Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
Husky Hall of Famers Makenzie Marchbanks, pitcher, and Sara Brocard, catcher, were named the softball team’s most valuable players at the team’s awards dessert held on June 1.
The two were named to the Hall of Fame the night before at the schoolwide senior sports award banquet.
Other awards went to Michelle Cliver, most inspirational; Becky Spencer, most improved; Marchbanks, offensive player of the year; and Lacey Mink and Cliver, defensive players of the year.
Coach Steve Hummer gave his four seniors the coach’s award. They included Cliver, Brocard, Marchbanks and Olivia Lake.
Also recognized were all-league winners, including second team members Jessalyn Seiber, Idahna Huenergerdt and Mink. First team winners were Paige Niemi, Brocard, Marchbanks and Cliver.
Junior varsity awards went to Sam Johnson, most valuable player and offensive player of the year, and Tiffany Cuilla, defensive player of the year.
First-year letters went to sophomores Lacey Mink and Paige Niemi and juniors Becky Spencer and Kim Bell.
Second-year letters went to senior Olivia Lake and sophomore Kaci Pettit.
A third-year letter was awarded to Seiber, a junior.
Fourth-year letters were given to seniors Brocard, Marchbanks and Cliver.
The Huskies finished 17-6 and second in the Val-Co league behind Central, Hummer said recapping the season. “We played two very good games against them.”
Central beat the Huskies 2-0 at home and then 1-0 in 10 innings at Central.
“They are at the state championship game this weekend,” Hummer said, adding he isn’t really into “moral” victories. He said he would much rather have defeated Central and had his team in the state championship game.
“That does tell you though how close we were to doing something incredible,” Hummer said. After the Central game, the Huskies recorded a 2-1 win over Corvallis, a team that made the 5A semifinals and then moved on to a second-round playoff game against Yamhill-Carlton.
“The game at Yamhill-Carlton was a tough one to lose,” Hummer said. His team was phenomenal, committing no errors and never trailing until Yamhill-Carlton hit a two-out three-run homerun in the bottom of the seventh inning.
“It was one of those games where you just got beat,” Hummer said. Yamhill-Carlton faced a similar end later against top-ranked South Umpqua.