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The NS Softball team took 3rd at the state tournament on May 11. Their season came to an end in heart-breaking fashion, as they lost 3-4 to Emery on the last play of the game, but the team is still proud of their accomplishment.
Though they are excited about the achievement, the loss was difficult to take. Tied 3-3 in the 7th inning, with a runner on third base and two outs, the batter hit an infield fly ball that dropped when there was a miscommunication between the players.
The previous games NS played against Emery they started off and continued with fire in them.
“We had beaten them twice before, but we just didn’t hit and jump on them like we had before,” senior Katelyn Johnson said.
Johnson pitched the entire game and held Emery to just three runs until the final batter got the RBI off the error.
“It was a sad ending to the game, but we still made it to Saturday which was our goal all along,” sophomore Afton Cook said.
The team had three goals they all wanted to achieve by the end of the season.
“We’ve had three goals since the very beginning of the season.” Cook said. “One of those goals were to take region, host the first round of state on Saturday, and our third goal was to make it Saturday at the state tournament”
After the Payson Tournament the team realized what they needed to work on.
“We worked on confidence and approach in the batter’s box because we all have talent but we didn’t approach situations with that talent,” junior Shea Rawlinson said.
Even though the season ended in a way that the team wasn’t wanting they were all still proud.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed about [taking third],” senior Ava Sunderland said. “I’m proud of it. Our whole line up hit a home run at least once this season which is a huge deal. We’re proud of it”
The practices leading up to state were focusing on the fundamentals. The team played a lot of games, practiced both offense and defense, practiced timing and tough situations.
“Our practices we played a lot of games and quick defense and offense drills and took time to enjoy each other’s company,” Sunderland said.
The team had days where they did fun team activities and a banquet all to draw closer together before state.
“Because with state the outcome was predicted by how much we worked throughout the season and how much we did in off season,” Rawlinson said, “So one week wasn’t going to decide when it was predetermined so that week, we took a lot of time appreciating each other’s company.”
The team motto throughout the year was W.I.T.H. which stands for “When It Gets Hard.” It has two meanings to the team, to stick together and to push each other up. They would shout it out if anyone ever noticed the team getting frustrated.
“WITH was always just the thing in the back of our minds that when it’s the hardest to remember why you’re doing this but also that all the hard work you’ve put in as a team,” Cook said.
Practice wasn’t the only thing that got the team ready to play and for many their favorite part was the bus rides up to the games when the team got hyped and ready to play.
“I could definitely tell the differences between having fun on the buses before the game,” Johnson said. “We were definitely more prepared for the games and definitely played better than when we were all sitting on our phones,”
The team was given many opportunities to bond throughout the season. For instance the games they did before practice, or years some had spent together, but the common factor was the time with each other.
“We were just a team and a family,” Sunderland said. “We had spent so much time together and that just gave us a massive connection.”
The team was late starting off but that was in their favor. While other teams hit their peak the team just kept improving leading up to where they got in the end.
“We started as a really good team, even at tryouts, but we never peaked,” Sunderland said. “We just kept on climbing and got to where we were at the end.”
Throughout the season a difference between the beginning and the end was noticeable.
“I think the biggest difference is we were able to rely on each other as a team,” Johnson said. “At the beginning we were playing more as individuals rather so at the end we definitely got better at being teammates.”
Though they did have struggles with the weather which led them to cancel some games, the team was lucky not to have any of the players get hurt. They didn’t have any major losses and had little to no drama or contentions. The team dynamic was just like a family.
“We were all best friends and a family,” Sunderland said. “We always joked with each other, and we loved each other.”
With the friendship they built throughout their time together they learned to be a team.
“We all knew that we all won together, and we all lost together,” Johnson said.
With the closing of the season softball is losing seven seniors.
“It’s kind of sad to see them go,” head coach Landon Bailey said. “But they’ve accomplished some awesome things so they should be proud of it.”
With them gone, a lot of the players will be new to playing on the varsity team.
“It’ll be different for sure,” Bailey said. “We will definitely be young and have a lot of players who haven’t had a ton of varsity experience who will have to step up and play but it’ll be another fun year.”
The dynamic for next year is changing with the help of the current juniors.
“A dynamic I want to set is that it doesn’t matter if you win or lose the game, you’re supposed to have fun,” Rawlinson said. “They also need to know that if they’re going to be there at practice they have to work hard because time is money and you’re going to want to make your time worth it to be able to work under pressure because pressure makes diamonds”
