FWCD Varsity Softball finished their season tied for 3rd in SPC with a record of 12-4-1. This built onto their legacy of SPC North Zone Champions for the 6th year in a row. Going into the tournament the team was ranked 4th; however, the girls pushed through and proved they were better than that.
One of the team captains, Taylor Higgins ’27, noted that the weather created a somewhat stressful environment for the team. Like baseball, all of their games were forced to be played in one day. Despite this, Higgins said it was some of the most fun she had had all season.
“You could just tell how we had such a strong team,” Higgins said “We have such good team chemistry and it was really fun.”
Head Coach DeAnn Hall agreed. She praised the team for staying in good spirits even with everything being thrown their way.
“We were excited to play,” Hall said, “I thought we competed well.”
The team beat Kinkaid in the quarterfinals, which Hall described as redemption for their heartbreaking loss in 2022. They then went on to play Episcopal in the semifinals, where they unfortunately lost.
“We beat ourselves in the semifinal game, and you can’t do that against a good team,” Hall said, “It was a good learning experience for next year.”
Aside from Higgins, the other team captains included Kerri Tsai ’26, Ryleigh Hall ’27, and Maddie Richey ’27. Hall would like to thank each of the captains for being amazing role models and representing the softball program. A standout moment for Hall was Richey’s pitching journey.
“[She] had a standout year on the mound and finished the season just shy of 500 career strikeouts,” Hall said.
All of the captains focused on being kind leaders, but also knowing when to take initiative and hold themselves and their teammates accountable.
“I want to make sure everything that we’re doing is on task but also have fun at the same time, having that balance,” Higgins said.
With lots of great leadership, Hall’s favorite memory of the season was the senior celebration at their team dinner. She said it was amazing to see the underclassmen recall their favorite memories that they had made with the seniors.
“Watching all of our players talk about the impact the seniors had on them was special,” Hall said, “Some of those relationships were forming before they became teammates and it was really fun to hear their stories.”
Hall also described how when they talk about the season, they realize that it will never be the same. She wishes to leave the seniors with a final thank you and good luck in whatever they do in the future.
“They will be missed,” Hall said, “Once a Falcon, always a Falcon.”
Abbott also praised the team for their attitudes, saying that they exemplified what joy looked like on a softball field. She noted that every team member made their own special contribution to the team as a whole.
“I love to see the teamwork there,” Abbott said. “The sisterhood was so fun.”
Overall, the theme of the softball team this year was togetherness and positivity. This will continue to shape them and lead them towards success for many years to come.
