It was a special final game of the regular season for seven senior San Lorenzo Valley High softball players in Felton on Tuesday, May 8.
After defeating Harbor High, 6-2, the team’s underclassmen read flattering statements about their graduating teammates.
Three of the seniors were also awarded with scholarships from the Loud Heart Foundation, a nonprofit launched this year by a group of six team parents to honor the Cougar seniors.
The team’s catcher, Angie Hershberger, was awarded the top scholarship, and teammates Hyllery Hershberger (Angie’s twin) and Mariah Lindberg tied for second place. The amount of the scholarships will be announced later.
Mike Holmes, a parent on the team, came up with the idea.
“The valley is not measured by its size or its population,” Holmes said while announcing the winners. “It’s measured by its heart. And it is big.”
The criteria for the scholarship included writing an essay, receiving a recommendation from the school and a vote by the varsity and junior varsity players.
“There’s so much going on in my life right now,” said senior Angie Hershberger, who will attend Norwich University in Vermont in the fall. “It feels nice to be recognized and loved by everyone on the team.”
She said that while the season — which included a second-place finish for the Cougars in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League — did not go exactly as planned, she was happy with the team’s effort.
“We made huge comebacks in so many games,” she said.
Lindberg will attend Lewis and Clark University in Portland, Ore., while Hyllery Hershberger plans to attend Syracuse University in upstate New York.
The win over Harbor was not the end for the Cougars (10-2 SCCAL), who have at least tied for a share of the SCCAL title depending on games later this week, and await seeding in the Central Coast Section playoffs.
