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1998

In 1995 everybody practically expected the Lakers to win state. Two years later in 1997
the expectations were close to the same. After Arcadia left Pepin with a 8-5 win over the
heavily favored Laker team and the bleacher bums scratching their heads in disbelief,
the big question was NOW WHAT? This was another team that was loaded with senior
talent. I remember making plans for the trip to Boscabel for Sectionals! A grim reminder
of never take anything for granted, anything can happen on any given day! That's why
they play the game. If the best team won all the time why bother playing. How are we
going to respond next year with a whole bunch of new faces that will be playing varsity
ball for the first time ever? It was early in April 1998, we were playing at Mondovi, it was
not the kind of performance that the Pepin fans were used to seeing out of their softball
team. Sloppy on defense, unorganized, and no indication of any possibility for much long
term success. The Lakers lacked something that Pepin softball had not lacked in a long
time, CONFIDENCE! In the past few years when we took the field the biggest difference
between us and our opponent was that we knew we were the better team and we would
win. This team did not look like the dominating "in your face" Laker squad that nobody
wanted to play. No offense, but Mondovi, come on? What's going to happen when we
play Elmwood? This team was young, but we had some talent and we still had Brooke
Kosok, the lone remaining starter from the 1995 team that knew a little something about
winning. Talent and youth can work, and the seniors on this team were going to have to
grab the bull by the horns. Give credit to this team for staying with it and getting better as
the year progressed. Also give credit to coach Jim Haines on his ability to get this group
of youngsters to come together as a team. Great players are not the only thing that
makes a great team. Good players that get along and play as a cohesive unit will always
out weigh the great athletes that refuse to buy into the team concept. The roller coaster
ride that I refer to as 1998 would have its share of ups and downs, but nobody had any
idea what would happen in the end. NOBODY! When the playoffs started in 1998 it was
Pepin up against the Dairyland conference once again. We took care of business at
Alma Gilmington quite handily, then it was off to Melrose where the girls had no problem
again. That would bring us back to a familiar foe in the regional championship game.
This time around it would be at CFC, different faces same results 15-6 Pepin. Off to
Wonawoc Center for sectionals. Nobody really new what to expect. In the first game it
was all Pepin, as we handed it to the New Lisbon Rockets in quick fashion. Next up was
the defending sectional champs, Seneca and rule book Diane Yager! The game was
everything you would expect out of a sectional final. A nail biter from start to finish. In the
bottom of the 9th inning when Brooke Kosok's head first slide was called safe by the
home plate umpire, this team was going to state. What -this team - going where? Is this
the same team that we watched in Mondovi 6 weeks ago? One week later there we were
in Waukesha, two games away from another state title. Ya right! We are just happy to be
here right? Playing the role of underdog seemed to fit this team just fine. Heavy
underdogs against an Amherst team that only had one loss on the year, the girls never
blinked. They played like the champions they were about to become. Pepin 4 - Amherst
3. Just what the fans needed another near heart attack! One more game. Next up the
Cameron Comets, who had been here the previous year only to lose the state title game.
They had experience, we had tradition, and a sophomore that toed the rubber and
played like she was a senior. In a game that provided so many crucial moments on
defense, with no margin for error, from the perfect execution of 2, not one, but 2 of the old
# 14's. You girls that are reading this know what the old #14 is and we still use it. A
rocket from Brooke Kosok in the bottom of the 6th to cut down a potential run, and the
famous basket catch to end the game. The 3-2 win over Cameron was the ultimate prize
for a great group of girls that came together as champions on June 17th, 1998 to give us
our second state championship in 3 years!

Thanks Ladies!!!

Back left: Assistant coach Mel Westberg, Jessica Stein, Steph Marcks, Rachel Marcks,
Jesi Johnson, Robin Palmer, Katrina Birdsal, Amanda Church, Beck Riesgraf, and
Carley Anderson. Front row: Head coach Jim Haines, Leigh Seifert, Jenny Wallin, Beth
Peters, Brooke Kosok, Carrie Seifert, assistant coach Greg Corning, and assistant
coach John Serene.