Coach: Kevin James
Coach Kevin James and the Chickasha Fightin’ Chicks are leaning into a youth movement this spring, but they will be guided by a proven core of returners on the mound and at the plate. With four starters back in the lineup and three experienced arms in the rotation, Chickasha expects to remain a contender in Class 4A.
Senior right-hander Brody Ross headlines the staff after a dominant 2025 campaign and will again be asked to set the tone on both sides of the ball. The 6-foot-5 McLennan Community College commit went 8-2 last season, working 57.1 innings with a 2.44 ERA while holding opponents to a .230 average, and he added 85 strikeouts against 25 walks. At the plate, Ross hit .319 with a .402 on-base percentage and drove in 18 runs, giving Chickasha a true two-way anchor in the middle of the order. “On the field I want to do the best I can to help my team win, and play as hard as I can,” Ross said. “My personal goals are going to win a state championship, have no losses on the mound and compete at the plate.”
Fellow senior pitcher Kiefer Woods provides another veteran presence on the hill after logging 20.1 innings last year with a stingy 1.37 ERA. The Eastern Oklahoma State College commit allowed just four earned runs, showing the efficiency James will lean on in big district games. “My confidence is a lot higher in my abilities, and I am ready to go to work,” Woods said. “Our team chemistry is very high, and we all are working towards the same goal.”
Behind that senior duo, junior right-hander and outfielder Tyson Owens gives Chickasha versatility and velocity. Owens tossed 44.2 innings in 2025, going 4-3 with three saves, a 2.03 ERA and a .199 opponent average, while also swiping 12 bases without getting caught. Offensively, he hit .235 with 17 RBIs and 19 runs scored, providing spark in multiple phases of the game.
At the plate, juniors Lane Jay and Javier Nieto will be key to replacing lost production from last year’s lineup. Jay showed star potential as a sophomore, batting .404 with a .553 slugging percentage in 2024, and drove in 24 runs last season despite a dip to .242. Nieto added 21 RBIs and 22 runs in 2025 and showed patience with 16 walks, giving James a reliable table-setter with defensive experience on the infield.
James knows the group will be tested by a demanding schedule, but he believes the balance of seasoned seniors and emerging underclassmen gives Chickasha a chance to make another postseason push. As Ross put it, the standard is clear: “We are all trying to win and do our best, we are trying to go back to state and make a run.”
