MELBOURNE – The Melbourne High School softball team celebrated his state championship win stylishly on Thursday night: with a banquet at the Great Manor.
The team, along with family and friends, came together to celebrate the Bulldogs ’1-0 win over Doral Academy last weekend.
Their hard work this season was not only noted by friends and family at the banquet, it was also acknowledged by Melbourne Mayor Paul Elfrey.
Alfry presented each coach and player with a certificate congratulating them on their return to the state softball championship in Melbourne.
Champions! Melbourne Softball Wins 6A State Championship 1-0 Over Doral Academy
Their journey to the state championship game was not without casualties. Their regional final game against Bartow was originally scheduled for the same day as Melbourne High School’s graduation.
Eventually, that Friday the game passed in the rain and was postponed to Saturday morning, but the four senior teams – Eli Turner, Kyle Berry, Sophia Valkurt and Neva Lowridge – still had the opportunity to receive diplomas in front of their families and classmates and play in the regional final.
“Our whole graduation ceremony was something memorable,” Turner said. “I’m so grateful we were able to really finish our class in a special way and then win.”
Berry, Turner and Lowridge received their diplomas at the beginning of their internship, and Valkurt decided to attend the graduation ceremony.
As the game was postponed to the next day, fate was on Valkur’s side.
“I risked not going to the game to go to graduation, but then it all worked out because it rained on Friday and I still had to play on Saturday,” Valkour said. – So I was really lucky.
When Turner, Valkurt, Berry and Lawridge graduate, the Bulldogs will return to a few junior classes.
Among them are Hailey Turner, who kicked off in the regional finals, state semifinals and state championships, catcher Alicia Thompson and starting pitcher Jasmine Francis.
When asked if there was any pressure to repeat now that they have won once, Francis had this perspective: “The pressure is always there because there is always a chance to lose any game. But now we know what it takes.” .
The Bulldogs finished the championship season with a record 26-2-1 and became one of the most successful softball teams in the history of the school.
“All of our teammates the next day were as if we had just woken up state champions,” Eli Turner said. “You can’t say that every day, and we’re just grateful for that.”
