Spartan girls are off to a good start.
by Sam Stavish
photo by Kevin Fleming
The young, refreshed, and still highly talented softball girls want everyone to know that despite the loss of last year’s highly talented seniors (Lucy Bell, Amanda Weaver, Ashley Lowery, and Kelly Hill), they are still gunning for that City title.
Over the summer, the softball team continued to practice and train under the leadership of Coach Kyler Jackson, as to not lose any of their ability during the long, hot, off-season. During those summer scrimmages, the Spartan team defeated the daunting DPS rival, the East Angels, not once, not twice, but three times, invigorating the team with confidence for this upcoming season and a shot at the City Title.
As for the team’s chances at winning the State Championship, Coach Jackson says it will be tough. “It will be a challenge to win [State] with such a young team, but we are learning every game and improving with every inning,” Jackson said.
Speaking of a young squad, the softball team had a huge turnout of freshman girls eager to play. These ten freshmen girls look to find leadership in their lone senior Alexia Johnson. “I love being the only senior. It is nice to know that you’re looked up to when all the freshmen ask you for help.”
Despite the relatively youthful team, everyone feels that if they can pull together as a team, then they have a real shot at doing well come playoff time. Jackson says, “Our biggest competition is ourselves, and if we work hard, then I feel we will do real well.”
The team has done well so far. In their first run of the season they have a winning record of 5-4, with wins over some tough non-league teams. With victories over Gateway (8-1) and La Junta (6-3), the team started out with two straight wins. Once splitting the season series with a tough 5-12 loss against La Junta, the team then rallied to win 18-0 over Aurora Central and 11-7 against Rock Canyon. After a 0-4 loss to the Woodland Park Panthers, the girls took to the mountains for a weekend of softball in Grand Junction. The team fared well this past weekend, losing to Grand Junction 0-9 and to Grand Junction Central 0-17, but then coming back to win against Durango 9-2.
The DPS rivalry games against South, North, East, West, George Washington, and Lincoln will be towards the end of the season. It is in these games that the team is hoping to excel, as they have not lost in a DPS game in over two years.
