MORGANTOWN — It’s always tough to end a season with a loss, but sometimes the milestones achieved along the way are the real victories.
Clay-Battelle (25-4) bowed out of the Class A state softball tournament Thursday with, losing two games in the same week. While the Cee-Bees fell short of their ultimate goal, the season was unprecedented in terms of success for the program.
Clay-Battelle’s trip to the state tournament was the first in the team’s history, and became just the second C-B team sport — after cheerleading — to make a state tournament appearance in the past five years. In addition, the Cee-Bees set the school record for most wins and fewest losses in a softball season.
“All year we talked to these girls about creating a legacy and doing something special, and I think these girls lived up to that. We might not have made the state championship but just making it there was a win. It created a sense of excitement in our community and just making it there was pretty special,” C-B coach Butch Varner said.
“It’s something special. It’s something we can always have and no one can take away from us. It’s something that meant a lot to this community and this team, especially because most people didn’t think we’d make it this far,” added senior pitcher Caitlyn Kassay, who earned Class A all-state tournament honors.
While the accomplishments on the field were quite impressive, Varner said he hopes that the memories made, friendships formed and lessons learned along the way also stick with the girls for the rest of their lives.
“It’s incredible. It’s a really good feeling to know we’re the first people to do that. You don’t really think about that when you’re playing. You’re just having fun. But when you look back on it, you realize what a big accomplishment it is,” junior Alicia Keener said of the accomplishment.
“I’m really glad I was able to be with the teammates I was this year. I wouldn’t have wanted to do it with anyone else.”
The Cee-Bees lose just two seniors to graduation and return five juniors for next season. Varner looks for next season another successful year for the program because of that. During which he hopes they can expand on this group’s success.
“You’re never guaranteed anything, and there will be new roles that need filled. But I think the future is very bright for C-B softball,” he said.
Keener — who joined Kassay on the all-tournament team — expects that the group should be able to use their experience this season to help better prepare for this stage next time around.
“I think going down there makes you realize what we can and have accomplished this year, and you feed off that,” she said. “It makes you want to be down there again next year. We did really well this year, but I think we can do it again next year.
“The teams who play down there are a lot more like us. They’re more to our level. It’s difficult going in and playing similar teams that have experience in that situation.”
Kassay is grateful for the support her and her teammates received on their historic run this season and hopes that the success they achieved will help leave a championship legacy within the program for future classes.
“I hope it sets a standard. We set the bar high for other teams to follow and I hope that means people on the team will be able to work behind the scenes to make it happen. It takes someone who is willing to sacrifice time in the off-season, and hopefully reaching this level drives other girls to do that,” she said.
