Boise-area softball preview: Ranking the 6A, 5A SIC from top to bottom
For the past decade, the state softball champion in Idaho’s largest classification has come from the Boise area.
Borah kept that streak alive in 2024, making a run to a surprise title after entering the tournament as the No. 7 seed.
In 2025, District Three teams are loaded for yet another run, and we surveyed all of the Southern Idaho Conference softball coaches in 6A and 5A, looking for the teams to beat and top players to watch.
See the full rankings and previews below.
6A SIC
1. Owyhee
Last season: 25-4, 11-1 5A SIC
Coach: John Carpenter, first season
Players to watch: Hailey Brennan, so., P; McKenna Schab, sr., C; Grace Brooks, sr., P/3B; Haiylee Reeves, sr., C/OF
Outlook: Consistent success has been a staple of the program since the school opened in 2021. The Storm finished second at state in 2022, won it all in 2023 and earned a runner-up finish last season.
Five starters return from last year’s team, and that includes plenty of power at the plate. In addition to an 8-1 record in the circle and a 1.13 ERA with 153 strikeouts, Brennan earned first-team All-Idaho honors, batting .432. She’s joined by Schab (.400 BA), Brooks (.451) and Reeves (.440) as experienced batters in the lineup.
Seven Owyhee seniors have committed or are considering offers to play college softball.
2. Timberline
Last season: 19-11, 7-5 5A SIC
Coach: Dave Craig, third season
Players to watch: Delaney Wright, sr., P; Ashlyn Graklanoff, sr., SS; Mallorie Casch, sr., 3B, CF; Olivia Lauber, sr., OF
Outlook: After a third-place finish at state last season, the Wolves return eight starters.
Wright headlines that group after garnering first-team All-Idaho honors for the second year in a row, going 12-5 with a 2.16 ERA and 263 strikeouts in 139 innings. The Utah Tech commit also hit .432 with a 1.204 OPS.
Graklanoff (.361, 13 HR, 14 SB), Casch (1,000 fielding percentage) and Lauber (.380) add to a core nucleus of seniors with big-game experience.
Graklanoff (Austin Peay), Lauber (Washington University) and Bella Pereira (Yuba College) have committed to play in college.
3. Eagle
Last season: 16-11, 9-3 5A SIC
Coach: Nicole Rollins, 10th season
Players to watch: Peyton Bargen, jr., P; Ellie McManigal, jr., SS; Makenzie Owens, jr., 3B; Emry Woods, sr., C
Outlook: For 12 consecutive seasons, the Mustangs have qualified for state, and they’re likely to continue that streak with seven starters back from last year’s team.
Bargen leads the charge as Eagle’s only returning All-Idaho honoree. She compiled a record of 16-8 last season in 150 innings while hitting .362 with eight home runs.
McManigal (.434, 8 HR), Owens (.427, 10 HR) and Woods (.314, 5 2B, 4 HR) add experience to Eagle’s lineup and defense.
Rollins says the Mustangs should have a more balanced lineup with multiple athletes capable of stepping up in big moments.
4. Mountain View
Last season: 19-5, 9-3 5A SIC
Coach: Kylie Orr, second season
Players to watch: Afton Janke, sr., SS; Kiersten Bangham, sr., UTIL; Katy Jackson, sr., P; Brooke Austin, so., 1B
Outlook: The Mavericks tied for second during the regular season after being picked to place ninth, but they missed out on a state berth. Seven starters are back looking to get back to the state’s biggest stage.
Janke is a reigning first-team all-conference selection, batting .500 with four doubles, two triples, 11 home runs and 33 RBIs. Bangham (.427, 10 2B) and Austin (.411, .767 slugging) landed on the second team, and Jackson (.425, 97 K, 8-4 record) received honorable mention recognition.
Orr anticipates the Mavericks will be well-rounded, including depth at all positions.
5. Capital
Last season: 16-12, 6-6 5A SIC
Coach: Shane Alder, 19th season
Players to watch: McKenna Chavez, jr., SS; Olivia Stone, sr., C; Lizzy Turpen, sr., UTIL; Audrey McKibben, sr., OF; Kharson Castell, sr., OF; Syd Garber, sr., P
Outlook: The Eagles placed fourth at state last season, which happened to coincide with their fourth consecutive tournament appearance.
Plenty of eyes will be on Chavez, a multisport athlete who also won a state shot put title in track last season. Chavez, a BYU commit, is a two-time All-Idaho first teamer, hitting .543 with 13 home runs, 49 RBIs and 25 stolen bases.
But Chavez is far from the only player making waves for the Eagles. Seven starters are back, and six players on the roster have committed to play in college.
6. Rocky Mountain
Last season: 15-14, 6-6 5A SIC
Coach: Casey Higginbotham, second season
Players to watch: Danica Quinn, sr., SS/P; Tayler Kloczko, jr., CF; Aubrey Sorenson, jr., OF/C
Outlook: The Grizzlies return a handful of starters from last year’s state qualifying team and will need to replace the experience of six graduated seniors.
Quinn is the only returner who made the all-conference team a year ago (honorable mention), but Higginbotham says both Kloczko and Sorenson have big-game experience, including Sorenson hitting a game-winning home run in a district play-in game.
Higginbotham also anticipates team chemistry will be improved.
7. Borah
Last season: 18-10, 7-5 5A SIC
Coach: Steven Birkby, third season
Players to watch: Kayla Campbell, sr., SS/C; Olyvia Chalifoux, jr., UTIL; Maggie McMullen, sr., C/OF
Outlook: The Lions finished fifth in the 5A Southern Idaho Conference regular-season standings last year, needed to win a play-in game to make it to state and entered as the tournament’s No. 7 seed. Then they stunned the field and won their first state championship in the IHSAA era.
Five starters are back from that team, led by Campbell, an All-Idaho second-team pick who batted .391 with 31 RBIs, 28 runs scored and 11 home runs.
Chalifoux (.360, 36 runs scored, 17 RBI, 2 HR) and McMullen (13 RBIs) both earned all-conference honorable mention nods.
8. Boise
Last season: 11-12, 3-9 5A SIC
Coach: Bryan Sweesy, first season
Players to watch: Lily Binford, sr., OF; Lilly Hopstad, sr., 3B; Kamryn Newbery, fr., SS; Kira Anderson, fr., P
Outlook: With 10 starters back, the Brave have the most experience in the 6A SIC.
Leading the way will be Binford, an All-Idaho second-team selection who played in all 23 games last season with 79 at-bats and 31 runs scored. Hopstad (6A SIC honorable mention) will lead the defense after amassing more than 50 putouts from third base.
Boise then turns to a pair of freshmen in Newbery and Anderson to fill key positions in the infield.
Sweesy says improved depth in the bullpen will give the Brave better variety to challenge opposing hitters.
9. Kuna
Last season: 8-13, 4-8 5A SIC
Coach: Ali Fleenor, third season
Players to watch: Rylee Mangum, sr., P; Amber Harwood, sr., 3B; Jodi Zieglmeier, sr., OF
Outlook: With their entire infield returning from last season, the Kavemen look to climb the conference standings after finishing in the bottom half a year ago.
Mangum will form the backbone of Kuna’s roster as the only returning all-conference player (honorable mention). She totaled 64 strikeouts while batting .344 with four home runs last season. Harwood (.302, nine stolen bases) will be a three-year starter at third base, and Zieglmeier (.348) is a threat running the bases.
Both Mangum and Harwood have signed with Blue Mountain Community College.
10. Meridian
Last season: 6-14, 2-10 5A SIC
Coach: Hailee Ackerman, third season
Players to watch: Alexia Flygare, jr., UTIL; Athena Little, sr., UTIL; Mariah Dresie, so., P/1B
Outlook: The Warriors welcome back nine starters from last season, which is among the best in the conference. They hope that experience translates to a move up the conference standings after finishing second to last in 2024.
Flygare, an all-conference honorable mention pick, can play shortstop, left field and catcher, and led Meridian in hits, runs and batting average last season with 71 putouts to just four errors.
Little is another versatile player, logging time at pitcher, first base and left field. Dresie looks to build on a freshman campaign in which she hit six home runs with 22 RBIs.
11. Ridgevue
Last season: 2-19, 2-10 4A SIC
Coach: Michael Samms, second season
Did not respond to survey.
12. Centennial
Last season: 6-19, 1-11 5A SIC
Coach: Kirk Carpenter, third season
Players to watch: Bailey Shankland, jr., SS; Cali Moorhouse, jr., 2B; Jailey Polski, sr., 3B
Outlook: The Patriots finished at the bottom of the 6A SIC last year in runs scored (6.2) and allowed (12.6) per game. But optimism remains with the return of five starters.
Shankland is back in the lineup after missing last season with an injury, and Moorhouse provides an experienced bat after averaging .400-plus the last two seasons. Polski is Centennial’s lone senior but sets the tone with her work ethic, Carpenter said.
5A SIC
1. Bishop Kelly
Last season: 23-5, 10-1 4A SIC
Coach: Travis Ribordy, second season
Players to watch: Lauren Fettic, sr., P/1B; Olivia Watt, so., OF/IF/C; Julia Baerlocher, so., SS; Gracie Cammann, so., INF
Outlook: The Knights remain perennial conference favorites on the heels of another strong season in which they finished as the state runner-up.
Five starters are back, including All-Idaho first-teamer Fettic. The UNLV commit went 10-3 with a 2.80 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 90 innings inside the circle. She also hit .506 with 12 home runs and 52 RBIs.
She’s joined by all-conference honorees Watt (.410, 25 RBIs) and Baerlocher (.358, 15 RBIs).
Ribordy expects pitching to be a strength this season, with three different players adding depth to the bullpen.
2. Middleton
Last season: 17-8, 9-3 5A SIC
Coach: Kristen Karanzias, fourth season
Players to watch: Kenadi Whitlow, so., C/1B; Mekenna Trimmer, so., P/OF; Natalie Miklancic, sr., UTIL
Outlook: The Vikings moved down a classification after finishing third in the conference standings during the regular season before missing out on a state tournament spot.
Although they graduated much of their offensive production from a year ago, the Vikings have five returning starters to build from.
Two of those were freshmen last year: Whitlow (.377, 15 RBIs) and Trimmer (83.1 innings pitched, 59 Ks).
Karanzias says Middleton’s pitching depth is the best it’s been in her tenure, with three arms ready to lead the way.
3. Skyview
Last season: 17-14, 8-4 4A SIC
Coach: Tim Souza, sixth season
Players to watch: Kenna Bettencourt, jr., CF; Grace Chambers, so., 3B/OF; Sophia Caringella, sr., 2B/SS/P; Ella McMullen, so., C
Outlook: Despite a young roster last season, the Hawks placed third during the regular season and secured a state tournament berth.
They’ll contend again for a postseason run with the return of seven starters. Bettencourt and Chambers are both coming off second-team All-Idaho honors. Bettencourt batted .494 with 41 runs scored and 30 stolen bases, while Chambers had a .459 batting average with 42 runs scored, 38 RBIs, 14 doubles and 24 stolen bases.
Caringella (18 RBIs, 11 2Bs, 4 HRs) adds another experienced bat, and McMullen is a defensive leader.
4. Nampa
Last season: 9-12, 4-8 5A SIC
Coach: Tim Mathson, third season
Players to watch: Haylee Holloway, sr., P; Payten Hutsell, so., 3B; Kaylee Mathson, jr., P/OF/INF; Sarah Reveles, jr., OF
Outlook: The Bulldogs held their own in the state’s largest classification last season, earning nine wins. With a move down one level and the return of eight starters, Nampa could be the league’s dark horse.
Holloway and Hutsell both earned all-conference honorable mention recognition. Hutsell earned five wins in the circle, including beating eventual state champ Borah, while finishing with 117 strikeouts, a 4.4 ERA and a .419 batting average.
Hutsell led the Bulldogs in all hitting categories last season, including batting average (.508) and slugging percentage (.873).
Mathson cited a solid lineup one through nine and pitching as Nampa’s biggest strengths.
5. Emmett
Last season: 17-7, 10-2 4A SIC
Coach: Shawn Marquez, 12th season
Players to watch: Oakley Scheibe, so., P; Natalie Goslin, sr., CF; Avery Reynolds, so., C; Ireland Riley, fr., SS
Outlook: The Huskies finished second in the regular-season standings, but failed to qualify for state last season.
Three starters are back from that team, which gained significant varsity experience.
Scheibe made quite the impression her freshman campaign, earning first-team all-conference honors after registering 199 strikeouts.
Goslin (.950 fielding, .400-plus batting) and Reynolds (.300-plus batting) were each second-team honorees.
Defense will be the Huskies’ backbone this season, Marquez said.
6. Vallivue
Last season: 13-15, 7-4 4A SIC
Coach: Kevin Schimmelpfennig, 15th season
Players to watch: Maris Farner, jr., P; Kenley Leuthold, so., OF; Evonny Gonzales, jr., 1B; Bella Magallon, sr., OF
Outlook: Although they were picked sixth out of eight teams in a preseason coaches’ poll, the Falcons shouldn’t be overlooked. They return seven starters from a team that averaged 8.7 runs per game last season, third-best in the league.
Farner was among eight Vallivue underclassmen to earn all-conference recognition a year ago, landing on the second team with 120 strikeouts. Leuthold (.404, 17 stolen bases) and Gonzales (.483, only 4 strikeouts in 102 plate appearances) were also second-team picks.
And Magallon returns after missing most of last season with an injury.
7. Caldwell
Last season: 8-15, 4-8 4A SIC
Coach: Anissa Godina, first season
Did not respond to survey.
8. Columbia
Last season: 0-21, 0-12 4A SIC
Coach: Courtney Romanski, first season
Did not respond to survey.
