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Valley Softball Had Championship Aspirations for 2020

The Valley Regional softball team was primed for greatness in 2020. Last year, the Warriors posted an outstanding season with an overall record of 21-3 that included trips to the championship game of the Shoreline Conference Tournament and the second round of the Class M State Tournament. Valley was slated to return the bulk of its contributors this year which would have been Head Coach Allyson Pitney’s second season at the helm. Unfortunately, all sports have been canceled—along with in-person classes—for the remainder of the 2019-’20 school year due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Coach Pitney felt that the 2019 incarnation of the Warriors had plenty to be pleased about. With a new head coach and a year in transition, Pitney just wanted her athletes to feel comfortable coming to the field everyday, but they performed well beyond expectations. Valley ultimately did not claim the Shoreline or Class M crowns, but they had an impressive campaign nonetheless.

“To say I was proud of our 2019 team would be an understatement. The girls didn’t really know me, the parents didn’t really know me, and it was a new coaching staff, but we all came together and had an incredible journey,” said Pitney. “Of course, we came up just a bit short of the Shoreline title and then had a quick exit from the state tournament, but I am so grateful for the hard work that the players all put into that season, and I’m so disappointed we weren’t able to build on that in 2020.”

The Warriors had a talented group, but they didn’t have much experience on the big stage last season. Coach Pitney thought that after getting to Shoreline final last year, her squad would have been able to keep their cool in high-pressure situations this year.

“Last year, we started out at an incredible 18-0, but we didn’t do ourselves any favors by not experiencing any adversity along the way. When we did hit a few bumps in the road, I don’t think I had put our team in a position to succeed,” Pitney said. “They just didn’t know how to handle it. So this year, we worked to give ourselves a tougher schedule, so that we could be tougher mentally with the hope that would provide ‘the missing ingredient’ we didn’t have last year.”

Helping to lead the Warriors this year would have been their senior captains Carlee Kirla and Lauren Allen. Coach Pitney thought that both players had already demonstrated their capabilities as leaders in 2019, and she hoped that steady guidance would have helped bring further success in 2020.

“Both of these girls naturally assumed leadership roles during their junior season, and I’m sure they would have been great leaders this year, too. They are both determined athletes and role models for their teammates on and off the field,” Pitney said. “Even though they are fierce competitors, they maintain a positive attitude and pick up their teammates after a strikeout or missed out. They are good role models for the younger players to look up to, and were great at creating the connections with new players last year, making them feel part of the team from the get-go.”

Valley’s pitching was one of its chief strengths last season, and this year would have been no different with senior Addy Bullis returning to the mound. Additionally, Valley’s offense would have been a foundational aspect of the Warriors’ success in 2020.

“I certainly anticipated our pitching leading the way. Obviously, Addy was coming back, and she had such a tremendous junior campaign—and I know all the hard work she and her family were putting into her final, senior year,” Pitney said. “Also our offense was going to be a strength. I know we were a bit streaky last year with hits and runs, but I know many of the girls worked in the off-season to build up their strength and their stamina—and I believed that would pay dividends out on the diamond in late game, clutch situations.”

There were several players that Coach Pitney believed would have been especially effective at the plate this year. Allen, Bullis, and Lexi Ross have a history of steady offensive production, but Pitney also anticipated that others would have made a leap this spring.

“So many of the Valley players have potential to be dangerous at the plate. Lauren Allen, Lexi Ross, and Addy Bullis proved it last year,” Pitney said. “I was especially excited to see what Vivian Paradis and the rest sophomores would do now that they had some varsity experience under their belts.”

Knowing that several Valley athletes could make solid contact and start filling up the bases, the only question was where to play them in the field. Luckily, the Warriors had enough skill at multiple positions to arrange all the pieces perfectly.

“We knew the personnel we wanted at the plate. It was just a question of where we could fit them out on the field. Fortunately, many of our girls are quite versatile, and we’re lucky enough to have a lot of flexibility,” said Pitney. “I know each of the girls would be willing to play any position on the field, if it was best for the team in any given game. I was looking forward to getting some sophomores—especially Abby Amara and Cede Peno—some more playing time and additional at bats.”

Coach Pitney is disappointed—especially for Valley’s seniors—that they won’t have the opportunity to play what should have been their final high school season. Whenever the Warriors take the field again, it will be hard not to be reminded of the team that could have been in 2020, but Pitney knows that her team is one of thousands across the world that feel the same way.

“It will be difficult to return to the field next year without our seniors Lauren Allen, Addy Bullis, Carlee Kirla, and Riley Millburne. It’s obvious that their talent will be missed, but we’ll miss them for more than their athleticism. We’ll be missing their personalities and even their dance moves,” Pitney said. “I think all of the coaches and players across the country are in the same boat here—disappointed that the seniors don’t get to experience their final season. They can’t finish what they started, or make that final mark. We’ll always think of this as ‘The Lost Season’ and what could have been.”

As sad as missing this season is, Coach Pitney knows that next year it will be right down to business. She’s sure that the Warriors will be eager to get out on the diamond and show once again that they are one of the best teams in the Shoreline Conference.

“Valley Softball is not about to let down. Will some of our key players have graduated? Sure, but we were fortunate to get varsity experience for our sophomores. Not everyone has that. We have more heart and love of the game than any team out there. There will be some big shoes to fill, but there’s no doubt in my mind that we can step up and do just that,” Pitney said. “Finally, I hope people learn to appreciate the present. It’s easy to complain about playing in sleet in April, or searing sun in June—but I can’t be alone in saying I’d be willing to play in any weather just to get some softball in.”