The 2013 girls’ varsity softball team was victorious throughout their season as they ended with a final overall record of 28-5 and a conference record of 9-2. The Golden Warriors made history as they were sectional and super-sectional champions for the first time, NIB-XII conference champions for the fourth straight year and placed fourth at the IHSA state tournament during their first visit as a team.
With seven returning seniors and nineteen talented incoming freshmen, the team was bound for success. Their season opener did not disappoint as they beat the Morris Redskins 4-2. Lauren Fritz dominated as she hit two RBIs for Sterling to come out on top.
The Golden Warriors earned four more wins through the next couple of weeks before having their first lost to conference rival LaSalle-Peru with a score of 1-5. However, this did not stop the Golden Warriors as they then went on a fourteen-game winning streak. Sterling now had an impressive record of 19-1 early on in the season. The expectations of head coach Rick Henderson skyrocketed as the team continued to dominate the regular season finishing with a record of 23-3 and winning the conference title for the fourth consecutive year. Now, the only focus was postseason and determination to make history.
The postseason started off strong as Sterling defeated rival the Rock Falls Rockets in the regional championship. As a tremendous offensive threat, Priscilla Aponte played a key role in the win over the Rockets as she hit a homerun to give the Golden Warriors their first run. Helping Aponte guide the team, Cassidy Gillihan dominated the bases as she stole second, which was followed by Karlie Mellott’s RBI single putting the Golden Warriors up 2-0 to end the game and claim the regional title.
The Golden Warriors weren’t finished yet as they strived to take home the sectional title for the first time in school history. Aponte and Jennifer Rahn prevailed at the plate during the sectional semifinal against Rockford Boylan. Aponte and Rahn hit for a combined total of eleven runs with five RBIs, one grand slam and a three-run homer, turning the game into a five-inning blowout. Sterling beat Rockford Boylan 13-7.
The Golden Warriors now had a sectional plaque within reach. After losing to Marengo 1-2 the previous year, Sterling was ready for redemption. The game started slowly for the Golden Warriors, putting them down 1-5 at the bottom of the seventh inning. There were two outs when Gilihan kept the inning alive with a base hit, then Karlie Mellott hit a single to the fence that scored two runs, making the score 3-5. Due to an overthrown ball, Mellott, Shannon Long and Stephanie Kester scored putting the Golden Warriors up 6-5. Sterling finally had a sectional championship in their possession.
The Golden Warriors then moved onto the super-sectional game for the first time in S.H.S. history where they would face Wauconda. The Golden Warriors bats were hot as Aponte put Sterling on the board first followed by Stephanie Kester who went 3-for-3 during the game, including a homer. For one hit, Kester doubled into the left-center gap before Aponte smashed an RBI double to right-center allowing courtesy runner McKenna Pearson to score. Gillihan also hit an RBI to left-field scoring Darien Bardoner. Sterling held off the Bulldogs 3-1 to punch their ticket to the state tournament.
As the Golden Warriors arrived at the state tournament, they knew they had nothing to lose. With no outs in the seventh inning of the semi-final state game the Golden Warriors only trailed by one against Alton Marquette as Mellott’s homer went over the right-field fence. However, this still wasn’t enough as Sterling came up short losing 2-3. In the third-place game against Tinley Park, the Golden Warriors fought hard and loss by a difference of one run. Although Sterling may not have won the championship, they brought home a respectable fourth-place trophy and made it a season to remember.
The Golden Warriors’ efforts paid off as five members of the team earned All-Conference Awards and two earned All-Conference honorable mentions. All-Conference honorees were Karlie Mellott, Cassidy Gillihan, Shannon Long, Priscilla Aponte, Stephaine Kester and All-Conference honorable mention honorees were Jennifer Rahn and Bailey Oetting. Three players were also chosen for the All-State teams with Karlie Mellott and Stephaine Kester on the first team and Priscilla Aponte on the second team.
Team members include:
Cassidy Gillihan '13
Stephanie Kester '13
Bailey Oetting '13
Priscilla Aponte '13
Gabi Trujillo '13
Jennifer Rahn '13
McKenna Pearson '13
Karlie Mellott '14
Darien Bardoner '14
Gabby Sandoval '15
Mariyah Martinez '15
Manager Magan Tintori '15
Lauren Fritz '15
Abri Hale '16
Erin Stroup '16
Emily Berogan '16
Nadia Trujillo '16
Mackenzie Garza '16
Shannon Long '16
Head Coach Rick Henderson
Assistant Coach Eric Staples
Assistant Coach Becki Edmondson
Assistant Coach Julie Schroeder
Assistant Coach Bridgette Clark
Assistant Coach Jennifer Dykeman