After the COVID-19 pandemic took their senior season away, the Piper Pirates softball team made sure they would play again.
WINTER AND SPRING-SPORT ATHLETES NEVERFINISHING THEIR SEASONS.FOR SENIORS -- IT WAS ANESPECIALLY HARD REALITYTO UNDERSTAND.BUT ONE SENIORORGANIZED "ONE LASTGAME" FOR HER TEAM --AND DOZENS OF OTHERS.HERE'S 41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER MCKENZIENELSON.MCKENZIE NELSON - REPORTINGTODAY"S ALL ABOUT 31TEAMS, 7 INNINGS ANDONE LAST CHANCE TOSTEP BACK OUT ON THEDIAMOND AS A TEAM.EMMA MARTIN - SENIOR, PIPERHIGH SCHOOLSIt feels great, it"s justa great experience and it justput a smile on my face.THE EMOTIONS WEREFLOWING AT THE ONELAST GAME" EVENT ATTHE BLUE VALLEYRECREATION SPORTSCOMPLEX.KIM ROMARY - SHAWNEEMISSION NORTH PARENTSThe tears definitely hitwhen we hit the ball field andwe saw that One Last Game,so feeling that today.THE IDEA OF ATOURNAMENT STARTEDWITH PIPER HIGHSCHOOL"S SENIORSECOND BASEMAN.BELLA GRAVATT - SENIOR, PIPERHIGH SCHOOLSAll of us, when we foundout we were just devastatedwhen our whole season wasgone and I didn"t thinkwe"d ever get to play withthese girls ever again.BELLA GRAVATT SAYS HERMOM ENCOURAGED HERTO FIGURE OUT A WAY TOPLAY.SO, SHE REACHED OUT TOMIDWEST SPORTSPRODUCTIONS WITH THEWINNING IDEA.BRITTANY HILE - SENIORACCOUNTANT, MIDWEST SPORTSPRODUCTIONSSAs soon as we got it, wesaid absolutely yes and thenwe hit the ground running onputting this together.31 TEAMS FROM THESTATE OF KANSAS ALLAGREED TO PLAY.FOR THE PIPER PIRATES" IT WAS THEIR FIRSTGAME WITH A NEW HEADCOACH.RACHEL MILNARK - HEADSOFTBALL COACH, PIPER HIGHSCHOOLSI was super excited forthis group, not only were wegoing to be a really solid team,but the girls were justhardworking with goodattitudes.CHLOE ROGERS - SENIOR, PIPERHIGH SCHOOLSWe really wanted achance at state again with herespecially and we justdidn"t get the chance toplay with her or have her asour coach so we weredisappointed.AFTER THE GAMES,MIDWEST SPORTSPRODUCTIONS HOSTED ABANQUET TO MIMIC THESENIOR NIGHT THESEGIRLS NEVER HAD.HILESSpotlight the seniors overthere, have a nice littleprogram, feed them and havea little senior gift for them,justkind of make them feel specialand give them some closurethat they weren"t able tohave during their season.MCKENZIE NELSON - REPORTINGWHILE WE'RE STILL IN THEMIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC --SOME GUIDELINES WEREREQUIRED OUT HERE ATTHE BALL PARK.FANS HAD TO BRING THEIROWN CHAIRS TO SIT IN ANDTEAMS COULD NOT SHAKEHANDS AFTER THE GAME.AS FAR AS MASKS GO -ONLY A HANDFUL OFPEOPLE WERE WEARINGTHEM.IN OVERLAND PARK
A senior softball player’s idea led to a series of exhibition games attracting teams from 32 Kansas City area schools.
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