The expectations were set from Day 1 when New Prague softball coach Nat Wagner handed each of his players a team-policy binder before the first practice.

Scrawled on the front cover were three goals:

Win conference. Win sections. Win state.

“We set our sights high,” Wagner said with a laugh. “Any why not?”

Well, for starters, the Trojans have exactly zero seniors on their roster this season. Instead, they have five middle-schoolers and five freshmen on a 16-girl team.

And there’s this: As a program, New Prague never had accomplished even one of those goals — not one league title and not one trip to state, ever.

Those goals might have been laughable to a lot of people around the state before the season, Wagner said, but never to his players. Now it’s his team getting the last laugh.

A week after closing out the Missota Conference championship, New Prague (18-5) defeated Prior Lake 2-0 in the Class 3A, Section 2 title game. The Trojans play Maple Grove on Thursday in the first round of the state tournament in Mankato.

“There wasn’t a doubt we’d ever be at this point,” said freshman catcher Taylor Koehnen, who is batting .403 with a team-best 22 RBI. “We’ve worked too hard not to believe we’d get here.”

Team first

Koehnen, one of the many standout young players on the Trojan squad, epitomizes the squad’s team-first nature, Wagner said.

The natural third baseman, whom her coach said is one of the best in the state, is filling a need behind the plate instead and has anchored a stifling defense.

She’s helped the Trojan pitchers to a team ERA of just 1.38. Freshman Nichole Reed has an ERA of 0.59 and 120 strikouts in 82⅔ innings.

For her part, Koehnen, who drove in the winning run in the section championship, simply shrugs.

“We’re just a family,” she said of her teammates. “When you’re focused on helping each other and being a team, it’s easy to play for each other. It makes you play better.”

Junior Maddie Giesen said it’s that winning culture that has transformed the Trojans into a legitimate title threat.

“The team culture is not like any I’ve played on before,” Giesen said. “We’ve worked so hard, we play for each other, and we expect to win. We have total faith in each other.”

Two down, one to go

New Prague has eight players hitting over .340 heading into this week’s state tournanment. Among players with more than 20 at-bats, Giesen leads the way, hitting .452.

And the team has committed just 38 errors in 23 games.

New Prague still will be looked at as a long shot to win the title, Giesen said., But with two goals already accomplished, the Trojans are relishing their underdog role.

“It’s cool when everyone underestimates you and you go out and do this,” she said. “We come out to play every day, and we expect to win. That’s not going to change.”