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Claremore softball has spent the past few years building a brand synonymous with October.
Now, a new-look group of Lady Zebras will be charged with protecting it.
That makes the team's 2026 slogan particularly fitting: “For the Brand.”
Coach Jon Eddy's squad enters the fall needing to replace a pair of All-Staters in Avery Hyde and Amaeli Foster, but the cupboard is far from bare.
Claremore returns several of its most productive players from last season, including its leading run producer, record-setting base stealer and pitcher who already has state-tournament experience.
“It's always kind of hard to replace All-Staters,” Eddy said. “They're a really integral part of our group. But we got everybody else back, and we got a couple of new freshmen.”
Claremore's depth could make that transition easier.
Three freshmen — Bella Michael, Kenlee Stegall and Caroline Messner — have joined a roster with enough versatility for Eddy to describe his options as almost “plug and play.”
That depth has already been evident during the preseason.
The Lady Zebras erupted for 15 runs in three innings during a recent scrimmage against Union, collecting 10 hits and drawing nine walks in a 15-6 victory. They followed with a much different kind of performance against Muskogee, relying on pitching and defense to earn a 3-1 win.
Those two games offered an early glimpse at the different ways Claremore believes it can win.
Much of the offensive responsibility will begin with seniors Addison Reavis and Riley Fay.
Reavis is coming off a season in which she led the Lady Zebras in both batting average and RBIs, earning the team's offensive player of the year honor. She has shown no signs of slowing down this preseason, including a 3-for-3 performance against Muskogee.
“We're looking to get what we got out of her last year and some more,” Eddy said. “She's been working super, super hard over the offseason. She missed one week this summer, and it was for Jesus. She missed it for church camp. So other than that, she hit every day and she kind of led our group and our offseason lifts and everything else. She's been a really, really, really big leader for us so far.”
Fay provides a different type of pressure.
She broke the program's stolen-base record last season and brings leadership that stretches beyond softball. Eddy praised her involvement throughout the school and the example she provides for her teammates.
“She's she's been a leader for us on and off the field since she was a freshman, and she's an NHS officer and a student-council officer,” Eddy said. “She is involved in just about everything our school offers, and she is very, very high up in either being the president or vice president of every association she's in.”
Junior Bella Weaver gives Claremore another dangerous bat after posting one of the team's best averages last season.
Then there is Alexis Morton.
Morton has been a fixture in the circle since her freshman season and enters the fall as the Lady Zebras' top pitching option.
She already knows what it feels like to carry that responsibility on the biggest stage after playing in the Lady Zebras' opening game at the state tournament last year.
Her preseason outing against Muskogee provided another encouraging sign.
Morton worked 6 1/3 innings and allowed only 1 run on 7 hits without issuing a walk. She struck out 3 and also helped herself offensively with a triple and double.
Claire Pilkington will take over much of the work behind the plate. Although capable of playing several positions, Eddy expects her primary responsibility to be catching this season.
“Now it's her turn behind the dish, and she can play,” Eddy said. “She's one of those players that can absolutely play anywhere. We put her in left field. We can put her at third or short. She can pitch a little bit, so she's kind of a Swiss Army knife for us. She can do anything, but she's gonna catch primarily for us this year.”
Sophomore Tilly Andrews could provide another important bat after working her way back from an ACL injury. She has already flashed that potential, collecting multiple hits and driving in a run against Union.
Alexa Reed and Presley Stimson are also expected to see increased roles as Claremore works through its lineup combinations.
The pieces may change, but Eddy wants the motivation behind them to remain constant.
“For the Brand” isn't merely something printed on a shirt.
The Lady Zebras turned the slogan into a team-building exercise during the preseason. With assistance from an agriculture teacher, they held a ceremony in which they branded wooden home plates.
The message was about more than protecting the reputation of Claremore softball. Eddy wants his players competing for the name across the front of their uniforms and, more importantly, for one another.
“We talked about playing for each other and the team aspect of it, and all of that was kind of part of it,” Eddy said.
They will get opportunities to test that mentality almost immediately.
Claremore opens its season at the Trina Wheeler Festival in Pryor before making another early trip to the Chisholm Trail Festival in Tuttle. Both events will throw the Lady Zebras into quality competition before they've had much time to settle into the season.
The district won't offer many breaks, either.
Collinsville, Pryor and Bishop Kelley highlight a difficult slate of district opponents, making each matchup important as Claremore attempts to position itself for another postseason run.
Lady Zebra fans will have to wait a little longer to see the team at home. Claremore's home opener isn't scheduled until Aug. 25 against Collinsville, not including games hosted in the Rogers State Festival.
By then, Eddy should know considerably more about how his new pieces fit around an accomplished returning core.
Replacing two All-Staters won't be easy, but for a program accustomed to playing meaningful softball when the calendar turns to October, the objective hasn't changed.
The Lady Zebras are playing for the brand.
Continue reading...
Now, a new-look group of Lady Zebras will be charged with protecting it.
That makes the team's 2026 slogan particularly fitting: “For the Brand.”
Coach Jon Eddy's squad enters the fall needing to replace a pair of All-Staters in Avery Hyde and Amaeli Foster, but the cupboard is far from bare.
Claremore returns several of its most productive players from last season, including its leading run producer, record-setting base stealer and pitcher who already has state-tournament experience.
“It's always kind of hard to replace All-Staters,” Eddy said. “They're a really integral part of our group. But we got everybody else back, and we got a couple of new freshmen.”
Claremore's depth could make that transition easier.
Three freshmen — Bella Michael, Kenlee Stegall and Caroline Messner — have joined a roster with enough versatility for Eddy to describe his options as almost “plug and play.”
That depth has already been evident during the preseason.
The Lady Zebras erupted for 15 runs in three innings during a recent scrimmage against Union, collecting 10 hits and drawing nine walks in a 15-6 victory. They followed with a much different kind of performance against Muskogee, relying on pitching and defense to earn a 3-1 win.
Those two games offered an early glimpse at the different ways Claremore believes it can win.
Much of the offensive responsibility will begin with seniors Addison Reavis and Riley Fay.
Reavis is coming off a season in which she led the Lady Zebras in both batting average and RBIs, earning the team's offensive player of the year honor. She has shown no signs of slowing down this preseason, including a 3-for-3 performance against Muskogee.
“We're looking to get what we got out of her last year and some more,” Eddy said. “She's been working super, super hard over the offseason. She missed one week this summer, and it was for Jesus. She missed it for church camp. So other than that, she hit every day and she kind of led our group and our offseason lifts and everything else. She's been a really, really, really big leader for us so far.”
Fay provides a different type of pressure.
She broke the program's stolen-base record last season and brings leadership that stretches beyond softball. Eddy praised her involvement throughout the school and the example she provides for her teammates.
“She's she's been a leader for us on and off the field since she was a freshman, and she's an NHS officer and a student-council officer,” Eddy said. “She is involved in just about everything our school offers, and she is very, very high up in either being the president or vice president of every association she's in.”
Junior Bella Weaver gives Claremore another dangerous bat after posting one of the team's best averages last season.
Then there is Alexis Morton.
Morton has been a fixture in the circle since her freshman season and enters the fall as the Lady Zebras' top pitching option.
She already knows what it feels like to carry that responsibility on the biggest stage after playing in the Lady Zebras' opening game at the state tournament last year.
Her preseason outing against Muskogee provided another encouraging sign.
Morton worked 6 1/3 innings and allowed only 1 run on 7 hits without issuing a walk. She struck out 3 and also helped herself offensively with a triple and double.
Claire Pilkington will take over much of the work behind the plate. Although capable of playing several positions, Eddy expects her primary responsibility to be catching this season.
“Now it's her turn behind the dish, and she can play,” Eddy said. “She's one of those players that can absolutely play anywhere. We put her in left field. We can put her at third or short. She can pitch a little bit, so she's kind of a Swiss Army knife for us. She can do anything, but she's gonna catch primarily for us this year.”
Sophomore Tilly Andrews could provide another important bat after working her way back from an ACL injury. She has already flashed that potential, collecting multiple hits and driving in a run against Union.
Alexa Reed and Presley Stimson are also expected to see increased roles as Claremore works through its lineup combinations.
The pieces may change, but Eddy wants the motivation behind them to remain constant.
“For the Brand” isn't merely something printed on a shirt.
The Lady Zebras turned the slogan into a team-building exercise during the preseason. With assistance from an agriculture teacher, they held a ceremony in which they branded wooden home plates.
The message was about more than protecting the reputation of Claremore softball. Eddy wants his players competing for the name across the front of their uniforms and, more importantly, for one another.
“We talked about playing for each other and the team aspect of it, and all of that was kind of part of it,” Eddy said.
They will get opportunities to test that mentality almost immediately.
Claremore opens its season at the Trina Wheeler Festival in Pryor before making another early trip to the Chisholm Trail Festival in Tuttle. Both events will throw the Lady Zebras into quality competition before they've had much time to settle into the season.
The district won't offer many breaks, either.
Collinsville, Pryor and Bishop Kelley highlight a difficult slate of district opponents, making each matchup important as Claremore attempts to position itself for another postseason run.
Lady Zebra fans will have to wait a little longer to see the team at home. Claremore's home opener isn't scheduled until Aug. 25 against Collinsville, not including games hosted in the Rogers State Festival.
By then, Eddy should know considerably more about how his new pieces fit around an accomplished returning core.
Replacing two All-Staters won't be easy, but for a program accustomed to playing meaningful softball when the calendar turns to October, the objective hasn't changed.
The Lady Zebras are playing for the brand.
Continue reading...
