This year’s softball season was built up to be something bigger than usual. Getting started since the fall, the team looked to use that momentum and excitement and translate it into wins.

“After playing the past three years, it was the last season I could enjoy, my senior year,” Ashley Lugo 12th, said.

This season the team had its little ups and downs but together they were able to push through. By the time they finished their first tournament Feb. 27-29, they felt more like a family.

“We improved by putting effort into the team,” Itzel Medrano, 10, said.

This year, the small part of the season they had, players got to be very committed. Their varsity players gained more experience, and also they improved as they became closer to each other.

“All of our teammates, myself included, got the chance to give everything that we had into the sport,” Medrano said.

Some things that some of the players thought they needed to improve on were to always put school before the sport, always have a positive mindset in practices and before the games, and have self confidence and communication.

“I think the top things we needed to work on were to start being confident and believe in each other,” Gabriela Aguilera, 11, said.

But as excited as they were to get deep into district play, their season was called off before they played Austin March 13 and were three games into district play due to COVID-19.

This affected the team in an unexpected way where they were getting better with their condition and athletic mindset.

“This made us lose track of the process that we accomplished in the school year,” Medrano said.

The season was officially called off April 17 along with baseball and the rest of spring sports.

“It affected our season by cancelling our district games, our first game cancelled was against Austin and we were excited about that game,” Aguilera said.

The difference this time was the heart the girls put into the workouts and more structured practices. The team was ready to go.

“I felt our team was going to surprise many other teams in our district and be a team you couldn’t take lightly,” coach Quintero said.