The 2024 season was an exciting reversal of fortune for the Varsity girls softball team. After a disappointing 2023 season, the Panthers missed the playoffs, ending that year with a losing record but also, evidently, a determination to do better. And this year, they came back with conviction, fighting their way to a winning 13-10 record. This season featured disappointing losses, but even more exciting wins, including a lopsided 23-0 victory against Brentwood School on Thursday, Feb. 29, and another dominant 22-2 win against league rival Chadwick on Thursday, Apr. 18.
After starting the season off hot, losing only once in their first seven games, Poly ran into some hardship as they moved into league play. Pitted against harder competition, a few star players were able to show their true colors. Freshman pitcher and one of the team’s aces, Amelia Shih, highlighted the contributions of freshman Brynn Connoly and sophomore Eila Chan. Shih said, “Brynn was one of the most valuable players on the team because of her constant energy in the dugout. She also did a great job behind the plate calling pitches.” “Eila was also one of our best because she was our most consistent hitter, which added depth to our lineup,” Shih added.
Although the team did suffer some losses, ending the season with a 5-7 record in league play, the Panthers were able to learn from their mistakes, applying their newfound experience as the spring season went on. Luckily, the team’s efforts were rewarded, earning them a spot in the CIF Division VII playoffs.
Going into the playoffs, the team had high hopes but concerns about the level of competition they would be facing. In the first round, however, the team exceeded all expectations, making a statement as they beat Hawthorne High School in a polarizing 14-1 game. Unfortunately, this success did not carry into the girls’ second round, as the Panthers lost in a 7-8 nail-biter against Riverside Prep.
It’s only a loss, however, if you don’t learn something from it, and the softball team has already proven that they know how to come back from their setbacks even stronger and better. With no seniors retiring from the current team, the full roster will return next year. Recuperated and with one playoff run under their belt, there’s no saying just how much this young, promising team will accomplish in the future.
