It’s the one question on every West High coach’s mind. What will happen to their athletic program once Bedford High School opens next year?

Dan Drewniak learned faster than any other Blue Knights mentor what he needed to do to answer that question. After not having enough members to field a junior varsity softball team last year, Drewniak went to work this past offseason to recruit future players from the Manchester area.

He succeeded, drawing from middle schools and recreation programs, posting a junior varsity roster with 17 girls on it.

Drewniak’s varsity squad will include 13 players as it prepares for another playoff appearance, this time trying to make it past the first round.

“Every coach is living with what to do next year and the year after,” said Drewniak. “We really pushed the program at the middle school I work at, the AD (athletics director) really helped, everyone really did a good job of getting more people to try out and hopefully the interest will grow in the next couple years.”

After losing four seniors in Bedford’s Robin Brewster and Erin Badger, Sarah Baddely and Lauren Walch, Drewniak welcomes senior returners Melissa Vitagliano, Ashton Levis, Sarah Johnson and newcomer Darah Rockholt. Captain Vitagliano, an all-state first-team shortstop, should help lead the defensively sound Blue Knights.

Bedford juniors Lynn Brewster and Kurstin Provencher take the mound to provide solid pitching.

Brewster and Provencher’s past varsity-level pitching should help the Blue Knights in big games, said Drewniak.

“We’ll be strong on defense again,” said Drewniak. “I’ve got some good pitching, and I’d match up my defense with anyone in Class L. Offense – that’s what we say our prayers for is offense.”

Rockholt, in her first year playing high school softball, will try to battle for a spot in West’s rotation. Johnson will return to her post at first base, while Levis will play across the diamond at third base.

“I used to be a pitcher, so hopefully I’ll get a spot,” said Rockholt. “This is a fun group, they’ve really made me feel welcome, and I’m looking forward to maybe being a part of a great team.”

The Blue Knights, finishing 6-11 last year, open their season against defending Class L champion Salem on April 11.

“Salem won’t lose a step, so it’ll be fun to open against them,” said Drewniak. “Memorial will be tough again this year, but I think we’re fielding a pretty strong team. We lost 1- 0 to Salem in the regular season, so we know we can play with them. We just have to put it all together.”