Softball season came to a close in May with the team winning their first victory against Aliquippa on May 2 in a double header game.
They followed this win with their last three official games on May 3 against Riverside, as well as two section games on May 5 and May 6, against New Brighton and Beaver Falls respectively.
In order to advance into softball playoffs, a team must win at least three section games. Because the team only won one game, giving them a record of 1-13, the team won’t be advancing this year.
Senior Hannah Mavrich reflected on their win against Aliquippa, thinking it was beneficial for the team. “I think that we realized we can actually accomplish and win something,” Mavrich said.
They ended their season officially on May 6 because they didn’t win a section game, but the team had one last scrimmage together on May 7 against Clarion.
Junior Kristy Sturgess is enthusiastic for next year’s season, and she said that she is “ready to lead the team” as a senior next year. Sturgess also believes that with more practice they are going to improve as a team.
“I think that they have a good group of girls, and there’s…a lot of juniors that are going to be seniors, and they know how to work together,” Mavrich said. “And this group has been working together for a couple years now.”
Coach Bill Boggs gave his thoughts on the season, believing it was a “rough” conclusion for the season with a higher number of errors per game.
Boggs believes it was a year of “[getting] to know my new team” and “to see what kind of potential I had moving forward.”
Boggs’ main goal, besides making the team as best as they could be, was to make sure that everyone had an even chance to play in the games. He also hoped for all the girls on his team to letter by the end of the season. He plans on being involved with the younger teams, as they will be the ones coming up into the high school in a few years to better the varsity softball program.
Freshman Destiny Ebert states, “I’m sad that it’s over…but it’s not really over.”
Although the season has officially ended for athletes, practice will continue until the start of next year’s season. Many of the girls are joining rec. softball leagues over the summer, which means they will continue to practice and play in preparation for next year. Along with this, there will be a summer league for girls’ softball in their off-season. The summer league will be separate from the school league, but will consist of the same team. Without an age limit, younger players will be able to play along with the high school members. There will be two games a week. Though they will not be mandatory, attendance is expected.
The fall league will have the same concept, with games on Sundays instead.
After fall and summer softball leagues, winter conditioning will begin for the girls and then they will launch into the next “official” season.