J-M’s magical season still resonates 1 year later
There are a lot of memorable moments for high school athletes in their careers.
From individual records to garnering a win that breaks a losing streak to beating a rival to winning a section title to winning in the playoffs and to making history in your program with something that hasn鈥檛 been done in years or decades.
All of those are wonderful moments, but nothing beats winning a title. That feeling of accomplishment and that joy of knowing that there蘑菇视频 only one team left standing and it蘑菇视频 you.
Saturday will mark the one-year anniversary of the Jefferson-Morgan softball team winning the Class A title and beating rival Chartiers-Houston 3-2 at California University of Pa.蘑菇视频 Lilley Field.
A year sure does go by fast and I imagine that anyone associated with the Lady Rockets鈥� program in 2015 remembers that playoff run like it was yesterday.
I had the pleasure of covering J-M in all four of their WPIAL playoff games and I saw this team not only battle foes on the diamond, but battle all of the emotions after the passing of assistant coach Chris Dugan.
Team Dugan was not just a catch phrase, it was a rallying cry and it was the competitive spirit for the girls to not just play for something, but to play for someone.
Chris Dugan was an intricate figure in all levels of softball not just at J-M, but in Greene County. To all of the Lady Rockets he wasn鈥檛 just an assistant coach, he was a father-figure, a mentor and a friend.
With his passing, J-M grew strength from it and came together as a team and as a family. The raw emotion and passion was truly an awe-inspiring thing to witness.
The Lady Rockets made the long trip to Fairhaven Park in Kennedy Township for the first two rounds, and came back with a 10-0 triumph over Western Beaver in the first round and a 3-1 win over Sewickley Academy.
A day before Chris Dugan蘑菇视频 funeral, J-M smashed five home runs in an 8-1 semifinal victory over Frazier at Cal U. One of those long balls was hit by Chris鈥� oldest daughter Camryn, and as she rounded the bases she pointed to the skies to her father in a truly tear-jerking scene.
Till this day, I remember talking to Camryn after the game and I was just impressed with her poise and her composure as it pertained to the whole situation.
The Lady Rockets trailed 2-0 in the early stages of the title game to Char-Houston, but just like what they had been doing the whole season, they rallied together and strung hits together.
Morgan Gamble and Reagan Rush tallied back-to-back RBI singles to tie the game and then Morgan Simkovic launched a RBI double to score the decisive run in the fifth inning.
The three runs would be more than enough for pitcher Madision Ludrosky, as the senior ace only allowed a single in the last three innings. For the game, Ludrosky registered 12 strikeouts with no walks and allowed two unearned runs on three hits.
Ludrosky had a truly remarkable postseason and led the Lady Rockets in the circle, allowing just four runs in 27 innings with 52 strikeouts and no free passes in four games.
A couple of days later, J-M made school history by winning the program蘑菇视频 first ever PIAA playoff contest with a 2-1 win over Smethport. The Lady Rockets鈥� dramatic season came to an end in the state蘑菇视频 quarterfinals, an extra-inning 1-0 defeat to Cochranton.
I have covered several postseason runs and championship games, but perhaps this one is the most memorable and something that will be with me for a long time.
To see the support from the county on that day in the stands and on social media was special, and seeing those young ladies getting gold was a fitting ending for a remarkable postseason run.
Happy Anniversary Lady Rockets and thanks for the memories!