Warriors dancing into softball postseason
CHERRY TWP — As the rain fell and turned the infield into a wet mush on Friday, Moniteau joined visiting Sharpsville for a softball showdown-turned-hoedown on the third base line.
If the Warriors have their way, there will be a lot more line dancing going forward.
“I think we’re capable of beating anyone in District 9 in our classification,” Moniteau coach Bob Rottman said. “Having played those teams — like Cranberry and Karns City — I know they’re good teams, so I know we can win them or we can lose them. I think it’s a tight group of teams that are very close together.
“Depending on who shows up that day, I think any team can win it in that 2A division.”
The Warriors (5-9, 5-2), whose non-conference clash was called after three innings and change due to rain, are rounding into form as they approach the postseason. Moniteau has two regular-season matchups remaining, with DuBois Central Catholic on Monday and Redbank Valley two days later.
“I think we’re improving every day, every game,” Rottman said as Flo Rida boomed in the background. “I know the last couple games haven’t turned out in our favor, but we’ve gotten better at little things that we were struggling with.
“I like where we’re at. Some young girls are starting to step up, some of the older girls are ready to go.”
Rottman is encouraged by a pitching staff that includes senior Mariska Shunk and freshmen Graysen Rottman and Lexi McGhee.
“We’re now coming together as a team,” Shunk said. “We’re not having as many errors, our hitting is getting stronger, (and) we’re working as a team better.”
Junior Alex Stewart and senior Emily Staab had first-frame RBI doubles. McGhee singled in the second, and sophomores Lily Staab and Halle Beatty had run-scoring knocks in the third. Moniteau was up, 4-3, when the sky opened up.
“Emma Fitzingo at third base is a sophomore,” Rottman said. “She’s been playing really good. ... Halle Beatty, a sophomore in right (field), has been coming on, hitting the ball better, playing good defense. We’ve a lot of role players coming off the bench like Taylor Grace, Alyssa Thompson — they’re all contributing from freshmen through sophomores.”
A tough early-season calendar helped shape the Warriors into a tougher crew.
“We played some really tough teams in non-conference,” Rottman said. “When we went to Myrtle Beach, we played three Ohio teams — the one shows up in state championship jerseys from 4A. ... They weren’t even the best one we played down there. That was an eye-opener for some of the kids.”
Shunk saw the stiff competition as instructions to follow.
“I think that helped us begin to work as a team and know that we have things to strive for,” she said. “We need to be like them.”
Senior outfielder Ashley Huffman agreed, acknowledging the benefit of facing high-caliber hurlers down south.
“There (were) some teams that have won state championships and then you have us, from West Sunbury, Pa.,” Huffman said. “It’s like, ‘Oh, okay.’ But, I feel like even though we didn’t win every game down there, we learned something from every game.”
More recently, Moniteau has taken on unfamiliar foes such as Cathedral Prep and New Castle.
“Even though we might not (have) come out on top, we’re playing reps against really good teams,” Rottman said. “In my opinion, that always helps.”
So does seeing his girls let loose.
“That’s one thing we try to do is keep it kind of light,” Rottman said. “Keep the pressure off them. They put enough pressure on themselves. ... If they’re going to play their best on the field, they’ve got to be relaxed.”
As school officials, coaches, and umpires debated whether to resume the contest on the soaked surface, the Warriors began choreographed dancing in a circle before inviting the Blue Devils to join.
“We always just try to have fun, even when things don’t go as planned,” Shunk said.
Huffman explained how the group had its moves so down pat.
“Ever since my freshman year, Rasputin has been a song that we’ve danced to, sporadically at practice (and) a lot of times before games if we have extra warm-up time,” Huffman said. “It’s kind of like become a little bit of tradition. ... Over the years, everyone’s learned the dance.”
Just as everyone’s learned to succeed on the diamond, it seems.
“I feel like we’ve had our ups and downs,” Huffman said. “Even over the past four years, you’ve seen really good games and you’ve seen not-so-good games. ... I feel like collectively we’re able to pick each other up real well. I truly believe if all of our aspects are there — our defense and our hitting — I have no doubt that we’re going to excel in the playoffs.”
