Finally, it's softball season

When the Columbia Falls softball teams open Tuesday at Whitefish, the Wildkats will be more than ready for their first outside competition of the season.

The Wildkats' season opener last Friday against Browning was postponed due to cold weather and wet grounds. Those games have been rescheduled for April 20.

So the first pitch of the year is against Whitefish, a team that lost to defending state champion Libby 17-7 in 34-degree weather Friday. While the Loggers pounded out 15 hits, the Whitefish defense committed six errors. The Loggers lost to Frenchtown 9-5 and beat Timberlake (Idaho) 11-10 Saturday.

In other openers, Polson swept Browning 10-0 and 11-0 Saturday, each going just five innings. Dakota Peterson tossed a no-hitter in the first game, and Charlee Jenson pitched a 1-hitter in the nightcap.

C-Falls returning head coach Dave Kehr has all but a couple of starters back for the 2009 season, led by five seniors — Amber James, Amanda Milliard, Tia Yaeger, Cedar Smith and Kayla Stinger.

Juniors are Morgan Rowe and Cassidee Skiles. Sophomores include Jessica Owens, Renae Nelson, Tessa Cowan, Lindsey Hoerner and Niesha Thompson.

The 11 freshman out for softball will begin on the junior varsity squad. They are Shaun Rowe, Niki Birky, Celina Bryan, Jaylynn Cantu, Cedar Hamilton, Jordan Lefebvre, Erika Nelson, Madison Sandefer, Brea Smollack, Jessica Stevenson and Brittney Taylor.

Kehr said the strength of the varsity team is the mix of older and younger girls.

"The seniors have good leadership," he said. "There is a good, strong underclassman group coming up behind them."

James starts behind the plate. She led the Wildkats with a .469 batting average during the 2008 regular season. She had three home runs, 27 runs batted in and nine doubles, all team highs.

"She's a very tough out," Kehr said of James. "She'll do some nice things for us on the field and on the bench."

Morgan Rowe and Owens lead an experienced pitching staff, and Owens might also play the outfield. Shaun Rowe is also a promising hurler.

C-Falls is solid up the middle with James at catcher, Milliard at shortstop and Renae Nelson at second base.

"We have some young girls who can really run," Kehr said. "We're solid all around. We just have to put it together.

"I expect our team (batting) average to be up and our strikeouts down," the coach added. "The key is on-base percentage. That's experience."

Kehr feels Polson could be the team to beat in the Western A. Libby has reloaded and will be tough. Whitefish has a new coach, Alan Compton, and Havre's program is improving, according to Kehr.

"We should be in the mix," Kehr said.

C-Falls was third in the league last season and went 2-2 at the state tourney.