Staff file photo / Neel Madhavan Canfield senior pitcher Paris Lindgren pitches during a game against Boardman last season.

CANFIELD — Kerry Durkin has been around the Canfield softball program for years.

The Cardinals’ new head coach had spent the previous six years as Canfield’s junior varsity coach, including the last three years under former head coach Michael Kernan. Prior to that, he also coached his daughter’s travel ball and rec league teams.

So when the school offered Durkin the position after Kernan took the head coaching job at Thiel College in November, he felt obliged to accept it.

“I always want to give back to what softball gave to [my family],” Durkin said. “I think Mike wanted me to take it. I’d have been happy to continue in the role I was. I’ve always coached Canfield kids. My kids are from Canfield, so it’s a community thing. It was offered to me, and I thought long and hard about the pros and cons and everything. … I knew probably, if I didn’t take this — I just turned 60, so probably wasn’t going to be something I’d ever do if I didn’t do it now. So that’s how I got here.”

During Kernan’s tenure, Canfield was the Division II state runner-up in 2023 and won the Division II state championship in 2024.

Durkin said he’s aiming to keep the Cardinals on the upward trajectory that they’ve been on the past few seasons.

“Canfield has always been a great softball program, and I think Mike brought it to a bit of a crescendo two years ago with the state championship,” Durkin said. “I think I want to just continue the success of this program and continue to really be one of the better programs in the area.”

Durkin’s appointment provides continuity for Canfield with his familiarity with both the players and the program, especially as the Cardinals have their sights set on returning to regionals and state after losing to Aurora in the district final last season.

“Last year, it was upsetting because we did have high expectations for our team,” senior catcher and St. Bonaventure-signee Leah Figueroa said. “Unfortunately, things didn’t go the way we wanted it to. But it does give us motivation this year. We’re going to try to win more and move further past districts.”

Despite graduating five seniors last spring, Canfield has no shortage of experience returning, with eight seniors leading the way.

Jenna Triveri is the Cardinals’ leading returning hitter after batting .470 last year. Then, Figueroa, Sofia Castronova, Jenna Havrilla, Sami Economous and Columbia College (S.C.) signee Caylee Ortiz each all batted over .300 last season as juniors.

“Last year really brought us all together, so I think we have a really good group,” Ortiz said. “We all have good team chemistry. We’re going to bring our team together, and we’re going to get the wins that we need to get.”

Having been a fixture behind the plate since she was a freshman, Figueroa was an all-state catcher two years ago, and last season, she led the team with eight home runs, while also driving in 32 RBIs. Canfield also added senior Ursuline transfer Brooke O’Palick, who Durkin said will start in left field.

“When you bring back eight seniors, three pitchers who have varsity experience and seven starters from those eight, the expectations have to be high,” Durkin said. “We’re going to lean on our experience. It’s helped me transition to lean into them a little bit. … These girls have been there, they’re battle-tested. Experience, I think, is going to help us a lot. I don’t think they’re going to panic. I don’t think the moment is going to be too big for them. I think they’re ready for that moment.”

Of the younger players expected to contribute, Durkin said sophomore Sophia Payne will play in right field, while junior Kamryn Moyer will take over at first base. Sophomores Kitt Testa and Sophia Seiple and juniors Lily Rich and Makayla Brown will also see at-bats throughout the season.

Then in the circle, the Cardinals have three seasoned options that each garnered a ton of varsity innings last year.

Ortiz (8-3) received the bulk of the work with a 3.65 ERA in 74 2/3 innings last season. Fellow senior Paris Lindgren (4-0) pitched 35 2/3 innings with a 3.72 ERA, while sophomore Camryn Hrina (9-2) had a 3.79 ERA in 59 innings.

“Paris is going to be our changeup pitcher between the two. Caylee and Cam, similar speed, similar spin, but Paris is completely different. She has a lot more spin, a great curve ball, and I think that’s good to break those two up,” Durkin said. “If I go four innings with Caylee, I could slide Paris in there for an inning or two, then finish with Cam or vice versa because it’s a different look. That’s what you want these hitters seeing is something different.”

Canfield will have its hands full in the All-American Conference with Austintown Fitch, Boardman and Howland. But the Cardinals will be plenty tested in non-conference play as well in preparation for the postseason.

The schedule includes teams like West Branch, Green, Steubenville, Chardon, South Range, Poland, Champion and Walsh Jesuit, in addition to the out-of-state teams during its annual spring break trip.

“I’d like to win the AAC and these kids want to win it, but we know it’s not going to be easy. The AAC is arguably, probably one of the top conferences in the state of Ohio,” Durkin said. “Even after the AAC, I think our ultimate goal — we want to be district champions. Then after you get past districts, you get to regionals and anything can happen.”