Mohawk heads to state with excitement and confidence

Having a fire truck escort back into town after winning a regional championship and the street lined with Mohawk supporters is one memory the softball team won't soon forget.It's been 20 years since the Warriors have played at state, but this is a team that truly believes in itself and never gives up is exactly what made the berth possible, along with a love for the sport that runs deep.This year, there is something different in the air. After winning the Northern 10 Athletic League title, the Warriors have taken the sectional title, district title, now regional title in Division VII, and are heading to Firestone Stadium in Akron to take on Monroeville in state semifinal action on Wednesday at 3 p.m.How did Mohawk make it here?It all lies in the team chemistry and a deep sense of Warrior pride since the inception of the softball program in 1973. In the spring of 1979 is when Mohawk made its first trip to the first-ever OHSAA state softball tournament, with return trips in 2003 and 2005.This year, between a mix of four-year veteran players, and younger sophomores and two freshmen on the team, it became the winning recipe."The team is obviously excited," Mohawk coach Mindy Walton said. "I'm excited to share this experience with them. The mix of the team we have works so well together and teaches each other all the time. That chemistry is one you don't get every year."The Warriors sit at 25-5 overall, but three of those losses came during the middle part of the season, and was over a stretch of two weeks. They lost back-to-back games to Lincolnview on April 30th 7-5, and Ontario on May 1st, 7-5. They split a doubleheader to Minster on May 10th by losing the first game 2-1, but winning the second game 9-7. The other losses of the season came from playing Buckeye Central 4-2 on April 28th and Wynford 8-7 on May 7th."It was against three very good teams," said Walton of the losses. "We learned a lot in those two weeks and sometimes the lessons teach us more than winning does. It helped us for the tournament run."Those losses didn't deter Mohawk from pushing forward to get to the postseason. Walton knew that if the team was going to make a deep run in the tournament, there were going to be things that needed to be improved upon."I knew I possibly had the making of a state team," Walton said. "I knew that hitting 1-9 was something we needed to improve upon."Believing in themselves was one thing that the girls finally bought into fruition after defeating New Riegel at the district final 2-1 and winning their 17th district title. That game came down to the seventh inning when Katie Woodland scored the first run. Blake Miller, the freshman first baseman, made the other score when the bases were loaded and Allison Russell whacked a fly ball out to center field.That same game is when Aubrey Gottfried, the ace pitcher for Mohawk, broke the school record for most strikeouts in a single season at 297, including the 16 strikeouts she had in that game.Gottfried has pitched 176.7 innings this season, is the N10 leader in strikeouts with 323, and has a 1.74 ERA. At the plate she's also been a force with 46 RBIs, has had 36 runs on 48 hits, and 13 of those have been doubles, with four home runs on the season."Since that district final game, I feel like the whole lineup has come alive," said Walton of her team. "And gained some confidence at each at bat, and hitting off of some of the best pitching in the state."In the regional semifinal game against Hilltop, the Warriors also trailed in the seventh inning, but erupted with a huge inning to win 10-4. In the game, Woodland achieved 100 career hits just as a sophomore.With this kind of roll the Warriors are on, who stands in the way?One school that has made state trips repeatedly: Monroeville. The Eagles are currently 26-3, and made it to the state finals last year before falling to Strasburg-Franklin in Division IV. They have in the pitcher's circle this year ace pitcher Veanna Helmstetter."I think it will be a good matchup between Gottfried and Helmstetter," Walton said. "Aubrey is very confident and loves hitting off of good pitching. We know that Helmstetter will bring some junk changeup and we just need to hunt the fastballs and get ahead early."Monroeville will also need to be on the lookout for the trifecta hitters of Woodland and the Brickner sisters of Mallory and Emily. All three are the top of the order."Emily is our leadoff hitter," Walton said. "She has made some great plays for us in the field and at the plate. Mallory has improved in the box since last season. She has worked on her pitch selection and using her legs in her swing. She is in a better mindset this season, and has thrown more people out stealing. Woodland, she has worked hard in the offseason and brings a lot of experience to the team. She is part of the great group of sophomores."Emily Brickner has scored 50 runs on 47 hits this season, seven of which have been doubles, and five being triples, and two home runs. She has 28 RBIs and has stolen 12 bases, with a batting average of .452 average. Mallory Brickner has scored 51 runs on 46 hits, including 11 doubles, five triples, and six home runs. She's tied with Gottffried with RBIs at 46, and has a .438 average.Woodland has 44 runs on 48 hits, with nine doubles, seven triples, and 11 home runs. She has 49 RBIs, and leads in the N10 in that category. She has a .471 average.For Walton though, going to state brings back some memories that she hopes will allow her to stamp her legacy into the history at Mohawk. She was an assistant coach when the team last went to state in 2005."I didn't get to experience it as a player," Walton said. "I graduated in 1999, but the love for Mohawk softball will be the same for me. Being the head coach now is more pressure than being an assistant coach. There is more pressure to make decisions, but if I have learned anything in the eight years that I have been doing this, it is to go with your gut and don't second guess it."While it might be just another game for the softball program, for the community, it isn't just another game, but rather another moment for Warrior Nation to come together and show everyone around them just how deep the Mohawk blood runs."We have had so many people reaching out, sending congratulatory texts, live streaming our games," said Walton for the support. "The local dairy bar in Sycamore (Big Jumbo's Dairy Bar) gave the girls free ice cream after the game Friday."The biggest piece of advice that Walton has given the girls is one that she can truly say she can pass down."Soak it all in. Play our game each and every inning and nothing can stop us. Go get it."