As spring sports have taken off, the seniors are preparing to say their goodbyes to the Wilsonville High School softball program. The five seniors have built up an outstanding legacy, and four of them will compete at the next level.
Senior captain Maddie Holly has played softball since grade school, and next year, she will attend Central Methodist University in Missouri to continue her career. “I want to have a good season, lead the younger group of girls, and leave a good philosophy going into the next season,” says Holly.
Mary Matthews, also a senior captain, has played since a young age and will be continuing at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, for both volleyball and softball. Matthews adds, “I want to have as much fun as possible with it being my senior season and having no regrets.”
As the Wildcats approach their fifth week as a team, they head down to the Sunshine State to compete and grow their bond. They have a 2-3 non-league record, but they are reaching further than just a league championship. “Last year best year, the five of us have been together since freshman year, it’s bittersweet; we want to make it far into playoffs and have a good send off as we all will separate for college,” says Holly.
Grace Wilson, another senior, will also be continuing her career in the fall at George Fox University. Wilson adds, “I’m looking forward to our Florida trip for spring break and battling for another league championship.”
The seniors want to leave something special behind as they go their own ways. The program has been building for many years. They have won the league for three consecutive seasons and are looking for a fourth. Prior to 2021, the program hadn’t seen a league championship since 2001—twenty years!
In 2022, they made it to the OSAA 5A state championship game held in Eugene at Jane Sanders Stadium, at the University of Oregon. That championship appearance had been the program’s only one, ever! “The seniors this year want to leave a competitive legacy, a tight-knit team, and hopes that everybody has a role and sense of belonging,” Holly emphasizes. “We want to leave behind the hard work and dedication that our program puts into the sport,” Matthews adds.
As we look ahead to 2025, junior Sadie Hibbard’s final season, she will be the only returning varsity senior. She looks to fill the shoes of the upperclassmen from previous years. “There have been many years with some amazing captains who have led us to success. I will help others like how they helped me and I will make the season as fun as I can,” says Hibbard. As the season progresses, the Wildcats aim for league and then, beyond that, a state title.