Here come the Braves.

After a relatively slow start to the year, the Banks High School softball team is streaking.

Banks dropped four of their first six games this season and at one point were just 4-5. But since a narrow defeat to Yamhill-Carlton on April 15, the Braves have won seven straight games and are reaping the rewards of a schedule designed to get them where they are now, and hopefully beyond.

“We purposely scheduled our preseason to be challenging this year because of the talent we had coming up, and I think it was intimidating for this young team to go up against these top teams full of upperclassmen,” Banks head coach Karla Colton said. “As we gained some experience and realized we can actually compete and even win, the team as a whole is much more confident.”

To say Banks is young would be an understatement. If you’re looking for a senior on their roster, you won’t find one. In fact, you’ll only find two juniors, Brooklynn Robinson and Keiauna Prevost. Beyond that, the Braves have five sophomores and six freshmen. But while undoubtedly wet behind the ears, Colton said there’s an energy about them that allows them to overcome the experience they clearly lack.

“Working with this team is great,” the coach said. “A majority of them have been playing club ball together for years and it really shows in their energy and understanding of each other on the field. There’s a lot of trust. As the season progresses the team as a whole is becoming a cohesive unit that remains focused on our end goals and they just keep getting better.”

That has been apparent over the last few weeks and specifically, this past week against Rainier who came into the three-game series with the Braves also fighting for space at the top of the Coastal Range League standings.

But while things didn’t go well for the Columbians, things went exceptionally for Banks who swept the series and outscored Rainier by a combined total of 51-11 — which was music to Colton’s ears.

“One of our goals this season is to be undefeated league champs and they (Rainier) were the last team we had to face this season,” she said. “You never really know what type of talent is coming up every year and last year Rainier was a challenge for us, so we were determined to come out strong against them this last week. Getting the first win against them was great and really set the tone and expectation for the following two later in the week.”

The team is led by team captains Sydney Phillips and Khloe Long.

Phillips, the team’s starting center fielder, is an impeccable defender and is the team’s vocal leader.

Meanwhile, Long is leading by example, sacrificing what she does best in the interests of filling a hole in the team’s roster.

“We actually don’t have a seasoned catcher on the team this year, so Khloe stepped up and took on the role that we badly needed to fill,” Colton said. “She is working hard every single day to get better behind the plate and support her team. Her leadership shines through in her work ethic and attitude. She is always pushing herself and those around her follow suit.”

That selflessness is contagious too, is apparent throughout the roster and is one of the things Colton believes — in addition to chemistry and drive — makes this team go.

“The strength of this team is their connection and their mental fortitude,” the coach said. “These girls are bonded through years of playing with each other and are mentally strong enough to constantly push themselves and their expectations further. They trust each other to get the job done, no matter who the ball is hit to or where in the line up we’re at. They play unselfishly and are full of support for one another.”

They’re not perfect, however, and remain a work in progress.

Colton said that despite their consistency and positive attitude, they sometimes lack the fire necessary to maintain their focus for the entirety of a game. That has cost them at times this season and is something they’re continuing to work on in an effort to get where they want to go.

And where’s that? The top of the mountain per their coach.

“We do talk about goals and one of our main focuses every day, at every practice and every game are attitude, effort and trust,” Colton said. “As long as we are giving our 100%, staying positive, and supporting each other, we are meeting our biggest goal. In terms of measurable goals, we are going for it all. We want to be undefeated league champions and we want to be state champions at the end of the year.”