A season after finishing runner-up in the north division and hosting a postseason series for the first time ever, Northwest will have to replace six starters and nearly 59 percent of its offense in 2015.
 
Northwest finished 29-14 overall and 18-6 in the division a year ago, setting new single-season school records in slugging percentage (.492), hits (390), doubles (83), triples (22), stolen bases (143), hit-by-pitch (48), RBIs (253) and total bases (550).
 
With a freshman-heavy roster that could see as many as six in the everyday lineup, youth could be both a good and bad thing.
 
Hall of famer Mike Rowan is in his 12th year as head coach of the Ranger softball program and holds an all-time record of 309-145-1 (.681), earning his 300th win over Coahoma on April 6, 2014. His record has been equally impressive in division play, boasting a 159-63 (.716) ledger and winning north titles in 2007 and 2009.
 
The Senatobia native has led Northwest to 86 wins the past three seasons, against 39 losses, and the Rangers have won 30 games four times, appeared in eight state tournaments and six region tournaments during his tenure.
 
With the addition of veteran coach Carie Dever Boaz, the 2014 NFCA Assistant Coach of the Year in NJCAA Division II, the Rangers are looking to break through and claim the school's first state championship in the next few years.
 
Northwest loses four all-north division players off last year's roster in shortstop Alex Barrett, outfielder Katelyn Westbrook, second baseman Andi Barrett and third baseman Haley Vance. For the third time in three years, nearly the entire infield will have to be replaced.
 
Alex led the team in average (.413), hits (52), triples (5), walks (17) and RBIs (32) in her lone season after transferring from Jones County and added 20 stolen bases and 38 runs scored. Her sister, Andi, hit .371 in 43 starts, scoring 45 runs and hitting 11 doubles and four triples to drive in 31 runs. She stole 25 of 27 bases, breaking the single-season stolen base record.
 
Westbrook set a new single-season (27) and career (29) stolen base record while hitting .337 from the plate with five doubles, 11 RBIs and 30 runs scored. She also fielded a perfect 1.000 in 56 chances.
 
Vance shattered her freshman numbers with a breakout sophomore year, hitting .373 with 10 doubles, four triples, four home runs and 31 RBIs.
 
Northwest will also feel the loss of Roxanna Kimes and Lindsey Shaw in the circle, who combined to go 7-3 with five saves in nearly 65 innings of work.
 
The Rangers will keep the same approach in the circle this season, with a rotation of four starters and at least six players who will see significant time. Seven different Rangers pitched last season, with three of those returning in all-state selection Kiley Dunagan (7-4, 1.64), Micalah Beall (6-3, 2.30) and Jessica Holliday (4-3, 2.18).
 
Dunagan had a save and three combined shutouts in a team-high 68.1 innings of work. She appeared in 21 games (13 starts), scattering 69 strikeouts against 14 walks and holding opponents to a .260 average.
 
Freshmen Ashton Needham (Tipton-Rosemark), Avery McCullough (Lafayette) and Peyton Rico (North Delta) will add depth in the circle. McCullough was 19-3 with two saves and a 2.01 ERA in 125.2 innings as a senior, while Rico posted a 1.75 ERA with 74 strikeouts and six shutouts.
 
Behind the plate, freshman Brittany Rochelle (Tunica Academy) brings in high expectations. As a senior, Rochelle set the high school softball record for the highest on-base percentage in a single-season at .820 en route to all-state and MVP honors. Lake Cormorant's Heath Griffith will back her up, and brings in big credentials. Griffith helped the Lady Gators to a 23-3-1 record last year while hitting .506 with a .846 slugging percentage.
 
Northwest will continue its aggressive approach at the plate and on the base path. With added speed, it will be interesting to see if the Rangers can break their single-season record of 143 stolen bases set a year ago.
 
Sophomore utility player Kendall Alford was one of the team's top hitters last year and, along with Beall, both are expected to be as productive this year. Alford saw action behind the plate, in the infield and outfield last year. In 43 combined starts, she hit .378 with a team-high 16 doubles, two triples, a home run and 31 RBIs. Beall, an NFCA All-South Region selection as the designated player, hit .409 a year ago.
 
Around the infield, freshmen Erin Claire Stegall (3B), Christina Berryhill (SS) and Olivia Owen (2B/OF) should all be in the starting lineup, along with sophomore Drennan Nemnich at first base.
 
Stegall batted .413 in her previous four seasons at Pontotoc High School with 111 career hits and was named the Division 1-4A Offensive Player of the Year. Her teammate, Olivia, was an all-division selection and Berryhill led Hillcrest Christian to the 2013 North 3A State Championship. Nemnich played in 35 games, 17 starts, and hit .344 with four doubles, 12 RBIs and 14 runs scored.

Alyssa Dean, who started 36 games in right field last year, will likely draw the start at second base. Dean hit .260 with four doubles, four triples, 11 RBIs, 22 runs scored and 13 stolen bases.
 
In the outfield, Blue Mountain College transfer Carla Avant will get the start in centerfield, Alford is expected in left and either Hanna Hunter or Olivia Owen could start in right.
 
Hunter was a three-time first team all-conference selection at Strayhorn, hitting over .420 for her career with 200-plus hits. Sophomore Janie Turner is also back after seeing action in 38 games.

Other newcomers are infielder Kayla Casey (Lake Cormorant), outfielders Whitney King (Senatobia) and Tonya Phillips (Water Valley), catcher Rae Drewrey (Lafayette) and utility player Bree Thompson (Magnolia Heights).
 
Northwest will throw out the first pitch of the 2015 season on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at Southwest Mississippi.