No. 1 in 4A Wamego softball gears up for postseason

WAMEGO, Kan. (WIBW) - Wamego softball is entering the 2023 postseason as the team to beat.

”Everybody wants to beat us, and we know that. So we just work hard every day,” said senior Ashten Pierson.

Working hard every day has gotten the team pretty far this year. The 15-1 Red Raiders are standing tall as the No. 1 seed in 4A heading into regionals.

“Winning’s always fun. But the way that we do it, like the kind of team that we have, the bond that we share, we come to practice and work hard every day, and we have fun doing it too,” said senior Maya Gallagher. “Everything’s fun with this team.”

The coaching staff is pretty proud of the girls, too.

“I think it shows the hard work that these girls have put in,” said head coach Luke Meyer. “Especially the senior class, how they’ve just been kind of building that momentum across Wamego sports.”

Even though they’re the top dogs entering the postseason, they’ve still got a bit of a chip on their shoulder. The 2021 State Champions were knocked out by Bishop Miege in 2022, and they’ve got a strong chance of eventually facing the Stags in Regionals once again.

“Two years ago we faced Bishop in the first round of State and we beat them, so we had a little chip on our shoulder coming out the next season. And then the next season they beat us, so we got a rival going on here,” said Pierson.

It’s an even more meaningful time for the seniors on the squad, who know what it feels to hold up a State trophy.

“We’ve kinda been through the ringer together. We came up through when nobody really knew who Wamego softball was to where we’re at now, and it’s all because of the work that them and the classes before did,” said Coach Meyer.

It’s now time to live by the one game at a time mentality.

“We’ve worked towards just playing how we play. And once we play how we play then we win by a lot,” Gallagher said.

“Can’t win the second game if you don’t win the first game first,” said Pierson.

“Just being mentally prepared for game one, and not worried about anything beyond that,” Coach Meyer said.

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