After losing seven seniors, the Triton softball team was inevitably going to have a challenge in the ‘26 season. Pitching legend Emma Penniman was especially a loss for the team as well. Being Triton’s starting pitcher since her freshman year, she left an irreplaceable void for the upcoming players. Additionally, routinely CAL all stars, Jillian Guisto and Maddison January were big contributors towards the teams hitting average. But the question that stood at the start was: How will our Vikes perform this season?
Triton softball captain for the 2026 season is Ava Johnson, a core component for the Vikings since her freshman year. Though she plays short stop, Johnson can thrive all over the field, even behind the plate. For our returning players, the vikings are stacked with Audrina Owens (Sr.), Maggie Rennick (Jr.), Gracelyn O’Neill (Jr.), Addison Ewell (Soph.), Virginia Thompson (Soph.) and Sarah Zahornosky (Soph.). Losing a significant amount of seniors is without a doubt a struggle but gaps have been filled by Ginger Thompson at first, Audrina Owens at second, returner Ava Johnson at short, returner Addison Ewell at third, Maggie Rennick behind the plate, and starter on the mound Gracelyn O’Neill followed by closer Sarah Zahornosky. As for the outfield, freshman Hailey Mchale is in left, Kathryn Clemenzi in center, and rotating in right are our two pitchers, O’Neill and Zahornosky.
With a stand out performance last season, Ginger Thompson expressed her excitement to finally be back.
“Nothing can beat our teams from the past years but with the players we have, we are more than able to keep Triton as one of the biggest threats in the CAL. When we all work together, anything is possible and I mean that”
. Additionally,Ewell shared, “We are a team of strong hitters and if we all stay close and connected as a team, we will definitely sweep the CAL and obviously sink the ship”.
Despite the losses of last year’s talented seniors, , the Vikings took on the Newburyport Clippers at home Monday, April 27, and sunk the ship with a baffling score of 12-4. Any time a Triton team defeats Newburyport, it’s a great day to be a viking; the softball team really showed up and fought a group effort to once again, sit the Clippers down.
“We’re gonna just keep building our team up and teaching the next generation of Triton softball players how to become the best they can be.” said head coach Allen Noyes.
“Triton softball has given me so many opportunities to meet new people and become a better player; and as a senior, I can’t believe it’s almost over,” captain Ava Johnson explained.
With a 3-5 record, our softball team, like any other, has thrived at times and found areas of improvement. What separates this team from others is its determined work ethic and drive to actually go out and become better players on the field, in the box, and in the dugout, which is something a lot of teams couldn’t dream of. With the sportsmanship and love-of-the-game the players have, they are winning not just according to the numbers on the scoreboard, but because have become a family. Without a doubt, a team like this could grow back into being the ‘force to be reckoned with’ of the Cape Ann League.
