They won the regular-season district softball title for the first time since 2003. Seven players were named to all-district teams. Richie Burke was named the district's Coach of the Year.

This season, the Panthers will have to adjust to some changes.

Rappahannock lost five players from last year's squad, and four of those were all-district performers.

The Panthers have just four upperclassmen – two seniors and two juniors – on this year's team. Four sophomores and five freshmen round out the roster.

But a solid core of players is still around from last season's title team.

Among those returning are senior pitcher Crystal Heflin, senior catcher Noel Johns, junior shortstop Emily Carter, junior pitcher Amanda Smoot and sophomore outfielder Megan Lee.

Heflin and Smoot were named to the all-district first team last season; Carter was on the second team. Johns, who sat out last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, was all-district as a sophomore.

"We're young, but we've got some good talent," Burke said. "I feel very confident in the team we've got."

Despite the youth, Burke said this year's team has more depth than last year's Bull Run champs.

"We got a lot of talent; we just gotta do something with it," said Earl Mills, who this year is co-coaching the team with Burke. "I think we're gonna have the best pitching in the league, there's no question about that."

Team captains Heflin and Johns both started as freshmen, and they remember what it was like.

Heflin said just "getting used to varsity" is the biggest challenge for freshmen. Johns pointed out that the 2001 Rappahannock team that won the Group A state title had a lot of freshmen who played key roles.

The Panthers begin their regular season with a three-game homestand.

They host Warren County at 5 p.m. today at the field behind Rappahannock County Elementary School. On Saturday, they are scheduled to play Luray at 1 p.m. On Tuesday, they will play Page County at 5 p.m.

E-mail the reporter at kallen@timespapers.com.