Henley Softball Keeps Building on Tradition
The Hornets added a 15th straight Skyline title, senior honors, 100-hit milestones and a first-round playoff win.
The Henley Hornets celebrate their 2026 Skyline Conference championship, marking the program’s 15th consecutive league title. Image courtesy of Henley Hornet Softball.
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore – For Henley softball, the standard has never been quiet.
It shows up in the banners, in the expectations, in the players who return to help the next group, and in a phrase the Hornets have leaned into throughout the 2026 season: built on tradition, driven by more.
This spring, Henley added another chapter to that tradition.
The Hornets wrapped the regular season undefeated in Skyline Conference play, secured their 15th consecutive conference championship, celebrated multiple individual milestones and opened the 4A state playoffs Tuesday with a 12-8 home win over No. 10 Pendleton.
For a program with a long history of success, this season has been less about protecting the past and more about adding to it.
“Tonight wasn’t just about winning another title. It was about honoring the legacy built by every player who wore this jersey before us,” Henley head coach Scott White said after the Hornets secured the Skyline title. “We're big on that! These girls understand and practice with that mindset every day. The best part is that they just raised the bar for the ones who come next.”
The 15th consecutive Skyline Conference title came in fitting fashion, with Henley clinching against crosstown rival Mazama on Senior Night.
The moment carried extra weight for a senior class that has grown through the program while also understanding what came before it.
Senior Haydyn Higgins said the season has been about more than wins.
“To me it's just about being able to be with this group of girls and seeing how far we've come from preseason and keeping our conference title,” Higgins said. “I am also very grateful that we have older generations to look up to in our coaching staff because I think that shows us how important this program is and gives us motivation to keep moving forward nearing the end of the season.”
Henley’s success has also shown up in individual recognition.
Three Hornets, Belle Birch, Layli Segura and Gracie White, were selected for the 2026 Maddie Higgins Senior All-Star Game, giving the program another postseason spotlight and a chance for its seniors to represent Henley beyond the regular season.
Segura and White also reached major career milestones in the closing stretch of the season, each joining the 100-hit club.
Segura reached the mark first, with the program calling it “quite an amazing feat” as the Hornets prepared for Senior Night against Mazama. A few days later, White became the second Henley senior this season to reach 100 career hits.
Those accomplishments helped set the stage for Tuesday’s first-round playoff game against Pendleton, where Henley had to do more than celebrate its resume.
The Hornets had to answer.
No. 7 Henley opened with a run in the first inning before Pendleton surged ahead with four runs in the second. The Buckaroos added another run in the third, but Henley responded with five runs in the bottom half of the inning to take control.
Pendleton continued to push, scoring in the fourth and adding two more in the fifth. Henley answered with its biggest inning of the night, scoring six runs in the bottom of the fifth to build the cushion it needed.
The Hornets finished with 12 runs on 10 hits in the 12-8 win.
Makayla Schroeder delivered one of the biggest offensive performances of the game, going 2-for-3 with two home runs, four RBIs, two runs scored and a walk.
White helped power the lineup as well, going 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Segura doubled, scored a run and drove in a run. Ollie Birch doubled, scored twice, drove in two runs, walked twice and stole three bases.
Cozy Venegas added two hits and an RBI, while Belle Birch also drove in a run.
On the bases, Henley created constant pressure. Chloe Garrett stole three bases, Ollie Birch added three steals, and Venegas and Higgins each added one.
OSAA 4A State Softball Championship Quarterfinals bracket. (Click to enlarge)
In the circle, White started for Henley before Rylee Hollingsworth came on in relief and earned the win. Hollingsworth worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, while striking out five and walking none.
Pendleton finished with 11 hits, including home runs from S. Fisher and K. Primus, but Henley’s middle-inning response and offensive depth carried the Hornets into the next round.
The win sends Henley to a Friday quarterfinal matchup at No. 2 St. Helens. The OSAA 4A state bracket lists the game for 4 p.m. Friday, May 29.
The winner advances to the June 2 semifinals and will face the winner of No. 11 Gladstone and No. 3 The Dalles/Dufur.
For the Hornets, the next challenge is significant. But so is the foundation beneath them.
Cover image: The Henley Hornets are featured in a HWD Sports cover graphic celebrating a standout 2026 softball season that includes a 15th consecutive Skyline Conference title, individual milestones and a trip to the 4A state quarterfinals. Image courtesy of Henley Hornet Softball.
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