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“I moved here two years ago, my sophomore year. I was really nervous. I wasn’t sure what I was going to get, I was just kind of like oh well come on and see what happens, and they really made me feel like I was at home,“ said Mt. Vernon senior Katelyn Kotlarz.
When she came to Mt. Vernon, Kotlarz found a new circle of friends, while throwing from the circle.
“She came in and she was able to feel comfortable right away. We’ve had a great relationship and she’s just a really great individual,“ said Mountaineers head coach Matt Schubert.
And last year, Katelyn broke Mount Vernon single-game strikeout record with 15 and a game and the mountaineers made it to state semi finals.
With nine players returning from last year‘s group the mountaineers believed they could get back to state this year, and get some records as a team.
“Our schedule was going to be tough this year, so we really wanted to get more wins, and maybe have the most wins this year as well, Kotlarz said. “We were going to play tough teams but teams that we knew their potential, and what we had.”
Katelyn was one player that coach Schubert expected to make a big impact. She set the school season-record with 222 strikeouts last year, and she was only 103 away from becoming the schools all-time strikeout leader — something that would’ve likely happened if the season was played.
“I think we were going to see something special as far as what she was going to be able to do in the circle. She was taking lessons over the summer, and she had really become much more consistent, more so than she already was,” said Schubert. “For me that was exciting, but I’m sure for opposing hitters it wouldn’t of been.“
Katelyn is continuing her softball career at Labette community college next season, and looking back at her time in high school, she’s thankful for the time she had in the green and white.
“I really feel like Mount Vernon was the place that we decided to go, and it’s a great atmosphere and everyone is nice, everyone is caring. It was a good place,“ said Kotlarz.
