Warhawks softball is state tournament bound

The West Fork Warhawks softball team made history on July 15, as the team defeated Hudson 3-0 in the Class 2A Region 6 Championship game to advance to the Class 2A State Quarterfinal. The Warhawks played Van Meter in the Quarterfinal on July 23. Head coach Sadie Winfrey said it is the first time that a softball team has made it to the state tournament when the school is known as West Fork.

“I am very excited that the girls are getting this opportunity,” Winfrey said.

The Warhawks are 18-7 on the year and Winfrey said the season has been like a rollercoaster at times as the team has had ups and downs this year. 

“It has not been as consistent as we would have liked,” Winfrey said. “But for them to come together and to play like they are at the end of the year when it matters is really cool,” Winfrey said.

In the region championship game, the Warhawks had eight hits in the game, Brooke Rother and Abby Schoning both had two hits each, Breckyn Dickman, JoAnna Wallace, Libby Trewin, and Preslee Dickman all had one hit each. Wallace, Trewin, and Preslee Dickman all had one RBI each. Pitching wise, Trewin pitched seven innings and struck out 12 batters while giving up no runs on four hits and two walks.

Advancing by a shutout shows that the Warhawks have a strong pitcher and a strong defense as well according to Winfrey. 

“It shows that our main focus is to continue to get our bats going like they have been recently,” Winfrey said. “And to keep that momentum going as we had into next week.”

As the they go farther into the postseason and the competition continues to increase in difficulty, Winfrey said she thinks the Warhawks have kept their composure during the playoffs.

“As you play each game is going to get harder and harder and I have felt like they have played better each game as well,” Winfrey said. ‘I think you kind of play to the ability of the team you are playing, so I believe they can rise up when they need to.”

The pitching and defense have been keys to the Warhawks’ success this year.

“Libby has been a really strong pitcher and she does a lot of the work herself but she is aware that the defense behind her is always going to be there and they know what to do,” Winfrey said. “If there are hits that happen, Libby doesn’t fall to down because she has them to pick her up and do what they need to do behind her.

As the state tournament approaches, Winfrey said that with around a week to get ready for their next game that the message for the team is to play the way they have been playing that has allowed them to get this far.

“I just want them to play the way they have been playing and have fun. And have fun with this experience,” Winfrey said.

One thing that Winfrey said she wants the team to take away from this postseason run and this season in general is to enjoy what they are experiencing.

“They need to know that not a lot of girls get the opportunity to do what they are getting to do right now,” Winfrey said. “On top of the for the future I hope that going to the state tournament brings a lot of excitement for the girls that are still going to be there for the next couple of years along with the younger girls that are coming up and that it drives them to reach their goals like this.”