It’s been a week since the softball season came to a conclusion for the girls at Pella Christian High School, and some of the sting from the final game still lingers – especially among the veterans on the squad that helped carry the team throughout the season. After falling to PCM 7-2 in 2010, the Lady Eagles again had their season ended by the Mustangs in Monroe – this time by an eerily similar score of 6-3.

Pella Christian Head Coach Nate Van Wyk says the loss is still a tough one to swallow, but he hopes the experience can continue to motivate the returning players to put in the hard work to be successful.

“It’s tough, especially for those four seniors who finished the last two seasons of their career on that field [in Monroe]. It’s tough for everybody. Any time you lose in the Districts, it’s tough; especially when you lose to a school in the proximity that PCM is to Pella Christian – with that rivalry,” said Van Wyk.

“But I hope that they realize that if you’re going to make it through the District Tournament, you’ve got to step of your level [of play] and little bit and be sure to bring that intensity every single game.”

The Pella Christian softball team finished the 2011 season with a 17-8 overall record and finished in second place in the Little Hawkeye Conference with a 10-4 mark.