When someone labels you the best at something whether it’s football, baking, or even chess, there are expectations that come with that title. The 2024 Hempfield softball team is about to find out what that feels like.

The anticipation is building with the 2024 Hempfield softball season approaching us. Media outlets have begun creating their preseason rankings. MaxPreps, a popular high school sports media outlet, ranked Hempfield Area as the best high school softball team in the state of Pennsylvania. Seven of the Spartans who were named 6A all-section in 2023 are returning for the 2024 season. 

Last year the Lady Spartans went 16-4 overall winning the WPIAL 6A and earning themselves a spot in the PIAA playoffs. They went on to defeat Mifflin County, Downingtown East, and Cumberland Valley. Making their way to the PIAA championship where they lost to Northern Penn 1-0 in June of 2023. Their expectations have been set high going into the 2024 season, with the impressive season last year and the high preseason ranking going into this year. When asked how the players felt about this, senior Peyton Heisler commented on behalf of her and the team, “Even though we have high expectations going into this season, the team and I are heavily focusing on taking one game at a time. It’s easy to say how we want to make a good run at states again, but that means we have to get through playoffs and win WPIALs first. As long as we keep doing what we’ve been doing, we should have a successful season again!” 

The Lady Spartan’s home and section opener will be this upcoming Monday, March 25th, against section rival North Allegheny.  At that point, all expectations will end, and the Lady Spartans journey toward another successful season begins