be playing collegiately.”

Among the freshmen who’re eligible to return next season include pitcher/outfielder Emma Heller, who led Rochelle in innings (95.2) and strikeouts (116) this season. The Lady Hubs will lose four seniors including four-year starting catcher Ella Alfano, who led the team with a .271 batting average. Kendell Frankenberry, Macy Belmonte and Savannah Nasca are also set to depart from the varsity roster this spring.

“We kept the same girls in the lineup, but we were playing musical chairs to figure out what positions the girls would play and who fits best in the lineup,” Jacobs said. “I thought we figured out who works well in certain positions toward the end of the season and we’re hoping that will set us up for success next year… This was a confidence-building year for our team.”

More freshmen who could return in key roles next season include infielders Camryn Metzger, Briel Metzger and Jaclynn Lira as well as outfielders Phelisity Lopez and Dylan Etes. Junior Lauren Dyer, a three-year starter who missed most of this season with an injury, and sophomore Madigan Williams, a two-year starter, are two players who could take on leadership roles for the Lady Hubs as they build for 2025. 

“I’m hoping that we’ll have two solid pitchers next year in Lauren and Emma,” Jacobs said. “We’d like to have more of a pitching rotation… I think the girls are going to come back with more confidence next season. I don’t think many of them were fully prepared for what the difference is between travel softball, Little League softball and varsity high school softball.”