2019 Salisbury Softball Team Voted KRES Team of the Decade

The Softball category for the KRES All-Decade team had some strong teams in it. In the end, the area’s most recent state champion came out on top in the voting. The 2019 Salisbury Lady Panthers rolled through their schedule compiling a 22-5 record and avenging past postseason defeats to capture the 2019 Class 1 State Championship. Salisbury had lost the state title game in 2018 to Maysville 3-2. Coach Nate King says that loss drove his team in 2019.

Salisbury came back around to beat Maysville 9-3 in the Class 1 semi final in 2019. In the state title game, a three-run home run from sophomore Cayden Stapleton powered them to a 4-1 win over Canton. King says while the postseason victories were sweet, it was a late season losing streak that gave his team the extra motivation they needed

The three straight losses came to Hickman, Monroe City, and Macon. The 2019 Lady Panthers featured six seniors on the team. Those seniors were Bryn Wooldridge, Brooke Stefankiewicz, Abigail Gebhardt, Olivia Sloan, Lizzy Bales, and Emma Ricketts. King discusses this senior group’s biggest strength.

The group of seniors also provided a strong inspiration for future Salisbury softball teams.

The 2019 state title marked Salisbury’s third in program history and first since 2002. You can hear the full interview with Salisbury coach Nate King on the Magic City Sports Talk page at centralmoinfo.com