Kankakee has had excellent pitching in each of the last three seasons thanks to its staff ace, Sara Serena. The junior pitcher has also been the team's most productive offensive threat over that span.

But in past seasons, the Kays sometimes seemed to lack that extra something that would push them over the edge.

This year, coach Deb Johnston and her team may have found what they've been looking for.

While plenty of the hitters in the lineup aren't new to the team this season, veteran players like Ashton Thomas, Kaylee Seppelfrick, Alanna Glogowski and Tyler Thomas have been around. However, so far this season, it seems like everyone is hitting their stride all at the same time.

Part of that can no doubt be attributed to the foursome of upperclassmen having gained experience. All four, along with Serena, play travel softball in the summer.

But when you watch the team on the field, the positive atmosphere that surrounds the team is quickly apparent and the chemistry that exists between the players translates in between the lines. There is a rather small gap in age between the 12 players that make up Kankakee's roster while Arseneau and Jen Sotello are the lone sophomores.

To Johnston, the close relationships between players fosters a desire to succeed not for themselves, but for each other.

They all want to contribute," she said. "They know what needs to be done and have that desire. They see the other kids contributing and they want to be a part of the offense. Just listening to them, when they get a hit, they're excited and their teammates are excited for them."

"Success breeds success and the more we have, the better off they're going to be."

The Kays have found some of that success in the early-going. They have already picked up wins against stout opponents like TF South and Shepard and are clobbering conference opponents like Rich South, who they defeated 27-0 on Tuesday.

The whole thing still revolves around Serena with good reason, she drove in 11 RBIs in the win against Rich South while notching 15 strikeouts in the circle but the increase in offensive output could be what makes the difference.

Johnston doesn't shy away from competition, so the remainder of the schedule is filled with a slew of serious challenges like Herscher, Bradley-Bourbonnais, Beecher and Bishop McNamara. They'll have plenty of opportunities to test their mettle before the postseason rolls around.

"If the season plays out the way we expect, you will be on a winning team." Johnston tells her players, some of which have never been a part of a team with a winning record in any sport.

"Success is important and you're playing for a purpose, you're playing to get better and you're playing to win," she said. "We want to make sure where we are at the end of the year is not where we are now."

Watseka gets off to hot start despite cold weather

It's early but Watseka seems to be meeting its lofty preseason expectations.

The Warriors came into the season neck-and-neck with Dwight as the favorite to win a Sangamon Valley Conference championship and their excellent nucleus of returning producers was a big reason why.

Multi-sport stars like Magan Harris, Summer Cramer and the Bauer sisters, Madison and Kennedy are anything but strangers to stepping up and providing leadership for a team.

All four are off to hot starts through eight games this season.

Harris is leading the charge with a .520 batting average, five home runs, 20 RBIs and five stolen bases. Madison Bauer has posted an on-base percentage of .655, thanks to her patient approach. She's drawn 10 walks to go with three doubles, a home run and 10 RBIs.

The Warriors lost their season-opener to Fisher, who finished fourth in Class 1A last year, after squandering a lead in the late innings. Since then, they've rattled off seven straight wins.

"We're pleased with our start," said head coach Barry Bauer. "Like anyone else, we wish we had gotten a few more games in (due to the weather cancellations). After Easter, I think we're going to be packing them in and playing pretty much every night."

"We had high expectations coming into the season and we're pretty happy with where we're at right now."

The biggest x-factor for the Warriors, though, has been pitcher Taylor Hotaling.

After setting the Warriors' single season record in strikeouts last season, the senior has come back stronger than ever this year.

Through eight games, Hotaling has fanned 87 hitters and struck out at least 10 in every game she's pitched.

She doesn't have exceptional velocity but her track record of striking out hitters speaks for itself. Her command has been impeccable over the course of her career and it's paying dividends once again in 2017.

Her signature moment this year came against Urbana. The Warriors scheduled the much larger 3A program to fill a spot left by a scheduling conflict with Tri-Point. After Hotaling was through with them, Urbana may have wished it had left the schedule alone.

Hotaling tossed a no-hitter in a 12-0 win, striking out 16 along the way. Going up two classes from 1A to 3A and winning in that fashion is truly an impressive feat.

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Softball Notebook: Kays off to hot start behind team chemistry - Kankakee Daily Journal