The Ridge Meadows Sharpe's Blue Devils won their regional softball banner by knocking off the Ridge Meadows Strikers 9-7 in the tournament final last weekend.
“The girls pulled it out in the end,” said coach Sterling Perley. “What a way to end a season.”
The Blue Devils went undefeated in the round robin, beating Langley 11-3, Coquitlam 20-10, Newton 18-3 and the Strikers by a score of 14-10.
The Blue Devils faced White Rock in the first round of the playoffs, beating them 15-9, setting up a semi final game with the Ridge Meadows Strikers. After two extra innings the Strikers came out on top 11-10. However, because of the double-knockout tournament format, the Blue Devils were still in the running.
Again they faced White Rock, beating them 17-11 to advance to the final.
For the third time in the tournament, the Blue Devils faced their association rivals, the Strikers, beating them 9-7 in a back and forth battle.
“You could have charged admission and everyone would have got their money’s worth,” Perley said. “There was some really good ball on both sides.”
Perley said the team’s accomplishment was all the more significant given that many of the girls on the team hadn’t played together before this season. The team started the year going 1-4, but as the girls bonded, the play improved.
“We peaked at the right time,” said Perley.
The Blue Devils are Erin Bennett, Amanda Perley, Madison Schmidt, Taylor Wynn, Hannah Trampleasure, Amanda Meers, Hanna Pahl, Allyson Stewart, Michelle Regan, Thalia Latham, Maddison Innes, Izabelle Schultz, Sabrina Jay, Candice Tunison, and Sarah Gasston.