On April 20, a chilly Monday afternoon, the Highland Park-Deerfield co-op varsity softball team took on the Wheeling Wildcats. They were coming off of an impressive 17-4 win over Hoffman Estates, although they lost their four games prior. On this day, however, the Warrior-Giants would have plenty to cheer for.
Sophomore Mae Muscarella’s sliding triple in the bottom of the second inning, a stunning outstretched catch of a foul ball by Lily Freedman, and a double and RBI in the bottom of the fourth by Madison Badea-Boffeli were just some of the highlights. More telling, however, was the play that the Warrior-Giant dugout and fans cheered the loudest for. In the bottom of the fifth, junior Sofia Cisternino hit a slow grounder towards first base, a play that should be an easy out. Instead of giving up, Cisternino outsprinted the ball to first base and was declared safe by a fraction of a second. She let out a triumphant scream, which was nearly drowned out as the dugout and bleachers exploded with applause. Three pitches later, Cisternino reached home plate and let out another joyous whoop.
Although the Warrior-Giants are now 1-8 and 0-3 in conference, they don’t look the part. Rather than fragmenting under the weight of crushing defeats, the team comes together stronger. Rather than losing focus, interest, and passion, the team responds to setbacks only by getting louder and livelier.
“One thing the team does really well is staying resilient,” Highland Park junior Marin Killeen said, who leads the team in stolen bases and RBIs.
Part of this is because their goals extend beyond wins and losses.
“Of course, winning is important, but a successful season is also about growth,” Killeen said.
This season, the Warrior-Giants have emphasized building chemistry, growing as teammates and players, and reaching their full potential. At the beginning of the season, the team made goals, with a top priority being to get to know everybody on the team. To achieve this, the team gets together at least once a week outside of practice to improve camaraderie. The creation of these goals has allowed the team to view losses not as failures, but as opportunities to learn and grow.
“Our team really focuses on trying to have positive attitudes and have the most fun we can, even after the toughest games,” Highland Park junior Lauren Gawenda said.
It’s this mindset that allows players in the dugout to stay loose and crack jokes while supporting their team and staying focused on in-game objectives. In the game against Wheeling, as the seventh and final inning approached, the opposing Wildcats finally seemed to be succumbing to DFHP’s relentless dugout energy. The Wildcats were up 8-5, but since the first inning, when they scored four runs, they had slowed significantly. Now, the Wildcats slumped against the dugout walls and slouched on empty baseball buckets, listening to the Warrior-Giants hoot and holler as “Can’t Stop” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers blared from the speakers.
For DFHP, the energy was infectious. Freshman Maddie Swender, who pitched all game, delivered a crucial strikeout, sending a Wheeling player back to the dugout on the verge of tears. As the top of the seventh inning ended, it left just a half-inning for the Warrior-Giants to score three runs to tie, four to win.
The first pitch of the bottom of the seventh was hit hard by Killeen, resulting in a double. The second pitch was a single, advancing her to third. On the third pitch, Killeen stole home. The fifth pitch brought a runner to 3rd base – one pitch later, the runner scored. Suddenly, DFHP found themselves within striking range of a 9-8 victory, as a Wheeling parent swore under his breath.
Gawenda stepped up to the plate with two outs and the tying run on third base. The tension was palpable, while the dugout was practically bursting. “Let’s go, Lauren!” came the thundering roar from the parent section.
With the game on the line, Gawenda hit the ball to second base, sprinting to first as the tying run reached home. And then, in the most heart-wrenching fashion, she was thrown out at first, ending the game 8-7 and Wheeling victorious.
The realization of the loss barely registered before the players lined up and shook hands, followed by the coaches dragging them deep into the outfield to debrief the game. It was a devastating loss, but staying true to form, the team handled it with dignity and maturity. For two schools that are bitter rivals in any other context, the Giant-Warriors have developed strong relationships and a remarkable camaraderie under a truly unique program.