The Bishop Manogue Catholic High School girls’ softball team finished off an incredible season by making it all the way to the Nevada 5A State Championships. After fighting through playoffs and dominating the Reed Raiders, the Miners ended their season as state runner ups, which is their highest finish since 2011.
Going into the state tournament in Las Vegas, there was a lot on the line for Northern Nevada softball team, and the lady Miners proved that they could compete with some of the best teams in the state. The Miners earned their spot in the championship game after beating Arbor View 8-6. The win sent them to the final game against the defending state champions Palo Verde, who had only lost one game all season. After the win over Arbor View, the excitement from the team and the community was clear, Sophomore, Reese Vaulet said “This team never stopped working hard and supporting each other.”
Even though the lady Miners fought hard, Palo Verdes defense and pitching were tough to beat. Manogue ended up losing 4-0 in the championship game, ending their playoff run, just short of a state title. Still, making it that far was a huge accomplishment for this program, and showed all their hard work.
The lady Miners also had an impressive season statically. The team finished with a 32-5 overall record and went 16-2 in league play. They also finished 2nd in the state of Nevada. Nevada commit Kiki Harris had an outstanding season, batting .554 with 17 home runs. Westcliff commit Samantha King led the team 31 stolen bases while Iowa state commit Sammi Boggs posted a 1.17 ERA. Averie Stephan also stood out defensively with .991 fielding percentage.
The team’s success brought a lot of excitement to the Manogue community. Students, staff, and families followed the Miners throughout the season and their playoff run. Their success helped bring school spirt and gave students something exciting to rally around at the end of the school year.
Although the season ended with a lost, the lady Miners still made school history with their state and playoff run. With younger players gaining experience and the program continuing to improve. The Bishop Manogue softball has a bright future ahead and will likely be back competing for another state title soon.
