Gallery • 21 Photos

Madi Hermeyer

The girls softball team celebrates with their friends and family after winning against Troy. The game was hard fought and the win was celebrated even harder.

The last Friday before fall break had everyone feeling excited, ready to have a week off of school, however, for the varsity girls softball team, their excitement stemmed from the extraordinary game they had the night before. Not because they had won yet, but because they would soon resume that very same game to finish the fight they had started.

On Oct. 21 the quarterfinal match between FHC’s varsity softball team and Troy’s varsity softball team was suspended after the 11th inning, tied 2-2 there was no telling whose game it would be. On Oct. 22 when the game continued in the 12th inning that suspense didn’t end up lasting long, the Spartans came out on top in a quick victory, ending the game 3-2.

Senior outfielder Josie Bezzole hit the game-winning double that allowed senior center fielder Emily Chadwick to make it home. In the flurry of excitement, Bezzole didn’t even realize they’d won. 

“I didn’t really know what was happening when I was running through, to be honest,” Bezzole said. “I saw everybody coming out and was like, ‘Oh, I guess we’re done, we won! Great!’”

Head coach Zack Sheets couldn’t be more proud of this incredibly hard-working team.

“I tip our cap to our seniors and our leaders,” Coach Sheets said. “We were locked in from the jump and they did exactly what we needed to from the start.”

The circumstances were extraordinary, neither team had seen a game play out as this one did.

“It’s kind of an unprecedented time because really nobody, at least on either side, has seen this magnitude of a game with it being suspended,” Coach Sheets said. 

The emotions were high with this win, after a hard-fought game with 12 innings and a long-held determination to beat Troy that euphoria could be felt by everyone in attendance.

“We have wanted to beat this team for a long time and we finally did, and it’s just a great feeling,” Bezzole said. 

As winners of the state quarterfinals, the girl’s softball team will play in the Class 5 Final Four. This is the first time since 2008 that the team has made it to the state semifinals. 

“[We made] Final Four for the first time in a while, I am so excited to get another week with this group,” Coach Sheets said. “This is kind of one of those deals you never want to end.”