KALISPELL — The Glacier High softball team is no stranger to the state tournament, and it's competing for a second state championship in three years led by a mix of experienced and younger players.
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After securing the No. 2 seed in the Western AA, Glacier has again established itself as one of the teams to watch in the postseason.
Wolfpack coach Abby Snipes says her team made it to this point with strong offensive and defensive performances, along with being a tight-knit group.
“I think this team has one of the strongest chemistries honestly of any team that I've ever coached,” Snipes said. “They have great leadership right from the top. Somebody's having not their best day, they're there for their teammates and those of course are skills that aren't just softball skills. Those are just great life skills and so I think that that's just something I'm super proud of.”
With seniors who already have a state championship under their belt, upperclassmen like senior catcher Cazzaran Kosky have taken it upon themselves to prepare the younger players for the challenge ahead of them.
“A lot of them said they looked up to the upperclassmen and what we've done,” Kosky said. “It's always the ultimate goal for them to reach that point as well and for us to lead them to that point as well to show them how it's done.”
Now with the state tournament on the horizon, shortstop Nakiah Persinger says the team’s main focus is working toward bringing home another state championship.
“I'd say I think that's our ultimate goal this year and I'm holding myself to an expectation of that,” Persinger said. “I'm working to hold my team to that same expectation. I think that state tournament is really all about your mindset. You can build all the skill, but once you come to that final game, it's a mindset piece.”
The Class AA state tournament begins Thursday in Great Falls.
