ST. CLAIRSVILLE – Another softball season at St. Clairsville. Another head coach.

For the fifth time in the seven seasons, the Red Devils will take the field with a new leader in the dugout.

Rick Magruder begins his first season at St. Clairsville after a very successful tenure with the Wheeling Central Class A state powerhouse program. He takes over for John Jaskowiak who held the position for two years. Rob Gallentine was before Jaskowiak and he took over for Ron Hummell.

“I am looking forward to an exciting year. I have two very good assistant coaches in Stephanie Salisbury and Paul Pubal,” Magruder, who has 21 years of softball coaching experience, said. “This group of young ladies have shown us they are willing to work hard.”

Magruder inherits a young squad that has four seniors; a pair of juniors; five sophomores and four freshmen. Only a handful are returning letterwinners.

The Red Devils will be led by the senior duo of three-year letterwinners Dekotah Namack (C/3B) and Hannah Thoburn (CF/SS). Namack, who hit at a robust .424 clip last spring, was all-Buckeye 8, while Thoburn batted a whopping .679 in limited action.

Other seniors are Miranda Carman (INF/OF) and Alex Hale (INF/OF).

Juniors include Abby Salisbury (SS/P) and Deanna Goudy (1B/RF). Salisbury is a two-year letterwinner and earned all-Buckeye 8 last spring after hitting .516.

The sophomore class is talented and has three returning letterwinners in Makenna Moran (2B/CF), Emily Dubinsky (1B/P) and Rachel Finnical (3B/C). Jenna Wodarcyk (OF) and Jalyn Thomas (OF) are the other sophomores.

Freshmen are Savannah Loew (UTIL), Lainey Benedict (P/OF), Elanna Goudy (UTIL) and Noel Habig (C/OF).

Lost to graduation were Jenna Jaskowiak, Kalie Thomas, Paris Stachyra, Tiffany Beafore, Kaleigh Finnical and Emma Wright.

St. Clairsville plays the same schedule as last year, with seven of its first 10 games on the road.

“We play a very competitive schedule and I look for this group of young ladies to step up to the challenge,” Magruder said.