To make the transition more nerve-wracking, the team was also more ‘new look’ than it had been in quite a while. From the 2024 team’s PIAA Class 5A semifinal roster, just four starters – Cora Myers, Katelyn Bowman, Cirstyn Watson and Taylor Doyle – remained, and over half its 2025 starters would be operating in uncharted territory.

Not many would have blamed her if the team struggled to find its footing. But come June, she was still coaching games, as the Wildcats clinched their fourth straight state tournament appearance.

The road would unfortunately end there, with the team falling in heartbreaking fashion to District 7’s Penn-Trafford by one run in Monday’s first round game. But it’s hard to call the campaign anything less than a resounding success, a campaign littered with high points and noteworthy wins.

Through 2025, Central Mountain would share a Heartland-I title with Williamsport, the only team it lost to throughout the regular season and win 13 consecutive games. That 13-game win streak included District 6 and District 6/9 subregional titles, series sweeps of District 9 champion DuBois and rival Jersey Shore and an avenging of its loss to the Millionaires.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Central Mountain head coach Taylor Thompson gives her players directions during Monday’s PIAA Class 5A matchup against Penn-Trafford. The Wildcats fell 3-2.

From start to finish, it was like the Wildcats hadn’t missed a beat. Even in defeat, it gave one of the best teams in the state a serious run for its money, cutting a three-run gap to one and coming tremendously close to finishing the rally.

“I’m just thrilled with how the season has gone,” said Thompson following the team’s District 6 title win over Hollidaysburg two weeks ago. “I can’t think of a better way to start my career as a head coach, honestly. So, super happy.”

The nerves she had experienced entering the season briefly flared up as Central Mountain prepared for the postseason. But like March, the squad she had surrounding her helped bring them down.

Though inexperienced from a high school competition standout, the team not only had ample experience playing together going into the season but also experience playing under Thompson, who coached the junior high team for over half a decade. It was easy for them to trust her, everyone bought in from Day One and the result was near-immediate synergy, synergy which translated into more hardware for the program.

“This group is truly a great group of girls They lost a lot of seniors last year, but I knew that the group we had was great,” said Thompson on the team after its district title win. “I did feel some pressure (today), but just being around this group, they helped me calm down a bit.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express CM’s Camdyn Weaver, left, Cirstyn Watson, middle and Aubrey Eiler exchange high fives during Monday’s PIAA Class 5A game vs. Penn-Trafford. The Wildcats fell 3-2.

There wasn’t a true Achille’s heel when it came to the team’s field, batting order or pitching staff, and even its reserves proved capable of stepping up when needed.

Alongside more success from its returning starters, junior Aubrey Eiler proved more than capable as both a leadoff batter and second baseman, a standout among standouts. In their first years as starting pitchers, Joslyn Shultz and Camdyn Weaver were consistently composed and when one wasn’t pitching, they were filling out a rarely wavering outfield alongside Taylor and Ava Doyle. And much of that field proved successful on both sides, with anyone within the order proving capable of securing big hits when the team needed them.

Though this cast graduates another set of standouts, with senior starters Cora Myers, Joslyn Shultz, Katelyn Bowman, Ava and Taylor Doyle and Rylan Andrews all set to part ways with the program, there’s a sturdy foundation in place that could pay dividends come 2026.

Eiler and shortstop Cirstyn Watson will make up the senior class, with Eiler coming off a breakout season and Watson a multi-year starter. Camdyn Weaver returns with plenty of experience and progress made at the mound, with two seasons left to grow. And freshmen Aubrey Miller and Mallory Wunder each proved capable as reserves, stepping in and fitting right in when needed.

There are kinks to work out, with the Wildcats often falling behind early throughout the season due to slow starts. But considering that was their only consistent flaw and their ability to respond often combatted it, the focus can mostly remain on continuing to build its culture, doing what they’ve been doing and filling voids.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Bucktail's Kendall Wagner (33) makes the tag at first on Northeast Bradford's Hannah Berger during a PIAA District 4 Class A softball final at Elm Park on Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

CONSIDER IT A WIN

Despite two tough losses to close out the season, Bucktail head coach Mike Poorman had already considered their season a success prior to last week’s District 4 Class A title game. Nothing about the next two outcomes would change that mentality and considering what they’ve had to overcome, it’s understandable why.

After winning back-to-back district titles off the back of a strong senior class, the Bucks went into the season with just one senior on the roster, as multiple players would start for the first time and its depth made assignments tricky and unpredictable. They’d struggle to start, falling to 4-6 and enduring multiple blowout losses. But they’d find their footing from there, winning 7 of their next 8 on their way to their third straight state bid.

“I was skeptical about even making playoffs this year,” said Poorman following the team’s district title loss. “Now, we’re going to states again. Just to be in this game today, to beat the team that beat us twice throughout the year (Montgomery), I’ll take that as a win.”

Next year could be a big year for the program, with its next senior class set to be stacked. Juniors Eva Sockman, Lola English and Makenna Stone were named to the Mid-Penn all-star team, Kendall Wagner continues to standout as the team’s cleanup hitter, Angel Kmetz and Hayleigh Dent have plenty of room to grow after solid years as starters and freshman Carrie Ditty proved the coaching staff made the right decision to start her down the stretch.

“I’m glad that they’re going to move on and build the program even bigger with the new kids coming in,” said senior Matti Mason. “Next year, they’re going to continue to grow.”

“I’m already looking to next year, and I think we’ll be a much better team,” emphasized Poorman.