The Peninsula 14U Breakers began their 2022 All-Star season in early June claiming championship and finalist trophies at various tournaments throughout the season. Many of these girls began their softball journey years ago in the 6Uand 8U divisions and have played together throughout the years.
“This state title is a true reflection of years of hard work, training, and dedication at all levels,” said Peninsula Youth Softball Association president Jill Wyatt. “These girls are supportive teammates on the field and great friends off the field. The lessons they have learned through softball have not only developed them as amazing players, but also incredible citizens, leaders, and true role models for our younger players.”
All of the girls played for PYSA during the spring recreational season and continued to play as 14U Gold All-Stars with coaches dedicating countless hours to developing their skills over the years. The 14U Breakers qualified for the state competition during the district competition held in Santee on June 17-19.
At Lancaster, where they competed in the state tournament over the 4th of July weekend, the team competed over three days, winning their first game but dropping their second game, which placed them in the loser’s bracket.
On the way to the state title, the team played four back-to-back games on Saturday and learned at the conclusion of that day’s final match that it had qualified for a nationals berth. On Sunday, they continued to climb and march to the finals winning three consecutive games to face off with the undefeated opponent from the winner’s bracket.
The Breakers won the first championship game 16-8 forcing them into a second “if necessary” game. In their fifth game of the day, they beat Redondo Sunset 6-4 to secure the state title.
“These girls had to dig deeper than ever before and thanks to the incredible training by their coaches they persevered to win the title,” Wyatt added. “Every girl on the team contributed at the precise necessary time.
“PYSA is proud of the heart, grit, and dedication of this team at every level. They embody the spirit of our organization and we are so proud that they have etched their names in PYSA history with this state title.”
The Breakers finished the All-Star season with a 24-8 record overall and will now travel to Corona to compete in the USA Softball Nationals tournament from July 26-31. They will play in a five-game minimum double-elimination tournament and will be carrying their state champions banner during the opening ceremony parade.
“This state tournament was something beyond special,” said manager Ray Plummer. “Imagine all the drills, mental toughness talks, and things we practice over and over all coming together at once. As a manager, it was the most beautiful and impressive thing I’ve ever seen.”
