Riverheads softball seniors ready for last run

GREENVILLE - The five seniors on this year's Riverheads softball roster have been playing together since they were 8. Now, with the state tournament set to be finished by Friday, the five have less than a week remaining as teammates.

Have they given that much thought?

"You try not to accept it, but yeah," said Faith Christian.

They all agree it hasn't been emotional yet. It probably will be when they play that final game either Thursday or Friday, but for now they're trying to focus on the main goal — winning a state championship.

In addition to Christian, the other seniors are Emily Walters, Sara Moore, Allie Campbell and Emma Grubb. 

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Moore actually stopped playing for about six years before picking the sport up again just before her junior year. When asked why she started playing again, she pointed to the other four seniors.

"Basically, them," she said. "They had been trying to get me for a long time. Then it was just kind of like ... I tried every other sport and was like, 'Why not.'"

Her softball coach, Mike Walters, gives Moore a lot of credit for coming back to softball. By the time she came back, Moore was already an established basketball star. She is a role player on the softball team.

"She still brings something to the team," Walters said. "I tell her that all the time. Every time we call on her to execute a bunt, to pinch hit, whatever we need her to do, she steps up and makes it happen."

Moore admitted the adjustment to playing softball again wasn't easy. She said the youth game is a lot different than high school. Pitchers put movement on the ball at the high school level. Players can steal now, something they couldn't do in youth ball. 

"When you're 10 it's a lot different," she said. "It was a lot of work."

The coach said she really had to swallow her pride to come back to softball, to take on a non-star role after being a star on the basketball court. 

"She's such a good role model for these younger players," Walters said. "And the older ones love having her around."

In addition to the seniors last run, this will be the last week Walters gets to coach his daughter, Emily, the team's pitcher.

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"A little emotional, yeah, I've got to say," he said. "I have been with her since she was 6 years old."

Walters coached her in youth ball, then on the Riverheads jayvee team. This year he was named head varsity coach and got one more year with his daughter. 

"It's been good for both of us this year," he said. 

The team was 11-9 in the regular season, but since postseason play has started the Gladiators have won four of five. 

"I don't know what we do in the regular season," said Campbell. "But it does not look like ... we are not the same team in postseason. We definitely pull something out late in the season."

Last year Riverheads lost in the state semifinals. This year, they play Auburn in the semifinals on Thursday at Radford University. The game is set to begin at 6 p.m.

None of the players plan on continuing softball next year in college, although Emily Walters said she might play at the club level at James Madison University.

Does that add to the pressure of this week's games?

"Most definitely," Walters said. The rest of the seniors agreed. One more game is guaranteed. There could be another one after that. But that's it. After this week, the sport they've all played for the last decade is done. 

All five are hoping to go out with a state championship. 

Follow Patrick on Twitter @Patrick_Hite

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