Hernandez rebuilds Eagles softball after years of tumultuous uncertainty

It had been a while since Flagstaff High School softball had the success it saw last season. The Eagles, under manager Tommy Hernandez in his first full season in the role, went 17-5 in 2026 and won a home game in the first round of the 4A Conference state tournament.

Hernandez already experienced what a late-season run was like in 2025 when he took over the team after the season started. Flagstaff was the No. 6 seed that year and won a playoff game. When the season started, a result like that seemed impossible to imagine.