RECAP: 2017 varsity softball season

The Westside varsity softball team finished their 2017 campaign with a record of 6-18 after falling to Millard West in the first round of districts.  The Warriors earned four of their six wins in the second half of the year by a combined score of 42-1.  Senior outfielder Anna Vidlak said this came after the Warriors figured out who they were as a team.

“Towards the end of the season, we did come together more as a team.  There’s definitely still room for them next year to keep coming together as a team.  I think that was our biggest issue,” Vidlak said.

Westside played their 24 games with an extremely young squad as there were two seniors on the varsity roster and one of them started.  After a year in which the girls lost eight seniors, the 2017 season was about finding their way as a team.  As a result of the team being so young, nine of their 18 losses came by a difference of five runs or less, and the close losses have come after giving up a lead late or back and forth affairs.  Vidlak said this team shouldn’t be evaluated strictly by the numbers.

“We had the talent to be a good team,” Vidlak said. “It’s just that if something was off that day it didn’t come together.”

She said that the younger players like to view this year’s bumps and bruises as learning experiences.  The losses, how close they were, brought hope to the girls this year. Sophomore Mia Lund said she’s excited for the future of this program.

“I know it and we all know it,” Lund said.  “We’re going to be good in the next year or two.”