Central Valley's baseball returnees were not only greeted by a new head coach instilling his philosophy, but basically by an entirely new staff.

Mike Amend brings Kevin Stocker on board with the varsity and has added Rusty Shellhorn as pitching coach. Jeramie Maupin will handle the junior varsity, Luke Reynor the freshmen and Jared Lacefield will also help.

Shellhorn, a 2008 CV grad, was one of six pitchers who made up perhaps the finest Greater Spokane League mound group from various teams in league history, with all going on to college and professional careers. He pitched at Washington State and Texas Tech and just completed a three-year pro stint.

It will be a collaborative effort, Amend said. Stocker, a Liberty Lake resident who played in the Major League with Philadelphia and Tampa Bay, is a huge resource. Maupin's father-in-law is former longtime Cheney High School coach Terry Regnier.

"It's kind of a fresh start and new approach for sure," Amend said. "What I've told (the players) is to play hard, play clean and play fast. We want to apply pressure."

Among key returnees are All-GSL outfielder Colton Peha and pitcher/first baseman Austin Bergdahl, who Amend said can play at the "next level." Also back are outfielder/pitcher Jackson Axtell, third baseman/pitcher Randy Edwards, shortstop/pitcher Rusty Ford, newcomer infielder Nick McInnes and outfielder Michael Swanson.

"(Retired coach) Barry Poffenroth left a lot of good things in place," Amend said. "We're excited."

CV's two non-league games were a 2-1 loss to Lake City and 10-10 draw with Coeur d'Alene. The Bears opened the 18-game Greater Spokane League season with a 5-1 win at Mead. 

Central Valley softball proved last fall it had the hitting. With a team made up largely of the same players who won the district slow pitch championship this fall, it remains to be seen if the offense can carry the Bears this spring.

Pitching star Carli Riordan has graduated. Makenna Wasteney and Hannah Anderson are in charge.

All-League shortstop Shayla Vegas anchors the infield and provides a big bat, and the team is bolstered by state-placing volleyball standouts Jade and Meghan Rockwood.

When CV's boys soccer team opened the season with a pair of non-league matches, Eastmont and West Valley received a double whammy.

Varsity veteran J.D. Hauenstein, a junior, scored twice during the Bears 3-1 victory over Eastmont in Wenatchee.

A few days later, younger brother Davin, moving up from junior varsity, torched West Valley for four goals in an 8-0 romp.

"They were both completely different teams," coach Andres Monrroy wrote via text message. "We played a really weak WV team. I played many JV players during that game."

Monrroy figures CV will contend for a GSL title.

"I like our chances of winning it!" he texted.

Boys and girls track and field teams are not shy in borrowing from the other sports, which was the reason for last year's success, and why the girls team is hoping to repeat.

A case in point: Freshman basketball standout Lacie Hull turned out, and during the Howard Dolphin Invitational at West Valley long jumped 16 feet, 2.5 inches to finish third in her high school debut.

CV's girls 4x400 relay team had recorded the fourth best state mark of 4 minutes, 19.7 seconds at season's beginning.

League meets begin April 1.