Stuart Softball
Senior leadership is the engine that powers the future of athletic teams. And the Stuart Hornets have a pair this season that definitelyfill the bill. Keeli Treat and Reagan Wade both play softball and basketball for Stuart.
“I call them every 15-year players. They’re the kind of kids you get to coach only once in a while,” said Hornet head coach Jeff Parnell. “They’re both very competitive and hate to lose and the kind of players coaches dream of having. They’re both very vocal and communicate well with the younger players and take control of things.”
Keeli is a pitcher who set a state record last year with 417 strikeouts while Reagan is a standout at third base. Both have already staked a claim to play at the next level with Keeli committing to Murray State while Regan is set to go to Rose State.
Both also had teams and individuals that served as role models as they were growing up.
“When I was young, I followed Keilani Rickets from OU and then in middle school I looked up to Neleigh Herring who was on our high school team,” said Keeli. “I admired her work ethic, and I wanted to be just like her.”
“I followed OU and OSU softball growing up and watched Jenni Finch (helped Arizona to College World Series title in 2001 and an Olympic gold medal in 2004 and then the Chicago Bandits),” said Reagan.
Stuart is a softball icon having been to state in either fast pitch or slow pitch most years or sometimes both as in 2023 and they won the state fastpitch title in 2022. It’s with that legacy in mind that the girls talked about goals for their senior year.
Reagan’s goals were pretty simple. “I want to be ranked number one, go undefeated and take state again,” she said. Keeli’s goals were a little more specific. “I’d really like to improve on my strikeout record but we have a good second pitcher this year so I might not be able to do that but getting to and winning state again is high on the list.
And both are confident that the Hornets have what it takes to make it back to state at least once this school year.
