Wasilla wins first conference softball title in school history

WASILLA — Heading into the 2015 season, the Wasilla Warriors set their sights on one goal.

A region championship.

The Warriors reached that mark, and made program history in the process.

Wasilla finished 7-1 in region play and won the Railbelt Conference title for the first time.

“As a team at the beginning of the season, we said we want to hang a banner,” Wasilla head coach Tyler Gilligan said. “That was our goal for the season.”

With the title comes Wasilla’s first state tournament berth since 2007, and a first-round bye in the ASAA/First National Bank State Softball Championships, which starts Friday in Fairbanks.

Rather than focusing on simply scoring a top-2 finish in the Railbelt to grab one of the two automatic bids to the state championships, Gilligan said the focus was on the primary goal.

A region title.

And it wasn’t the easiest of feats.

Schedule-markers tossed the Warriors a brutal curve at the end of the season. Half of the team’s eight-game conference slate came in a four-day stretch during the final week of the regular season. If that’s not enough, the stretch also included a road trip to Fairbanks after back-to-back nights against their Valley rivals, Palmer and Colony.

“I told them it’d be a rough, uphill battle,” Gilligan said. “I told them to stay focus, stay healthy.”

The Warriors remained focused on their primary goal, and cruised to victories during the final four nights.

Last Tuesday, Wasilla opened the stretch with a 16-0 win over Palmer. The Warriors followed with a 9-3 victory over Colony. In Fairbanks Wasilla beat West Valley 12-1 and blasted Lathrop 24-1.

Gilligan said his players handled whatever adversity they faced throughout the stretch. Last Thursday, during the first of three nights in Fairbanks, Wasilla expected a 4 p.m. game against West Valley. But with the Warriors warmed up and ready to go at 4, they figured out the game was actually at 6. But instead of falling apart, Gilligan said, the Warriors stayed focused an earned a double-digit win over the Wolfpack.

During the final four conference games, Cassidy Edwards, the lone senior on the squad, pitched three complete games, and tossed a no-hitter against Palmer. In the West Valley win, Edwards fanned eight during a complete game three-hitter. She followed with another complete game three-hitter against

Lathrop.

Junior Jessica Maxwell made the start against Colony, allowing six hits.

Maxwell stood out at the plate in Fairbanks. She blasted a two-run homer and doubled against the Wolfpack. Junior Shelby Wallis was 4-4 with three doubles against West Valley.

“Our biggest success comes from our bats,” Gilligan said.

The Warriors have nine players on the team batting .423 or better. Four Warriors are hitting more than .500, including Katherine Johnson, who leads the team with a .590 batting average. Wallis is hitting .590. Alyssa Simmons has a .524 batting average, and Maxwell is at .511.

Johnson has scored a team-high 25 runs, while Maxwell has 24.

Gilligan said his squad includes a great deal of talent, but the Warriors ability to embrace the concept of team has allowed his players to make school history.

“We have a better unit than we had last year. They’re closer. They pick each other up when somebody might get down. There’s a lot of individual talent, but the talent is showcased in a team unit.”

The Railbelt champion Warriors have one of the two first-round byes in the state tournament. Wasilla opens against the winner of the South Anchorage-Chugiak matchup Friday at 3 p.m. at the South Davis Park Complex in Fairbanks. Gilligan said the Warriors did not play either team during the regular season, but will be on hand to watch when the Wolverines face the Mustangs Friday at 1 p.m.

“That will help a lot,” Gilligan said.

Regardless of what happens during the final weekend, Gilligan said he’s thrilled with his team.

“It’s a heck of a ball club. They’re super fun to be around,” Gilligan said. “They’re always ready to take on adversity.”