MARDELA SPRINGS — After more than two decades of building one of Maryland’s premier small-school softball programs, Kory Shiles is stepping down as head coach of the Mardela High School softball team, leaving behind a legacy that includes more than 350 victories, multiple conference and regional championships, and consecutive state titles.
The announcement, released Wednesday by Mardela Middle/High School’s Facebook page, marks the end of a remarkable coaching tenure that transformed the Warriors from a local contender into one of the state’s most respected softball programs. Over 21 seasons as head coach, along with three years as an assistant, Shiles compiled a 350-98 record while guiding Mardela to 11 Bayside South Division championships, six Bayside Conference titles, eight regional championships, and back-to-back MPSSAA Class 1A state championships.
The program’s success reached new heights in recent years. This past season, Mardela completed a perfect 26-0 record, a campaign that culminated in its second consecutive Class 1A state championship. The Warriors also finished with a school-record 26 wins, while the senior class departed with an extraordinary 96-5 career record over four seasons.
Among the standout players developed under Shiles was Ava Twilley, who was named Maryland’s Gatorade Softball Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season. The senior pitcher and infielder led the Warriors to the undefeated championship season, posting a 17-0 record with a 0.29 ERA and 208 strikeouts while batting .639. Twilley, a four-time Bayside South Player of the Year, capped her career by pitching a one-hitter and hitting a home run in Mardela’s state championship victory.
Shiles said his decision to step away was driven largely by family considerations.
“I take great pride in the impact our program has made on the game of softball and the Mardela community,” Shiles said in the school’s release. “Those memories will last a lifetime, but I’m most proud of taking our little one-stoplight town on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and turning it into one of the best softball programs in the state of Maryland and recognized as one of the top small-town teams in the USA.”
He added that he plans to spend more time attending and coaching his children’s sporting events at the youth and high school levels while also making time for travel.
School administrators praised Shiles for the impact he had well beyond wins and championships.
“Coach Kory Shiles has made an incredible impact on Mardela High School, both on and off the softball field,” said Liza Hastings, principal of Mardela High School and a school alumna. “For years, he has helped young women develop not only as athletes, but as leaders, teammates, and confident individuals. His dedication, passion, and commitment to our students have helped shape generations of Warriors.”
While championships will define much of Shiles’ public legacy, many in the Mardela community point to the culture he established. Under his leadership, the Warriors developed a reputation for consistent excellence, producing championship teams, college-bound athletes, and one of the most successful softball stretches in Maryland high school history. The most recent teams cemented that legacy with four consecutive regional championships and two straight state crowns.
As Mardela begins the search for its next softball coach, the standard left behind is unmistakably high. For more than two decades, Shiles turned a small Eastern Shore program into a statewide powerhouse, proving that a one-stoplight town could compete with anyone in Maryland.
Now, after 24 years in the dugout, the coach who guided generations of Warriors is stepping away with a résumé few can match and a legacy that will endure long after his final game.
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Sources:
PRESS RELEASE: KORY SHILES STEPPING - Mardela Middle/High School
Ava Twilley Gatorade 2025 - 2026: Player of the Year Softball - Maryland
Our back-to-back state champions - Mardela Middle/High School
