As a junior, Courtney Ford was expected to be a contributor. She was the No. 3 pitcher on a strong staff and delivered a big hit in the playoffs.

Now she's a leader, one of six seniors on a Bryan Lady Viking softball team that narrowly missed advancing to the state tournament a year ago.

The team changes, but the goals don't. The playoffs are the expectation, and the state tournament is the goal.

"In offseason, the seniors run first," Ford said. "We're expected to be first. We have to talk people into things and keep everything upbeat."

She should know how, as a key member of the clutch 2007 Bryan squad that fought eventual state champion Garland before falling in the decisive regional final game, 1-0, in a 13-inning game.

As the Lady Vikings try to reach their goals in 2008, Ford will split much of the time in the pitching circle with fellow senior Michelle Stratta.

"I think we are a good pitching team because we are both different," said Ford, who has signed to pitch at West Texas A&M next season. "I'm a little faster than her, but she has good movement. She has a real good knuckleball and I have a good curve."

Ford appreciates the difficulty that may present for opponents if she and Stratta pitch in the same game.

"We are so different and it would be so hard to adjust," said Ford, who also plays in the outfield. "I really want to carry some weight this year and I would like to take us far."

Bryan coach Enrique Luna thinks veteran leadership will be the key to the Lady Vikings' success. Only five seniors return and a sixth joins the Lady Vikes.

"For the most part, I think it's going to be the seniors," Luna said. "I don't think the season ended the way [Ford] wanted it to end last year, but she's had a good offseason and a good spring so far."

Ford helped set an example by staying prepared when she was a junior. While her pitching opportunities dwindled as the Lady Vikings fought their way to within a game of the state tournament, Ford made one of the biggest plays of the season. She had a pinch hit and scored a run in the eighth inning of a series-clinching victory over Plano West that pushed Bryan into the regional final.

"It was really hard, but I had been working hard," Ford said. "It was great to have the opportunity to do it and I wanted to make the best of it."

Luna said that hit was a big moment in Ford's development as a player.

"I think that was huge for her, giving her momentum going into this year," Luna said. "I know it's not easy being a junior, being on the bench a lot and not getting a lot of time."

Despite a solid core of returning players, Ford understands there will be challenges with a young team. She says she won't have to look far into the past to show that that challenge can be overcome.

"It did happen last year," the right-hander said. "All they did was look at our losses, but the thing is we played so many hard teams and so many more games. It's the same thing this year. Playing the hard teams get us prepared for the playoffs."

Pitchers know how to throw a change, but dealing with it on their team is another matter. There will be plenty of change for the Lady Vikings this year.

"It think we are going to do really well," Ford said. "Everyone is working really hard and while we lost a lot of starters from last year, we've really made up for it."

The most notable change for the Lady Vikings is Luna's promotion to head coach after Janice Williamson became Bryan's asssistant athletic director.

"We joke about the fact that Coach Williamson has 419 wins and I have zero, so no pressure from that aspect," Luna said with a smile. "I'm not as quick with the signals. Her fingers opened up more than mine. On mine, with the old sports injuries, they don't open up as well."

Tradition helps, and the seniors on this team have advanced farther in the playoffs each year. The stated goal for all Bryan teams, though, is to get to the state tournament.

Along with pitchers Ford and Stratta, the senior leadership includes catcher Calli Wood, who will play some games at shortstop this year, and outfielders Kristin Lara and Amber Binder. Lara may spend some time behind the plate as well.

"They are a good class and they mix well with one another," Luna said. "The key on our team as a whole is that everybody is very versatile. Everybody can play different positions. There's not just one set position."

Ford thinks the Lady Vikings can achieve their lofty goals.

"People are not going to be expecting us to do as well since we lost so many [players]," Ford said. "I think we might surprise some people.

"Our expectations are high and our coach's expectations are high. We want to make it to state this year."

• David Campbell's e-mail address is david.campbell@theeagle.com.

FORD UP CLOSE

FAVORITE FOOD: Greek food

FAVORITE TV SHOWS: All of the "CSI" shows

IN MY .MP3 PLAYER NOW: Fall Out Boy

FAVORITE MOVIE: "Fever Pitch"

FAVORITE VEHICLE: Ford F-150 pickup ("a black one")

Bryan Lady Vikings Roster

No. Player Cl. Pos. B/T

1 Courtney Ford Sr. P/OF R/R

2 Kristin Lara Sr C/OF L/R

3 Tinesha Johnson Sr. OF R/R

4 Brandi Garcia So. 2B/OF R/R

5 Ashley Lara So. SS/2B/3B R/R

8 Jennifer Saxby So. C/1B/3B R/R

9 Michelle Stratta Sr. P/1B/2B R/R

12 Amber Binder Sr. OF R/R

14 Calli Wood Sr. C/SS/OF R/R

16 Jennifer Kasper So. P/1B/2B/OF R/R

17 Kaitlyn Hathcox So. 3B/OF R/R

18 Patty Gorzycki Fr. OF L/R

22 Taylor Dohnalik Fr. 2B/SS/OF R/R

23 Allison Ricke Jr. P/2B/OF L/R