HASTINGS – The Wausa Vikings 18s softball team concluded its 2024 season at the Nebraska 16/18U Girls’ Fast-Pitch Class C State Tournament.
Wausa competed in three games during the state tournament, held July 5-7 at the USA Softball of Nebraska Complex in Hastings, and lost to the Seward Illusion 16s 11-7, the DCB (Dannebrog- Cairo-Boelus) 18s 5-4 and the Seward Illusion 18s 7-6.
“Overall, I was so impressed with how the girls came out and competed this weekend,” Wausa head coach Shelbey West said. “This is the first time in recent memory that we have qualified for the Class C state tournament. Traditionally, Wausa has always qualified for Class D state.”
She described the experience for her players as “an honor to go down and compete against some big-time competition.”
“I think that in the moment, the girls may not understand what they have done for the entire Wausa softball program due to us going 0-3 down at state,” West said. “As time goes on, I hope they realize that they are leaving the program better than they found it.
“They weren’t scared to go down and compete against better competition,” she said. “They went out and played hard and have set a new standard for what this program is. We may be a small town, but we play hard and we play with a lot of heart.”
She noted the girls Wausa played against put their cleats on the same way the Vikings do.
“Once that first pitch is thrown, it’s just softball,” West said. “Just like any other team we’ve played all year. I’m so incredibly proud of them.”
Abby Kaiser, Peyton Privett and Addison Sporleder are the three senior players who are moving on now that Wausa’s season has concluded.
“The three seniors that will be moving on are some of the best girls I have been around as a coach,” West said. “They bring a certain joy to the game that you just can’t emulate.
“Obviously, they have been three of our better players for quite a few years now, but they have also helped bring this team and our culture closer than I ever thought it would be,” she said. “I consider them all family to me and will miss each of them dearly.”
Wausa assistant coach Jared Wiebelhaus agreed.
“First off, I just want to say that the three seniors that we are losing cannot simply be replaced,” Wiebelhaus said. “They all bring so much to the table and it won’t be the same without them. However, the future of the program is bright because of them.
“We have some up-and-coming talent that has now been shown how to play the game the right way, and how to care about one another because of the standard those three have set,” he said.
He noted the Vikings’ younger girls have speed all over the field.
“We still have a lot of returning talent as well to help take the reins of this team,” Wiebelhaus said. “It will be a different style of play that you see from us next year.
“We will run the bases even more aggressively, we will bunt more and make teams make plays, and defensively we will be tough to score on because of our speed and the amount of pitchers we have to choose from,” he said.
“I’m so excited to see how big of a step some of these girls take by next summer,” he said. “The program is in good hands.”
Sienna West handled Wausa’s duties on the mound during the recent state tournament, pitching every inning of all three games.
The Vikings’ hits from the Seward Illusion 16s game were by: Olivia Barta – 1, Peyton Privett – 1, Caitlin Eckert – 1, Ainsley Dawson – 2 and Reagan Gillilan – 1.
Wausa’s hits from the DCB 18s game were by: Peyton Privett – 1, Olivia Barta – 1 and Ainsley Dawson – 1.
The Vikings’ hits from the Seward Illusion 18s game were by: Peyton Privett – 2, Olivia Barta – 2, Sienna West – 2, Abby Kaiser – 1 and Reagan Gillilan – 2.
