Staff file photo / Brian Yauger. Chalker’s Tatum Hudak fires a pitch during the team’s regional appearance in 2023 against Gibsonburg. Hudak returns to the Wildcats after missing the 2024 season with an injury.

Last season for Chalker was one of adversity.

Coming off the heels of the program’s first regional appearance since the early 2000s, hopes were high for the Wildcats in 2024. But things quickly went another direction for Chalker as season-ending injuries to starting pitcher Tatum Hudak and catcher Abby Grimm before the year began altered the team’s path.

However, it gave the Wildcats a chance to bolster the team’s depth, allowing girls who may not have seen the field under normal circumstances a chance to get more playing time.

Now, with Hudak and Grimm back, Chalker enters 2025 with a renewed optimism and a deeper team looking to make waves.

“We’re really looking forward to it, and really looking forward for them to get back out there,” Wildcats coach Rich Hudak said. “We had a couple scrimmages last week, and just the excitement on their faces, the joy of being able to get back out there with their teammates on the field, that speaks volumes.”

With two core pieces missing all of last season at key positions, those were massive holes in the lineup that needed to be patched. That allowed Chalker the chance to try girls out in different places and build up some experience.

Senior Gabby Hromada was one of those players. Last season, she was tapped to fill the void in the circle and pitch for Chalker. While she won’t be there much with Hudak returning, it never hurts to have an extra available arm.

“We have a couple players that the extra time they got last season has definitely helped them. One of those being one of our other pitchers Gabby Hromada,” Hudak said. “She had a great year last year. Did well in the circle and at the plate, so we’re looking for her to continue that. Alaynah Cox got to play a lot of first base for us and some outfield. You try to be positive about (going through adversity), so just the experience that they got just helps us be better and more well-rounded this season.”

The Wildcats also are getting an infusion of talent from the freshman class. They should find cohesion with the team quickly having been around the program and playing summer ball with their now-teammates.

“They’ve been around each other for a long time. We’ve played summer ball together forever, so they’ll fit right in. It’s nothing new,” Hudak said. “They’ve been together, so this is just moving on (to high school), like we’ve done many, many times before, so we’re pretty excited about that.”

Chalker will have to navigate a tougher Northeastern Athletic Conference slate this season with the addition of Grand Valley, an improved Maplewood team, and the usual suspects, Mathews and Pymatuning Valley.

Also on the schedule for this season are Poland and Jefferson, as part of a tri-match set for April.

With the unpredictability of spring sports comes the chance that games get changed or added on the fly. Hudak noted that there’s been some games in the past that got finalized the day of. As the season progresses and the Wildcats show what they can do, expect Hudak to add games to fill those inevitable weather-induced holes in the schedule.

While the goal is obviously a return to the regional stage this year, that doesn’t happen in March. An emphasis on getting better each day, and perhaps most importantly, staying healthy, are going to be the driving factors for the Wildcats in 2025.

“We know that we’re going to come compete every single day to get better,” Hudak said. “We’re going to try and stay healthy the entire year and see where that gets us. If we do the right things with the right attitude and effort every single day, the sky’s the limit for us.”

Chalker opens its season up at Lordstown on March 31.