It was the final curtain on an amazing year.
The Archbishop Wood softball team saw its historic season come to an end with Monday’s 8-0 loss to District Seven champion Elizabeth Forward on Monday at Norlo Park Softball Complex in Fayetteville.
Elizabeth Forward advances to Friday’s state final, taking on District 11 titlist Blue Mountain.
The Warriors broke out of the gate quickly, putting three runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning, adding four more in the third and icing the cake with a final run in the sixth. They ended the game with 13 hits including two doubles.
Wood struggled at the plate, getting five singles, drawing just one walk and stranding all six baserunners.
“We just wanted to play together and have each other’s backs, win or lose,” said Wood senior second baseman Maura Yoos, a Philadelphia Catholic League first team selection who will continue playing at Eastern.
“We knew it was going to be a tough battle. We gave it our best effort. We’re not used to falling behind early and it was a little tough, a little bit of a gut punch, but we knew they were going to come at us and they did.
“This was really fun, really great. I couldn’t have asked for more. I think we really left our mark (on the program). It was really fun to be a part of it and there were a lot of great girls who contributed.”
The Vikings threatened in the top of the third, when Katherine Freligh led off with a base hit, moved to second on a single by Allie Higdon and to third on a Parker Kraus ground out, but the inning ended with no joy for Wood.
Winning pitcher Shelby Telegdy, a Seton Hall commit, struck out eight. Sophomore Jackie Cobb, on the mound for Wood, had one strikeout for the day and did not issue a free pass.
“We knew coming in here they were a really good team,” Wood coach Jackie Ecker said. “She (Telegdy) is a really good pitcher and they can hit.”
In addition to Freligh and Higdon, Maddison Conlon, Julia Yogis and Haley Kley each singled for Wood.
It was the third appearance in the state tourney for the Vikings, and the first time they made it to the final four. They opened play with an 8-1 win over District Three titlist Trinity, then won an epic battle in the quarterfinals, topping District Nine champ St. Marys, 5-4, in 10 innings, to reach the semifinals.
“They wanted that game, and they weren’t going to lose that game,” Ecker said of the victory over St. Marys.
Wood ends the season with a record of 13-8 and reached the semifinals of the PCL playoffs, falling, 5-3, to Archbishop Ryan.
It was the end of the line for seniors Yoos, Kraus, Yogis, Elise Cawley and Krystal Slifer, who graduated on June 3. These players were all sophomores when Wood won the PCL title in 2022.
“The seniors are incredible,” Ecker said. “They were the ones who do not quit. These girls battle. They’re softball players. ... They battled really hard and they really wanted this. They wanted to come out and prove they should be here. It didn’t go our way in the PCL this year as far as playoffs, but we made it further than our two other 4A schools. That’s a pretty big deal for us.”
The other PCL programs in the state tourney, Ryan and Archbishop Carroll, were eliminated in the first round of states.
Wood loses five seniors, but will not be bereft of talent.
“We have a lot coming back,” Ecker said. “A really good freshman pitcher as well. We’ll see what happens.”
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has announced its All-Catholic softball selections. In addition to Yoos, Kraus, a University of Maryland Baltimore County recruit, was named to the first team. Both players received first team honors last season as well. Junior Sophia Azzarano was chosen to the second team and Cobb and sophomore Allison Siegfried were third team choices.
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