Staff file photo / Neel Madhavan Boardman senior Tori Strines swings and makes contact with a pitch during the Spartans’ home conference victory over Howland last week. Boardman is off to a hot start this season, having already matched its 2024 win total after 15 games.

BOARDMAN — To those outside the program, Boardman has been one of the surprise teams of the spring sports season. But those around the Spartans program knew they had the makings of something special.

After going 13-13 last year, Boardman has been on a tear to begin 2025, having already matched last season’s win total after 15 games.

At 13-2 overall and 5-1 in league play, the Spartans currently sit atop the stacked All-American Conference, having already picked up wins against Archbishop Hoban, defending Division I state champion Austintown Fitch and perennial state power Champion.

“They’ve learned how to win and how to really finish games this year,” head coach Fred Mootz said. “They’re a tight-knit group. This is the most complete team I’ve ever coached as far as defense, pitching and offense. … Last year, we dealt with some injuries that kind of set us back, but this team, they’re just locked in and they just play for each other. They love each other and they compete for each other.”

In the weekly Ohio High School Softball Coaches Poll that came out on Monday morning, Boardman currently sits ranked seventh in the state in Division III.

“We’re fortunate to be ranked in the state, and we deserve it because we’ve worked hard for that,” Mootz said. “But I told them the other night, my goal and my vision is to be the No. 1 team at the end of (the season) in Division III.”

The way last season ended lit a fire underneath the Spartans after Boardman had its season come to an end in a 16-14 shootout to Uniontown Lake in the Division I sectional final.

As a result, the Spartans hit the ground running during the offseason and it paid off.

“You have to get better during the offseason,” Mootz said. “They decided to get better, and it has paid dividends and it’s showing out here right now.”

Even though Boardman graduated seven seniors from last year’s team, the Spartans still returned the majority of their lineup and pitching rotation.

Like Mootz said, those returners have only gotten better and are the biggest reason why Boardman is in the position it is.

“It’s been huge — we have virtually seven girls back in the lineup that were starters last year and we’re led by our (five) seniors,” Mootz said. ”

Senior Tori Strines has spearheaded the Spartans’ pitching rotation with a 2.14 ERA and a 7-1 record, while juniors Gabi Sferra (1.47 ERA) and Addie Kowacich (1.91 ERA) have been equally as effective with a combined record of 6-1.

That trio has combined for 110 strikeouts and 42 walks, while having only allowed 27 earned runs.

“(Strines) is our bulldog in the circle…and this year, she’s had her best stuff,” Mootz said. “Tori’s always been good, but this year, she’s really worked to fine tune her game. She has really gone out there, put the work in and you can see it. She’s our spark and she’s our senior leader.

“This is a girl that had us one hit away from winning a district title as a freshman against a team that was loaded in Walsh Jesuit. So she has the experience, and she’s fearless. There’s no team or lineup that Tori doesn’t feel like she can go out there and dominate.”

In the lineup, freshman catcher Addie Rudge has come in and contributed right away, leading the team at the plate with a .460 average and 22 RBIs to go along with a team-high five home runs. Meanwhile, Strines is also right there contributing offensively for the Spartans, batting .457, also with five home runs.

Elsewhere, Sferra, sophomore Mikayla Rivera, junior Ellie Wymer and senior Alex Ward are each batting over .300, while seniors Ava Freeborough (.294) and Laci Jurus (.290) are right on that cusp.

“They’re all so tight, and they care about each other. They work hard for each other, and they’re very selfless,” Mootz said. “One girl can go out and she’ll be 4-for-4 and they’ll cheer for her just the same as if they went 0-for-4. … We are an extremely patient team, probably the most patient team I’ve ever coached on the offensive end. They draw a ton of walks and they see the ball well.”

The Spartans have showcased their depth and balance throughout the season, demonstrating that they can get contributions from any myriad of players on a game-to-game basis.

In the opener against Lakeview, Rivera and Jurus led the Spartans with three hits apiece. Then in Boardman’s recent win over Champion, Freeborough led the Spartans with a pair of hits, while Rudge blasted a home run.

Prior to that, Ward went 3-for-4 with two RBIs against Howland, and in the win over the Falcons on April 9, Strines and Freeborough each hit home runs.

“There’s not one spot in the lineup that I don’t think can come up and get us a gap ball to possibly win a game,” Mootz said. “The depth is very important. I’ve got girls — my 12th, 13th and 14th players that can also come out here and deliver big hits for us. So I have confidence in every single girl in the lineup and on the bench.”

Boardman continues its high-flying season on Wednesday with a home matchup against Mineral Ridge, before hosting Cardinal Mooney on Thursday.