Memorable quotes from YAIAA spring season
Another sports season has come to an end.
The spring slate ended for Hanover teams on Tuesday, when the Delone Catholic softball team fell in the District 3 semifinals. Just like after basketball season, I put together the most memorable quotes I heard from YAIAA coaches and players the past few months. Here they are:
"Honestly, after last night I was pretty beat and I needed to tell myself this was my last race. Instead of telling myself I needed to run fast. I just said a quick prayer, and just said, 'I’m going to enjoy this.' This has probably been my most relaxed race all year, maybe of my career. I reached in and told myself all or nothing."
- Delone Catholic track and field senior Will Greene after running the 1,600-meter race in the District 3 championships on May 21. Greene entered the race as the fifth seed but finished third with a state qualifying time of 4 minutes, 29.37 seconds. He had never previously qualified for PIAA championships.
“When I’m playing softball I know I’m going to get dirty, it’s a sport I’ve played for years and it’s what I do. When I’m off the field I’m pretty much a girly girl. The hair, the makeup, the clothes and all that stuff. I guess I don’t look like I play softball. At the end of the day I know I’m good so I don’t need a bunch of people knowing."
- Susquehannock softball senior Mallory Lebo on how she balances being an athlete and a part-time model. Lebo was one of the league's best leadoff hitters this season and hopes to pursue a career in fashion or modeling.
"She gets on base, the offense goes. And she gets on base a lot. Her speed is unbelievable, she's obviously the fastest player in York County. But I'm telling you, most college teams don't have anybody that fast. I'm not bragging or anything, though."
- Susquehannock softball coach Jeff Deardorff on Lebo. The speedy senior hit .500, stole 21 bases and scored 32 runs this season.
"They have really good pitchers, I don't know where they get them. They're all left-handed too, there must be something in the water at Central's school district. I'm thinking of getting a couple gallons of it and taking it down to us."
- Jeff Deardorff on Central York softball's pitching staff, following the Warriors 3-1 loss to the Panthers in the YAIAA title game on May 17. Central York used lefties Rachel Butler and Courtney Coppersmith against the Warriors.
"That's them being engaged in the game and they have yet to demonstrate its not part of their focus. I think it's a great thing. It's a high school game, you should have fun playing it and they do that stuff. It's a lot of fun to coach."
- Central York softball coach Shane Walker on the Panthers' habit of yelling colorful, creative chants throughout their games. Central York finished the season 21-2.
"She just got new contacts, before she was wearing glasses but she wasn't even wearing them when she went up to bat because she couldn't get the helmet over them. I knew she couldn't see as good but now she's starting to hit better because she's got her contacts."
- Delone Catholic softball coach Don Smith on No. 5 hitter Mikayla McCleaf following the Squirettes 5-2 win over Oley Valley in the district playoffs on May 26. McCleaf went 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
"That was crazy, I had never cleared 5-feet, and I got over it and it was wonderful. It gave me such an adrenaline rush. I had to take a step back and just go, 'wow.' I hadn't thought about (making states) and when they said the top two had made it I was like, 'wait, that's me, that's crazy.'"
- Delone Catholic track and field freshman Juliana Malesky following the high jump competition at the District 3 championships on May 20. Malesky qualified for the state championships with a jump of 5-02 feet.
"(Biglerville football and track head coach Alex) Ramos jokes around with me whenever I don't score in football that I'm too slow because I don't do track because I play tennis. It's been kind of a joking matter, 'Oh he's a tennis stud because he's No. 1 (singles player) on the tennis team. But it's just me coming out here and being athletic."
- Biglerville tennis senior Nate Newberry on playing football, wrestling and tennis. Newberry captured sectional, district and regional titles in wrestling and was the tennis team's top player.
"If they're upset, they haven't shown that, haven't shown anger or frustration. Some of the seniors are extremely gifted, and it's beautiful to watch. And I'm still as green as the freshmen are, but I tried to set a good example by stepping up and playing a tough position. Maybe other players will see that and try something new to help the team, too."
- Delone Catholic lacrosse senior goalie Dan Coleman on the relationship between the team's experienced and non-experienced players. Delone launched it's program in 2014 and will become a varsity program next season. Coleman first started playing the sport his junior year.