Jun 13, 2018 4 min read

Notice: Undefined offset: 0 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 340

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 354

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 354

Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 356

Notice: Undefined offset: 0 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 378

Notice: Undefined offset: 0 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 387

Notice: Undefined offset: 0 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 388

Notice: Undefined offset: 0 in /usr/web/cs-washington.ogdennews.com/wp-content/themes/News_Core_2023_WashCluster/includes/single/strategically_placed_photos_article.php on line 398

When the West Greene softball team is en route to play Williams Valley in the PIAA Class A title game for the third straight year, head coach Bill Simms said there’s nothing more that needs to be said.

Almost every girl who plays for the Pioneers was there last season, when West Greene came back from down 7-0 to defeat the Vikings 9-8. Most of them also were there in 2016 when Williams Valley won 3-2 on a walkoff.

“I don’t need to give some great Knute Rockne speech,” Simms said. “They’re gamers.”

Simms said what’s prepared his team for the rematch, which starts at 11 a.m. at Penn State, is a combination of past experience playing in state championship games and the difficult schedule the Pioneers (22-4) played this season. West Greene played three tough opponents during spring break as well as WPIAL Class AAAA champion Belle Vernon, Class AAA Waynesburg, PIAA Class AA qualifier Chartiers-Houston and Class A Monessen four times.

“I just think we try to get our girls in games that are high-level games all the time,” Simms said. “We’re not so much worried about comparing (Williams Valley) to somebody as being prepared for how the game plays out.”

Williams Valley (23-2), which is in Tower City, about 45 minutes north of Harrisburg in Dauphin County, is very similar to West Greene. The District 11 champion, which defeated Claysburg-Kimmel 6-1 in the semifinals Monday, has a team .431 batting average with a .497 on-base percentage. The Pioneers, who earned a trip to State College after defeating Monessen 7-4 Tuesday, are hitting .431 with a .499 on-base percentage.

Mya Achenbach, who Simms said is comparable to McKenna Lampe as a defensive center fielder, leads the Vikings with 43 hits, 32 RBI, 23 stolen bases and four home runs. Simms also mentioned Morgan Updegrove, who is second on the team with 31 RBI, as a tough out.

“They’re multifaceted,” Simms said. “They’ve got the Updegrove girl and Achenbach can really pound the ball. The one thing they’ve done to us over the last two years is that they’re a situational team too. They’ll bunt the ball if they get runners on.”

Simms said the Vikings sport a trio of pitchers, though he expects sophomore Stevie Unger to be in the circle against West Greene southpaw Jade Renner. Unger and Jade Renner started last year’s championship game as freshmen.

“We were down 7-0 against them last season, and we came back,” Simms said. “That was against who we think we’re seeing (today) in the Unger girl. I’m not guaranteeing those same results, but we feel cautiously confident going in.”

Similar to playing Monessen for the ninth time in three seasons Tuesday in the PIAA semifinals, Simms said he’s glad to be playing Williams Valley in the state title for the third straight season.

“We’re proud of what we’ve done, and I’m sure they’re proud to be in the final three straight years,” Simms said. “I just think it’s a wonderful thing you have two teams playing three straight years. It’s quite an accomplishment, win or lose, for both schools.”

Simms said no matter the result, the fact that a group of 25 girls in a school that graduates around 45 a year is worthy of praise.

“It’s really exemplary to have a group of girls to come through our school like this who have all maxed out on their potential talent,” Simms said.