Page 50 - SFM JUNE 2019 copy 3.indd

TeamUSA
Brings Home Another State Championship

against the likes of: Byron, Fran-

The 2019 USA Softball season kenmuth, Gladstone, and Allen Park
started out like many others before Cabrini. All four of these teams were
it - with high expectations. This years ranked in their respective classes.
team lost 7 seniors to graduation - So this answered some early ques-
including four starters. However we tions about the character and quality
returned key players from last years of our team.

team that made it to the semi finals. As the season progressed we re-
Those players included: Rylee Zim- ally started to gel as a team. Dani-
mer, Delanie Pavlicheck, Nichole elle Harper became our center fielder
Schember, Brynn Polega, Maci Mont- and was the key to our defense.
gomery, and Grace Williamson. Going Delanie Pavlichek cemented herself
into the season I knew we would have as our starting first baseman. Chel-
a very competitive team but also there sea Bolzman became our left fielder
was a feeling of uncertainty because and Carissa Dinsmoore hit for her.
we had to fill some key positions from

last year. We needed two starters Like every season our first goal is
in the outfield and two new starters to win the league and we were able
at first and third base. We felt good to do that with a 11-1 record. Next
about our pitching situation because we turn our attention on the districts
Brynn and Grace both got some in- that so happened to be at USA. We
nings last year but with that being said played very well during the districts
they would have some big shoes to fill and were victorious. The regional
because we lost our all-state pitcher - were much the same as we contin-
Katie Engelhardt. ued to play great softball. The next

Spring practice began like it usually step was the quarterfinals at Sagi-
does in Michigan - inside. We had two naw Valley - our opponent was Allen
really good weeks of practice inside Park Inter-City Baptist. We played
and at the end of the first week we very well that day defeating them by

brought up two freshmen: Laci Harris

and Macy Reinhardt. So going into our

first doubleheader we felt pretty good

about where we were but also five out

of our nine starters were freshman

and sophomores. So as coaches we

were expecting some growing pains

especially early on in the year.

We began the year playing really
good softball. We had some good
wins against some quality oppo-
nents. For example, we played in the
Beaverton Tournament and went 4-0

50 • Sports Finest Magazine JUne 2019 sportsfinestMagzine.com 989 545 0735 kelly@sportsfinestmagazine.com