Each year at RHS, teams attempt to match or improve upon the success of last year’s season. For the Lady Rams softball team, a second consecutive division title and winning record was just part of reaching the accolades set by last year’s squad.

Coming into the year with high expectations, the team struggled in their first six games going 2-4. In comparison to last year’s 5-1 start, the Lady Rams were in need of a drastic adjustment in order to turn their season around. After suffering their fourth loss against Seneca Valley HS, the team realized they needed a serious increase in dedication. “I think that really set a fire under us showing that we really had to work for what we wanted,” junior Elizabeth Hubbard said. The defeat provided quite the spark as the Lady Rams won their next nine of 12 games by a combined score of 134-14, earning a division title in the process.

“I think that the only way you can pull yourself up when you are down is with a positive attitude and determination to improve each and every day,” head coach Matthew Quinn said.

This mindset was reinforced by veteran leaders including Hubbard and junior Megan Anderson and alumni Elizabeth Barrett, Kate Lipman, Kelsie Hegarty, Caitlyn Ramsey and Damaris Tolentino (2014). The increase in intensity shown by such key players provided an example for the rest of the team to follow and successfully turn their season around.

With the loss of five key seniors, the Lady Rams are counting on juniors Hubbard and Anderson to develop leadership qualities over the offseason to guide the team to the same level of success next year.

“Leaving will be hard, but I know that with the right attitude this team can accomplish the same amount of success next year,” Barrett said.