At the beginning of the season, Lake Region adopted a team motto.
One Team. One Family. One Goal.
“They set their goals high,” said Thunder (21-6) softball coach John Bridges. “A state championship, obviously, but I keep trying to tell them one step at a time and the district championship was the first step.”
The Thunder beat Auburndale, 4-1, for the Class 6A District 8 title. The title avenged two regular-season losses to the Bloodhounds.
“It was really important for us to win,” said senior infielder Miranda Lefan. “We had to work on everything together and stay as a team or we weren’t going to get there. It felt good.”
“It seems like every game it’s something different,” said Bridges. “I mean one night the defense might struggle, but the pitching will be strong. If the pitching is off, then the bats will come around. They’ve pulled everything together as a team.”
“The strongest thing we have is defense,” said sophomore third baseman Alyssa Rivera. “We try not to let anything drop. We try not to let anything get through the infield. We try to keep it down on lock all the time.”
They wear eye black and bandanas in their team picture to convey that this team means business.
“We put up a tough factor, if you mess with one of us you mess with all of us,” said Lefan.
Eye-black and all the team won Lake Region’s first district title since 2001. They haven’t won a state title since 2000.
“It feels amazing to be here with the team,” said Lefan. “We’ve bonded so well this year.”
So how far can this motto carry the Thunder?
“I think we can go really far,” said senior pitcher Haley Wiseman. “I hope that we win state.”
“They are quite capable of going all the way,” said Bridges. “You have to go one at a time and focus on that game. Everyone you are going to face from here on out is going to be a tough opponent.”
The Thunder host Eau Gallie from Melbourne on Wednesday. If they win and Auburndale beats East River they could face each other for the fourth time this season.