Photo provided by Jerry Qualls of Happy Cat Photography.
Many of you, especially if you’re on the Missouri side of the river, have probably never heard of Wayne City, Illinois. The small, farm-town located 17 miles east of Mt. Vernon, Illinois, which is located around 80 miles outside of St. Louis.
With a small town comes a small school. Wayne City High School has just 165 students, many coming from the small farming communities in the surrounding area. The town isn’t perfect. They have their problems like any town, but they are there for each other. It’s the type of area that will come to help someone in need. Whether it is for the annual Senior Class Trip, a benefit for someone sick and needs help with medical bills, or a tragedy, the town is there for each other.
This same concept applies to the Wayne City High School Lady Indians softball team. The Lady Indians have shown great effort, determination and heart in capturing the school’s first Super-Sectional victory and punching their ticket to the Illinois Class 1A State Tournament set to begin on Friday starting at 10:00 am. The first State appearance across all sports in school history.
But, getting there wasn’t a cake-walk.
The Lady Indians softball team have won the Regional Championship for three-straight seasons. Junior pitcher, Claire Miller, has been on the mound for all three of those victories. For the past two seasons the girls have suffered heart-breaking losses in the first round of the Sectional Tournament. Last season, 2014, was extremely difficult, suffering a loss at the hands of Edwards County after they had defeated them twice during the regular season.
They had faced crushing defeat the previous two seasons and to begin to this season, they had another setback. Starting Senior shortstop, Sara Green, a staple of the Lady Indians lineup and defensive positioning suffered a serious ACL/MCL injury, during the volleyball season, which would require surgery. Green’s best hopes of returning would be the first week of May. By then, the season would be almost over.
At a small school it isn’t easy to replace an All-Conference caliber player. “Next woman up” is difficult because the numbers aren’t always there. But the Lady Indians did step up. And Sara Green, would come to return towards the end of the season and has played a role during their post-season run.
After handling their rivals, Woodlawn, for the 3rd straight year in the Regional Championship game, the Lady Indians would move onto the Sectional to play Bunker Hill. This season, they would not be denied in the first round. They handled Bunker Hill 6-0 behind Claire Miller’s 15 strikeout performance.
Wayne City would match-up with Oblong for the Sectional Championship. Oblong hadn’t given up a single run in the post-season and went 8 complete innings scoreless before senior Abby Reeves came through with an RBI single. Claire Miller pitched all 9 innings for the Lady Indians and struck-out 20 batters in the process.
The team made school history and they brought out the fire truck to give them an escort through the small farm-town. Many members of the community stood on their porches, met at the local gas station and bank to applaud the group for their effort. A fire truck escort doesn’t happen in Wayne City often.
Except it would happen the very next night when the Lady Indians upset Trico 3-2 in 10 innings to advance to the State Tournament. Even more people came out to cheer on the Lady Indians and later met at the school to congratulate them. There would be hugs, tears of joy, strong embraces between the teammates and even members of the community. This wasn’t just another win for a team that has rattled off 23 straight victories, this was history.
The schools first every appearance in the State Tournament, across all sports had finally been accomplished. They had went through the deflating losses, the injuries, the edge-of-your seat games. #MakingHistory could be seen on the social media accounts of the players.
It’s no secret that Claire Miller has carried the Lady Indians to a 24-2-1 record, the one tie coming in a 14 inning game that was suspended due to darkness in the conference championship game. But, Miller knows it is more than her that makes up this team. “I love this team, I love my teammates” were the words spoken by Miller that could be echoed by Green, Reeves and Tori Pasley.
They would sacrifice for each other, like when senior Esther Smith dropped down a bunt to advance Pasley to set up the sacrifice fly that would be the go-ahead and winning-run in the top of the 10th inning. Allyson Taylor would embrace Miller after the final out of the Super-Sectional game. An embrace that sisters would give each other.
We’ve heard the slogan ‘Band of Brothers’ talked with male-sports teams in the past. Maybe the Wayne City Lady Indians are a ‘Society of Sisters.’ Sisters that pick each-other up when they’re down. Sisters that encourage. Sisters that care. Sisters that love. “I love this team, I love my teammates.” Those words will be echoed by this group of girls for years to-come. Long after the State Tournament has been resolved. Years from now when they watch their children play softball, they will still carry the bond between them.
This Society of Sisters have a chance for more, a chance for a State Championship. But, whatever happens over the weekend, greatness has already been achieved.
Co-coaches Tony Richardson and Karen Johnson will now lead the Society of Sisters into Peoria. The place they had been dreaming of since their defeat at the hands of Edwards County just over one year ago.
For now, though, they have arrived. For now, they can enjoy the moment.
