Big weekend is in store as Pontiac seniors face last prep challenge

Pontiac's softball team is heading into the biggest weekend of the program's history. For a trio of starters, this may be an even more important two days. For Brooke Fox, Sam Johns and Rylee Zimmerman, this is their last hurrah on the diamond.

One other senior, Cami Trost, met with some heartbreak before the season started when she suffered a torn ACL that has sidelined her for the entire campaign. This was a blow not only to Trost but to the team, as well.

Trost was the starting left fielder on the 2019 squad that reached the supersectional in Class 3A, falling to Bishop McNamara. She hit .306 that year and .309 last year.

“While she hasn't gotten playing time this year, her energy, effort and experience has been a big key to our successful season,” PTHS head coach Nicole Hayner said of Trost. “She may not be on the field but her presence at practice, games and in the dugout has been tremendous as a senior leader.”

Also feeling the blow of losing as a freshman were Johns and Zimmerman, who were on the bench then and came up big in 2022. Zimmerman especially came through as she homered and drove in all three runs in the 3-0 victory Monday.

“I was actually quite shocked it went over the fence,” Zimmerman said in an interview Wednesday. “I just started throwing my hands up in the air as soon as I saw it go over the fence, just jumping up and down for joy. We really wanted to win because we had lost to them in different sports and it was our turn.”

“That was a tough loss and going into the game with Bishop Mac, for me, I was ready to take it back,” Johns added. “They took it from us and then it was our turn. When you're a freshman, you have a whole different job on the team, versus as seniors, it's a whole different outlook.

“Going into that 'unfinished business,' we had some crazy years with COVID and last year there was questionable,” Johns said. “So, to get to this point, I think it still seems unreal. Personally, I don't think it's set in, I still doesn't seem we're really going to state.”

Pontiac will open state semifinal play at 3 p.m. Friday against the prohibitive favorite — Rockridge from Taylor Ridge, a small community south of Rock Island. The Rockets have won 63 straight games since losing in the 2A semifinals in 2019. Among those wins was one for third place in 2019 and last year's state title game. Rockridge also won the state title in 2018.

“It's kind of cool coming in being the underdogs,” Johns said. “A lot of these teams have experience at the state finals, we don't. But I think that's also good thing because we don't really know what to expect, so we'e going down there with our eyes on the prize and that's the goal.”

Besides Rockridge, Illini Prairie Conference rival Tolono (Unity) made the final four last year and is making a return, and Freeburg, the fourth finalist, reached the supersectional round last year.

The PTHS seniors have been around the success of the program. There was that supersectional team in 2019 and last year's team made the regional final.

“I think that all the girls who came before us paved the way for us,” said Johns. “Without them, we wouldn't get into the tournaments we get into; we're known around the state because of those years. They led us.

Fox interjected what her sister told her, “Amanda said they crawled so we could walk.”

“They truly did,” Johns added. “So now, we get to live out what everyone worked for.”

There are a couple of sister acts on this year's Pontiac team. Besides Amanda Fox, who is now pitching at Illinois State, freshman hurler Elena Krause is a younger sister to Regan Krause, who also twirled for the Indians and is now tossing at Stanford.

“First thing she said to me was, 'Brooke, I am a little jealous right now,'” Brooke Fox said of her sister after winning the supersectional. “But it feels good to be on a team winning this much. For my sister, her being in the stands helps me out. Through her, I have that competitive (edge) that she taught me.”

Making the state finals can be a surreal experience that first time. For seniors, it will be the only time.

“I'm still kind of living on a high that we're going to state,” Zimmerman said. “It's actually quite amazing that we're going to be able to go as seniors. I, honestly, did not feel we would go this far. When we have a solid pitching staff and we're able to score (early), it just seems to calm everyone down and we're able to play our game.”

“The only way to describe it is 'special,'” added Johns. “Once you get to the postseason, as a senior you never know when your last game is going to be. But we are guaranteed two games that we need to go play and leave it all out there. That's really cool.

“And, 20 years from I'm going to think about being in the state finals. It's a positive note to go out on.”

Pontiac is a relatively young team as the Indians start three seniors (Johns at third base, Fox at second and Zimmerman behind the plate) with two juniors (Mackenzie Coates in right field and Makayla Metz in the circle or as DP), four sophomores (Maddie Gourley in center, Bailey Masching at shortstop, Adriann Sutton in left and Cadence Helms at first base) and a freshman (Krause in the circle or first base). Add in the eight freshmen and one sophomore on the bench.

All that youth has its benefits, including bringing a lot of energy to the club.

“Our cheering is more of a freshman, underclassman thing,” Fox said, who is actually only playing her first season. “I wanted to bring the cheering in a little bit. We have some really good underclassman that help spark enthusiasm. We know we want to win and the underclassmen bring the energy.

“It's going to be important to stay on top of the energy in the dugout more than anything now.”

There is work to be done and the seniors understand what the challenges are going to be this weekend. They also know that after Saturday's game is over, so will their high school athletic careers.

“I can't think or know that Saturday is going to be my last time stepping on the field,” Zimmerman said. “It hasn't hit me yet, but I know after we play Saturday, my emotions are going to be everywhere.”

Win or lose, one thing is for certain, these seniors helped create history at Pontiac Township High School and that will be remembered for quite some time.

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Pontiac Indians seniors face last big challenge of prep careers