The girls varsity softball team has been successful this year despite a smaller roster compared to previous years. The team (19-4 total and 9-0 league at time of print) is currently first in its league and has also defeated tougher out-of-league teams such as Presentation High School in the Central Coast Section (CCS). The team’s prospects to advance into CCS to compete for the championship appear bright.

The team’s great success can be attributed to strong teamwork and trust on the field. An emphasis on team bonding during practices this year has helped players understand their roles.

“We’ve really bonded as a team this year,” junior Tianna Vasquez said. “I play shortstop and I know my third baseman well enough that if I don’t get the ball I know she will.”

Head Coach Tom Barrera is a newcomer to the team this year, and his grasp of the game and skill in guiding players to improving their abilities has allowed the team to grow over the course of this season.

“If we’re doing something wrong, they’ll tell us what we’re doing and to fix it,” sophomore Amanda Jones said. “[For example] in our cutoffs to home, if we make a mistake, our coach will…fix our errors.”

The team’s performance has been spearheaded by a few high-performing returning players, including pitcher senior Ali Goldberg (left) and Tianna, whose batting has improved over the course of the season.

The Lady Eagles hope to continue their win streak through the rest of the season. The team cannot afford to underestimate its opponents because any slacking off and the Eagles’ opponents will surely try their best to cut the team’s success short.

Despite the many high-performing junior and senior players, the team still needs to work on ensuring that supporting players on the relatively young team get the experience to help the team succeed in the future.

“When you get the younger kids to really buy into what you’re trying to achieve, that really makes them stronger, as they progress and mature going into the later part of the season,” Coach Barrera said. “I think they will play better in the later part of the season… and in future seasons.”