Jack Freedman is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication student assigned to cover Desert Mountain High School for AZPreps365.com.

On a late Arizona evening last May, as the final catch was made in the Arizona 5A State Championship, Desert Mountain High School was finally able to breathe after a long season. 

Players sprinted onto the field, all coming together to celebrate their outstanding achievement. For their second straight year, the Wolves became state champions, cementing their status as a dominant force in softball. 

Just two years earlier, however, a back-to-back state championship was not in the cards for Desert Mountain.

“The pieces just fell into place, we knew we could do something pretty cool with this team,” pitcher and first baseman Lilly Goodwin said. 

It’s the softball program that changed its narrative, transforming itself from a regional contender into a state powerhouse. Desert Mountain’s rise echoes more than just one standout player or season. It all starts from a more profound commitment to development, changes in leadership, increased buy-in from the school, and a culture with the highest expectations. 

As the Wolves get deeper into chasing a historic three-peat, the main question isn’t whether they can win it all again or not but how they built a powerhouse that’s reshaping what we know about high school softball in Arizona. 

For most of this past decade, the Desert Mountain softball team sat just below greatness. The Wolves continuously posted winning seasons and postseason berths, but deep playoff runs continued to elude them. 

In 2016, they suffered a disappointing first-round exit to their rivals Chaparral. In 2021, the story stayed the same, losing to Mountain View Marana after a very promising regular season. 

It all turned around in 2022, when a young group of talent jumped onto the scene, including then-freshman Lilly Goodwin, who arrived alongside new teammates and new leadership.

“We had good teams in the past, but it was never consistent,” said head coach Chris Fredericks, who has led this program for almost a decade. “We had to reset a little bit, " said coach Fredericks.   “We wanted to start fresh to really build up the program.”

In that year, Desert Mountain finished with a 17-1 record and obtained its goal, winning its first state championship with a 4-2 win over Willow Canyon, and for the following year came another 17-1 campaign and another championship, this time with a 3-1 victory over Canyon View. 

Now, in the heart of the 2025 season, Desert Mountain is picking up right where it left off.

The Wolves are 18-0 overall, 16-0 in conference play, and 12-0 in East Sky regional matchups. With the postseason quickly approaching, they’re the No. 1-ranked team in the 5A Conference with no signs of slowing down. 

“This team is always prepared,” Fredericks said. “They take pride in wearing our jersey. They are excited to keep showing everyone what they can do.”

Opponents now see the Wolves not just as a tough team, but as the team to beat. That pressure seems only to fuel these young athletes. 

“Every game feels like it means more,” said Goodwin. “We all feel that target on our back, but we use it as fuel."

The Wolves’ climb isn’t just about pure talent; it’s about leadership. And it is all built from Chris Fredericks, the anchor behind the team’s transformation. 

Fredericks has led the Desert Mountain softball program for the past nine seasons, building a foundation of discipline, development and belief. For his impeccable coaching, Fredericks was named AIA 5A Conference Coach of the Year for the 2023-2024 season. 

Fredericks joined the Desert Mountain staff in 1997 and was the wrestling head coach for 19 years, producing 14 All-State wrestlers and four state championships. He was also named the Desert Valley Wrestling Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2008. 

He also had some success during his college career. Fredericks played football at Kaneland High School in Illinois, Scottsdale Community College and the University of Northern Iowa, where he became a member of an NCAA Division I-AA, now Football Championship Series, semifinalist team. 

Fredericks obtained a master’s from the Keller Graduate School of Management and became a teacher at Desert Mountain until he retired from teaching in 2023.

While Goodwin continues to be the face of the program, the Wolves aren’t a one-player show. Their depth is what has propelled them to the top of the standings.

Goodwin, the reigning 2023-2024 Gatorade Softball Player of the Year, from the batter's box to the pitching mound, sets the tone for the team’s performance and intensity.

Many upperclassmen have grown into veteran leaders. Younger players are stepping up in significant ways when it matters most. The whole team is prepared for whatever comes their way.

“We don’t really care about who plays the most,” said senior rightfielder Taylor Sullivan. “We all want to win at the end of the day."

The program has also seen a big jump in community support. Attendance at games has skyrocketed, and local businesses have stepped in to sponsor equipment and uniforms. The success is generating even more interest as a desired school to attend.

“It’s cool to see all the support we’ve been getting,” said John Tokach, assistant varsity coach for the Wolves. “These girls truly deserve it.”

As talk of a three-peat grows louder with each game, the possibility is turning into expectation. 

For the Wolves program, the focus stays the same: preparation, composure and consistency. The whole squad is not letting up.

“Championships are great, but we want to grow something everlasting,” said Fredericks. “We want to build something people will remember.”

For Goodwin, she looks to play Division I softball when she graduates and plans to leave a mark wherever she ends up. 

“We changed what people thought our softball team could be,” she said. “We hope to prove what we can do again this year.”