It was their first shot at the fast pitch state playoffs and the North Rock Creek Lady Cougars made it count, going all the way to the Class 3A state championship game.
They finished 32-8, beating Tishomingo and Dewey in the state tournament before falling 10-0 to long-time powerhouse Washington in the championship game.
“Even though this wasn’t the outcome we wanted, I couldn’t be more proud,” coach Chance Griffin said. “This was just Washington’s day. Our pitchers did a great job and threw everything I called - Washington just did what they did the whole state tournament. Put on a hitting clinic.”
It was a remarkable run for the Lady Cougars, who were left out of the playoffs last year after being told they would compete in Class B.
The school’s enrollment grew so fast, NRC had more students in one grade than some entire Class B high schools, and the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association opted to leave them out of the playoffs.
This year, there was no denying them.
Starting one senior, two juniors, three sophomores and a family of freshman triplets, the Lady Cougars sputtered a couple of times, losing three games in a row in one stretch and three of four in another, but they were money when it counted most.
They finished runnerup to Washington in their district, but rolled through the regional, winning their three games by a combined score of 25-6.
Then it was on the state tournament.
“As a coach, I can look at this and think: ‘There are coaches who have coached 30 or 40 years and never got this opportunity,” Griffin said. “With this group, from June 1 to now, they have put in the time, put in the effort.
“They are one of the closest teams I have ever coached. They root each other on and genuinely want what’s best or each other. Even after softball, I think this group is going to stick together and stay in touch.
“I know we’re young still, but they’re building on is more than just softball.”