For youth softball players, landing a spot on the high school varsity team plays less of a roll in determining where they end up in college than how well they perform at the travel level, which is generally deemed to be more competitive.

However, being on title-winning school teams certainly comes with its perk, like media attention and athletic resume padding.

Entering the spring season, players on the Haymarket Bobcats 12U team are preparing for a potential life of double duty. They'll be the ones feeding into the 14U Haymarket team and, in many cases, the Battlefield High School junior varsity and varsity squads.

Some of the talent is already starting to shine too.

The Bobcats started the fall season on a high note back in September, taking out the RBI Inferno in the first round of the "Loudoun Fall Open" tournament. The Bobcats split their next two games that day as well as their two games the following day.

By the time October rolled around, Garrigan noted his girls were ready to go. That brought on the Fauquier Freeze's "Freeze Fall Chill Down" tournament, during which the Bobcats racked up a 4-1 record en route to capturing second place. Though the host Freeze White team shutout Haymarket 12-0 in the championship, the Bobcats topped their other four opponents by a combined 31-10 margin, including two shutouts of their own.

In the semi-finals, southpaw Madi McClary helped launch the Bobcats into the finals with a clutch pitching performance late in the game against the Ashburn Shooting Stars won 6-5.

"They were kids that could play," said Garrigan of Ashburn.

With the bases loaded and no outs, McClary fought her way out of a jam. She stuck out one batter, forced a pop up to teammate Kristin Jamison at first base and a "rocket" line drive to straight-away centerfield roped in by the hard-charging Paige Stai.

"She made a great play," said Garrigan of Stai. As for McClary, "(She) really just turned around and rose to the situation."

McClary's pitch selection alone sets her apart from many in her position, as she throws a fastball, change up, screw ball, spliter, curve and drop ball. She pitched three games during the Fauquier tournament, her only outings of the year. Garrigan said the up-and-comer expects to join the team for the full spring season.

Meanwhile, the Bobcats also showcased this year another bright spot on the rubber with Taylor Norris, who also split time as the youngest member of the 14U squad.

"She's fantastic," said Garrigan. "She can fire the ball."

Norris ended up as the main starter for Haymarket, focusing her pitch selection on fastballs and change ups.

When other pitchers would get into trouble, "she would come in," said Garrigan, noting that she threw "fast enough to break my catcher's glove."

Curry Duffy and Shelby Harris led the team in hitting, with the former developing a reputation for being a power hitter while the latter "can do it all" as a switch hitter, according to the coach. He said Duffy also is "not afraid to get hurt" or "afraid to sacrifice her body for the team."

He mentioned an occasion in which she dove into the backstop to save up a ball that got by her glove during the first tournament of the fall in Potomac Lakes. In one motion, she scooped up the loose pitch, turned her side and slung the ball to Norris at home plate for a put-out as the two caught a runner trying to steal home.

As for expectations entering the spring, it's all about the Bobcats racking up some more Ws, according to Garrigan.

"The number one thing we need to do is to continue to win," he said, "and continue to compete with the best teams in the state."