LOOKING FOR RESPECT: Nonnewaug Chiefs Aim For Berkshire League Title, Deep State Tourney Run

The Nonnewaug Chiefs are once again flying under the radar, through an 18-2 season that left them as the No. 1 seeded team in the CIAC Class M ranks; a spot they should remain for the upcoming state tournament.

Yes, the Chiefs play in a league that doesn't garner the respect of some around CT's softball circles, but with a tough non-conference schedule, Nonnewaug has done all it can this season to work hard, get better and prove the naysayers wrong.

This week, Coach Chris Martin and his five captains sat down with The Inside Corner Podcast to talk about the season and the upcoming state tournament.

Transcript

SPEAKER_06 0:08

Hi everyone, welcome to the Inside Corner Connecticut Softball Podcast with John Nash. I'm Rob Adams, and uh I'm excited to get going on this one. John, let's let's get it started.

SPEAKER_07 0:21

Well, we had a bye week last week. We kind of took a week off. Uh uh not for any reasons other than just things didn't line up correctly. It's so busy this time of year. Uh but this year we're being joined by the head coach of the uh Nanawog uh Chiefs and five of his captains, two seniors and three juniors. And once again, all the names have disappeared on me thanks to modern technology. But we have head coach Chris Martin. Uh we have seniors Elizabeth uh Boysitz and Nicole Decello, and we have juniors Marin Savaris, Jordan Kovac, and Scarlet Ivy. And uh Naniwog for uh a couple years now has been one of the stronger teams in the Berkshire League. And I've got to start, Rob, by telling a great Chris Martin story because I've known Chris for a lot of years through my own coaching days in travel. Uh, you know, he's one of the people that that's heavily involved with the uh rapid softball organization up in Watertown. And last year, Northwestern uh regional high school upset Nanawog for the uh Berkshire League Championship. And I'm sure all the girls' blood's boiling out about that right now. But you know, I wanted to follow up the championship with a with the uh phone call to the coach to do a story on Northwestern reaching, and I was like, well, who do I know up that way? Oh, you know, Chris is with the Rapids, he's up that way, he may know her. Not realizing that just hours before Chris had lost that game to Northwestern Regional, but he he's such a class act and such a good guy that he gave me the coach's number so that I could promote her team beating his team for the title. That's the kind of guy that is coaching these girls, and and he's he's just I personally think, you know, uh, and again, you know, we had a great talk yesterday up at the at the Seymour uh Wallcut NBL game, but but just you know, Chris is in it for all the right reasons, it seems, so I'm really, really glad to be able to kind of uh uh show a little love and shine a bright light up on the nonwag Chiefs because they certainly deserve it. So, Chris, thanks for joining us. Thank you very much. Uh um you know, one of the things that we did touch upon is you've built such a uh a strong program up there in the Berkshire League that that it's kind of hard for you guys to get the proper credit that you guys deserve. And uh do you do you sense that about the team that the uh and I don't want to say there's not a lot of respect because the you know the respect comes when you go to the state tournament and play some of the better teams, and you guys have really challenged this group this year with some strong non-conference games. But but do you feel you're overlooked a little bit because of the league you play in sometimes?

SPEAKER_00 3:01

Uh yeah. All all my entire coaching staff and all the girls, they they definitely feel uh slighted. Um, you know, they they've grinded since September, um, going 18 weeks of doing weightlifting uh three days a week, uh, putting in all the hard work. And um when it comes to the voting polls, there's no one in our area that's in that voting poll to even you know show the recognition. And um, you know, the Berkshire League is definitely um, you know, not as talented, smaller roster, smaller schools. So the challenge is definitely not out there when you're on, you know, the upper level of skill. So this year with our six out of league games, we definitely tried hammering that schedule a lot harder. Um, you know, immaculate, Danbury, St. Bernard, Bethel, Cheshire, which was a big one up at Yukon, which is a fun one, and then Notre Dame prepped to start off the year too. So definitely trying to um prepare us for the state tournament by playing those better teams and hoping we can get that big win and that big knockoff win to get that recognition. Um, we were kind of hoping that that three to nothing loss against Cheshire um would have definitely opened up some eyes a little bit more. Um, but yeah, we have something hanging out in the dugout from the uh preseason poll. And um, you know, uh we have a little saying up there in the wall and showing we're we're not existent with that. And um, you know, that's kind of a little motivation in the dugout for us for the girls to see every day.

SPEAKER_07 4:26

And how have you done it? Uh, how long have you been the head coach there? And what has it taken to build the program to the level that you're at right now?

SPEAKER_00 4:33

Um, well, this is my fifth year there. Um, I helped out at Watertown a little bit when my stepdaughter was there and played and so on from there. Um I mean, it was trying to take the level of play I've seen at the travel level and seeing the girls that I've coached, the fifth year or so that have gone on to play in college, and you know, picking their brains, picking their minds, seeing what they've done in the offseason to try them make themselves bigger, faster, stronger, and and to be at that top level and try to play at that elite softball level. So, you know, starting with the weight room and trying to trying to make them believe and build into the program and buy into things um is a big part of that. I mean, um, you know, we could have not done any of that stuff and and seen how far our talent had got got us there, but um, you know, losing a foreign last year is, you know, was an eye-opener too. You know, we had a really bad day. I mean, Abby Corse is a great, great pitcher, but how can we prepare ourselves better for something like that situation? So, you know, um when we have these kids coming to Nanawag, because we're Volex schools and people have to apply there, um, they see a different level of softball at the high school level from where how committed we are and and where we're gonna be trying to take this program to to the next level.

SPEAKER_07 5:49

And Elizabeth, let me jump over to you for a minute. Uh when you guys you know walked off the field after that loss to to Northwestern Regional, how devastating was it for you guys as a team not to win that league title? And did that really, you know, you talk you heard Coach talk about you know hitting the weight room and and doing so many things to make you guys you know better athletically and physically. Uh did it was a lot of that fueled by that loss at all? Or or did you guys quickly just put it in the past and and time to move on and attack what's next, what's next?

SPEAKER_01 6:21

I would say a little bit of both. It definitely stung walking off the field that day. Um, but I feel like as a team we used it as motivation, um, knowing that we never wanted that to happen again and we needed to be better and we needed to work better together. And we just used it to like put fuel to our fire and just keep going.

SPEAKER_07 6:42

And and Nicole, did the whole team kind of buy in at that point, or did you guys as captains really kind of have to uh you know uh put put your foot down, I guess, put your cleats down, so to speak, and you know, to get the whole team to buy in. What was that experience like?

SPEAKER_04 6:59

No, it was good. I feel like overall, as a team, we really like all together used it as like a bonding experience and pushed ourselves and each other to go forward. So it wasn't like you know, we were putting our cleats down and you know, yelling at everyone. Everyone does truly care about the loss, and we all kind of like use that going into like the weight room in the fall. And then obviously the season.

SPEAKER_07 7:23

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, and and Chris, let's talk about this year's team. Uh, you know, 18 and 2, as we said, you got the Berkshire League tournament coming up, uh to be followed by the the state tournament. Um sitting 18 and two is is that where you'd hope to be uh at that point, at this point, or kind of what was your take coming in uh for the season this year?

SPEAKER_00 7:44

Um, I mean, with with the talented teams and the out of league schedule that we had, um, we kind of feel like we are exactly where we're gonna be. Um, you know, challenged in, you know, Chester being the number one team in the state. Um, you know, Notre Dame is a scrappy team, had a lot of good transfers come in there. Um, you know, Navarro's a very good pitcher down there. Um Coach Phil, his first year there is doing a great job. Um, but seeing that that different style of play and the competitiveness, um, I believe we we are exactly where we feel we could have been. Um you know, that was definitely um where we wanted to be. Um now things got shaken up a little bit last week with the Nogatuk Seymour game and Nogatuk upsetting Seymour. I mean, Nogatuk has, you know, Carly Lucino, very good pitcher over there, and they came in and played. That that shook up the bracket quite a bit and on how we were seeing things. Um Class M is very, very stacked. You know, you have your Woodlands, your Seymour's, Sheehan sitting down there in the 16 spot right now, um, foreign, which is, you know, very, very good as well. Um, class M is very, very dangerous, you know, one through 19. Um, you know, we're we're really looking forward to seeing where we match up and and any round, anybody can win.

SPEAKER_07 9:02

Yeah, I'm looking at the Class M standings as we speak. And of course, you know, Nanawag is is number one in Class M right now. Um, they have not released the the final state tournament brackets yet, but you think the quarterfinals could be a foreign Seymour matchup, which could be a state championship final, you know? There are just a ton of good teams in Class M. And let me let me jump to Jordan. Uh Jordan, I I you know, you still gotta get through the the Berkshire League tournament, but I are you guys looking forward to the state tournament too, and really challenging yourself against the strong Class M grouping?

SPEAKER_02 9:35

Yeah, we're definitely looking forward to the state tournament. Um, we're we want revenge on four, and we want revenge going into the semifinals, hoping to get to the finals at UConn again. I know we all talk about them, but we're just gonna go one game at a time.

SPEAKER_07 9:52

And Maren, anything you want to add about that as well? And just in terms of, you know, I I heard the word revenge. Has that been talked about, you know, a little bit this year? That that, you know, any team that we come to that that maybe beat us in in our career, we want to get them this year?

SPEAKER_03 10:08

Um, yeah, I definitely feel like we can definitely do better against different teams, and it's gonna be better uh challenging ourselves more with teams that might be harder.

SPEAKER_07 10:20

And and Scarlett, you're the you're the pitcher for this team. You're you're starting uh pretty much every play. Uh what's it like to to be the the you know in the circle with this group with the defense behind you? And uh what are your hopes and goals for for what's left of the season?

SPEAKER_05 10:36

Um it's great to be behind like just like be fronting this team really like the defense, we just like have gelled together so well this season. Um like I feeling like I'm feeling a lot more confident like this year. Like obviously we did good last year, like phenomenal, phenomenal year for us. Um but at least like defensively this year and like going to the gym and everything, like that helped a lot. Um, but we just have gelled together more as a team this year. Um so I think that's like one of the main reasons why hopefully we get like to where we want to go and like eventually end up at UConn.

SPEAKER_07 11:14

And and Chris, let's talk about the team this year. You know, you got Scarlett in the circle. Last week she was our uh Union 12 design pitcher of the week. Uh Scarlett, you have a t-shirt coming to you. Coach has that. I gave it to him yesterday. So uh uh enjoy that and congratulations. But how good is this kid for you? And and you know, what does she bring to the team? And and you know, answer that, and then we'll go around to the the rest of the field and talk about the plays you have elsewhere.

SPEAKER_00 11:41

Yeah, I think Scarlett has started to learn and develop that, you know, she throws a bunch of different pitches. Um, I mean, she's going from throwing upper 50s with her fastball curveball to dropping a change up at 33 miles per hour, and it's pretty consistent. Um, but she's learned to, you know, um, Tom Glavin, Greg Maddox style, you know, not try to strike everybody out, but try to throw pitches for the batters to miss hit the ball. Um her defense behind her this year has been outstanding. I think we have 18 errors on the season. I think we went six or seven games in a row without an error. Um, fundamentally, behind her right now, the defense has been outstanding. Um, we brought in um a few assistant coaches this year. Um, Coach Ryan Batts, uh, he's from the new Fairfield area. He works with our catchers, very, very sound guy with our catchers. And um Coach Nate Wilda, um, who was the old Bethel coach. He also coaches with the Connecticut Impact program, has done a phenomenal job with our outfielders and preparing them. Um, I mean, we moved uh Marin over to left field. Um, her cousin, who's a freshman, Gia Severice, is sitting in center field, and Gia right now covers 80% of the outfield. Um it's just phenomenal. We've had um a couple outfielders in right field with tremendous arms. Um and having that support behind you um as a pitcher, um, it has to have just a comfort and relief knowing that I could have confidence throwing this certain pitch that my defense behind me is gonna make that play or turn that double play. Um, you know, we've done a very good job of throwing behind runners this year, picking runners off, um, you know, like I said, turning double plays. It's been it's been very fun to watch. Um if if you get a chance to see just our pregame warm-up is something that coaches and college coaches talk about um nonstop, about the movement and where everybody is, the hand-eye coordination, and how everybody's doing something in our pregame warm-up. Um, it's definitely something to prepare, and and these girls have solidified that defense behind Scarlet.

SPEAKER_07 13:47

You realize though that come practice on Monday, you're gonna have to explain to them who Tom Glavin and Greg Greg Maddox are, right?

SPEAKER_00 13:53

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_07 13:56

I that there's no video on this, so so I can't I couldn't see the girls' reaction, but I could you could just imagine them looking at each other going, who are the who's who's that who are they?

SPEAKER_00 14:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 14:06

So uh but um who's behind the plate for you?

SPEAKER_00 14:10

Who who's catching all of Scarlet's uh uh so so so this year has been Ashlyn Blum. She's um you know, she had knee surgery last year, and she opted to have the surgery at the after the end of her high school season, which she missed a lot of travel ball. Um she plays for the Rapids program as well. Um so Ashlyn actually had to move to second base last year um just to save her knee a little bit. And Lila Farelli had stepped up behind the plate last year. Now Ashland's come back into that role, and coincidentally, uh Lila's going to second base for us. Um but Ashland's been solid back there. Um there's been times I could say, hey, Ash, you're calling you're calling the pitches right now. Um and we're comfortable with that, you know, with her and Scarlet being on the same page.

SPEAKER_07 14:51

And and around the infield, who do you have?

SPEAKER_00 14:54

Um Gianni DiLorenzo playing third, Jordan playing uh shortstop, Lila Frelliot second, and uh Liz Elizabeth uh playing first base.

SPEAKER_07 15:04

And I think you did cover the outfield, right? I think we got all three spots there. I just want to make sure that every kid gets mentioned, you know, that deserves it.

SPEAKER_00 15:11

Yeah, we have uh Marin in left field, her cousin Gia in center. Um we had another um senior there in right field for a little while, and now um a freshman Riley Abbed has stepped up and played right field for us, which is a tremendous athlete um for us and a blessing to have as another freshman coming in and be able to step up.

SPEAKER_07 15:32

And girls, uh you know, be being under the radar, and uh, you know, let's let's go with Nicole on this one. We'll go back with the seniors. Uh being under the radar on a statewide level, uh, does it bother you guys that much, or is that coach's ego talking that you know he wants to be in that poll? Or kind of what take do you guys have on that?

SPEAKER_04 15:54

I feel like it's a little bit of both. Like, yes, it does feel amazing when like we beat like a good team. They kind of see like, whoa, like this little you know, Calpope place and Woodbury, you know, just beat like this really good team. But at the same point, there are like moments where we would obviously rather have our like name be a little bit more, you know, learned, but I guess that's kind of like our job. Our job is to kind of go out there and you know say, hey, you know, don't kind of you know ignore us.

SPEAKER_07 16:26

And uh coach, this year's team compared to last year's team. Are you better?

SPEAKER_00 16:31

Um more experienced. I mean, nobody graduated from last year's team. So that's right too.

SPEAKER_07 16:36

Yeah, you were senior list last year. I do remember that.

SPEAKER_00 16:39

Yeah, um, that's where um, you know, um Liz and another girl we had were captains last year, rolled into that this year. That's where um I made that decision about a week and a half ago, maybe two weeks ago, I I stepped up and took these uh three juniors on as captains to start learning the role um from the seniors um to be those, those, that middle break between the coaches and the players. Um again, learn the role as captainship because they've they've earned that respect um at the level that they've been playing um in their high school career to step up. That's why we have five of them. Um I just feel you know that the experience is just so we're better to answer that question. Um just the experience um playing in those games, getting to the semifinals, you know, playing against foreign, um has definitely helped out um from where we were before.

SPEAKER_07 17:32

And and you guys beat a really, really good Danbury team, you know, that's playing in the FCAC semifinals on Tuesday. So, so right then and there, you know, I'm assuming that you guys, I mean, that was your first statement game. Well, I guess Notre Dame Prep uh you'd uh you'd lost to, right? That was your season opener.

SPEAKER_00 17:48

Yeah, that was. Um Jordan was out too um coming off an injury from from preseason and stuff like that. So we mixed things around. Um we did have a very strong um preseason schedule. Um we had six scrimmages to start off the year, one Jamboree. Um, you know, we had the Massachusetts, uh St. Paul's, and we did very well against those teams. You know, we definitely held our own both close games. You know, I think we were on the top side of both of them for the varsity part of the scrimmages. Um and, you know, coming to see Notre Dame, um, you know, we had people out of position still a little bit. Um, I think there were two earned runs in that game. Um, but um, I mean, it was it was nice to come in playing somebody strong, definitely from the start. Um, because you never know how the other team's gonna be as well. I mean, if you come in and beat a team, you know, at that caliber level, you're gonna, you know, get that respect early in the season, too. Um so that that's where we went with having them early in the year.

SPEAKER_07 18:48

And the day before my birthday, and Elizabeth, I'm directing this question to you. Um, you guys, you know, went up to Yukon, played Cheshire, uh tight, 3-0 win, you know, Jenica Matos. I mean, what she's done this year, she's having a season uh for the for the record books, it seems. I don't I don't know if she's given up an earned run, but as you guys walked off the field that day, playing them so well, was it a good feeling or or did you feel like you you guys had missed a little bit of of an opportunity to really make a statement?

SPEAKER_01 19:20

No, we all felt amazing walking off that field. I mean, let alone from the fact that we played a really great game against a really great team, we just had so much fun, like being up at UConn, being on the beautiful field that they have and things like that. And we knew that we played our absolute best and gave it our all. So I none of us were mad or upset or anything. Like, we did our absolute best, and I still believe that we got some recognition from that game, um, win or lose. Like, we still got what we deserved, I believe, by like people now realizing that they should have to watch out for us and we can be a threat in the league.

SPEAKER_07 20:02

Now, I'm actually looking at the box score as we speak. Okay, you guys were yeah, one hit by by her. Uh Elizabeth, you had the hit. What's it like to face a pitcher of uh Jenica's status?

SPEAKER_01 20:14

Um, and I'm being honest, it's it was a little intimidating because I just I knew I wanted to hit the ball and everything, so I was trying to overcompensate, but once you kind of loosen up and you just do what you know how to do, I feel like that helped me out a lot, not stressing out at the plate. Um, but like once the ball left the bat, I mean it was a great feeling. And then getting to first and realizing, like, all right, here we are, like I'm on first now, like let's make this happen for the team.

SPEAKER_07 20:41

And and Jordan, you were hitting the leadoff that game, and I don't know if you remember your first at bat against her. Uh, but you know, do you remember what you were saying? Uh okay, strikeout looking happens to the best of us. Um what do you what did you say to your teammates as you, you know, usually you have that little pow-wow, you know, with the on-deck hitter, and then you walk into the dugout. You know, what what what was your advice at that point?

SPEAKER_02 21:07

Yeah, so I had a great first um at bat against Jenica. I won in, I think, seven pitches. I fouled off a lot. Um fortunately got caught looking on her changeup, which is an insane pitch that she has. Um, so after that at bat, I kind of looked at Scarlett and I told her to have fun. I went up there and had fun. Um, you can't really think too much against a pitcher like Jenica. You just gotta go up and you know do what you know how to do, and you can't doubt yourself.

SPEAKER_07 21:34

No, and then you got and she walked six that day, so obviously it's midseason. You know, she wasn't totally on her game, but yeah, just the fact that you know, three one run innings. Uh so so Scarlet, you know, facing a lineup like that, I mean, only two earned runs, sounds like you got you guys fully as a team just you know, played your hearts out and played really, really well against the team that has been the number one team in the state, at least in the uh Connecticut. Softball blog poll. The players have gotten that right all year, right, Jordan? What was it like facing that lineup, Scarlet?

SPEAKER_05 22:08

I mean, it was intimidating, I'm not gonna lie, because they just have so much, like I mean, they're the number one team in the state. Like we knew that walking in, but like we were just having fun, like we were cracking jokes between innings, just like anything to stay loose, like like we had nothing to lose from that game. Like just go like just go play your hearts out, and like that's it. Like I did my best to make sure they couldn't they miss hit a lot of things. Um and like no pitches off is really what it was. Like I just had to be like dialed like all the time, but I had to just play loose and just have fun with it.

SPEAKER_07 22:44

Yeah, and and coach, you know, you got back into league play after that, and you know you started rolling big wins 15-2, 13-0, 18-4, 13-1, 16-1. Uh how do you keep a team focused when you you know step back into your league? Which, like you said, is is uh it's you guys and and some other teams that are trying to become what you guys have become. Is it is that a difficult thing for for to do with uh you know teenage girls to keep them focused when when you're playing teams that you should be beating by scores you're beating them by?

SPEAKER_00 23:19

Well, I mean, the the one thing that we have strong with our 16 girls is the team camaraderie. So I think we've had four seven-inning games out of um, we had two forfeit wins with one of our um teams in our league um folding. So out of our 18 games, I think there was only four of them that went seven innings for us. Um, but the camaraderie and the and the sisterhood and the bond that these girls have, um, most of our starters are only playing three innings. So the girls coming off the bench and getting their opportunities is, you know, those starters now become the supporters for them. So nobody's sitting down after after coming out of the game and and just going to ice up and they're done for the day. They all know that they have a job now to be supportive for for their teammates. And and that's something that, you know, doing team bonding stuff off to the side, whether we go bowling together or we do a study hall in the classroom and we work together on projects, um, you know, that that all those little things on the outside help that focus while you're on the field or in the dog out together, too. You know, so the support between each other, um, you know, the cheering, the picking each other up, the um advice and talking in between plays and saying, you know, watch how this runner's doing this, watch how the pitcher's tipping this, look at the batter with their hands dropping down, you know, things like that, and how the defense might be moving. These girls have have uh you know a higher IQ for softball than I've seen from most teams. Um, and and they're all sponges, which is amazing.

SPEAKER_06 24:55

By the way, who's the team who's the team bowler? I I have to know. Who's the high bowler there?

SPEAKER_00 25:02

Um it was a freshman this year. Um, I believe it was Mia Mendez. Um she came out of nowhere. I can't remember what her last game was. It was like a 170 or something crazy out of nowhere. Quiet little girl, too. You know, it's like out of nowhere.

SPEAKER_07 25:18

I love that. It would have been Scarlett, but the catcher kept blocking the ball every time that she threw it. So, you know.

SPEAKER_00 25:25

I'll tell you right now, Jordan was right there too, though. Jordan was pretty consistent as well. She was uh she was out there throwing a lot of strikes and marks in the boxes.

SPEAKER_07 25:34

Yeah, I was gonna say, Scarlett, were you disappointed that you didn't win? Because you should have that underhand motion perfected by now.

SPEAKER_05 25:40

I mean, I never claimed to be good at bowling, so I can't say.

SPEAKER_07 25:47

Is that something? I mean, do you guys do a lot of that team bonding stuff though, Scarlett? I mean, is that something that makes you know this team special?

SPEAKER_05 25:55

Yeah, like I know there's like clicks on every team, but this one, like, we're pretty like all of us are friends. Um, like all the team bonding has definitely helped us like gel as a team this year, and like all of those team bonding, like everyone's friends. It's just like it's really fun to be a part of.

SPEAKER_06 26:13

Winning's fun too, John.

SPEAKER_07 26:16

Oh, very, very much so. Uh uh, yeah. Um I'm from I'm from Maine, which is candle pin bowling, and and you guys will have to Google that after you get after they get done looking up who Tom uh Tom Glavin and Greg Maddox are. Uh but yeah, I I didn't uh use the big balls as we call them until uh you know the balls with a hole in them until I moved down here. So and I've only been a couple times, but uh I I could see a team definitely having fun doing that type of thing, that's for sure. So uh Maren, let me ask you this. Uh do you guys do a lot of uh you know live pitching against Scarlet and and what makes her so tough, you know, from a hitter's point of view?

SPEAKER_03 26:55

Um we don't do much like live hitting off of her, but um like I feel like she has lots of like she has a lot of pitches, but she can also change her speed like very well, which can be like hard to read like as the pitch is coming in.

SPEAKER_07 27:15

Especially with that changeup that that uh coach was mentioning, right? I mean, is that probably her nastiest pitch?

SPEAKER_03 27:22

Probably, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 27:26

Coach, thoughts you know, just final thoughts. You know, we only have a few minutes left here. Final thoughts as you head into the the Berkshire League tournament, which starts what, Thursday, I believe?

SPEAKER_00 27:34

Uh for us it's it's uh uh semifinals is Tuesday, and then Wednesday is the finals um with the higher seeds. No, I mean I appreciate you guys doing this and doing this for the softball community and so on from there. Um, you know, our our our goal is obviously to get to Yukon. Um that was our goal this year for the finals, but this team never looks over the next game. So our our focus is on Tuesday against Lakeview, which could be a sneaky team in that league, and just try and stay focused one pitch at a time.

SPEAKER_07 28:04

And Jordan, I'm gonna give you the last question. Uh as of right now, you act you guys are number one in the CIAC class M standings. You know, hopefully when the brackets come out, you'll still be there. Does that add pressure to you? Or do you feel that it's just a reward, you know, because you gotta beat everybody that's gonna be in front of you anyway to get to UConn. So is is that just kind of a reward for the great season that you guys did have?

SPEAKER_02 28:29

Um personally, being number one isn't anything for us, I don't think. I think other people look at it because we're in the Berkshire League that, oh, they play like these teams, so they're there. They don't really play the known name teams. Um, but for us, we just do one game at a time. We don't care like if you're a Cheshire or a Foreign or a Massick or we play like a Shein or something like that. We're gonna take it one pitch at a time. We don't care what your record is, we don't care where you're from or whatever. We play the way we know how to play, and the score is gonna be the score at the end of the game.

SPEAKER_07 29:01

That's a great answer. That's what that's what I like, is they know how good they're. So if people want to overlook them, let them overlook them. They still gotta play the game between the baselines.

SPEAKER_06 29:10

Fantastic answer. That's uh John, that's that's the way to do it, and uh wish uh wish this team a lot of good fortune moving forward. It's a good group.

SPEAKER_07 29:20

Oh, yeah, no, a hundred percent. And like I said, you know, I've I got to know Elizabeth uh a little over a year ago when she committed to playing college, and and and like I said, Jordan's been one of the voters in the uh Connecticut Softball blog's top ten players poll all season, and uh they've all done an amazing job, and I'm just so proud of all of them. So um and it was great, you know, getting to meet uh Scarlett. I've known her name since I've started the blog because that's how good she's been for that long. And and and Maren and Nicole, great getting to talk to you guys, and we wish you the best of luck this postseason. And uh who knows, maybe you know, if we invite all the state champs back to the podcast again, maybe we'll be having an even better conversation somewhere down the line. But gotta play the games first.

SPEAKER_00 30:03

Yeah. Thank you guys very much. Appreciate it. It it's been our pleasure.

SPEAKER_06 30:08

It's been our pleasure. Absolutely true. John, you good? Should we wrap up? Let's wrap up. Let's do it again next week. We will have another group on to talk with us, but that'll do it for this edition of the Inside Corner Connecticut Softball Podcast for John Nash and our guests from Nanawog. I'm Rob Adams. We'll talk to you next time.