Senior Night

Seniors,

There are no words that can express how much you all have meant to the team these past years. We have a lot of season left and a lot more to accomplish and I can't wait to do it all with you. This is your last go around until you start a new chapter in your life...Make it the best!
We love you all!

Humorous

I never blame myself when I'm not hitting. I just blame the bat and if it keeps up, I change bats.
YOGI BERRA

Good weekend of ball

Congrats to all on a good weekend of softball at the Lynx Classic. Let the momentum continue into this week. Get yourself mentally and physically ready for Monday’s game!
DEFENSE! DEFENSE! DEFENSE!

Bounce

Every team goes through slumps, it's how you respond to the slump that differentiates the "good teams" from the "not so good teams". Don't settle, expect more from youself and your teammates.

ONE heart beat

The week from H. E. double hockey sticks

Now that it’s over lets focus on having one of the best weeks of softball this season. Pick one area you want to improve on and focus on that this week. It might be something defensively, offensively (bunting), or it might be mentally improving your game. Whatever it is make it a point to be better at it by the end of the week.
Seven games = Seven opportunities to get better.

Monday LC @ Home 6:00/7:30
JV - 4:30 hit
V - 6:00 hit
ARE YOU READY?

com·pet·i·tor

You have got to want success in order to be successful. Where is the fight in this team? Some of you have worked to hard for to long to give up now! I care too much about you all to let you give in that easy. Let’s get that nasty fight back!

Are You Ready?

Meet me at the Field
IT'S GOIN DOWN!

Jackets notch win over S.C. North by Kevin White

Three years ago, Kelly Duffek oversaw an eager group of girls as the freshman basketball coach at Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson. Even though none of them had played much softball, she convinced them to give the sport a try.

"I guess I wasn't too mean to them," she said. "I got them interested in softball. The one thing is they all want to get better. They think they need to get better."

The Lady Jackets continue to make strides, and Tuesday night was another shining example. Senior Ashtyn Neill fired a three-hit shutout and unrated Thomas Jefferson blanked Class 4-A No. 8 Sioux City North 3-0 at the Council Bluffs Stadium softball field.

It was the first win over North, a perennial softball power in Iowa, for Duffek, in her fourth year at the helm. Thomas Jefferson, 19-15 last year, improved to 5-1 and won its Missouri River Activities Conference opener, while dropping the Stars to 4-3 and 1-1.

"They've had a quality program, and any time you can get a win against them, it feels good," Duffek said.

Neill, who will play softball and volleyball at Southwestern Community College in Creston, turned in an outstanding performance. She struck out eight, walked one and worked around North singles in the fifth, sixth and seventh.

"I learned a curveball this season, and it's really made a difference," she said. "It's a good pitch to throw when I'm ahead."

The Lady Jackets opened the scoring in the third when Val Robinson beat out an infield hit, took second on Kiersten Ruff's single and scored on an error.

In the sixth, Alyssa Hedrick's single put runners at first and second, and then Robinson's ground ball to short was thrown away. Marjory Christensen scored and Hedrick moved to third. Robinson took off for second before the play was over and was tagged out, but the Stars forgot about Hedrick, who scored to make it 3-0.

Robinson, first baseman Samantha Flowers and center fielder Sadie Smith were starters on the Lady Jackets' soccer team, which lost 2-0 in a regional final at West Des Moines Valley on Monday. Duffek expected the trio to perform well on Tuesday.

"I thought emotionally they might be drained a little bit, but I think they kind of came out wanting to prove something," she said.

Council Bluffs traditionally has not been a softball town. This is the 50th year of summer softball in Iowa, and Lewis Central's state appearances in 1975 and 1985 are the city's only blips on the radar. A win over North shows that the Lady Jackets are at the very least a contender.

"It's not unreachable," Neill said. "I have so much confidence in us. I know a lot of it depends on me throwing well. I think when I throw well, the team feels confident and it just all meshes together - like tonight."


SC North (4-3).........................000 000 0-0 3 4
CB Thomas Jefferson (5-1).........................001 002 0-3 8 2
• W: Neill (5-1). L-Zeimet.

Good Win!

Jackets-3
SC North- 0

Last night was a good win ladies! Anytime you don't play your best ball against the #8 rated team in the state and still get a win, you should feel good. You all have so much more to offer and it's only going to get better and better. I hope you all realize with a little work and some confidence you are capable of great things. Right now we need to focus on getting better than our last performance as a team and an individual.

We need to work on a few things before we step on the field the next time. I know you all are thinking bunting and yes we definitely need to work on that but there are few other things I would like to address first. First off, when we have a lead we need to play like we have a lead. This is a time when you need to show confidence in yourself and your teammates. Secondly, know that softball is a game of FAILURE. Your considered successful if you get a hit 30% of the time. To most of you that’s unheard of. You all strive for perfection and that is a great trait to have but you need to know how to handle the failures this sport throws at you. Its so unlike any other sport and it takes a very strong individual to play it. Learning how to deal with a failure and being able move on is something that will last you a life time in whatever challenge you take on. Lastly, we need to work on bunting.

Remember this is just the beginning. Enjoy each day you have out on the field because before you know it, it will be over. Don't look back on the season and wish you would have done something different. Do it now!

~BELIEVE