Undefeated Lady Chiefs fall short in championship

By Greg Hart

Green Mountain’s Lady Chiefs softball team took its undefeated record into the Vermont state finals, coming up just short in a tough fought 6-3 loss to Richford in the Division III  championship game held in Poultney on Saturday, June 14.

Leah Bodin is just seconds away from hitting a triple. Photos by Josh Bodin.

In spite of championship game jitters as well as the pressure and expectations of an undefeated season, GM got off to a good start.  Coach Terry Farrell’s crew got things going early in the first inning with a walk from Mel Drummond followed by an RBI triple from Leah Bodin who then scored from third on a passed ball for a quick 2-0 lead.  Green Mountain threatened further damage in the first.

“We got two more runners on, second and third with two outs, and couldn’t get them in,”  Farrell lamented, adding that “If we had gotten those two more in it might have been a different game, being up 4-0 rather than  2-0.”  Despite the missed opportunity, the Chiefs settled in nicely. “We sailed along pretty good until we got to the fourth inning,” said Farrell.  Richford seized the lead in the fourth, scoring three runs all with two outs, aided by a GM error.  The Rockets found more two-out magic in the fifth, adding three more runs for a 6-2 lead.

In spite of championship game jitters as well as the pressure and expectations of an undefeated season, GM got off to a good start.

Green Mountain players, from left, Rachel Martel, Leah Bodin, Taylor Wilson, Mel Drummond, Sasha Petricki and Emily Castillo.

Despite their undefeated record, the Lady Chiefs had experience playing from behind as recently as last week when they came from behind in a tough 3-2 quarterfinal  win over rival Leland and Gray. Then they beat Enosburg 10-6 in the semis after an early 4-0 deficit. “That was good,” Farrell said of his team’s experience. “There was still that sense that we were going to do it, but it just didn’t happen.”  Indeed the Chieftains managed one more run in the fifth inning but were shut down the rest of the way.  “We hit the ball hard twice in the seventh,” said Farrell, “but right at people.”

The Chieftains managed one more run in the fifth inning but were shut down the rest of the way.  “We hit the ball hard twice in the seventh,” said Coach Farrell, “but right at people.”

Green Mountain team captains Stephanie Knockenhauer, left, and Leah Bodin accept the 2nd Place award.

Speaking about the disappointment his team felt — coming so close after an undefeated regular season — Farrell said, “They obviously were upset after the game. They would have loved to have gotten that last one (win).  But I told them ‘what if I said at the beginning of the year you’d finish 18-1 and make the state final, would you have taken that?’”

Continuing to put things in perspective, Coach Farrell made sure to mention the team’s seven seniors: Stephanie Knockenhauer;  Leah Bodin; Maddie Huntley; Mel Drummond; Taylor Wilson;  Rachel Martel; and Sasha Petrycki.  The coach lauded their contributions and development throughout their careers, noting how Huntley and Bodin had been four-year starters and the rest had started the previous three years.  The group had only one win their freshman season, but since Farrell took over they have experienced sustained success with back to back 11-5 sophomore  and junior seasons followed by the 16-0 regular season record this year.   “They worked hard and improved each year,” said Farrell.  “It was a fun group to have.”