With the conclusion of the softball season, the same cycle will repeat next year; the juniors will have to be the ones to step up for the upcoming season. This years season where they went 6-24 definitely did not have the same result as the last season where they went 16-11. However, this years team beat Kirkwood 10-6 to become district champions but after advancing, lost 11-0 against Howell. But with talent coming throughout the whole school, the possibilities for next season offer lots of hope to coaches Mike Freedline and Bob Dunahue.
“Yeah, so we’re young, we only have three, four returning starters from last year so we have a lot of sophomores and juniors,” Freedline said. “They [improved] every game, that’s all we really hoped for.”
With only four seniors leaving the team along with the end of the season, it gives a lot of chances to the junior class to have one last dance and leave their mark on the school’s history. There’s an abundant amount of talent all around but junior players like Evie Kraus, Ryleigh Albers and Kaylee Lohnes are some of the leaders and standouts who plan to step up next season.
“I don’t really know, it’s really stressful feeling like next year I have to be a leader on the team and you know it’ll be fun since I’ll get to lead the team with Evie and Kaylee next year,” Albers said. “I want to work on my strength and hitting in the offseason and just improve as a player so I can be viewed as a role model to these underclassmen,” Albers said.
Albers has been playing softball for 13 years now and three years for the Knights. She’s the current starting catcher on the varsity team. She feels that since she’s been on the team that the coaches have helped her a lot and that she has a bond with them. Although the team has leaders like Albers who want to work on themselves and improve themselves for the next season, it’s more than just softball for some of them. Many are acquaintances, some are friends and a few are like sisters to one another.
“I love hanging out with my teammates and two of them are my best friends, Evie Kraus and Kaylee Lohnes.” Albers said. “Me, Kaylee, and Evie get to help the team which will be really fun,”
The team has a bond a lot of other teams may not be able to accomplish as the Knights only have 12 players on the varsity team which makes the bonds between the coaches special. With new players coming every year, it isn’t always easy to keep a high team morale but with the upcoming captains for the next season, the team is in good hands.