BY SAPNA PATHAK
Next year, Deven McKiernan will have to find a new way to celebrate her birthday. The last two years have seen the Cawley Middle School eighth-grader do the same thing on her birthday: raise the Tri-County League softball championship plaque with her teammates.
On June 1, McKiernan’s birthday, Cawley celebrated its second straight softball title, this time a 2-0 win over Londonderry.
“We all went back to my house to go swimming after both championships,” said McKiernan. “And then we’d go out for dinner for my birthday and the win. It’s been so cool. I don’t know how my birthday will be the same next year. And especially to win our last year has been awesome.”
Moving from right field to starting pitcher this year, McKiernan was joined by eighth-grade co-captains Carly Auger and Taylor Frazier in leading Cawley to its repeat championship. Frazier made the move from second to third base during the offseason, while Auger remained the squad’s catcher.
With only two players returning to their 2006 positions – Auger and center fielder Brittni West – Cawley mentor Jon Frazier admitted he had his doubts about the team’s ability to adapt.
“We made a lot of coaching changes to fit all the new players,” said Frazier, who was joined on the bench by coach Ken McKiernan. “Our focus was on traditional values like sportsmanship and providing a springboard in case they do want to play in high school. But the group of seventh-graders really stepped up athletically.”
Against Londonderry, McKiernan earned the shutout, and Frazier finished with one hit and one RBI. Second baseman Katie Philbrick brought in outfielder Jayne Kelly to put the team ahead, 1-0.
Losing just two games in the last three seasons, Cawley softball defined itself with hard-nose pitching and timely offense.
This year’s championship roster also included Corinne Auger, Samantha Desaulniers, starting first baseman Brittany Donovan, Rachel Frawley, Mackenzie Frazier, Lindsey Hampson, Alexis Lievens, Lauren Nickerson, extra hitter Krista Palmer, starting shortstop Haleigh Parker, Ashley Pilotte, Lindsay Read, and starting outfielder Ariel Wilson. Everyone contributed to the season’s success.
“We had really good hitting at the end of the season,” said Auger, who scored the other run in the title game.
“The whole lineup, the whole infield, had changed this year. I was wicked nervous (before the championship). It was our last game, and I don’t think we wanted to go out without winning. Plus we wanted to show the seventh-graders how it felt to win a championship.”
Taylor Frazier agreed, saying the desire to set a good example for younger teammates helped motivate the three captains.
“We had a lot of eighth-graders last year, so we wanted to show them we could win as eighth-graders, too,” said Taylor Frazier. “Now, hopefully next year’s eighth-graders will feel the same way and want to keep the championship with our school.”