Win or Die: Woodside’s Varsity Softball’s Road to CCS

A cloud of dust flows up into the air as the girl slides into home plate with the whizz of the ball not far behind her. For this entire season, the softball team is still fighting with all their strength to go to CCS (Central Coast Section). After an awful upset that unqualified them for CCS last year, they are making a comeback. Softball has been considered by many a very intense sport, especially at Woodside High School. The team is full of talented, driven girls working together towards the same goal.

Rebecca Pilakowski slams a ball into the field.

The competition of softball at Woodside High School continues to be challenging and competitive. The aggressive sport has often been in very high demand and is one of the best sports team Woodside offers. But this year, with the help of new additions, they plan to proceed to CCS and beat their competitor. Every year the competition and challenges rise as so does their talent. The young ladies work their hardest and play their game to come out on the other side with a win. For some players, it may just be a hobby, but for others, it could be their life; their future. They will do everything in their power and ability to improve and take their wins to CCS, They have a long way to go but with hard work and communication, they can get there.

Last season, “the competition was pretty fierce, especially between Sequoia and San Mateo,” remembered Teresa Refello, a junior on the team. They sadly did not manage to make it to CCS in the previous season even though they were amazing, as always. They ended up in a “three way tie with [Sequoia and San Mateo] last year for the ocean league title,” frowned Refello, remembering how they were not the team to make it to CCS. The team to be picked to go to CCS was the one that finished the season with the most points and unfortunately that was not Woodside. “We were really good. We were a very competitive team but we didn’t make it because there were some points that we missed at the beginning of the season. Probably some preseason games that we didn’t win,” declared Refello. But this year, they are working twice as hard as anyone else to advance to CCS.

Rival games get extraordinarily intense especially when they beat each other on their home fields like last season with Woodside against Sequoia. They beat each other in each other’s home fields. Best friends competing against each other are no longer friends once they are on the field; they are opponents. Those games bring exceedingly amounts of attention. “The stands are always full, scouts are nearby, and some local newspapers even cover it. The field is so loud with both teams shouting and yelling at each other,” revealed McBride.

They have a very high chance of going to CCS “with the new additives to the team, the possibilities are limitless,” smiled the hopeful player. These new additives affect the team in a positive way and furtherd them in the competition this year. “[San Mateo and Sequoia] have been training super hard. [They] know what to expect from us,” announced Refello.  To beat these well-qualified teams, they will need to overcome those big factors.

Pitcher Ashley Miller jokes with second baseman Rebecca Pilakowski.

Ashley Miller winds up to pitch.

Unfortunately, injuries within the team stunted their success in the beginning of the season. Their catcher, Samantha Parker, a junior, was injured when the opposing team’s runner slid into her, deeply cutting her hand. On top of the that, second baseman Rebecca Pilakowski hurt her arm overusing it. “That definitely hurt the beginning of our season. If it wasn’t for that, we would be tied with San Mateo for first instead of being in second place,” explained Ali McBride, the only freshman on the team and  the sports editor of the Woodsideworld.

To be victorious, they need to improve on some aspects of being a team. One key improvement needed to be made is communication: “On some levels the freshman, the juniors, the sophomores, and the seniors need to talk a little bit more but other than that were really good,” admitted the junior. “We have three seniors who haven’t been to CCS yet and this is their last chance. We just want to win. That’s all,” said McBride determinedly, a right fielder.

With communication, “[playing] well, [earning] lots of runs, and just [winning] every single game,” stated Refello, they can achieve the goal that was ripped from their clutches the year prior. “Our team is at its best with everyone healthy and playing well. It’s only a matter of nerves now,” confirmed McBride.