Redmond, with the likes of returning all-Intermountain Hybrid first teamer Kiahna Brown, seeks a Class 5A Intermountain Conference title.

In each of the past two seasons, Madras has won at least a share of the Tri-Valley Conference softball title and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Class 4A state playoffs.

The White Buffaloes are hoping for even more in 2013.

Led by the senior battery of Jamie Moe (pitcher) and Caitlin Hulsey (catcher), both of whom have played varsity since their freshmen year, Madras hopes to make a push for its third consecutive league crown and play even deeper into the 4A state postseason.

“The three-peat has been this group’s main goal,” White Buffalo coach Shawna McConnell says. “They know how to win games and have that experience in the playoffs. It’ll be fun to see how they come together.”

Moe and Hulsey were instrumental in helping Madras go 19-9 overall last season and 12-3 in TVC play. Moe was one of three TVC pitchers to earn all-league first-team honors, and Hulsey was selected as an all-TVC second-team catcher. Fellow seniors Sarah Brown, who was a first-team first baseman in 2012 but will also play some third this year, and second baseman Inez Jones also expect to be key contributors for the Buffs.

“We do have some veterans leading the charge,” McConnell says. “The majority of our seniors are going to be four-year varsity lettermen.”

Looking at Central Oregon’s large schools, Redmond High has been the region’s most dominant program the past several years — the Panthers went a combined 49-8 the past two seasons in 6A — but graduation and the split with Ridgeview may even the field a bit in 2013.

Ashley Pesek, the Intermountain Hybrid pitcher of the year in 2012, is back for her senior season after going 12-5 with a 2.45 earned-run average last year.

Also one of Redmond’s better bats — she led the team with 38 runs batted in last year — Pesek struck out 88 batters over 97 innings in 2012 while limiting opposing hitters to a .201 batting average.

“(Having Pesek back), that certainly helps,” says Panthers coach John Ferera, whose program will compete at the 5A classification for the first time this year. “Plus she’s a senior, so I hope she’s at her peak.”

Seniors Alyssa Nitschelm (second base) and Marissa Duchi (outfield) and junior Kiahna Brown (third base), all of whom received first-team all-league honors in 2012, expect to lead the Redmond offense. Pesek (.420 batting average), Nitschelm (.412), Duchi (.390) and Brown (.374) all hit above .370 last season as Redmond ended the year with a .377 team batting average. With Brown moving to shortstop this year, Ferera says the Panthers should be especially strong defensively up the middle of the field.

“We look pretty impressive in the center,” Ferera says. “Let’s just see what we do on the corners and see how our batting’s doing with the younger kids, and we’ll see what we can develop this year.”

Bend High coach Wade Kinkade acknowledges Redmond is still the team to beat in the Intermountain Conference — “They own the title until someone knocks them off,” he says — but his Lava Bears hope to close the gap with the Panthers. Bend returns six starters from last year’s team that went 14-12, including all-league first-team selection Lisa Sylvester (catcher) and second-team picks Megan Berrigan (pitcher), Awbrie Elle Kinkade (catcher) and Meredith Berrigan (outfield).

“We’re expecting to take another step forward for sure,” says Wade Kinkade, whose squad also picks up Summit transfer Kaytie Zellner, a first-team all-league shortstop for the Storm last year. “Redmond’s still the team to beat, no question. … But we’re going to give them all they can handle.”

Around the IMC, Mountain View and Summit both have new coaches leading their programs. Catherine Lowery takes over the Cougars not long after a successful playing career at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho, and Mike Carpenter, the Storm’s coach from 2001 to 2010, returns to lead Summit.

In 4A, Ridgeview and Crook County look to be competitive in Special District 1, while Sisters and La Pine hope to climb out of the Sky-Em League cellar.

The first-year Ravens made a splash with the hire of former Oklahoma State coach Sandy Fischer — in 23 seasons with the Cowgirls she led OSU to nine College World Series appearances and more than 900 wins. She will look to juniors Shelby Abbas and Lexy Brown, as well as sophomore Hannah George, who all spent time with Redmond High’s varsity in 2012.

“I’m just trying to figure out the high school system and am trying to mentally change from having nine months to work with the players to three weeks,” Fischer says. “They’re starting to realize this is going to be OK. We’re going to figure it out. (We’re getting) over the fear factor, I think, of a new school, new coach, new everything.”

Crook County, which also has a new coach in Gary White, expects to ride the arm of senior Miranda Smith, an all-Intermountain Hybrid first-team pitcher in 2012. Smith opened the season with a bang last week, tossing a five-inning no-hitter against Burns to lead the Cowgirls to a 12-1 victory in its first game.

In the Sky-Em League, the Outlaws should be much improved from last year’s 4-13 overall record and 4-11 league mark with the addition of Redmond senior transfer Cassidy Edwards. A first-team all-league pick as a pitcher, Edwards went 10-0 in 15 starts with a 1.26 ERA. She was equally as impressive at shortstop, leading the Panthers in batting average (.570), hits (53), runs (40), doubles (13), on-base percentage (.604) and slugging percentage (.806).

The Hawks also look to move up the Sky-Em standings after winning just one league game a year ago. Longtime coach Paul Holland has a young group, but expects an improvement from 2012’s 2-23 mark with junior hurler Keara Parrish leading the way.

Culver, which competes in the Class 2A/1A’s Special District 3, hopes to build on its 12-12 record from 2012. The Bulldogs, who went 6-8 last year in league play, boast a strong sophomore class that contributed last season as freshmen.

Softball, at a glance

A look at the Central Oregon teams competing in softball this spring:

Class 5A

Bend

Head coach: Wade Kinkade (third season)

2012 record: 14-13 overall, 5-3 5A Intermountain Conference (second); lost in 5A play-in round

Outlook: Bend expects to fight for a playoff spot with a strong core of veterans back in 2013.

Mountain View

Head coach: Catherine Lowery (first season)

2012 record: 13-13 overall, 6-2 5A Intermountain Conference (first); lost in first round of 5A state playoffs

Outlook: The Cougars are extremely young this season after losing several key players to graduation.

Redmond

Head coach: John Ferera (second season, second tenure)

2012 record: 22-5 overall, 6-2 6A Special District 1 (second); lost in first round of 6A state playoffs

Outlook: Redmond is the favorite in the Intermountain Conference after winning 20 games the past two seasons while competing in Class 6A.

Summit

Head coach: Mike Carpenter (first season, second tenure)

2012 record: 9-17 overall, 1-7 5A Intermountain Conference (third); lost in first round of 5A state playoffs

Outlook: The Storm are rebuilding but should be strong in the long run under Mike Carpenter, who took Summit to the playoffs five times in 10 years in his first tenure.

Class 4A

Crook County

Head coach: Gary White (first season)

2012 record: 14-13 overall, 2-0 4A Special District 1 (first); lost in 4A play-in round

Outlook: Senior Miranda Smith looks to lead the Cowgirls into the state playoffs.

Madras

Head coach: Shawna McConnell (seventh season)

2012 record: 19-9 overall, 12-3 Tri-Valley Conference (first); lost in 4A state quarterfinals

Outlook: The White Buffaloes expect to compete for a third consecutive conference title behind the pitching of senior Jamie Moe.

Ridgeview

Head coach: Sandy Fischer (first season)

2012 record: First-year program

Outlook: Ridgeview could make waves in 4A under coach Sandy Fischer, who guided Oklahoma State to the College World Series nine times.

Sisters

Head coach: Ben Miller (first season)

2012 record: 4-13 overall, 4-11 Sky-Em League (fifth)

Outlook: Senior Cassidy Edwards, a Class 6A all-state honorable mention selection last year at Redmond, looks to make an immediate impact with the Outlaws, who could contend for the Sky-Em League title this year.

La Pine

Head coach: Paul Holland (10th season)

2012 record: 2-23 overall, 1-14 Sky-Em League (sixth)

Outlook: Coach Paul Holland is confident his team, led by pitcher Keara Parrish, should improve on last season’s record.

Class 2A/1A

Culver

Head coach: Kevin Urbach (seventh season)

2012 record: 12-12 overall, 6-8 2A/1A Special District 3 (fifth)

Outlook: The Bulldogs are young, but hope to fight for one of Special District 3’s three state playoff berths.