The Sunny Hills Lady Lancers finished last season with a loss to Fullerton that denied them a place in the CIF playoffs, this year they’re aiming to avoid fourth place and not only clinch a playoff spot but also win the Freeway League title.

“We have two main goals, ones to win the league and the other is to go to CIF, and to enjoy playing the game,” said Sunny Hills manager Arthur Jarman

The Lady Lancers have their sights set on success and Jarman stressed that the team has to keep from being distracted, and play their game.

“[our] Biggest challenge is to keep our focus, and to play as well as, we, we should because we’re a good ball club, we just have to play that way.”

If the Lady Lancers are to play winning softball returning players Senior Molly Grumbo and Junior Taylor Okada may play big roles in propelling them to CIF.

Grumbo led the team last season with 39 hits, 34 RBI’s and 5 home runs while Okada had 39 hits herself and 22 RBI’s.

Jarman expects the senior and junior to  both continue producing this season.

“Absolutely, They’re both excellent ball players, I expect them to hit well, I expect them

to play well,” Jarman said when asked about the two.

Pitching wise Mariah Ramirez and Lauren Huerta led the team last year with a combine 166.3 innings pitched and are set to do so this season as well.

““Mo throws hard and a little bit of a screwball, a little bit of a curveball, Lauren doesn’t throw as hard but her ball has a lot of movement it will drop out of the zone and people have trouble hitting [off] her because of that,” Jarman said.

As the Lady Lancers look to make CIF, returning players like Ramirez and Huerta are certain to help the team grow.

“They help by schooling those that are younger players and encouraging them, and play as a team,” Jarman said about having experienced players on the roster.

Last seasons final game loss to Fullerton is not forgotten and Jarman believes that they are “absolutely” motivated by it.

In addition he emphasized the improved cohesiveness of the team, “we didn’t gel together as a team last year we had the talent but didn’t gel together as a team, and this year, we’re, we’re better at it and hopefully we keep doing that, cause you gotta gel as a team if you want to win.”

The Lady Lancers are off to a 1-4 start this season but got their first win on Tuesday by beating Diamond Ranch (3-3) 13-6.

Jarman accredited the win to the team’s perseverance.

“Well the kids don’t give up, There’s no game that we give up in, we just keep going,” The Lady Lancers manager said.

Sunny Hills Freeway League season begins on April 11th against Fullerton.