SHORELINE — Few coaches possess the confidence to predict great things for a fledgling program. Of those, even fewer actually reach such lofty goals.

But most new programs don’t flourish like the Shoreline Christian softball team has. After posting a 4-9 record their first season, the Crusaders spun a quick U-turn in 2002 to finish 13-4.

Now in the early stages of its third season, Shoreline Christian’s hopes don’t seem so improbable.

“Our goal is to win state,” head coach Jim Hunsaker said. “We know we can get there.”

So how did a group of small, young, inexperienced girls get so good, so confident, so fast?

“I knew these girls had the talent,” Hunsaker said. “They’ve just developed so quickly. Keeping their focus (in practice) is a little difficult sometimes, but when they’re on the field they’re 100 percent — they’re ready to play.”

“Their athletic ability has just grown,” assistant coach Todd Wold added. “They’re really built as a team.”

The Crusaders lost just one player from last year’s squad and the future seems bright.

“We’re funneling in freshman now so that we are going to keep (the success) going,” Wold said.

Shoreline Christian’s top returning players include junior pitchers Heather Waller and Anne-Marie Hunsaker and junior shortstop Allison Vanderwerff, who has hit better than .400 the past two seasons.

“(Vanderwerff) is very knowledgeable,” coach Hunsaker said. “She’s got it together. She’s kind of the captain of the infield.”

Vanderwerff, who bats leadoff, also brings speed and a variety of weapons to the plate.

“She’s a spectacular contact hitter,” Wold said. “She’s working on a few new aspects of her hitting, like slap bunting. And she can steal (bases) on any catcher in the league.”

While offensive pop is important, Shoreline Christian’s emergence sprouts from the mound.

“We’ve developed our pitching,” coach Hunsaker said. “That’s the key. In girls fastpitch, it’s all about pitching.”

When the program began, Waller and Anne-Marie Hunsaker had never pitched, but now their hurling dominates the competition.

“They’ve done an excellent job of working at it,” coach Hunsaker said.

This year, Waller — strictly a fastball pitcher the past two seasons — has developed a screwball and a changeup to keep hitters guessing.

“Our goal is to put a little doubt in the batter’s mind,” coach Hunsaker said. “When the hitter comes up, they don’t know what to expect.”

Prior to becoming a fastpitch hurler, Waller had only a few seasons of slowpitch softball under her belt.

“Learning the wind-up was hard,” Waller said. “That was a lot more difficult.”

But Waller seemingly attained the skill as fast as the time it now takes one of her pitches to zing across the plate.

“(Waller) is going to be one of the top pitchers in the league,” Wold said.

The coaches also praised junior center fielder Anjel Wahlman, who replaces the Crusaders’ lone graduate.

“(Wahlman) is taking over a leadership position,” Wold said. “She works hard and she knows her game. She’s got a gun for an arm and she’s one of our top three fastest players.”

Freshman outfielder Kara Fertello is the fastest, Wold said, while freshman Jennifer Waller, Heather’s younger sister, “is a dynamite outfielder, one of the best on the team.”

Shoreline Christian opened its season against three larger schools, including a 3-2 extra-inning victory over Cedar Park Christian March 24.

Chalk up another confidence boost for Shoreline Christian — Cedar Park knocked the Crusaders out of playoff contention last season.

“That was pretty nice. It was three years in the making,” Vanderwerff said of the victory.

The Crusaders plan to continue their swift climb.

“Going to state is definitely our goal,” Heather Waller said.

“We’ve set the standard really high,” Vanderwerff added.