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On May 18, 2019, Lincoln softball was crowned as state champion.
“It was everything. It was such a thrill to be part of something so great,” said Lincoln senior Chloe Reese.
It was something no Lincoln team had accomplished before.
“Just to bring home a trophy for our school, finally, was amazing,” said Lincoln senior Haley Mackey.
Not much could top the championship feeling, but the Cardinals had an idea of what might.
“We really thought we could get it back this year and that kind of stinks that they can’t do that their senior years,” said Lincoln Head Coach Chris Sanders.
Haley and Chloe, Lincoln’s only two seniors, both had their eyes on back-to-back titles. Now, they won’t get the chance.
“We get the news that the school year is done and softball season is done, and it’s like ‘well, senior year is over now’,” Chloe said.
“It was a really big shock but as the days go by it’s something I’ve learned to accept and learned to move on from,” Haley said.
That process is helped by the Lincoln community, and a unique way to celebrate last year’s championship.
“Some of the moms got together and organized a little drive in movie-type thing, where we got to watch both games,” Sanders said. “Everybody sat in their cars and watched the games on the side of a tractor trailer.”
It was a makeshift drive-in movie with last year’s Final Four serving as the featured film.
“I always tell people, when I was watching, I got that same nervous and excited feeling,” Chloe said. “It’s fun to experience it again,”
It’s the final game-experience these seniors will have from Lincoln. It was also the chance to help make sure those memories will live on.
“I’ve coached a lot of sports, but last year’s softball team as a whole, it’s something that’s really special,” Sanders said.
It’s a special team and now two special seniors leaving behind a championship legacy.
