By Pepper Fisher
PORT ANGELES – The Port Angeles Illusion, an 18-and-under girls fast pitch softball team, competed in the National Championship tournament last week and won the whole thing. Port Angeles is now home to the national champs.
The 5-day tournament was played in Viera, Florida in 100-degree weather, and in the words of Head Coach Warren Stevens, his team played “lights out” baseball from start to finish, and they did it despite their broad diversity in ages.
“Absolutely. Our diversity is, like I said, my granddaughter, my youngest granddaughter is 14 years old. The oldest girl was 19 years old, and there was no differentiating between the two. They all played as one. There wasn’t older and younger, or clicks, or anything like that. They picked each other up, they help each other out. It was all positive stuff. There was no arguing or fighting. It’s just a great group of girls that were after one goal and worked their ass off to get there.”
Coach Stevens goes on to credit his team’s discipline and ability to play consistently as a cohesive unit.
“First of all, let me say that there’s no superstars on this team. We have a bunch of girls that work really hard to be successful. You know, we’ve practiced in the rain, we’ve practiced when it’s hot, we’ve had our ups and downs, and went through our bumps and bruises. But these girls have stayed together and they’ve been together for five-plus years. That’s a rare thing in this age of softball, where everybody’s starting to jump around. But they’ve been together since they were 12U, and now they’re up to 18U, and, you know, they’re doing phenomenal.”
He’s says the Port Angeles Illusion is probably not finished playing baseball this season, but for now, it’s time for the team to catch their breath. He also wanted to give some props to the rest of the coaching team.
“I think that we have a couple more tournaments planned before the season’s over but, for now, we took a break after this one because it was kind of a big deal. I’d like to mention though, I didn’t do it myself. There was Leah Faris, Greg Faris, Bucky Johnston, and Rick Pennington that all helped make this possible. Each one of us had a part in it.”
Congratulations once again to the Port Angeles Illusion 18-and-under girls fast pitch softball team for bringing home the National Championship.
(Pictured- Team members showing off their rings. Top row, left to right: Jadeah Nordberg, Macy Aumock, Ava-Anne Sheahan, Alyssa Vandenberg, Mackenzie Burke, Mikkiah Stevens, Cydne Moore, Libby Hardee. Front row: Taylee Rome, JoCy Kazlauskas, Cheyenne Zimmer, Gracie Copeland, Michaela Green. Not pictured, Lizzy Soto. Coaches in the back: Leeah Faris and Greg Faris.