Every high school sports team has the dream of making it to playoffs.  The Lake Ridge softball team have been striving to accomplish this dream for the past for years and they’ve finally made it. On May 5th the team played a game against Segoville high school and won the game with 0-7 as the score.

They are now Area champs for the first time in Lake Ridge history. Every girl out on the field that night felt the excitement of finally accomplishing their dreams.  SEliot Brittany Jackson has been waiting several years to see her dream come true and the moment that it happened was unforgettable for her.

“Becoming Area champs means a lot to this team and to this program. We are making history and we don’t want it to stop now! Getting to the lasting inning and knowing that we had the win in the bag was super exciting. We knew we were one step closer to making our dreams come true,” said Jackson.

That moment when pitcher Kayla Parnell, junior, threw the last strike was a moment the team will never forget.

“It felt like a waterfall of butterflies and relief at the same time if that makes sense. We are nervous for the next round but relieved we made it through that one itself,” said Jordan Jones, junior.

“The feeling I got was pure amazement. Like we really did that. Us. Ourselves. We made it there on our own. Together,” said sophomore Kori Carr.

The girls weren’t the only ones effected by the win, however. Head coach, Cindy Manley was bursting with pride because of the effort and work her team put in.

“Making playoffs is the goal of every team, every year. We have been really close a few times but this is the first year we have made it. That makes it very special. My team worked really hard to get through our district and make the playoffs. This team will always be one of the most special I’ve had because they are the first to finally get us where we need to go,” said Coach Manley.

The support shown by Coach Manely, as well as the two assistant coaches, means everything to the team. Anyone sitting in the stands can see that the coaches are big supporters. However, most of the encouragement that the girls feel they get is from their teammates.

“Hearing my defense talk to each other and give helpful tips when we come back in the dug out from a strike out is what keeps us going. The team’s voice is one of the biggest motivators of all,” said Jones.

As the LRHS softball team continues to make history they will continue to grow as a team. With every individual playing their part, as well as remembering that they are a team, they continue fighting to secure a spot in the next round of playoffs.